Welcome to Best Floyd Rose Upgrades
You came to my page because you are wondering if the sustain of your Floyd Rose Tremolo is normally lesser than a fixed bridge.
Welcome and let me give you some information on how to overcome that issue that’s been nagging you for some time.
I have been modifying guitars for more than 17 years and upgrading a Floyd Rose Tremolo is my specialty.
Table of Contents
- What is Floyd Rose Upgrades?
- Why is Floyd Rose Upgrades Necessary?
- Big Tone Block
- Other Floyd Rose Upgrades that will Enhance your Guitar Tone
- Titanium Saddles for Floyd Rose
- Titanium Nut
- Floyd Rose Tremolo Spring Claw and Screws
- Noiseless High Tension Springs
- Titanium String Block Inserts
- Titanium Mounting Studs and Inserts
- Floyd Rose Titanium Mounting Screws
- Tremolo Stabilizers
- All Titanium Double Locking Tremolo
- Graph Tech Ghost Saddles
- Conclusion
What is Floyd Rose Upgrades?
Upgrading a Floyd Rose is a good solution since Floyd Rose Tremolos produces less sustain than a fixed bridge guitar. It is caused by the reduced contact between the tremolo and the body of the guitar.
It is the reason why a fixed bridge Gibson Les Paul will have more sustain compared to a guitar with a Floyd Rose Tremolo. A decent Floyd Rose upgrade will fix this issue.
The sustain of the Floyd Rose Tremolo can be improved by upgrading the stock parts with better metals.
The only contact between the body of the guitar and the Floyd Rose Tremolo Bridge is the knife-edge that hinges on two tremolo posts.
This reduced contact is the reason why there is reduced sustain on guitars equipped with Floyd Rose Tremolos.
Here is the list of the Upgrades
Upgrading to a big tone block such as Titanium and Brass will bring a major improvement in tone and sustain.
Big Tone Block
The means to counteract this problem is to upgrade the original tone block with a massive Brass Tone Block or a Big Block Titanium Tone Block. There are other materials in the market, but I will concentrate on these two as they are the most popular.
- Titanium Big Tone Block
Titanium is the best material because it has lower internal damping effects than most metal. It means it will not absorb guitar string vibrations but transmits it to the other guitar components thereby enhancing clarity and sustain.
The Titanium Big Tone Block is a different beast. The sustain is way much longer compared to the Brass Tone Block. The resulting tone is so clean when compared to the big brass tone block.
I am amazed by the note separation on chorded notes on high distortion. The clarity of the tone on the Titanium Tone Block, cannot be surpassed by the Brass Tone Block. As I was saying, the Floyd Rose Titanium Tone Block is a different beast.
Guitars upgraded with the Floyd Rose upgrades Titanium tone block outshines the other guitars regarding sustain and clarity of the notes produced even on a high gain setting.
The only drawback is the price. Titanium Tone Blocks are very expensive. It is worth it though if you consider the drastic improvement in sound and sustain.
The tone is sacred to all guitarist, so price doesn’t matter as long as the pure tone is produced. If the price does not bother you, then I suggest you go Titanium.
- Big Brass Tone Block
The Big Block Brass Tone Block increases the sustain and gives the guitar a warmer tone. Brass is a very musical material, and it is widely used in wind instruments and cymbals. A vast improvement in tone quality is noticeable but for my ears, Titanium is still the best.
Other Floyd Rose Upgrades that will Enhance your Guitar Tone
Aside from upgrading the sustain blocks, there are also other parts that will enhance the tone of your Floyd Rose equipped guitar. The list is provided below.
Titanium Saddles
Upgrading your saddles to Titanium will enhance the tone of your guitar, because as mentioned earlier, this metal will not absorb the vibrations of your guitar strings, thereby transmitting it to other parts of the guitars including the pickups.
- Hantug Titanium Saddles for Floyd Rose
Hantug Titanium Saddles with inserts is another option for Titanium saddles upgrade. It is made in Turkey by Hantug Custom Guitars.
They are very well made and it is good to know that Floyd Rose is not producing Titanium saddles. This is a very good option if you are aiming for Titanium Floyd Rose Upgrades.
Titanium Nut
Upgrading the Floyd Rose Nut with a Titanium nut is likewise a good upgrade as we all noted the musical property of Titanium. The nut is also one part that is connected to the guitar strings.
- Hantug Nut for Floyd Rose
Therefore it should have a good material like the saddles and Titanium is the best choice for this. As Titanium will not absorb the vibrations of the strings, this upgrade improves tone and sustain.
Hantug of Turkey produces Titanium locking nut for Floyd Rose Tremolo.
