After giving things a listen and having played on the guitar for a month or so, here are my thoughts: Acoustically I for sure notice a difference, much brighter and louder. As far as cleans, I notice it slightly brighter but that dissipates as the note rings out. As far as high gain, I really only notice a very small difference on the initial pick attack, especially when doing palm mutes. As far as the increased tuning stability, I have not seen any difference at all.
Don't think id buy titanium saddles, but i DID get some 16" radius saddles directly from Schaller that i feel are totally worth it. At least for my 16" compound radius neck. No shims...
The difference from Steel is probably just that there's less mids. Ti alloy isn't harder than Steel, but the lower density allows for more midrange vibrations to be absorbed by bridge plate resonances. The weaker high freq vibrations still heard don't have enough energy to vibrate a saddle, which would then vibrate the bridge plate. Listen back to the beginning of the clean clips in quick succession. The Ti just has a more guttural sound = less midrange. It's hard to determine just how it differs considering how guitar amps react to the signal. FU-Tone is aptly named, if the FU part is to the customer.
Hi, I have watched all your Charvel Mod vids and my Henrik Danhage is coming on Saturday. Very interested in upgrading many of the same upgrades as your goodself. As a question would it be possible to get a few pics on your Ragnarok... Close ups. I know you got Bareknuckle to relic it but I cant seem to get a decent pic via TH-cam and was very interested in getting the same. Many thanks Lee
I cant explain it any better than this quote: "Some years ago, the word "Titanium" became just a kind of trendy thing and marketers started tacking it on to every kind of product or service they could come up with... It became the "gold" or the "Platinum" of the late 90s / early 2000s, with yuppies without any metallurgical understanding shelling out premium $$$ for products and services that had the word added on... . Personally, I think that people that get excited about the word Titanium should be put on lithium."
Your 100% correct. I'm a machinist whose worked with plastics and titanium and everything between. The only advantage titanium has for a guitar application is corrosion resistance. However, stainless steal is cheaper and easier machine and is more dense and more likely to hold an edge. My fliyd rose 1000 badeplate is made out of hardened steel plate, bent into shape. The pricier floyd rose original/schaller made baseplates are machined from billet. Other then appearance, there is almost no difference in quality between the 2. Yes the og/schaller plates are prettier, no they don't offer any reliability over the 1000. The floyd rose special is trash. The zinc alloy won't hold a knife edge and screw holes will strip out easily. My ideal floyd rose is the schaller unit made in Germany with a copper tone block and noiseless springs. I'll never expose my guitar to temperatures above 100 degrees F, and I'll never race my guitar on a track, ergo I see no reason to use a material spec'd for high heat resistance and lightweight.
It's a subtle difference but the strings definitely open up. Worth $800? Very hard sell. Good video. I found it more helpful listening to single lines back-to-back though. So for example after listening to the first clean sequence where you end on the Em, I skipped ahead to hear the same thing with the new saddles, and went back and forth that way. The differences became much more apparent. Again, subtle, but still there.
I have used the string lock inserts. They seemed out of control to me. In your video, the titanium sounds like surround sound compared to stock. Very big and full. Clean, stock almost had some "dead spots" when you barred. The titanium seemed to fix that to my ears. They are crazy expensive though.
@@qua7771The brass inserts sound incredible, bowever the strings indent them a lot and you really have to crank them down to keep the strings from flying out. I just use steel now.
@@ajgarcia9686I had been using brass inserts. I recently installed Ti saddles, but I kept the brass inserts. I didn't notice strings slipping, but the brass is relatively new as well. I haven't has an issue on my other guitar that has brass inserts. I don't change strings often though. By bridges are decked, so no pulling up on the bar.
800 ? That’s insane. To me the player makes any guitar sound good. Don’t get me wrong I have killer guitars , I like to add some small things to make it stay in tune better .. that’s as far as I go.. but I did get a steel block from x alien .. great guy to deal with he sent me extra steel block different size .. just in case .. the steel block’s quality 100% .. I like the look of ur guitar ..
Wow. Guitar looks and sounds most excellent dude. Yes it is subtle, the FU tone is richer and fuller overall with more presence and more resonance as well as a hair more attack and a hair more extended high. As a player i know i would feel it a whole lot more as my senses are high to the instrument. Going to machine my own WAY oversize tone block generator and hook up a wire from the pickups to it as well. Titanium is an excellent material as it raises some attack it also has smoothing qulities as well. Very incredible sounding, like a blend of stainless steel and brass aluminum.
I've used the FU tone upgrade stuff a few times now and i can say ive never noticed enough of a tonal difference to even mention. Its more so in my opinion if you want to customize your guitar with the different colors they offer, or if you're replacing parts on a floyd since the original floyd stuff is already expensive you can spend just a little more in most cases and get the titanium stuff and probably never have to replace it again.
thats what i thought. I always noticed that when they did a demo for their product,when it comes to sustain test Adam always cut the videos n move to the next Comparisson. Adam did this all the time
@@satchrules101 same video. i mean like when it comes to stock floyd parts test he just show a few sec/short when the string still resonate (skip the video test) & move to next comparison test.
