Kaizens?

[Virtuoso]

Does anyone have any feedback on the Kaizens yet? I've been waiting for the 6 string to hit the dealers and it looks like Eddies Guitars just got a white one. I'm getting ready to pounce!

- I'm curious about the 'Infinity Radius'. Usually that means very flat, but they talk about a 'Conical fretboard radius which peaks along the treble-side edge of the fretboard and folds towards the player for unobstructed view of the entire fretboard in playing position.' I don't typically look at my hands when I'm playing so that doesn't really appeal to me - how do they actually feel?

- Does anyone know if the trem is floating or decked? It doesn't look recessed.

- Can't decide between Mint and Indigo. White looks pretty good too... Argh...!

 

[GWDavis28]

I saw the Kaizen 6 strings are now available to purchase on Reverb.

Glenn |B)

 

[TOTO-ly]

I’m really curious to play one! Also curious if the teen is floating. The trem on my Luke is my all time fav so I hope it react similarly.

 

[jayjayjay]

I’m really curious to play one! Also curious if the teen is floating. The trem on my Luke is my all time fav so I hope it react similarly.

You can always float the trem if it isn't.

 

[Virtuoso]

You can always float the trem if it isn't.

You can, but it's a pain in the ass as you have to remove/shim the neck, raise the bridge, mess with the spring tension, adjust the action, raise the pickup heights and re-intonate. I had to do this with my Cutlasses, which are decked from the factory.

This is why I'm hoping they ship floating like the Luke or the (recessed) Petrucci!

 

[beej]

I've floated / decked a number of MM trems and have never had to shim anything. Minor saddle height adjustments take care of it.

 

[fbecir]

Same as beej : I've floated the trem on my SUB and on my Albert Lee. I've have just changed the springs tension.

 

[DrKev]

Ditto beej and fbecir. Just loosen the trem claw, retune, check bridge position. Repeat as needed until bridge is where you want it. Then adjust saddles to return to previous action height. Done. No need to mess with shims or bridge mounting posts. Luke/Jeff Beck style spec is bridge angled forward with a ~3mm (1/8") gap at the back of the bridge, giving approx a minor third up-pull on the G-string. Ten minute job, all done.

BUT...

The Kaizen bridge mounting posts are not perpendicular to the string axis as on other trems. How it will behave floating, I cannot predict. Only way to find out, I guess.

 

[jayjayjay]

Likewise, I floated the trem on a Sterling Axis I have. No need to remove or shim anything; just adjust the claw tension and saddle height. I do wonder if the multiscale nature of the Kaizen will complicate floating it, though.

 

[dwells]

These guitars look really interesting
Keen to play one

 

[GWDavis28]

Dean (my bad, sorry man) welcome back man, it's been a long time.

Glenn |B)

 

[DrKev]

Deano!

 

[Shadowvault]

Is it a terrible idea to remove the wood that is blocking the trem?
Can it be done without messing anything else?
I really like everything on kaizen apart from that !@#$%^ system.
Such a modern guitar with a decked trem, rly?!
I also find the position of the screws weird/not symmetrical. They are usually both between strings, or both out. Its an OCD nightmare, heh.
Would love to get some feedback on that from EBMM.

 

[DrKev]

A good luthier can definitely rout away wood from the top under the bridge if you want it truly floating. It wouldn't be the first time someone has done that. I seem to recall one on the forum here about 10 years ago (@Tollywood ?) and it wasn't done quite as well as they hoped! Find someone who has done it before and get some good photos of their past work, make sure they have insurance in case they mess it up, and think about how you'll finish the raw wood under the trem (cause you probably won't be able to match the factory color). It'll probably cost a few hundred to do it and you'll lose at least that much (if not more) on resale value.

 

[Shadowvault]

Fair points. I would go for something close to white for the wood. I think that finish is the easier. The tremolo will cover most of it anyways.
I dont know if the value will decrease that much if done perfectly, but tbh i dont care about it. I wanna keep it ^^

 

[SlappyTappy]

I played a 7 string. Trem was decked. It was the first time I played a fanned fret guitar, so that could be influencing my experience. But I didn't really notice the conical radius from a playing perspective, I was just trying to keep my fingers in the right place with the fanned frets! Completely doable but definitely an adjustment. Sounded great. Very comfortable. Sits in a great place when playing seated. I might've been more tempted but I don't think I'm a fanned fret guy, at least not yet. Neck was thicker than most JP 7s I've played but not chunky, just very comfy.

 

[Tollywood]

A good luthier can definitely rout away wood from the top under the bridge if you want it truly floating. It wouldn't be the first time someone has done that. I seem to recall one on the forum here about 10 years ago (@Tollywood ?) and it wasn't done quite as well as they hoped! Find someone who has done it before and get some good photos of their past work, make sure they have insurance in case they mess it up, and think about how you'll finish the raw wood under the trem (cause you probably won't be able to match the factory color). It'll probably cost a few hundred to do it and you'll lose at least that much (if not more) on resale value.

Oh man, I’m trying to forget about that. My tech used a template for a different model Floyd Rose and the cut out was way too big. It was awful. I sold the guitar because of it.

 

[Sweat]

Not a fan of this model, sorry just not for me

 

[GoKart Mozart]

Oh man, I’m trying to forget about that. My tech used a template for a different model Floyd Rose and the cut out was way too big. It was awful. I sold the guitar because of it.

I remember that one...the PDN Honeyburst?

 

[Tollywood]

I remember that one...the PDN Honeyburst?

Yes sir, that’s the one. What a shame.