Floyd Rose Tremolo Spring Claw and Screws
- Floyd Rose Titanium Spring Claw and Screws
Titanium Spring Claw and Screws
- Brass Spring Claw and Screws
Brass Spring Claw and Screws
Another part of Floyd Rose Upgrades is the spring claw and the screws. Changing the spring claw and screws to brass spring claws and brass screws is also a good upgrade as brass is a very musical material.
As you can see from the pictures above, all my guitars have brass spring claw and screw.
Even the spring claw changed to Titanium will also help in the overall sound of the guitar. Although this costs more money, it is worth it because Titanium lasts and more musical as it will not absorb the vibrations of the strings.
Noiseless High Tension Springs
You would not believe it, but changing that regular springs to heavy-duty (high tension) noiseless springs will make your tremolo quieter and more stable.
You need only two out of three because it is high tension. My guitars are using high tension springs and it is more stable.
You just have to bear in mind that you have to remove the coating on the ends to prevent grounding problems.
Titanium String Block Inserts
The string block (the metal block that presses the strings in its place) is also a weak point of a Floyd Rose Bridge. It is constructed of oxide metal and will easily rust and get jammed on the slot.
It is best to be upgraded to Titanium String Blocks. The Titanium String Blocks resist corrosion and will add sustain to the overall sound of the guitar.
Titanium Mounting Studs and Inserts
Upgrading the mounting machine screws to Titanium will help a lot in transferring the vibrations of the string to the body of the guitar.
This component is the link between your Floyd Rose Tremolo knife edge and the body of the guitar.
Floyd Rose Titanium Mounting Screws
There is also an option to upgrade the string block screws, intonation screws, and the nut screws to Titanium.
The intonation screws, the string block screws, and the nut screws are made of oxide metal and will quickly rust thus upgrading this also to Titanium is a good upgrade.
Tremolo Stabilizers
- Black Box Tremolo Stabilizer
The Black Box Tremolo Stabilizer is an essential part of the Floyd Rose Upgrades. A Floyd Rose tremolo is prone to be out of tune as it is a floating tremolo.
A good tremolo stabilizer is essential. The Black Box Tremolo Stabilizer is a superb one and I think is the best Floyd Rose Tremolo Stabilizer in the market as of this writing.
The Black Box Tremolo Stabilizer stabilizes the tremolo so well that it always returns to its zero position. Even after deep dive bombs and pull-ups it still goes back to its zero position.
- ESP Arming Adjuster
This tremolo stabilizer is almost as good as the Black Box Tremolo Stabilizer. However, there are two design elements of this stabilizer that is better than the Black Box.
It is the ease of installation and the stabilizing rod is made of brass. As you can see in the picture, the mounting holes are exposed which makes the installation a snap, unlike the black box where you have to disassemble it first before you can start drilling the holes.
I still consider the black box as the best tremolo stabilizer in the market, but this one comes very close to second.
All Titanium Double Locking Tremolo
Well, almost all of the components are made of Titanium now. Can we just buy a whole tremolo made of Titanium? Hantug Guitars of Turkey are producing the Hantug Titanium Double Locking Tremolo.
They produce the only seven-string model Titanium Locking Tremolo in the market, and they have different anodized finishes available.
Graph Tech Ghost Saddles
Finally, if you want a studio-quality acoustic sound on your electric guitar, install Graph Tech Ghost Loaded Saddles.
How cool is that? A guitar with a massive sustain with a studio-quality acoustic sound?
These saddles will allow you to have a studio-quality acoustic sound from your guitar. Each saddle has a Piezo Pickup as well as the patented Graph Tech String Saver.
Your electric guitar will now have an acoustic sound as well as string breakage would be rare because of the Graph Tech String Saver.
The Graph Tech Ghost Piezo Pickups are so amazing with the Acoustic Pre-amp for Acoustic sound or with Hexpander Preamp where you can turn your guitar into a Midi instrument.
You can also install both preamps if you want to. The Graph Tech String Saver material embedded in the saddles will make your guitar sounding clearer. You will hear the sound of your strings, not the saddle.
I have this installed on one of my Ibanez Jems, and people are always amazed when I do acoustic songs using the Graph Tech Ghost Piezo pickups.
Acoustic sounds from this guitar fitted with the Graph Tech Ghost Piezo pickups is something, and they claim it is studio quality. In my honest opinion, it is studio quality.
They always look around and start looking for the acoustic guitar once I start playing with these pickups.
It is cool because I have both the playability of a fast electric guitar neck and a studio-quality acoustic sound produced by the Graph Tech Ghost Piezo Pickups.
I did not install the Hexpander Preamp though because I don’t need the Midi capability.