@@satchrules101 u can check FUtone video titled “Naval brass locking nut”. see how short the sustain test with stock parts are, n then when its comes his product he played it till thw note stop . lol it’s an durability updgrade actually, But is it worth the money? big NO
Nice guitar, and nice video! I like the titanium inserts, I think they give some nice top top end clarity. The titanium saddles take that tone even further, but it's a little too much, IMO. I noticed a drop in low end grunt, which is something I don't need.
Being an aerospace machinist for decades I can tell you titanium is a horrible and expensive choice of material for this application. Dont fall for the marketing hype. Get a Gotoh 1996t and spend the money you saved on something in your signal chain that truly affects tone.
@@Deac0n_Blues Cost of material, machinability, it's not as dense as steel, and it dents relatively easily compared to steel... especially under compression. Would definitely not be my first choice of material for locking down steel strings over and over or transferring vibration. A good high carbon tool steel such as A2 or D2 or even 4140/4130 would be a better choice imo. You see a lot of marketing hype touting titanium this or titanium that because it sounds exotic. It's really best suited for aerospace or anything that needs strength, weight reduction, and corrosion resistance. For example it's used extensively on the FA-18 for fracture critical traceable structural components.
the stock saddles on my floyds are numbered 1,2,3 for the different heights of the saddles. that tone was harsh, i had a guitar that had all fu tone swag and floyd rose brass block, even the claw and claw screws were "upgraded". All that crap does is make it brighter , but a harsh tinny brighter. makes it sound thin sort of when using mega gain. i like them stock and if the guitar needs a little brightening i like big brass block to brighten it up just enough, not convinced brass block increases sustain
I agree with ya. Stock is usually fine, but I do typically install a brass block. Although like you I am not sure the merits to the supposed increased sustain.
FR 1000's. Have a thinner nickel plated brass block that people confuse for zinc. Adding a thicker brass block doesn't change much IMO. Not as much aw replacing an actual zinc block does anyway. Brass parts aren't that expensive regardless.
Brass blocks are just another cash grab. IF people hear a difference, it's usually just a placebo effect. Only reason to upgrade anything on a floyd rose is if you want the screws to not strip and the knife edges to hold their edge. Ergo, hardened steel is perfect for the application. Im a machinist and my guitar has a floyd rose 1000 on it. I see zero reason to upgrade anything on it. You don't want the screws to strip out the baseplate, so make the screws the softer metal. That way the screw strips and the baseplate retains it's threadform. Nearly every "upgrade" for a floyd rose offers zero advantages over the 1000, pro, og or schaller units If you have a floyd rose special, throw it away and replace it with at least a 1000. Don't forget the studs. You don't want those deforming either.
Cannot comment on the difference in tone with Ti but I decided to try the material for other reasons. The first was the strength of the material and resistance to the strings grooving the saddles and particularly the blocks in the tailpiece. Titanium is going to resist that better than any other material. The lesser - but still important reason was resistance to oxidation from sweat. Titanium is going to be better at withstanding that. I have found myself picking and choosing various types of materials to build out my own systems. This based on price and what I ultimately want from the instrument. Great vid.
@justincase9173 your correct. Titaniums advantages over steel are lightweight, corrosion resistance and heat resistance. Seeing as how we're not racing our guitars then lightweight doesn't matter. Corrosion resistance can be had for alot cheaper then what titanium costs, for example stainless steels or hardened steel with a coating or finish to protect it. Heat resistance, i don't often expose my guitar to temps above 80 degrees f so absolutely no reason to use titanium. It'd be cool to see a shot peened steel baseplate. That would actually offer some reliability over the standard hardened steel baseplate, but is probably not necessary. More expensive does not equal better in every application.
@justincase9173 i wonder if the shot peening would effect steel deep enough to strengthen the knife edge. We couldn't shot peen a fresh cut knife edge, as it'd probably destroy it. but if we rough cut the steel just thick enough to allow for peening but also thin enough to retain the hardened surface after remanufactor, it may work. Done right it could have a really big impact on the knife edges durability. Granted I don't forsee much deformation from a typical hardened steel knife edge... Engineering is fun and doubly so is guitar engineering :)
Titanium sounded a tiny bit brighter for cleans but more compressed in a less full and clear way for distorted tone. Not super noticeable but I prefer the stock since I mainly play with distortion but maybe turning the gain down slightly would bring it back to unity if the titanium is making the strings ring louder. No way I'd spend 800 on saddles though. Way to take one for the team!
I think you’re right for the most part. But I mostly play with high gain too and I can’t really tell a difference with or without. It does seem to have a slight sharper attack, but that’s all my ears can hear. Someone had to take one for the team, I guess it was my turn. 🤣
I just made the swap, and noticed quite a difference. The Ti has amazing sustain, with overtones. It made the lows less spongy, and the highs more smooth. I really like them. I don't think another person listening to a recording would notice as much as you would playing in front of an amp.
The only thing i can justify it being titanium would be the screws,clamps and saddle blocks. But even then. Good quality machines steel would suffice and at the fraction of the cost.
@@mariek6993Good question. That's galvanic/ dissimilar metal corrosion. I have never heard of anyone who uses these parts complaining. Not a lot of heat, and moisture exposure on a guitar. If there was you would have bigger problems.
