Installing a Floyd Rose Whammy Bar into a Les Paul

Thank you 88 Music for trusting me to do this mod! Video creds: Rico

[@markusaurelius777]

I love it !!!! Now you have the deep sound of the LP with the capability of an Ibanez Jem. Nice !!!

[@chadjackson1132]

Oh yeah dude

[@re_loyola]

Next: Monkey Grip on a Les Paul to shed weight 😅

[@qua7771]

All the time quirks of both.

[@tylergreen9888]

Continuing a tradition of making LP’s not sound like LP’s.

[@chadjackson1132]

and making them better! Lol.

[@ozmobozo]

The tradition is breaking the headstock. Which is surprisingly easy by the way.

[@chadjackson1132]

Yes it is hahaha! 😂

[@markusaurelius777]

@@chadjackson1132 Much better !!! Lol.

[@weeklyautoorient4685]

Im wondering if the strings properly allign with the pickups since the previous pickups were made to fit the abr-1 bridge which has smaller saddle spread than the floyd rose so I think this guitar would have pole spread issues

[@chadjackson1132]

The poles were still pretty well lined up after the install! No issues

[@big99123]

Wow amazing! It dose stay tune? no any problem? I'm very curious..let me know plz🙏

[@markusaurelius777]

Looks like Alex Lifeson's custom LP now !!! ...(Only his is a Gibby, lol).

[@adamsantos5649]

What size is the Floyd rose bridge you are using for this? I’m new and building my own Les Paul and wanting to do the same. Thank you for posting

[@chadjackson1132]

This one was the original Floyd without the locking nut. Its designed to not have fine tuners too. I’m not sure if it came in other sizes than the one I had to use. It was a client’s guitar from the local music store. You’re welcome and thank you!

[@Markusaldrich]

Why didn’t you install the Floyd saddle? Without it, it makes no sense for me.

[@chadjackson1132]

This model didn’t come with the locking nut, it’s like the first design Floyd model

[@markusaurelius777]

@@chadjackson1132 If you install locking tuners, you're good to go !!!

[@We-all-watched-the-video]

@@markusaurelius777that’s not what locking tuners do…

[@qua7771]

Saddles are on the bridge. Installing a Floyd Rose locking nut might be a problem for the truss rod on some guitars. In that case, I wouldn't do it. I personally don't see any point in having a Floyd Rose on a Les Paul. There are better guitars for that. Aside from tuning issues, you'll have trouble with the neck neck relief staying adjusted.

[@SKRooU2]

You do know they make a Floyd Rose and even a Kahler that uses the stock poles without doing the routing which ruined the value?

[@andrewworleymusic]

Nice! I would be too scared haha

[@chadjackson1132]

Haha as long as you don’t drink too much caffeine your hands will stay steady enough to do the job 😂

[@alex8137]

@@chadjackson1132 🤏

[@alex8137]

Exenlent job I whanto do the seam thank you alot for shering bro 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👏👏👏👌👌❤

[@chadjackson1132]

Thanks so much!

[@billymccoy10]

I would love to hear this thing. I know you had to break it in a bit 🤣

[@scoobysport1144]

Got bigger balls than me !! 😂😂

[@pedroaugustomendessilvamor5894]

Se a corda G ja tinha problemas de se manter afinada, agora então é que não vai parar afinada mesmo!!

[@bretttrommler756]

I curious what year this Les Paul was and whether or not you think you have detracted from the value of it. The reason I ask is this; I have a 1980 Gibson Flying V2 that I purchase brand new and have owned it for 43 years. It has never had a tremolo bar in it although I have always wanted one. I have never understood why Gibson didn’t put one on that guitar. It’s a gorgeous guitar but has always looked just a bit empty without a tremolo. Anyway, I believe there are a couple FR pieces that would fit the thing. It has the Boomerang pickups and tail piece but of course the bridge is straight. I believe a FR would fit. I’m not even sure the tail piece would have to be removed. If nothing else, I could maybe do the Floyd Rose FRX which is all external, although I’m not crazy about the looks of the thing. The problem is, people tell me “don’t you dare modify that guitar! It’s too valuable!”. I have seen a few of these for sale in the neighborhood of $5-7,000 so yes, it is a valuable guitar. Thing is, I’ve owned it for 43 years and I have no intention of ever parting with it. I might tell my wife to bury it with me when the Good Lord takes me home. At the very least I’ll leave it to my daughter or my brother. So the dollar value of this guitar doesn’t really matter to me. And I have always wanted a tremolo bar on it. I’m also looking at the possibility of somehow rewinding the single coil boomerang pickups to either duel coil or at least hotter, while still keeping the same shape. What is your opinion if I may ask… should I modify the guitar or not?

[@chadjackson1132]

Ok so really it can go either two ways. I’d say even with the trem route being professionally done, it would probably only de-value it due to it not being factory built that way, no matter how good it plays and how good it looks with the mod. That would be the only reason more than likely. HOWEVER, the other way it could go would be to the right buyer, it might not even matter if it looks and plays great with the mod, you may still get your money out of it. I’ve always thought the value of any instrument is subjective to the player/buyer/history of it. I’ve always thought the same way about Flying Vs. Trems make them look better in my opinion! So with all that being said, it’s your guitar and at the end of the day that’s all that matters, especially if you don’t plan on selling it. Trying to sell it, or prove the value with mods can be a challenge, Unless you’re like Kurt Cobain who’s heavy modded strats can sell for crazy amounts. But hey, flying Vs look fantastic with trems though so…lol. There’s my two cents lol.