I have tried the Ernie Ball Musicman JP6 ( John Petrucci signature) with a Piezo pickup, but I think the Graph Tech Ghost Piezo pickups are much better.
The Graph Tech Ghost Saddles with Piezo Pickups and Graph Tech String Saver is another option for the saddles.
Conclusion
A Floyd Rose Tremolo Bridge fitted with a Big Block Titanium Sustain Block, Titanium String Insert Blocks, Titanium Intonation Screws, Titanium Block Screws is a hell of an upgrade.
If you add the Titanium Nut, Heavy Duty Noiseless Springs, Titanium Spring Claws, Brass Spring Claw Screws, Titanium Saddles, Titanium Fine Tuner, Titanium Fine Tuner Tension Plate, Titanium Tremolo Arm Assembly, Titanium nut and of course the Black Box Tremolo Stabilizer, it will be the best upgrade for a Floyd Rose Tremolo Bridge so far.
So check it out, please proceed to my Floyd Rose Upgrades Parts Page.
Feel free to ask questions, post comments or subscribe to my email list so you will be the first one to receive updates and offers.
Den
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Hello Everyone,
I am Belden but friends call me Den, and I am the owner of this Website.
I have finally quit my job in Aviation as my online business is giving me financial freedom.
I love doing this online business as I love to help people quit their day job and do things they really love.
You will mostly find me hanging out at the coolest site to learn anything about online business.
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Hi Den,
Very interesting post about Floyd Rose upgrades, a quick question though. I have been playing guitar for a few years now. Between the tremolo bridge, strings, pickups, and amplifier, which one do you think makes the biggest impact on electric guitar sound?
I’d like to give my guitar a sound upgrade but I don’t want to break the bank.
Hi Juan,
If you have a Floyd Rose equipped guitar, upgrading that tremolo will matter the most. If you have a stock cheap licensed tremolo with a zinc tone block, even just upgrading it to an original Floyd Rose will make a lot of difference in both tone and tuning stability. Now my article is about upgrading the original Floyd Rose to a different level by changing some parts to the top of the line components. Now your guitar will really rock.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
I was thinking about doing some Floyd Rose upgrades but my budget is not enough. Also, I thought that the stock tremolo in my Fender Stratocaster would suffice. But after several years of playing and careless storage, the tremolo began to have some issues.
After reading this, I thought maybe the benefits of getting a Floyd Rose upgrade would immensely overwhelm the price issue. Thank you for showing me what I could get for upgrading. I hope in the near future I could get time to incorporate this in my guitar.
Hi Mike,
There are so many options for Floyd Rose upgrades. Just like the sustain block, if you cannot afford the Titanium block you can always go for the cheaper Brass block.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Hey Den,
Good information, lots of options to consider about upgrading a Floyd Rose Tremolo. You seem to be experienced on this upgrades. You highly recommend the Titanium tone block upgrades over the Brass tone block. I am just wondering, how much is the difference in tone enhancement to warrant the significant price difference?
Hi,
I have been doing guitar modifications for more than fifteen years ans Floyd Rose Upgrades is one of my favorite modification. There is a lot of difference between the tone and sustain produced by the Titanium Tone Block over the Brass Tone Block. It is the reason why Tisonix of USA is manufacturing all Titanium Tremolos for Floyd Rose. Hantug Custom Guitars of Turkey is also producing all Titanium Double Locking Tremolos.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Very technical post on the Floyd Rose upgrades with good technical information and explanation as to what and why. These could not be done by research only but by a person who has been doing these physically. If people don’t know anything about guitars they will be lost in the first two sentences 🙂 however, I imagine that you cater to a crowd that is indeed very familiar with musical Instruments such as these! For them it should be perfect!
Hi Deb,
I have been doing guitar modifications for more than fifteen years and Floyd Rose upgrades is one of the guitar modifications that I do most frequently.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Hello Den!
I have been reading some of your post, Floyd Rose Upgrades, and I have to say I`m impressed. It covers everything about the available upgrades of this tremolo.This must have taken you hours (days) in researching? Your site has a beautiful layout, not oversized but inviting, and to me it is good that you concentrate on a few specific things. Thank`s for giving me an informative trip.
Oyz
Hi Oyz,
I have been modifying guitars for more than fifteen years and Floyd Rose upgrades is one of my specialty. What I have written here is from the experiences I have gained out of that passion which is modifying guitars.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Thank you for your informative article on Floyd Rose Upgrades. My husband was telling me that he wanted to do this to his guitar, and stumbled on everything I needed to know. It appears that the sound quality will improve drastically due to this upgrades. My husband will love your article as he can look at the specific parts through your website.