I don't have the Titanium saddles, but I do have the Titanium screws, saddle blocks and brass big blocks on 4 guitars. The constant things I noticed on all o them was , note clarity, seemed like a slight volume increase, and also liked the longevity of the parts. The color options are definitely a nice touch too. Atom has always been great when I've called. I think the point is more , are these differences worth it to you! For me , bringing out the note clarity alone was a big deal, especially playing chords with distortion/drive. It was like taking a wet blanket off the speakers. It's subjective to everyone, if they want to pay for that ? For me if I get a Floyd rose on a guitar, it's worth it for me. That's for me though. It's worth it to me, maybe not others, I have no regrets.
You’re also comparing $200-$300 in multiple titanium mods compared to a single mod that is 4 times that price. The higher you go up in price, the less justification there is imo. If there was a titanium mod that was $4,000, its justification would be under even more scrutiny. But I do agree that everything is relative, and who’s to crap on something that another person likes. If it makes you happy, that’s all that matters.
@brutesmagootes3996 yeah exactly. I looked at doing it from a point of only doing the parts that made contact with the strings is all. Also like I mentioned durability. I have over the decades, split saddles, squished the saddle blocks to the point the got stuck in the saddles etc. So for me it was justified via that as well.
Thanks guys. I tried brass inserts, and it left me wondering about other mods. I saw some Ti parts for sale but thought I would do some research. Sounds like the law of diminishing returns applies here. Do any of you think screws make a difference?
@@charlesb7831 Thanks. I don't understand how the little brass inserts made such a difference in two of my guitars, especially given their location, (behind the contact point of the saddle). I hear the same thing in comparison videos. Being that the screws come in direct contact with the inserts, I thought they might some effect as well. I have some in my parts bin, and thought I would try them out next string change. I will do it for looks anyway.
also its not always for me anyways the sound or the tone, whatever, if I can get a better feel I am down with that as well, in fact i'm willing to sacrifice some tone cuz lord knows I got hoards of it to spare so i can let go of some tone for that feel, you onow that feel in your hands, then where the amp hits you like all at the same time, you know the feel, not the neck feel or playability feel, even tho I like to jack that up as well but that feel when you play and it hits you right, specially those notes that make your teeth rattle, or that power chord that just brings a dump load of it .. out of the 3 or 2 titanium trems I have oddly enough on charvels too, well one is the others are on strats I think? I really only play the charvel.. older one tho, older 6pt charvie, man is it crazy tho, its a pick guard style or top route as they say but I can get touch harmonics anywhere on the neck, gets a lil' weaker behind the 5th but there is some there, up past the 15th a few too and all over above the pickups.. its crazy, and its only with that full ti trem, its all ti the saddles, the block and the plate, screws, I don't think the springs are but maybe . . . sides that it really changed string compression, the natural string compression, like if you equated it to V8 cam it added more degree, more lift and definitely more duration . . yea man its different
digging that Charvel. I put the toothpaste logo on mine. I like the looks much better. I thought I could tell a difference on clean mode but now I'm not sure.
@@brutesmagootes3996 I’ve known Debbie since 83. Her first band, Sentinel Beast were amazing. She reformed them briefly with new members in 2011, and the original band reformed in 2012 for a one off in Germany. Their former bassist, Michael Spencer went on to replace Jason Newstead in Flotsam. He’s currently touring with Trauma, Sacramento California was an amazing place to be a teenager in the early 80’s. So many great bands!! And thank you for the compliment! Released an EP last April, and I’ve got a new single out, too! Available everywhere- Allen Dean
Im a cnc machinist whose worked with titanium, stainless steel, aluminum, plastics and everything in between. Titanium is a very difficult metal to machine. You have to feed slowly and spin slowly, and it tends to blunt tools extremely quickly, this is primarily why Titanium parts are so expensive. Titanium is used in applications that require lightweight, corrosion resistance and high heat applications. There is zero reason to use titanium parts on a guitar. It offers no advantages over stainless steel, and minimal advantage over mild steel. The knife edge on a floyd rose is a critical feature, and titanium performs badly at holding an edge. Considering the prices involved, I think titanium anything on a guitar is an enormous waste of money. Instead of dropping money into titanium stuff buy some nice pickups, or upgrade your pots. Maybe add some phasing or coil splitting. Buy a pedal. Titanium will have minimal effect of your tone and doesn't offer anything besides corrosion resistance. Stainless steel would be a better option because it's easier to machine and doesn't cost 10x what other metals do. The only reason to use titanium is if your trying to launch a guitar into orbit and need the saddles to survive reentry into orbit. Titanium doesn't make your iPhone any better. It won't make your guitar any better. It's just a name that has "luxury" connotations attached to it by a public that doesn't understand anything about metallurgy.
@@qua7771 swap it around then. Brass saddles and ti chassis. I agree with your statement though. I've only seen brass in hardtail applications. It would be to soft for the blade trems.
@@theariesexperiment4642 I'm wondering why we haven't seen brass saddles. Even just if just the back half where the string mounts was brass. Maybe its too soft? I don't know. My hinge pins appear to be made of brass, so why not? Maybe it would have the same issues as the pot metal ones.
