Help me find a Super Strat

Any of these worth checking out?

  • Jackson Pro Series

    Votes: 1 4.2%
  • Charvel So-Cal

    Votes: 11 45.8%
  • LTD ‘87

    Votes: 1 4.2%
  • Ibanez Genesis 550

    Votes: 7 29.2%
  • Schecter Sun Valley

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Kramer

    Votes: 1 4.2%
  • Something else

    Votes: 3 12.5%

  • Total voters
    24
Only a floyd is 99.9 % reliable. I have other things that are nearly there but they can give the odd problem because they rely on things staying straight but a floyd really doesn’t leave anything to chance.
 
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I have a SoCal I love. I recently went through and converted it to HSS and added a pearloid guard. It’s even better now.
 
What should I be looking for with bridges?

I get lost in all the Floyd variations. Is there anything I should look for? Anything I should stay away from?

Get something with a Lo-Pro Edge. That is the best floating thing ever.

Quoting someone else: "perfect stability (even for months), sensitivity, dive/pull-back range, lack of squeaks & noises (if well setup), arm stability with no play at all, fluidity, flutter and reliability". To whom be the glory forever and ever, amen.

In case of doubt, ask Vai, Satriani or @Piing

My RG8570CST:
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Even the corroded Lo-Pro Edge from an old S540FM that I was lucky to find a while ago still performs to perfection
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I once replaced the Lo-Pro edge on my RG550LTD with an Original Floyd Rose. It performed well, but I still prefer the Lo-Pro edge. It responds better to micro-bendings and subttle flutters. Now it has a new Lo-Pro edge again
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I've had experience with Charvels and Suhrs with a non-locking nut. They are not bad at all, but you cannot play some of the nuances of a locking nut tremolo. The sensitivity to the micro-movements is a little bit more rough, and the flutter is not the same. And good luck to keep it always on tune, specially the G string, after abusing it.

For me, a locking nut is a must if you really want to call it Super-Strat. Otherwise, it is just a modern Strat with a humbucker.
 
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I once replaced the Lo-Pro edge on my RG550LTD with an Original Floyd Rose. It performed well, but I still prefer the Lo-Pro edge. It responds better to micro-bendings and subttle flutters. Now it has a new Lo-Pro edge again
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I've had experience with Charvels and Suhrs with a non-locking nut. They are not bad at all, but you cannot play some of the nuances of a locking nut tremolo. The sensitivity to the micro-movements is a little bit more rough, and the flutter is not the same. And good luck to keep it always on tune, specially the G string, after abusing it.

For me, a locking nut is a must if you really want to call it Super-Strat. Otherwise, it is just a modern Strat with a humbucker.
The low pro is really good but the original floyd would not have worked properly on the Ibanez studs. The knife edges designed for a wider angle on the studs. If you want use an original floyd in place of the Edge or low pro edge the easiest way is to screw in some 1996 studs as they will go directly into the bushings fitted already and have the wider angle. The Ibanez;
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And the 1996;
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There is a bit more room on these.
 
No Kramer love? 😉
I have three, all of them for a few hundred below retail and love them all. Zero QC issues, but the Snake is the best. Love the way the tiger looks though, weirdly find it inspiring when I play it. 🤔

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The neck shapes and fret size was never as good as Ibanez or Charvel in the 80's and it still isn't IMO but these are personal. It was the reason they lost out to Charvel and Jackson in the 80's and Jackson using Kahler trems only after 86 ultimately is why a lot of people switched to Ibanez starting with Mr Vai.
 
The neck shapes and fret size was never as good as Ibanez or Charvel in the 80's and it still isn't IMO but these are personal. It was the reason they lost out to Charvel and Jackson in the 80's and Jackson using Kahler trems only after 86 ultimately is why a lot of people switched to Ibanez starting with Mr Vai.

I have to be honest and say I’ve never played a Charvel! 😳
I really should get one as they regularly top the list of these kind of guitars. I think it’s just the looks don’t do anything for me for some reason. 🤔
 
Charvel is the easy pick IF you like the neck shape. I had a DK24 for a while and it was just too flat for my tastes. But the features, hardware, pickups, etc just all good out of the box.

Schecter would be worth a look too. In that price range I really liked the Nick Johnston guitar and would expect the Super Shredder is similar quality. But I did take home a used Schecter Van Nuys that was a factory second and was horrible. I think that's just a one off guitar that should have never made it out of the factory.
 
Question about all the ones with maple fretboards:

Can anyone tell me which ones have the fretboard as a separate piece and which ones the whole neck is one piece of wood?

I know it’s lame but I’d like a maple fretboard but I hate it when the fretboard is a separate piece of wood
 
Question about all the ones with maple fretboards:

Can anyone tell me which ones have the fretboard as a separate piece and which ones the whole neck is one piece of wood?

I know it’s lame but I’d like a maple fretboard but I hate it when the fretboard is a separate piece of wood
No skunk stripe = definitely 2-piece.

Skunk stripe = might be one piece, but might also be aesthetic.
 
No skunk stripe = definitely 2-piece.

Skunk stripe = might be one piece, but might also be aesthetic.

Good point, I hadn’t thought of that.

Looks like I might have to cave on that requirement. The only one I see so far that looks like it might be one piece is the Kramer 84
 
The Charvel maple necks where quarter sawn one piece with old style heel adjustment up to 2010. They switched to two pieces with a wheel adjustment afterwards and added two carbon reinforcements. They are not quarter sawn on the back now because they don’t need to be. Some USA models have the old style neck with a bullet adjustment on the head.
 
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A maple neck with a quarter sawn fingerboard and two carbon reinforcements with the pinwheel adjuster is totally stable and probably the best option. Roasted or not the carbon makes the truss rod relief in exactly the right spot.
 
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