Take Care,
Heather
Hi Heather,
Your husband will be very happy with these upgrades. Let him check my Floyd Rose Upgrades Parts Page as all the needed parts are listed there plus the links to where to buy them.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Come check out my site some time at simply4guitar.com
I’ll definitively be redirecting people to your site for maintenance questions lol.
Hi Corey,
Will do that.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Awesome site! I actually have a guitar website of my own, and really I don’t have a lot of specific knowledge on the inner workings of a guitar and the possibilities of customizing it to serve a specific function. Your post about Floyd Rose upgrades are so thorough it could only come from a guy with the experience.
I’ll have to stop by this site again. I probably should have a good idea of guitar maintenance instead of only focusing on learning to play. It’s still a working progress, but I’ll be adding more material soon.
Take care!
Hi Corey,
I have been modifying guitars for more than fifteen years. Floyd Rose Upgrades is one of my most favorite modifications. Congratulations for setting up a guitar website yourself.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
My first electric was a Floyd Rose equipped Washburn. It has a super fast, thin neck and two screaming humbuckers. The problem with the guitar has always been the sustain. It is an excellent guitar for some who wants to play super fast technical leads but only so-so for heavy rhythms. I tried to fix it with different pedals, I even tried putting pennies under the tremolo to make a contact point to the body.
These tone blocks seem to be a better answer!
Hi Rhett,
Cool Washburn! Sustain is always been an issue with Floyd Rose Tremolo because of lesser contacts between the tremolo and the body of the guitar. A massive Titanium Tone Block or Brass Tone Block will solve the issue.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Hi I would like to say that your website is sweet and that i actually spent about 30 minutes reading the content. The Floyd Rose Upgrades are awesome. I never heard of this upgrades before. I learned quite a bit and i have always wanted to learn to play guitar and this has inspired me to maybe start learning.
Great site and keep up the good work!
Hi Jacob,
Yes there are so many upgrades you can make to a Floyd Rose Tremolo. I have articles on this website about learning to play guitar, learning to play bass and learning to play guitar scales. Please check it out.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Hi Den,
So amazing to read this article that has sensitized me. I’m a guitarist and I have my acoustic guitar which I truly love for its portability and easy to use. I haven’t bought any electric guitars yet. When I am ready to switch to electric guitar I will consider buying one with a Floyd Rose Tremolo as they are so cool to play plus it has so many upgrades available.
I have a problem and I hope you can help me. I’ve used my Acoustic guitar for more than 5 years now and last month I realized that the bridge is causing some vibrations when I play. The sound is no longer astounding as it used to be when I bought it.
Thanks for writing such a wonderful article and I really enjoyed reading it.
Best wishes
Paul.
Hi Paul,
You have to isolate your problem first. Read my article “guitar fret buzz causes and repair” first to be sure that what you have is not a fret buzz problem. If it is not a fret buzz problem, you need a guitar technician to fix your guitar.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Great site, beautiful layout, elegant. I have a guitar already but I definitely should have stopped by here before I bought mine. The information I learned about the Floyd Rose Tremolo is very valuable to me . The upgrades are so awesome, that makes me think about getting one equipped with a Floyd Rose. Very informational, your knowledge abut guitars is incredible. Do you have a favorite? Also do you have any recommendations for beginners? Thanks in advance I really did love this.
Hi,
I am glad that you learned something from my article. My Favorite is a highly modified Ibanez Jen and it is featured in my gear page. I also wrote an article “What is the Best Beginner Guitar”. Please check it out.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Hey Den,
I’ve been a guitar player for a very long time. I found your articles interesting and I learned a few things. Fret buzz is always a problem, now I know how to troubleshoot the cause.
I am going to do some research on the saddles you described. That seems like a great modification for a guitar. Would that saddle work on a Lado guitar?
Cheers,
Luthor
Hi Luthor,
It is nice to know that you learned something from my website. The Graph Tech Ghost Saddles comes in four types. It is available for Floyd Rose or Floyd Rose type bridges, for Fender Telecaster or Telecaster type bridges, For Fender Stratocaster or Stratocaster type bridges and for Gibson fixed bridge or Gibson type fixed bridges. As you can see you are very much covered and I am sure one will fit for your Lado guitar.
Thanks for your comments,
Den
Very Cool! I learned quite a lot about Floyd Rose Upgrades from your article. Electric guitars do have a lot of components compared to acoustics. Wow these upgrades are expensive. It seems like it is for serious players.Thanks for all the quick links, makes it easier to navigate from your page.
