Floyd Upgrades

[xzyryabx]

I'm doing some work on a friends guitar (fret level/crowning, general setup, installing locking tuners) and I noticed that the guitar still sounds a bit "weak" and dull on the highest 3 strings, especially the high e.
For the life of me I can't tell what could be wrong (new strings, action/intonation check out, fretwork is beautiful now) and the last thing I can think of is that maybe the ridge is a dud.
I would hate to exchange the whole bridge (OFR around 7 years old) and was thinking maybe trying new saddles might do the trick....
What do you guys suggest for replacement saddles?
I can only seem to find either cheapo replacements, graph tech string savers or the schaller/OFR ones. I'd love to try some GOTOH saddles but I can't find them anywhere....and I think it's too risky to spend 180 on a GOTOH bridge in case that isn't even the problem.

 

[shupe13]

What type of pickups? Could be weak/cheap magnets/pole pieces. Or pots possibly? I'd bet the guitar has always been that way due to that reason/reasons.

Or...

Buy a single cheap saddle. If that solves the problem, go big!

 

[xzyryabx]

Sorry, forgot to mention that, we also changed the pups to SSV+/SSv set and changed out all the pots as well.

Could it be his nut??

(unrelated)Would a floyd nut work on a gotoh bridge BTW or would we need a gotoh nut as well?

 

[RJF]

Maybe the guitar is a dud. I know I have one swinging in my rack.

 

[AndyK]

Did you check the action at the nut? Sometimes a Floyd nut needs a shim under it to get the first fret action high enough to avoid open string deadness.

Is the Floyd nut screwed down tightly?

PS--Floyd nut will work with a Gotoh bridge.

 

[xzyryabx]

Maybe the guitar is a dud. I know I have one swinging in my rack.

For his sake I hope not!!
USA Jackson...he'd be so bummed!

Did you check the action at the nut? Sometimes a Floyd nut needs a shim under it to get the first fret action high enough to avoid open string deadness.

Is the Floyd nut screwed down tightly?

PS--Floyd nut will work with a Gotoh bridge.

Yeh checked that, all good.
Just checked the price of a completely new Gotoh brige....220!!!
What the hell...when did they get so expensive?!

 

[mojotone]

For his sake I hope not!!
USA Jackson...he'd be so bummed!

I had a Jackson USA SL2-MAH that needed a shim job done on the Floyd nut. Much better after the shim.

 

[AndyK]

Order a set of saddles from Stew-Mac. They are decent, and will rule out anything else if that solves the problem.

 

[bulletproof_funk]

I'd go for the nut shims first, much cheaper than new saddles. You could try cutting up a pop can as a nut shim for a quick and dirty experiment.

 

[stdio]

Maybe pickups are set to high? Happened to me, string doesn't vibrate fully.