alright well about a month ago I moved up from a light gauge (9) string to a real heavy gauge (12) and when trying to put my strings in tune it started lifting my tremolo out of the body! I made a post about this a while ago and someone said to tighten the screws in the back. I did this and it helped some. however I tightened as much as I could and can now play in E-flat tuning. but if I try to tune to standard it pulls the temolo out more. so I tighten one string, then tighten another and it puts the other strings out of tune, so I tune them and it's just a complete circle... I told someone about this and he said that his friend had the same problem, they got creative and actually shortened the springs in the back to fix the problem... I really have no idea how they did that but I was wondering if there was any other way I could fix the problem. I have an Ibanez GRX40 with a fat-10 tremolo if that helps any. Thanks in advance
My guitar's tremolo
# 1
3 ways out of that one...
1) replace the springs
2) get another spring or two
3) use a hipshot (from www.stewmac.com)
1) replace the springs
2) get another spring or two
3) use a hipshot (from www.stewmac.com)
My instructors page and www.studiotrax.net for all things recording.
my toons Brought to you by Dr BadGAS
my toons Brought to you by Dr BadGAS
# 2
Add another spring ... The key here is keeping the symmetry of the springs , you'll find space to put up to 5 springs in the back of your bridge , usualy the factory setup is 3 springs (1 on each edge , and 1 in the middle).
So if you're putting in 4 springs , have them on the edges , so that the middle one would have no springs. (I hope that wasn't confusing!)
I think shortening the springs is just a joke since a brand new one just cost 2 bucks .
So if you're putting in 4 springs , have them on the edges , so that the middle one would have no springs. (I hope that wasn't confusing!)
I think shortening the springs is just a joke since a brand new one just cost 2 bucks .
# 3
most people with heavy gauge tune down...SRV played 12-13 and played tuned to Eb..i had 11's on my tele a while ago and kept breaking strings cuz i tuned to standard.
Electric Guitars are the inspiration for cries of "Turn that damn thing down"-Gibson website
# 4
Originally Posted by: SLYSo if you're putting in 4 springs , have them on the edges , so that the middle one would have no springs. (I hope that wasn't confusing!)[/QUOTE]
no it wasn't confusing I understood you.
[QUOTE=SLY]Add another spring ...
and where could I get one? could I just walk in to a guitar store and ask for a spring or two and get them? or would I have to order them from the internet or something?
# 5
go to an auto shop and get a spring for like .50$
Electric Guitars are the inspiration for cries of "Turn that damn thing down"-Gibson website
# 6
Originally Posted by: Tele Mastergo to an auto shop and get a spring for like .50$
auto shop as in a automobile shop :confused: sorry I didn't understand what you meant by auto shop
# 7
Ok I went to my local guitar store, picked up 4 springs, came home, took out the old, put in the new, and it works perfectly, but at the guitar store the salesperson mentioned something about haveing to adjust the bridge. I don't quite know what he means, did he mean those two screws that adjust the springs? cause I already have that set up right, or do I need to adjust the saddles or something for intonation? if so how do I do that? and thanks for all your help guys! to think $8 was all it took... and I was searching this forum and found several other posts about people having the same problem with ibanez. I guess ibanez's stock springs are just pieces of crap.
# 8
Originally Posted by: 6strngs_2hmbkrs the salesperson mentioned something about haveing to adjust the bridge. I don't quite know what he means, did he mean those two screws that adjust the springs? [/QUOTE]
Sure that's what he meant , to get the bridge floating almost parallel to the guitar body ... Of course you know that.
[QUOTE=6strngs_2hmbkrs] ...do I need to adjust the saddles or something for intonation? if so how do I do that?
Most likely yes ... Move the saddles towards or away from the neck (shorten and lengthen the active string length) , till you match the 12th note harmonic with the 12th note fretted ... Each string is done individualy of course.
# 9
Originally Posted by: SLY ... Each string is done individualy of course.
okay I know I sound stupid sometimes, but you don't really need to point it out so boldly... I'm blonde by the way, if that wasn't already obvious to you. (I love blonde jokes... one day I'll actually realize that when people say them to me that they are actually making fun of me... but until that day they are pretty d*mn funny)
# 10
I'm not making fun of you , and I don't think you're stupid ... May be it's just me , sometimes I write something , then when I read it , I think its confusing or needs some clarifications , so I try to make it stupid easy to understand , while actually it was pretty obvious without the stupid additions I do , that's it.
# 11
Originally Posted by: SLYI'm not making fun of you , and I don't think you're stupid ...
I know dude... that was just my miserable attempt to be funny... I was just joking around... I don't really have an ego at all so people make fun of me and I just shrug my shoulders and keep walking... people don't usually make fun of me though because they just know that I'm cooler than them :cool: (when I say something like that where it sounds like I have an ego, most of the time I'm just joking)
sorry for the confusion
# 12
No problem dude.
I realy like & respect people who make fun of everything , starting with themselves.
I realy like & respect people who make fun of everything , starting with themselves.
# 13
Originally Posted by: SLYI realy like & respect people who make fun of everything , starting with themselves.
Wait a min , that wasn't funny . :D
# 14
Originally Posted by: SLYNo problem dude.
I realy like & respect people who make fun of everything , starting with themselves.[/QUOTE]
thank you...
[QUOTE=SLY]
Wait a min , that wasn't funny . :D
it was after you said that!
# 15
You might need to screw your trem claw in further(I almost typed 'screw yourself'...I gotta eat some breakfast..)
Adding springs can reduce the playability of the tremolo.Definitley look at the trem claw and see if it can go in further to bring that trem down.
Adding springs can reduce the playability of the tremolo.Definitley look at the trem claw and see if it can go in further to bring that trem down.
Try once,fail twice...
# 16
one other thing to think of is the nut.. because you have bigger strings, they may not sit right in your nut. I had a problem with this on my guitar. This actually lead to the post of "g string, buzzing at the nut" which got some pretty funny responses because i wrote it thinking just of my axe and when I stepped back, I had to laugh!!!
enough with my rambling.. last thing, you may wanna talk to a tech as well if you're going to keep the guitar with those strings, it could require a truss rod adjustment or other things that all work in tandem...
I'm pretty confident with my adjustments but to be sure I still bring it by the shop to have 'the man' look at it..
enough with my rambling.. last thing, you may wanna talk to a tech as well if you're going to keep the guitar with those strings, it could require a truss rod adjustment or other things that all work in tandem...
I'm pretty confident with my adjustments but to be sure I still bring it by the shop to have 'the man' look at it..
"The one truly great thing about this life is that noone can sincerely and truly help someone, without helping themselves"
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
# 17