Hi Luigi,
Floyd Rose Upgrades are expensive but it is worth it to serious players. Tone is sacred to those players and they are willing to pay top dollar to get the tone they want.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
I’ve been playing acoustic guitar for several years now and have just recently purchased an electric guitar. Needless to say electric guitars have a lot more components involved than acoustic guitars. Thanks for explaining the difference between brass and titanium tone blocks. I think after a few months I will give the Flyod Rose a try and see how it works.
Hi!
An upgraded Floyd Rose Tremolo is second to none. That’s the reason why a lot of celebrity guitarists have their Floyd Rose upgraded. It costs some money but it is worth it.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Den, your knowledge about guitars amazes me. This article was so intuitive and educational. Thank you. Just wondering, can I upgrade a non original Floyd Rose? It it going to be worth it or do I have to buy the original Floyd Rose. I would really appreciate the information. I’m going to continue reading the information on your site.
Hi Bob,
There are upgrades you can do on a non original Floyd Rose. You can upgrade springs into noiseless or install a black box tremolo stabilizer. The tone block is a hit and miss operation, because some licensed Floyd Rose Tremolos (not original) are not exactly the same as the original.
There could be a difference on the base plate regarding the mounting holes for the tone block. These are expensive upgrades so it is not worth installing it on a cheap copy tremolo.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Thanks for the quick reply to my comment. My son would be very happy to get the information from this website especially about Floyd Rose Upgrades. So Titanium is the best upgrade? I think you know your stuff very well. I noticed there are posts about guitar lessons too. Tons of information here.
Cheers,
Matthew
Hi, Matthew!
Titanium is the best upgrade but it is very costly. Only the celebrities and those professional players that are serious about their tone are using these. There are cheaper upgrades though like brass but in my experience nothing beats Titanium. Yes, I do have posts about guitar lessons and I have discount coupons for JamPlay.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
This website is a must if you have interests in playing and enhancing your guitar. My son is learning to play and I will definitely steer him to this page. I have no knowledge in this, but I can see where titanium would benefit. Great site!!
Hi, Matthew!
I am glad that you like my website. Yes, your son is most welcome to gather all the information he needs from this website.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Thank you for this article. I have never thought that there is a lot of upgrades for a Floyd Rose Tremolo. These upgrades are very interesting especially the Titanium upgrades but they but they cost a fortune. So this will transfer string vibrations to the body more than any metal ? This caused the increase in sustain?
Hi, Kegan,
There are a lot of Floyd Rose Upgrades available in the market. Some are very expensive like the Titanium upgrades but they are worth it. Titanium has lesser internal damping characteristics than most metal and it is the reason why it produces more sustain than other metals. It does not absorb string vibrations as much as other metals, thereby transferring that vibration to the other parts of the guitar causing an increase of sustain.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
I was looking around the net for bass guitar lessons. Then I found your site. I have always wanted to learn the bass and so I have book marked that page with the intention of signing up in the very near future. Then I stumbled upon your blog about Floyd Rose Upgrades which amazes me. I did not know that these can be modified to such extent that it cost more than a mid level guitar. Who are using these upgrades?
God Bless;
Frank
Hi, Frank,
There are less expensive upgrades. Slash only uses a brass block on his Floyd Rose Equipped Gibson Les Paul. If you upgrade to Titanium then the cost really jumps. A lot of artists are using these upgrades as well as those players who really care about their tone. I have two guitars with Titanium upgrades. It cost me a fortune less the labor because I installed it myself but it is worth it.
God Bless,
Den
I like how you stick to only a few very specific things on your site. I think it raises your credibility that you offer opinions on very specific things that you are more likely to know a lot about. This is a very in-dept review about Floyd Rose Upgrades. You covered everything. If you had just talked about as many different things as possible I would probably have just moved on to somewhere else so good job!
Hi Brad,
I have been doing electric guitar modifications for more than fifteen years. I found that doing Floyd Rose Upgrades is very challenging to some guitar players, but I think it a is very much a Do It Yourself thing. I just want to educate people how to do it themselves through this website.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Good info. I can’t even play with a floyd rose personally because it’s just too much hassle if you want to use alternate tunings. Interesting read though. I’m just not much of a wammy bar guy. I definitely use it though if I get a chance to play on one.
Hi Brett,
You can do alternate tunings with a Floyd Rose Tremolo but you have to use a Black Box Tremolo Stabilizer.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
The only guitar I ever owned with a tremolo is my Fender Strat, with the original Leo Fender, bent steel saddles, steel tremolo block and hardened steel arm. I do like the look and feel of the Floyd Rose tremolo system, though. I didn’t know that they actually made a block of Titanium to help with sustain. I had always changed strings when the sustain was waning. I sure wish I knew I could have prevented all that with the right equipment. I have read that the roller bearings have a lot to do with the overall tones as well as guitar staying in tune.