@@qua7771 I'm not sure. The only ones I've seen that are factory are Charvel USA and Custom Shop plus Fender Custom Shop guitars. And those are nickel plated usually. I've always want a tuners with unplated brass pegs where the strings wraps. A naval brass block. Brass saddles.for the E, A, and D,....and titanium for the G, B, and E. And beautiful brass nut cut to perfection. 😬 P.S. I love talkin' guitar shop stuff. 😊
@@theariesexperiment4642 I just got a 2020 Wolfgang Special, and I have been dialing it in all week. During the string change, I put brass inserts in it, and noticed a tonal change typical of brass parts. I have a box full of Floyd rose parts, and a new 1987 OFR that I have been saving for a future project. I found a set of Ti screws in my stash, and started getting curious about this stuff. That's why I'm here anyway. I'm a gear head too. I don't usually use a trem at all, but it's good to have one guitar for that. I usually play Les Paul's. I'm an old EVH fan though, and there are some things a LP can't do. I bonded quickly with the Wolf. It sounds great, and the one I received sustains. I'm a tone junky. I think I spent an hour today rolling tubes through the PI of my plexi just for the heck of it. After seeing your post, I found some cheap aftermarket Ti saddles on eBay, ($85). I'm thinking they might sound good with brass inserts, and the existing brass block.
@@brutesmagootes3996 you are the perfect guy for that, get a Vintage Guitar, JET Guitar, Firefly and so many oyer great Guitars that are affordable ...the hardware you know hw to change it and you can adapt anything else too..I am sure you will make it Top guitar for a fraction of the $
Absolutely unnecessary. I've had several Original Floyds, Specials, licensed Floyds, and 1000s. I've never had an issue with any of them. Perfect tuning stability across the board. I started playing hair guitar in 1985 when I was 15. My first guitar was a Charvel Model 2. Single humbucker with a non floating Floyd. Until I got my first LP Standard 10 years later, all my guitars had Floyds. Titanium saddles are for the guys who will spend 10k for a new 58 Korina Explorer. Insanity. If you're having issues, get an Original Floyd. Better yet, get a Titanium Floyd. Only $900.00 from Floyd Rose. I suspect FU Tone would be a bit pricier.
I love Adam Reiver at FU-TONE, but honestly I think this Titanium stuff is snake oil. You don't notice that drastically of a difference to justify the outrageous price of all this junk.
I noticed a substantial difference, but the price is outrageous. I didn't think the Ti tone was necessary better, just different. I'd say more audiophile like, airy and articulate, at the expense of the balsier, mid heavy tone. Everyone has their preference.
Titanium for the WIN, way better definition and tighter response. But to be fair 99% of guitarist do not use titanium. I am definitely thinking about buying the whole trem system from floyd in titanium and just using it on my main guitar, it will last forever so i think good investment.
After giving things a listen and having played on the guitar for a month or so, here are my thoughts:
Acoustically I for sure notice a difference, much brighter and louder.
As far as cleans, I notice it slightly brighter but that dissipates as the note rings out.
As far as high gain, I really only notice a very small difference on the initial pick attack, especially when doing palm mutes.
As far as the increased tuning stability, I have not seen any difference at all.
Fuck that’s a sweet looking Axe bro!
Don't think id buy titanium saddles, but i DID get some 16" radius saddles directly from Schaller that i feel are totally worth it. At least for my 16" compound radius neck. No shims...
The difference from Steel is probably just that there's less mids. Ti alloy isn't harder than Steel, but the lower density allows for more midrange vibrations to be absorbed by bridge plate resonances. The weaker high freq vibrations still heard don't have enough energy to vibrate a saddle, which would then vibrate the bridge plate. Listen back to the beginning of the clean clips in quick succession. The Ti just has a more guttural sound = less midrange. It's hard to determine just how it differs considering how guitar amps react to the signal. FU-Tone is aptly named, if the FU part is to the customer.
Hi, I have watched all your Charvel Mod vids and my Henrik Danhage is coming on Saturday. Very interested in upgrading many of the same upgrades as your goodself.
As a question would it be possible to get a few pics on your Ragnarok... Close ups. I know you got Bareknuckle to relic it but I cant seem to get a decent pic via TH-cam and was very interested in getting the same. Many thanks Lee
Is it worth an 800$ upgrade?
I cant explain it any better than this quote:
"Some years ago, the word "Titanium" became just a kind of trendy thing and marketers started tacking it on to every kind of product or service they could come up with... It became the "gold" or the "Platinum" of the late 90s / early 2000s, with yuppies without any metallurgical understanding shelling out premium $$$ for products and services that had the word added on... . Personally, I think that people that get excited about the word Titanium should be put on lithium."
Your 100% correct. I'm a machinist whose worked with plastics and titanium and everything between.
The only advantage titanium has for a guitar application is corrosion resistance. However, stainless steal is cheaper and easier machine and is more dense and more likely to hold an edge.
My fliyd rose 1000 badeplate is made out of hardened steel plate, bent into shape. The pricier floyd rose original/schaller made baseplates are machined from billet.
Other then appearance, there is almost no difference in quality between the 2. Yes the og/schaller plates are prettier, no they don't offer any reliability over the 1000.
The floyd rose special is trash. The zinc alloy won't hold a knife edge and screw holes will strip out easily.
