Floyd Rose Type Replacements

After a few missteps replacing my licensed double-locking tremolo with an Original Floyd Rose (OFR), I thought I’d share my journey to help others make a more informed choice when it comes to picking the right replacement bridge.

We often refer to any double-locking tremolo system as a “Floyd Rose,” but technically, Floyd Rose is a specific brand of double-locking tremolo bridges. In reality, there are many other brands out there, some more well-known than others.

During the late ’80s and early ’90s, guitar manufacturers began producing licensed Floyd Rose copies to cut costs, particularly for low and mid-tier guitars. This practice continues, although nowadays Floyd Rose themselves produce more budget-friendly variants of their bridges. These licensed copies tend to follow one of two primary design camps: Floyd Rose or Schaller. I’ll also touch on the compatibility of some Ibanez double-locking tremolo systems later.

Before diving into specifics, here’s a diagram of the parts of a double-locking tremolo system to help clarify what I’m describing:

Image taken from Floyd Rose’s website

The Problem I Encountered

First off, not all double-locking tremolo systems are created equal—especially in terms of dimensions.

I bought an Original Floyd Rose to replace the Jackson-licensed double-locking tremolo on my guitar. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a direct fit. Here’s what didn’t align:

  1. Tremolo Block Length: The block on the OFR was longer than the one on my Jackson, which meant I couldn’t reattach the back cover because it stuck out of the body.
  2. String Lock Screws: The screws were longer, protruding out of the bridge cavity. This prevented me from pulling the tremolo upwards—limiting me to only divebombs.

Luckily, the knife edges did align with the posts, so the Floyd Rose still functions—just not the way I intended. I can use the guitar, but without any backward tremolo movement.

Above: This is the OFR in my 1999 Jackson Performer. As you can see above, the screws are longer than what the cavity would fit.

Above: Trem block also sticks out of the body.

Above: Bridge that came with the Jackson guitar. You can tell that the string lock screws are shorter and they fit within the cavity. This follows the dimensions of the Schaller Tremolo.

After a bit of research (and realizing how much money I had just wasted), I discovered that the Jackson-licensed tremolo was Schaller-style. So, I was left with the tough decision to spend even more on a new bridge… lesson learned!

Through my research, I also found that Gotoh double-locking tremolos generally follow Floyd Rose specs, as do Ibanez Edge bridges, which is helpful when looking for compatible replacements.

Schaller also has double-locking bridges that follow the Floyd Rose dimensions, so you can check those out if you need one that is almost the same.

Bridge Dimensions

Though could not find any schematics for the Ibanez Edge bridges, I have also read that they can be replace with all of the below mostly, through various forums. But definitely do your measurements before purchasing.

Below, you’ll find a table listing the specifications and dimensions of various double-locking tremolo systems. Use this as a guide to ensure your next replacement bridge fits perfectly!

These are the links dimensions/schematics of the above bridges listed:

Schaller Tremolo: https://schaller.info/media/d9/42/5c/1707212401/1302ewPeOznYg7LSp.pdf

Gotoh GE1996T: https://g-gotoh.com/images/pdf/GE1996T-Dim.pdf

Original Floyd Rose: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1711/6239/files/FR_Original_Schematics_2021.pdf?v=1629814484

Hope this guide proves useful when you need to replace your double-locking tremolo. See you next time!

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