So in your educated opinion, is the Floyd Rose Tremolo better than the cheaper Wilkinson tremolo for your guitar staying in tune? I like the Floyd, but Wilkinson is much less expensive.
Hi Kenneth,
The Wilkinson is a Strat Type Tremolo. It would be like comparing apples to lemons. A strat tremolo will not stay in tune after you move the tremolo bar because it is not a locking tremolo. The strings are not locked on the nut and on the saddles.
After you move the tremolo arm the string may not go back to its original position on the nut or saddle. A Floyd Rose is a double locking tremolo. The strings are locked on the nut and on the saddles.
So you can really abuse it without staying out of tune. It is the reason why it is the favorite of the rock guitarists because it can do really deep dive bombs.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Okay, check this out. Could you give me a few song examples where a Floyd Rose upgrade was used on the recording? I would love to know what the upgrade would sound like.
And, are they easy to install? I have recently started with guitar lessons, and I’m learning about different gear that helps to shape the sound. Let me know!
Hi Christian,
These are great questions you have!
Just Google “Slash Tone Block”, then you will see that Slash of Guns and Roses uses a big fat brass tone block in the tremolo of his Gibson Guitar. That is why he got a very fat lead on the famous “Sweet Child of Mine”.
Google “Steve Stevens Tone Block” and you will see how Floyd Rose Upgrades made that “Top Gun ” anthem so alive. Of the newer artists Google “Orianthi Tone Block” and see what a fat brass tone block sound like on her PRS in her song “According to You”. Phil Collen of Def Leppard uses titanium upgrades as well as Tommy Shaw of STYX.
These are just some of the some of the celebrity artists that are upgrading their Floyd Rose. There are a lot more and some due to endorsement issues will not confirm it.
Some upgrades are do it yourself type, but some require a guitar tech to install.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Hi there.
What a great article. I’ve been needing upgrades like these.
I didn’t know there were so many options in terms of upgrading.
The Floyd Rose on my Dean is a right pain, those tiny little rubber blocks that hold my strings in annoy me so much. Would an upgrade of the titanium blocks help do you think? Also is there anything that could help make restringing a bit easier?
Thanks!
Hi Mat,
Those are not rubber blocks that holds the strings together. Those are metal string blocks and once it is rusted it will not hold the strings properly. Sometimes it will also jam it is will be very hard to remove. The best upgrade for that is to replace it with Titanium String Blocks.
Titanium will not rust plus it has a lower dampening characteristic thereby it will not absorb the string vibrations thus improving sustain. Using a Black Box Tremolo Stabilizer will make it easier for string changes because it will hold the tremolo in place while you are changing the strings.
A Tremolo Stop will also help, but I highly recommend the Black Box Tremolo Stabilizer as it will allow you to do pull-ups.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Hey Den,
Thank you for sharing this amazing upgrades on a Floyd Rose Bridge. Great article. This will really help those guitar players needing this type of bridge. So Titanium is the way to go as you recommend . I found it very expensive I don’t know if a regular player will buy those.
Cheers,
Becky
Hi, Becky,
Upgrading a Floyd Rose Bridge will really cost money but it will be worth it. The stock Floyd Rose Bridge is already expensive to start with. There are players out there who wants nothing but the best. I have been doing this upgrades for more than 15 years, now I want to share it online.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
I can see how the Floyd Tremolo would do wonders for my guitar.
You said that brass is very musical but titanium is the one you recommend. What are your reasons or did I miss something?
You have done some very thorough research here. What kind of music do you play and on what instrument?
Hi, Ultimatelesson,
A stock Floyd Rose Tremolo will do wonders for your guitar. An upgraded Floyd Rose Tremolo will put some magic to it. As I have mentioned on my article brass is musical that is why it is used widely for wind instruments and cymbals have more brass content to it than other metals.
Titanium is a different beast. It is on a much higher level . Titanium has lower internal damping effect than Brass, meaning it will not absorb string vibrations as much as Brass, thereby transmitting that vibration to other parts of the guitar. This in turn will create that massive sustain that a lot of electric guitar players are seeking. If you play high gain or distortion, Titanium is a monster. You wont be scared to turn up that gain as this metal won’t make your guitar sound muddy. Clean sound is very clean, distortion is not muddy you can dial up the gain and be more aggressive.
The only problem with this metal is it is very expensive. An all Titanium Tremolo would cost $899. A Titanium Tone Block alone was $450 when it first came to the market. Thanks God you can get it below $200 now.