My ideal floyd rose is the schaller unit made in Germany with a copper tone block and noiseless springs. I'll never expose my guitar to temperatures above 100 degrees F, and I'll never race my guitar on a track, ergo I see no reason to use a material spec'd for high heat resistance and lightweight.
I like the stock steel one, sounds a bit more organic and balance.
Great point. I guess this could be beneficial if your guitar is too muddy sounding, but generally speaking I agree with ya.
Better metal is an upgrade. The guitar is killer, great personal axe my friend. Keep modding
It's a subtle difference but the strings definitely open up. Worth $800? Very hard sell. Good video. I found it more helpful listening to single lines back-to-back though. So for example after listening to the first clean sequence where you end on the Em, I skipped ahead to hear the same thing with the new saddles, and went back and forth that way. The differences became much more apparent. Again, subtle, but still there.
Yeah, I get what you’re saying. I think it would have been better to do the comparison that way.
It could have a use in a darker sounding guitar , but for the $$$ a pickup swap and /or eq pedal could get you the same tone. Great vid thx !
Exactly. And thanks 🤘🏻
I have used the string lock inserts. They seemed out of control to me. In your video, the titanium sounds like surround sound compared to stock. Very big and full. Clean, stock almost had some "dead spots" when you barred. The titanium seemed to fix that to my ears. They are crazy expensive though.
For me I think the inserts are the thing I like most about the saddles. But I do agree that they are very expensive and hard to justify overall.
Do you like brass inserts better?
@@qua7771The brass inserts sound incredible, bowever the strings indent them a lot and you really have to crank them down to keep the strings from flying out. I just use steel now.
@@ajgarcia9686I had been using brass inserts. I recently installed Ti saddles, but I kept the brass inserts. I didn't notice strings slipping, but the brass is relatively new as well. I haven't has an issue on my other guitar that has brass inserts. I don't change strings often though. By bridges are decked, so no pulling up on the bar.
Different: slightly
Better: subjective
Very true. But very hard to justify the $800 price tag as far as tonal changes go.
800 ? That’s insane. To me the player makes any guitar sound good. Don’t get me wrong I have killer guitars , I like to add some small things to make it stay in tune better .. that’s as far as I go.. but I did get a steel block from x alien .. great guy to deal with he sent me extra steel block different size .. just in case .. the steel block’s quality 100% .. I like the look of ur guitar ..
Wow. Guitar looks and sounds most excellent dude. Yes it is subtle, the FU tone is richer and fuller overall with more presence and more resonance as well as a hair more attack and a hair more extended high. As a player i know i would feel it a whole lot more as my senses are high to the instrument. Going to machine my own WAY oversize tone block generator and hook up a wire from the pickups to it as well. Titanium is an excellent material as it raises some attack it also has smoothing qulities as well. Very incredible sounding, like a blend of stainless steel and brass aluminum.
I have to say I don’t think I’ve heard of doing that to a block.
I've used the FU tone upgrade stuff a few times now and i can say ive never noticed enough of a tonal difference to even mention. Its more so in my opinion if you want to customize your guitar with the different colors they offer, or if you're replacing parts on a floyd since the original floyd stuff is already expensive you can spend just a little more in most cases and get the titanium stuff and probably never have to replace it again.
thats what i thought.
I always noticed that when they did a demo for their product,when it comes to sustain test Adam always cut the videos n move to the next Comparisson.
Adam did this all the time
Hey bro what do u mean cuts the vid and moves to the next one ? do I mean the same vid or different vid? Thanks
@@satchrules101 same video.
i mean like when it comes to stock floyd parts test he just show a few sec/short when the string still resonate (skip the video test)
& move to next comparison test.
Lol something about that dude I never trusted him .. I think most of the upgrades are a scam .
@@satchrules101 u can check FUtone video titled “Naval brass locking nut”. see how short the sustain test with stock parts are,
n then when its comes his product he played it till thw note stop .
lol
it’s an durability updgrade actually,
But is it worth the money? big NO
Nice guitar, and nice video! I like the titanium inserts, I think they give some nice top top end clarity. The titanium saddles take that tone even further, but it's a little too much, IMO. I noticed a drop in low end grunt, which is something I don't need.
Yes, great point. I noticed that as well, but to me that just seemed to affect the initial attack.
Being an aerospace machinist for decades I can tell you titanium is a horrible and expensive choice of material for this application. Dont fall for the marketing hype. Get a Gotoh 1996t and spend the money you saved on something in your signal chain that truly affects tone.
Really can I ask you what would be the best metal
@justincase9173 what would be the best metal for this application ??
@@NeilAloha hardened tool steel or even stainless would be a better choice imo
@justincase9173 I'm curious, why would titanium be a bad choice for this application?
@@Deac0n_Blues Cost of material, machinability, it's not as dense as steel, and it dents relatively easily compared to steel... especially under compression. Would definitely not be my first choice of material for locking down steel strings over and over or transferring vibration. A good high carbon tool steel such as A2 or D2 or even 4140/4130 would be a better choice imo. You see a lot of marketing hype touting titanium this or titanium that because it sounds exotic. It's really best suited for aerospace or anything that needs strength, weight reduction, and corrosion resistance. For example it's used extensively on the FA-18 for fracture critical traceable structural components.
seems that with the titanium there is more clarity and sweetness
I really like your way o describing. And great info here. you should make a guide how to setup a bridge and work on frets with a compound radius!pls!