[@leftygtrplr6184]

I have an '84 Gibson Flying V with a factory installed Kahler tremolo. I agree those guitars need a trem. I would do it only if you want to play it with one. I am left handed, so I had to flip it, put in a new nut, re-route the input jack, put fret markers in the binding, etc. I am considering putting a proper Floyd Rose on as the Kahler never stays in tune when you use the whammy bar at all. I will play it that way and don't care how devalued it is. Just my $0.02. Good luck!

[@wyvernx666]

Thank you for sharing your story! I have been a guitar player for quite some time and I'm finally in a position to start getting more gear. And I've really been wanting a LP shape guitar as I've recently come around to them. Anyways, I have always wantes a Gibson or ESP V or LP but noticed how almost none ever have a whammy and my schecter c1 and ibanez gio are strictly fixed bridges, i put in a cap in the gio to keep it blocked lmao but i want something with a dual way whammy bar setup but the options are few and far inbetween and hearing someone hear they want to do a particular mod on a guitar, I'm totally for that! I did a buckethead style killswitxh on my schecter and it's been one of the best decisions i made. and I'm really thinking of doing a custom guitar lp shape or v with a dual trem bc ive always wanted one but no one talks about that kinda thing or focus too mucb on value

[@leftygtrplr6184]

@@wyvernx666 You could always go for an EVH Wolfgang. Some are really affordable and the trem only dives, you can't pull up. Those things stay in tune really well and I love the necks on those. It was kind of Eddie's take on a Les Paul/Super Strat all in one and he got it right!

[@bretttrommler756]

@@wyvernx666 I recently bought a Jackson JS32 DKA. It has the Jackson/Floyd Rose term on it and it’s a full floating tremolo. These guitars are not expensive. I bought mine used in mint condition for about $300. They’re actually pretty decent guitars. The neck is very nice and the pickups aren’t bad. The stock tuning machines aren’t great but with the locking nut that’s not been an issue. The fine tuners on the bridge are cr*p. They feel like they might strip out or cross thread any time. And, the frets are a bit rough on mine. The fine tuners seem to be a consistent gripe with the thing but the frets are not always rough like mine, so I’ve heard. Anyway, the trem on the thing is actually pretty darn good. Like I said, it is a full floating tremolo but I’ve not had any real issues with it going out of tune even with big dive bombs. So other than the fine tuners and possibly a bit of roughness on the frets which is easily remedied, it’s a pretty nice little shredder axe for $3-400.

[@Dmitriy_Tkachenko]

Флойд на Лес Поле это как спойлер на девятке

[@poopstinkerbaby]

How did you put the springs and stuff in the back?

[@chadjackson1132]

I had to do a pretty deep route since it was a les Paul. Then I just drilled two holes for the trem claw and an extra hole for the ground wire. The hardest part was the extra deep route since Les Paul’s are thicker in the middle of the body

[@poopstinkerbaby]

@@chadjackson1132 alright thanks man, I plan on installing one on my warlock pretty soon so I just wanted to know, I appreciate it

[@chadjackson1132]

You’re welcome man!

[@koryjames8361]

Nice work, and it looks really good, but does it stay in tune without a locking nut?

[@chadjackson1132]

Yes it does

[@wacama67]

Baby Jesus cried. lol

[@viniguitar25]

Where did you put the springs?

[@chadjackson1132]

In the back

[@viniguitar25]

@@chadjackson1132 yeah, but you don't show that

[@ericcaisse791]

No locking nut?

[@chadjackson1132]

Nope since this is an “original” style Floyd it does not come with a locking nut and no fine tuners. It’s similar to a normal trem system except you still have to cut the strings

[@fallingclouds82]

*epiphone les paul* Do a Gibson next

[@chadjackson1132]

Haha I would love to!

[@fallingclouds82]

@@chadjackson1132 I got an axcess on my lap rn and it’s the best piece of wood I’ve seen

[@lawrencetibby305]

Heresa

[@michaelwhalley2545]

Its a chibson

[@chadjackson1132]

Yes indeed lol

[@nasticanasta]

🤣

[@JackFlaps]

no

[@user-dm1gw2hd1q]

ロックナット入れてなくて良いの？

[@chadjackson1132]

For this model yes because if you look closely there’s no fine tuners on it. This is the first type of Floyd and it does not come with locking nut. It’s more like a standard trem haha!

[@user-dm1gw2hd1q]

@@chadjackson1132 そういうことか！確かにファインチューナー付いてないね！ありがとう。

[@raynixon9081]

Yeah no winder uts a cheap cooy kes paul try it on a real gibson ha ha

[@espiritguitar]

Its ok. A cheap epiphone its ok. But incomplete job, where is the locking nut?😢

[@chadjackson1132]

This is the original style floyd rose model, no fine tuners and no locking nut comes with this set!