I did a lot of Floyd Rose Upgrades, both Brass and Titanium. I have been doing this for more than fifteen years. I specialized in tremolo upgrades but I do other guitar upgrades as well. I have two guitars with Titanium upgrades and I use it as prototypes to show my customers.
I play rock and I can play lead but unfortunately my college studies, then my work in aviation prevented me from committing to a band. I jam with my friends who are in a band and sometimes I go with them to gigs, not as a player though but as a guitar tech. So I get the taste of a band member’s life and basically I don’t like it.
I love Jamming with my wife who plays bass and my daughter who plays drums. We are a band.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
Learned so much on the Floyd Rose system and the benefits of titanium. I am no guitar tech, I’m pretty ignorant on pretty much everything about a guitar but I love learning when I get the chance. Reading your article makes me want to upgrade my guitar. I have a fender with the whammy bar removed, what is a good upgrade I should perform from a stock American Deluxe Stratocaster. Or should I even mess with it?
Hi Dan !
Nothing beats the Floyd Rose System Tremolo. You should try one with a Titanium upgrade.
Even your Fender Deluxe American Stratocaster will really sing if you just change that Lead Tone Block to a Titanium Tone Block.
Thanks for the comments,
Den
I own a Kramer Nightswan autographed by Vivian Campbell. Its set up with a Floyd rose. Very responsive whammy bar and always in tune. My metal days behind me I dont play it enough lol. I will have to try to get it serviced by my guitar tech. I dont think it has any titanium parts, would be a cool upgrade. Thanks for the post it’s the first time I hear of this.
Hi Pierre,
Cool ! That guitar would be on a higher level once upgraded. I suggest the Titanium Tone Block first. You will hear a lot of tonal difference with a Titanium Tone Block Floyd Rose Upgrades. It is because the metal is massive compared to the original plus the fact that it is made of a better material which is Titanium.
Thanks for the comment,
Den
Hi,
Thanks for your in depth article on the Floyd Rose Tremolo Bridge. It sounds like they’ve come a long way with this system. For the past 22 years I’ve bought nothing but fixed bridge guitars. Right now I am loving my new ESP 7-string.
I remember a friend of mine had a Floyd Rose. He was always having trouble with it staying in tune, even with a locking nut system. Glad to hear they finally figured out the problem with tuning and sustain.
Sometime around 10 years ago, I had bought graphite saddles for an Alvarez electric that I use to have. Seems like they helped with the sound quality very well. Which one do you recommend, for saddles? Graphite, or titanium?
Thanks, James
Hi James,
Keeping a Floyd Rose Tremolo Bridge in tune is a challenge if you don’t know how. I can make a Floyd Rose Tremolo be stable by itself without a need for a Tremolo Stabilizer, it is doable . There should be a balance in spring tension and the string tension. A tremolo stabilizer will make your life easier though. I recommend the Black Box Tremolo Stabilizer. It is part of the Floyd Rose Upgrades.
Titanium is the best material for saddles. Titanium has a very low internal damping effect meaning it will not absorb the vibrations of the string . It will transmit that vibration to the other parts of the guitar thereby improving the over all sound and sustain.
Thanks for the comment,
Den
My apologies but this was my first lesson on guitars, my son is constantly emailing me about his guitar purchases but since i knew nothing about guitars, it was difficult to respond, now i will surprise him about Floyd Rose, only last week he emailed me that he had met Rob from Coventry who made guitars for Bert Jansh, a guitarist whose rendition of Angie is one of my favourite instrumentals. A very informative article for the guitar enthusiasts, now i can share this with my son.Best wishes.
Hi Courtney!
A father and son guitarist! Yes, Floyd Rose Tremolo is still the best tremolo for over 20 years now. It has its weak points but after a Floyd Rose Upgrades, it will be super. The Floyd Rose Upgrades includes Titanium Saddles, Titanium Tone Block, Titanium Nut, Heavy Duty Noiseless Springs, Titanium Spring Claw and the Black Box Tremolo Stabilizer. Please share this information with your son.
Thanks for the comment,
Den
Hi Den!
This is an awesome website with a ton of value! I don’t know a whole lot about guitars, but I am a musician (I play drums) and can definitely appreciate your passion!
So please excuse me if this is a really basic question, but am I correct to assume that you can “supe up” a budget guitar by swapping out stock parts for these Floyd Rose upgrades?
And one more thing I noticed is that I’m having trouble finding any shopping links to the products you’re reviewing. Have you considered adding links into the bold, blue text labels of these products? It might help any visitors to this page that would like to purchase these awesome upgrades!
Hi Chris!