Thanks! And those are great suggestions.
My pleasure man!!! Since you have seemingly such a great knowledge it would be really cool.
the stock saddles on my floyds are numbered 1,2,3 for the different heights of the saddles.
that tone was harsh, i had a guitar that had all fu tone swag and floyd rose brass block, even the claw and claw screws were "upgraded". All that crap does is make it brighter , but a harsh tinny brighter. makes it sound thin sort of when using mega gain. i like them stock and if the guitar needs a little brightening i like big brass block to brighten it up just enough, not convinced brass block increases sustain
I agree with ya. Stock is usually fine, but I do typically install a brass block. Although like you I am not sure the merits to the supposed increased sustain.
FR 1000's. Have a thinner nickel plated brass block that people confuse for zinc. Adding a thicker brass block doesn't change much IMO. Not as much aw replacing an actual zinc block does anyway. Brass parts aren't that expensive regardless.
Brass blocks are just another cash grab. IF people hear a difference, it's usually just a placebo effect.
Only reason to upgrade anything on a floyd rose is if you want the screws to not strip and the knife edges to hold their edge. Ergo, hardened steel is perfect for the application.
Im a machinist and my guitar has a floyd rose 1000 on it. I see zero reason to upgrade anything on it.
You don't want the screws to strip out the baseplate, so make the screws the softer metal. That way the screw strips and the baseplate retains it's threadform.
Nearly every "upgrade" for a floyd rose offers zero advantages over the 1000, pro, og or schaller units
If you have a floyd rose special, throw it away and replace it with at least a 1000. Don't forget the studs. You don't want those deforming either.
Not sure that the sound differential is great enough to warrant the $$$ 🤷♂️
Yeah, imo it's sure not.
Cannot comment on the difference in tone with Ti but I decided to try the material for other reasons. The first was the strength of the material and resistance to the strings grooving the saddles and particularly the blocks in the tailpiece. Titanium is going to resist that better than any other material. The lesser - but still important reason was resistance to oxidation from sweat. Titanium is going to be better at withstanding that. I have found myself picking and choosing various types of materials to build out my own systems. This based on price and what I ultimately want from the instrument. Great vid.
Awesome points that you bring up!
Titanium is softer than steel bro
Titanium has a low elasticity modulus and is easily deformed.
@justincase9173 your correct. Titaniums advantages over steel are lightweight, corrosion resistance and heat resistance.
Seeing as how we're not racing our guitars then lightweight doesn't matter. Corrosion resistance can be had for alot cheaper then what titanium costs, for example stainless steels or hardened steel with a coating or finish to protect it. Heat resistance, i don't often expose my guitar to temps above 80 degrees f so absolutely no reason to use titanium.
It'd be cool to see a shot peened steel baseplate. That would actually offer some reliability over the standard hardened steel baseplate, but is probably not necessary.
More expensive does not equal better in every application.
@@inflameswetrust2194 shot peened would be interesting....like the bolt on my AR lol
@justincase9173 i wonder if the shot peening would effect steel deep enough to strengthen the knife edge. We couldn't shot peen a fresh cut knife edge, as it'd probably destroy it. but if we rough cut the steel just thick enough to allow for peening but also thin enough to retain the hardened surface after remanufactor, it may work. Done right it could have a really big impact on the knife edges durability.
Granted I don't forsee much deformation from a typical hardened steel knife edge...
Engineering is fun and doubly so is guitar engineering :)
Titanium sounded a tiny bit brighter for cleans but more compressed in a less full and clear way for distorted tone. Not super noticeable but I prefer the stock since I mainly play with distortion but maybe turning the gain down slightly would bring it back to unity if the titanium is making the strings ring louder. No way I'd spend 800 on saddles though. Way to take one for the team!
I think you’re right for the most part. But I mostly play with high gain too and I can’t really tell a difference with or without. It does seem to have a slight sharper attack, but that’s all my ears can hear.
Someone had to take one for the team, I guess it was my turn. 🤣
I just made the swap, and noticed quite a difference. The Ti has amazing sustain, with overtones. It made the lows less spongy, and the highs more smooth. I really like them. I don't think another person listening to a recording would notice as much as you would playing in front of an amp.
The only thing i can justify it being titanium would be the screws,clamps and saddle blocks. But even then. Good quality machines steel would suffice and at the fraction of the cost.
Agreed.
@@mariek6993 No, nothing happens.
@@mariek6993Good question. That's galvanic/ dissimilar metal corrosion. I have never heard of anyone who uses these parts complaining. Not a lot of heat, and moisture exposure on a guitar. If there was you would have bigger problems.
I don't have the Titanium saddles, but I do have the Titanium screws, saddle blocks and brass big blocks on 4 guitars. The constant things I noticed on all o them was , note clarity, seemed like a slight volume increase, and also liked the longevity of the parts. The color options are definitely a nice touch too.
Atom has always been great when I've called. I think the point is more , are these differences worth it to you!
For me , bringing out the note clarity alone was a big deal, especially playing chords with distortion/drive. It was like taking a wet blanket off the speakers.
