The FRT-5 name designation is an extremely loose term used in what is essentially the modern “whale tail” “Original” Floyd Rose design you see today. The FRT-5 design was suggested by Eddie Van Halen to fix the FRT4’s issue of having its vertical fine tuners interfere with his playing style.
The original Floyd Rose FRT-5 design, although remaining virtually unchanged for 40 years, went through an incredible amount of specific detail changes from 1983-1985 while versions were being made from three different companies. This is because, for some unknown reason, Floyd Rose contracted out factory production from Fernandes Japan to Schaller Germany right around 1983 when Floyd Rose partnered with Kramer Guitars to make the most powerful guitar empire of the 1980s.
Yet, Fernandes Japan was also still under contract until 1985ish and actually made the very first prototype FRT-5s, along with their own production version of the FRT5 (called the FRT-7) to compete with the Schaller FRT-5. Furthermore, Floyd briefly contracted a USA company in 1983 to rush orders demanded for early Kramer Pacers until Schaller Germany could start production at their factory.
You see, this is already starting to get rather confusing. This becomes far easier to understand once you compare photos between the different companies making early versions of the FRT-5.
LET’S TAKE IT FROM THE BEGINNING……..