A cheap guitar fitted with a Floyd Rose type of tremolo will never have an Original Floyd Rose Bridge since it is expensive by itself. A cheap guitar with a Floyd Rose Type of tremolo will tremendously benefit if it is fitted with an original Floyd Rose all stock parts. Now what we are talking here is upgrading an Original Floyd Rose Tremolo Bridge. The best Floyd Rose Upgrades includes Titanium Saddles, Titanium Tone Block, Titanium Nut, Heavy Duty Noiseless Springs, Titanium Spring Claw and the Black Box Tremolo Stabilizer.This will really change the sound of the guitar and it will be on a more higher level both in tone and functionality.
I added more links and the rest as soon as I get the nod from my supplier.
Thanks for the comment,
Den
Hi,
Wow really great stuff you got here. I don’t know much about guitars, yet alone a fret, or a bridge . I do know that after reading some of your article, I definitely have a new understanding for guitar and guitar upgrades. I love how I was able to learn something about guitars just by reading your post. This tells me that not only are your post good, but that you can even help a person like myself out, without no prior knowledge. My son wants a guitar now. Ill be sure to send him to your page to help him learn more about them. Good stuff!
Dee
Hi Dee !
Yes I just want to share my knowledge about my passion which is about electric guitar modifications.
I would be very happy if some kids would visit my site and learn something about the weaknesses and the advantages of a Floyd Rose bridge . Understanding why Floyd Rose upgrades are essential is very crucial for those guitar players who really cares about their tone.Tone is sacred to all successful guitarists.
Helping them out to achieve that ever elusive sacred tone is my objective.
Thanks for the comment,
Den
Hi! My husband would be really interested in this article. I’m wondering, do you think that it’s specifically because of the resonance of the metal in these pieces? Why would titanium resonate that much better than brass? Seems kind of cool to me. Maybe they should start making “brass” instruments out of titanium or something.
Hi Brenna !
I do believe that the resonance of brass and titanium contributes the significant improvement of the tone of the upgraded Floyd Rose bridge plus the fact that the upgraded tone block are massive compared to the original.
Titanium has a lower internal damping factor than brass and this is the reason that the string vibrations are not absorbed by the titanium tone block but transferred to the body of the guitar instead, thereby creating more sustain.
I Don’t believe they will make wind instruments out of titanium because it is going to be so expensive.
There is one guitar though that is all made of titanium but it is so expensive. Check my post Gittler all Titanium Guitar
Thanks for the comment,
Dhen
Nicely done! Since I’ve always been a Gibson guy and now a PRS guy, I’ve never had experience with the Floyd Rose. I sure agree with what you’ve written, though. I can see how the decoupling of the bridge/body on these is a negative.
The titanium upgrade looks similar to what PRS does, but I’m not sure of the material they use.
Thanks for writing this! I think I’ll link to this article.
Hi Steve!
Floyd Rose Bridge is a much better bridge if you like to use the whammy a lot. You can really do deep dive bombs and pull-ups. This bridge design is already more than 20 years old but there is still no better replacement.
The only issue is the thin sound it produces because of less contact between the bridge and the body of the guitar. With the right, Floyd Rose upgrades this issue is solved and the guitar would sound much better. Titanium is the best upgrade. It improves the sound much better than brass.
Thanks for the comment,
Den
This is a great article! I definitely learned a few things about floyd rose and other tremolo systems that I didn’t know. Personally I have always preferred fixed bridges, because I love the sustain, but now that I know you can still get that same sustain in floyd rose setups, i might reconsider 🙂 thanks!
Hi Zach,
There is no substitute for a Floyd Rose bridge as of today if you like to use the whammy bar. Some players consider the fixed bridged guitar too boring. Once you solved the issues on a Floyd Rose bridge there is nothing in the market that comes close when it comes to range of the dive bombs and pull ups that the Floyd Rose Bridge can offer.
Once a Floyd Rose Tremolo is upgraded, nothing can come close.
Thanks for the comment.
Den
I used to own a guitar with a floyd rose bridge. I liked it but I didn’t really know why or how it worked. Thanks for the info here.
I’m definitely thinking of going back to floyd rose on my electric after 10 years with a fixed bridge.
Sounds like the Titanium tone block is definitely the way to go – how much more expensive is it compared to the brass tone block?
Hi Nathan !
The Titanium Tone Block costs about three times the cost of the Brass Tone Block at the present. The Titanium Tone Block was prohibitively expensive. There is nothing like a Floyd Rose bridge but it has also some weak points as I have mentioned in this article. It is good that there is so many upgrades available in the market.
There is also a lot of aftermarket Titanium upgrades available. Hantug Custom Guitars and Parts of Turkey is producing Titanium upgrades for the Floyd Rose Bridge at a lower price.
Thanks for the comment.
Den