It's subjective to everyone, if they want to pay for that ? For me if I get a Floyd rose on a guitar, it's worth it for me. That's for me though. It's worth it to me, maybe not others, I have no regrets.
You’re also comparing $200-$300 in multiple titanium mods compared to a single mod that is 4 times that price. The higher you go up in price, the less justification there is imo. If there was a titanium mod that was $4,000, its justification would be under even more scrutiny. But I do agree that everything is relative, and who’s to crap on something that another person likes. If it makes you happy, that’s all that matters.
@brutesmagootes3996 yeah exactly. I looked at doing it from a point of only doing the parts that made contact with the strings is all. Also like I mentioned durability. I have over the decades, split saddles, squished the saddle blocks to the point the got stuck in the saddles etc. So for me it was justified via that as well.
Thanks guys. I tried brass inserts, and it left me wondering about other mods. I saw some Ti parts for sale but thought I would do some research. Sounds like the law of diminishing returns applies here. Do any of you think screws make a difference?
@qua7771 the screws would be more for durability and if you want to color match, they won't do anything for sound.
@@charlesb7831 Thanks. I don't understand how the little brass inserts made such a difference in two of my guitars, especially given their location, (behind the contact point of the saddle). I hear the same thing in comparison videos. Being that the screws come in direct contact with the inserts, I thought they might some effect as well. I have some in my parts bin, and thought I would try them out next string change. I will do it for looks anyway.
More resonant tone, fuller sounding in near acoustic mode. Worth the $800? Only if you are a purist searching for the holy grail of tones.
also its not always for me anyways the sound or the tone, whatever, if I can get a better feel I am down with that as well, in fact i'm willing to sacrifice some tone cuz lord knows I got hoards of it to spare so i can let go of some tone for that feel, you onow that feel in your hands, then where the amp hits you like all at the same time, you know the feel, not the neck feel or playability feel, even tho I like to jack that up as well but that feel when you play and it hits you right, specially those notes that make your teeth rattle, or that power chord that just brings a dump load of it ..
out of the 3 or 2 titanium trems I have oddly enough on charvels too, well one is the others are on strats I think? I really only play the charvel.. older one tho, older 6pt charvie, man is it crazy tho, its a pick guard style or top route as they say but I can get touch harmonics anywhere on the neck, gets a lil' weaker behind the 5th but there is some there, up past the 15th a few too and all over above the pickups.. its crazy, and its only with that full ti trem, its all ti the saddles, the block and the plate, screws, I don't think the springs are but maybe . . .
sides that it really changed string compression, the natural string compression, like if you equated it to V8 cam it added more degree, more lift and definitely more duration . . yea man its different
Could have made the saddles more ergonomic like the EDGE
Yes for sure. I had to put a radius on mine to keep them from digging into my palm.
digging that Charvel. I put the toothpaste logo on mine. I like the looks much better.
I thought I could tell a difference on clean mode but now I'm not sure.
Yeah, the toothpaste logo seems to be a love it or hate it thing. The standard logo just doesn’t do it for me.
I noticed a slight difference in the clean tone but when you played the gain channel I heard that top end vanish. Not something I would like happen
There’s no doubt that the titanium brightens itl😊
Not much diff at all. But i think the bog point is that the bridge is never gonna wear out.
Great shirt! Shoutout to my dear friend, Debbie Gunn!!
She had an incredible set of pipes! And I just checked out your stuff…wow! Dude you have a voice.
@@brutesmagootes3996 I’ve known Debbie since 83. Her first band, Sentinel Beast were amazing. She reformed them briefly with new members in 2011, and the original band reformed in 2012 for a one off in Germany.
Their former bassist, Michael Spencer went on to replace Jason Newstead in Flotsam. He’s currently touring with Trauma,
Sacramento California was an amazing place to be a teenager in the early 80’s. So many great bands!!
And thank you for the compliment! Released an EP last April, and I’ve got a new single out, too! Available everywhere- Allen Dean
That a actual charvel or a partscaster? Thinking of getting a 84 trem amd swapping out the 1000 fr
It’s a Charvel Henrik
I have 2 1984's and really like them. I have a 1000, and like it too. 1000 isn't bad at all. '84 is a little better. They both are built well.
Im a cnc machinist whose worked with titanium, stainless steel, aluminum, plastics and everything in between. Titanium is a very difficult metal to machine. You have to feed slowly and spin slowly, and it tends to blunt tools extremely quickly, this is primarily why Titanium parts are so expensive.
Titanium is used in applications that require lightweight, corrosion resistance and high heat applications.
There is zero reason to use titanium parts on a guitar. It offers no advantages over stainless steel, and minimal advantage over mild steel. The knife edge on a floyd rose is a critical feature, and titanium performs badly at holding an edge.
Considering the prices involved, I think titanium anything on a guitar is an enormous waste of money.
Instead of dropping money into titanium stuff buy some nice pickups, or upgrade your pots. Maybe add some phasing or coil splitting. Buy a pedal.
Titanium will have minimal effect of your tone and doesn't offer anything besides corrosion resistance.
Stainless steel would be a better option because it's easier to machine and doesn't cost 10x what other metals do.
The only reason to use titanium is if your trying to launch a guitar into orbit and need the saddles to survive reentry into orbit.
