Floyd Rose quality not what it used to be?

[Crunchtime]

I am starting this thread because of recent issues I have had with Floyd Rose parts.

I recently got a Floyd equipped guitar that had a terrible sitar type buzz on the open high E string. I confirmed neck relief and string action over first fret were in an acceptable range. I felt it had to be the nut.

I swapped out the R3 nut for the one on my other Floyded guitar and the ringing was gone. Sweet, I just need to slap on a new nut.

I order new nut and put it on only to have that annoying buzz return. Based on a google search, I decide to run some sand paper through nut slot and it helped some but did not completely fix the problem. Then I decided to run a nut file across the nut for a few strokes and then smooth it out with a few strokes of sandpaper working up to a higher grit every few strokes up to 2000 grit. This did the trick. Thank God because I was about to smash this guitar I was getting so pissed.

The nut I used off my other guitar was a NOS from the 80's that only has a few hours play time on it. So, after two bum nuts I am inclined to think Floyd Rose quality has went downhill. Anyone else notice this?

I think any of my future double locking trem needs will be filled by Gotoh.

 

[splatter]

I never had any problems with my floyd parts .
I have had the problem your describing with 2 of the 3 guitars I've owned equipped with a Gotoh floyd though.

 

[xzacx]

Sitar buzz on a Floyd nut means the locking nut was seated too flat or slightly tilted forward - not an issue with the nut itself. Filing it can make it go away, but that wasn't the issue.

 

[Crunchtime]

Sitar buzz on a Floyd nut means the locking nut was seated too flat or slightly tilted forward - not an issue with the nut itself. Filing it can make it go away, but that wasn't the issue.

Perhaps. I did not realize a Floyd nut shelf should not be cut flat.

 

[f550maranello2]

I have 13 floyd equiped guitars and a few with the Gotoh, honestly I dont see why people rave about the Gotoh. It feels like a cheap knockoff compared to the floyd.
I have had a few nuts that had problems though with the coating being soft and allowing the strings to slip but it was on both trems.
NOW there is a difference between the German and the Korean floyds..

 

[xzacx]

Sitar buzz on a Floyd nut means the locking nut was seated too flat or slightly tilted forward - not an issue with the nut itself. Filing it can make it go away, but that wasn't the issue.

Perhaps. I did not realize a Floyd nut shelf should not be cut flat.

It kind of depends on the particular headstock, but the point is that issue is derived from how the locking nut is seeded rather than the quality of an OFR nut. I guess it's possible that one with an issue could slip through, but that problem, generally speaking, is the string having too much movement in the slot due to the angle or lack thereof.

 

[psychodave]

I’ve had problems with the fretboard edge of Floyd nuts not being straight. I contacted Floyd and sent back 2 of them. They quickly replaced them.

 

[SpiderWars]

Some of the newer Floyds do have this issue. They often have to be sanded. But I'd like to hear from Curt (Chubtone) or Mike D'Avanzo (XSSIVE). Those two have a much bigger sample size to go from.

 

[splatter]

I have 13 floyd equiped guitars and a few with the Gotoh, honestly I dont see why people rave about the Gotoh. It feels like a cheap knockoff compared to the floyd.
I have had a few nuts that had problems though with the coating being soft and allowing the strings to slip but it was on both trems.
NOW there is a difference between the German and the Korean floyds..

+1

 

[splatter]

Sitar buzz on a Floyd nut means the locking nut was seated too flat or slightly tilted forward - not an issue with the nut itself. Filing it can make it go away, but that wasn't the issue.

wow never knew that. Both the Gotoh Floyd's I had with this problem were on brand new Suhrs. One would think they would catch that. I always just thought it was the Gotoh.

 

[splatter]

I’ve had problems with the fretboard edge of Floyd nuts not being straight. I contacted Floyd and sent back 2 of them. They quickly replaced them.

not being straight? They come down into a V where on the front side where the string crosses over.

 

[Fuego]

I've had to sand two nuts out of four that I have.

 

[ChurchHill]

I've seen that issue a few times, too. Simple enough to smooth out the bottom of the V in the nut where the string sits. Not really any different than having to smooth out a saddle burr, probably about as common and likely for similar reasons (guessing either the casting or the plating process).

The only other thing I've noticed lately (over the past 5 years; been using Floyds for 29 years) is that I've gotten a few that the bar just wouldn't tighten up enough to get rid of a little play. Not a huge deal, but more of an annoyance that's easily fixed with a bit of plumbers tape. Still, and not all of my newer ones do it, but none of my older ones have had any play in the arm at all. Having a bit of play makes flutters more difficult and creates a bit of a hitch when going from sharp to flat. All of this is nitpicking, in any case. I did try replacing a few of the afflicted arms with new complete assemblies (both arm and socket). That fixed one, but not the other. That's the one I used plumbers tape on the end of the bar, where it's underneath the nut/cap used to tighten it down (Original model).