Invented in 1977, the Floyd Rose is arguably the most popular tremolo system of all time. It became increasingly popular in the 1980s due to it’s ability to hold tuning even after extreme pitch changes. You can still find them on hundreds of modern guitars, such as the Schecter Wes Hauch and the ESP E-II Horizon FR-II.

There are a ton of different models available today, and they can be a bit overwhelming when trying to pick one out! We figured we’d just go ahead and do all the work for you and write up an Original Floyd Rose Guide.

Again, I’m only focusing on the “Original” models for this one. Let’s get started!

The Original Floyd Rose

 This bridge is the oldest model of the Floyd Rose available today, and it is almost identical to the original bridge, designed in 1977. The biggest distinguishing feature from the 1977 model is the addition of fine tuners, so the guitarist doesn’t have to remove the nut to tune the guitar. These allow for slight adjustments in tuning by turning the small keys located on the back end of the tremolo.

This bridge is featuring Floyd Rose’s patented Double-Locking Tremolo System. This means that the strings lock down in two places. One is the locking nut, and the other is in the bridge. Locking the strings ensure that they do not move even after tension is relieved or exaggerated during tremolo use.

Materials used in this bridge are steel (coiled, stainless, and hardened) and Nickel-plated brass. The heavy metals (no pun intended) ensure that this bridge holds up to a ton of abuse without damage or hassle.

This model is available in many different colors, such as Chrome, Black, Gold, Nickel, Copper, Pearl, and Satin Variants. Depending on the color, these will run between $199-$245.

Hot Rod Original

 The Hot Rod Original is exactly what it sounds like. A “Hot-Rodded” Floyd Rose Original. It features the same dimensions and features as the Original Floyd Rose, but is essentially an upgraded model. There are two noticeable differences between the two.

Instead of a Nickel-plated Brass tremolo block, the Hot Rod features a Fat Brass block. The material in this block ads a bit more weight to the bridge, making it even stronger. This also ensures a bit of extra sustain for your guitar!

The second difference is the Stainless Steel, as opposed to Hardened Steel screws. Stainless Steel is highly resistant to corrosion and is a bit more resilient, so they generally last a lot longer than hardened steel.

This model comes in the same color variants as the Original, but will set you back $248-$356.

Original Limited 1984

 Based on the design that became popular in the 1980s, the Limited 1984 model was built to capture the look and feel of the tremolos from that era.

This model is very true to the old version and features brass fine tuners for a more vintage look, classic Floyd Rose housing from the 80s with a swinging tremolo arm, and a solid brass block for added sustain (similar to the one found on the hot rod model). This is for players looking for the quality of a modern Floyd Rose with the look and feel of the vintage 1984 model.

This model comes in Black and Chrome variants and run between $213-$237.

Original Tremolo System w/ Hollow Points

 This model is actually identical to the Original Floyd Rose except for one feature.

This one comes preinstalled with the Hollow Point Intonation System. This is basically a part that makes performing a setup a bit easier on a double locking tremolo. Let’s face it, setting intonation on a floating bridge can become a headache really fast.  So, this is a nice feature to relieve that stress a bit.

Setting intonation with these installed has become known as the B.L.I.T.Z. method. That stands for Bomb, Loosen, Intonate, Tighten, Zero. I’m not going to really talk about that right now though, that could be a whole different article! If you need your fix on guitar intonation though, here’s an article on how to intonate a guitar with a fixed bridge.

These come in Chrome, Black, and Gold and will cost between $261-$304.

 

Hopefully this helped you narrow down your purchase on a tremolo. Remember, Floyd Rose isn’t the only one who makes tremolo systems! My favorite is actually the Ibanez Edge Trem. If you want to check that one out we have an article called 5 Cool Things About The Edge Trem.

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This article was written by Zac Buras, our editor located in Louisiana.

 

 

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