Titanium doesn't make your iPhone any better. It won't make your guitar any better. It's just a name that has "luxury" connotations attached to it by a public that doesn't understand anything about metallurgy.
If they would do a brass chassis and titanium saddles i think it would be a bigger difference.
Brass is too soft for a blade under all that tension, but I agree with you tone wise. Seems like it would be the best of both worlds.
@@qua7771 swap it around then. Brass saddles and ti chassis. I agree with your statement though. I've only seen brass in hardtail applications. It would be to soft for the blade trems.
@@theariesexperiment4642 I'm wondering why we haven't seen brass saddles. Even just if just the back half where the string mounts was brass. Maybe its too soft? I don't know. My hinge pins appear to be made of brass, so why not? Maybe it would have the same issues as the pot metal ones.
@@qua7771 I'm not sure. The only ones I've seen that are factory are Charvel USA and Custom Shop plus Fender Custom Shop guitars. And those are nickel plated usually. I've always want a tuners with unplated brass pegs where the strings wraps. A naval brass block. Brass saddles.for the E, A, and D,....and titanium for the G, B, and E. And beautiful brass nut cut to perfection. 😬
P.S. I love talkin' guitar shop stuff. 😊
@@theariesexperiment4642 I just got a 2020 Wolfgang Special, and I have been dialing it in all week. During the string change, I put brass inserts in it, and noticed a tonal change typical of brass parts. I have a box full of Floyd rose parts, and a new 1987 OFR that I have been saving for a future project. I found a set of Ti screws in my stash, and started getting curious about this stuff. That's why I'm here anyway. I'm a gear head too.
I don't usually use a trem at all, but it's good to have one guitar for that. I usually play Les Paul's. I'm an old EVH fan though, and there are some things a LP can't do. I bonded quickly with the Wolf. It sounds great, and the one I received sustains.
I'm a tone junky. I think I spent an hour today rolling tubes through the PI of my plexi just for the heck of it.
After seeing your post, I found some cheap aftermarket Ti saddles on eBay, ($85). I'm thinking they might sound good with brass inserts, and the existing brass block.
The titanium gives a more compressed effect. A little more clarity within chords.
interesting machine tuning head , set of tuners supposed like that or just modify ?
They are supposed to be like that. That style has been around for a long time. 👍🏻
Holy cow ZnoWhite that's awesome.
They are such an underrated band.
What amp are you playing through?
I used my Kemper Stage for this, but I don’t recall what profiles I used.
doesn't that jack up the lo E saddle tho?
you should take a cool affordable ($300-500) Guitar and modded to the fullest and see....
That's a great idea!
@@brutesmagootes3996 you are the perfect guy for that, get a Vintage Guitar, JET Guitar, Firefly and so many oyer great Guitars that are affordable ...the hardware you know hw to change it and you can adapt anything else too..I am sure you will make it Top guitar for a fraction of the $
That’s a great point because most cheap guitars just need some hardware upgrades.
Absolutely unnecessary. I've had several Original Floyds, Specials, licensed Floyds, and 1000s. I've never had an issue with any of them. Perfect tuning stability across the board. I started playing hair guitar in 1985 when I was 15. My first guitar was a Charvel Model 2. Single humbucker with a non floating Floyd. Until I got my first LP Standard 10 years later, all my guitars had Floyds. Titanium saddles are for the guys who will spend 10k for a new 58 Korina Explorer. Insanity. If you're having issues, get an Original Floyd. Better yet, get a Titanium Floyd. Only $900.00 from Floyd Rose. I suspect FU Tone would be a bit pricier.
I fully agree. Although I have had my share of issues with specials and licensed Floyd’s. OG or a 1984 late my favs though.
I love Adam Reiver at FU-TONE, but honestly I think this Titanium stuff is snake oil. You don't notice that drastically of a difference to justify the outrageous price of all this junk.
Yeah, Adam is a great guy, but some of his stuff (like this) isn’t worth the price imo. Maybe at a 10th of the price ($80), but $800. No way.
The titanium saddle blocks ARE pretty good. They won't crack...
I noticed a substantial difference, but the price is outrageous. I didn't think the Ti tone was necessary better, just different. I'd say more audiophile like, airy and articulate, at the expense of the balsier, mid heavy tone. Everyone has their preference.
Titanium for the WIN, way better definition and tighter response. But to be fair 99% of guitarist do not use titanium. I am definitely thinking about buying the whole trem system from floyd in titanium and just using it on my main guitar, it will last forever so i think good investment.
I think they may have discontinued them, but I’m sure a few are still out there. They look awesome.
Buy the Sophia 2.92 if you got 800$ burning a hole in your wallet a waaaaay better bridge
I’ll have to check that out
Just get a Gotoh GE1996 trem & theres no need for all those upgrades.
There is no “need” for upgrades in general, but I enjoy tinkering and trying stuff out. 🤘🏻
The difference is minimal & nothing that couldn't be achieved by the amp EQ.
your touch harmonics should be much better
I can forge my own gor far less. I've already done so.
Very Important Life Lesson...DON'T EVER ASSUME ANYTHING!
Truth
Snake oil!
Yup, pretty much. lol
No. Saved you a bit of time.
Lol FU more like FOH