How do you lower the action on a dive-only floyd?

darius

Until now I've not really thought about it, but i would now like to try and get the action a bit lower. But the FRs on my guitars are all body resting dive only. So winding down the pivot mounts obvs wont work. A quick search found no useful info.

prlgmnr

Shim the neck.

darius

prlgmnr said:

Shim the neck.

yeah. not that!

im guessing a truss rod adjustment will just bugger up one end or the other.

is there no other way?

T.T.

Hi.
Before you start attacking your guitar to get that lower action you crave (without fret buzz I assume) then don't overlook the value of a good set-up.

If you are unsure about set-ups then pop along to a reputable guitar store and ask. 
A well set-up cheap guitar can play like a top end instrument. Adversely, a top end guitar can play terribly without a set-up.

It may only need a SMALL truss rod adjustment or bridge adjustment you may have overlooked.

Chris_Bradley

Why will lowering the pivots not work? Is the base of the floyd for all of them completely flat on the body? Usually there is a bit of leeway and they lean back when the claw is tightened, hence EVH and the coin. If not then a shim may be the trick.

FelineGuitars

Chris_Bradley said:

Why will lowering the pivots not work? Is the base of the floyd for all of them completely flat on the body? Usually there is a bit of leeway and they lean back when the claw is tightened, hence EVH and the coin. If not then a shim may be the trick.

If not keen on a shim, then having someone (like us) introduce a very slight neck angle in the pocket - which does the same task as a him but keeps wood to wood contact 

darius

Chris_Bradley said:

Why will lowering the pivots not work? Is the base of the floyd for all of them completely flat on the body? Usually there is a bit of leeway and they lean back when the claw is tightened, hence EVH and the coin. If not then a shim may be the trick.

aha! You might be right there. looking more closely its only really the very back of the FR that rests on the body and theres a very small leanback angle, which might be enough. Only after a small lowering. I'll have a play with a 1/8 turn and see where it settles.

@FelineGuitars - One is an EVH wolfgang and I've already had a local luthier modify the neck joint with ebony and dowels to stop the neck micro-slip rotating in the pocket (known poor neck joint design on these although i dont hear much complaining) so i dont want to mod that neck joint again!

clarkefan

Funny you mention Wolfgangs, both my Wolfgangs (standards) already have the neck pocket micro-sloped, like @FelineGuitars was suggesting, they come routed that way.

Though now I think about it maybe Feline meant the opposite slope. The slope on these means the necks angle back slightly, like a Les Paul does, making it impossible to do what you're trying to do.

FelineGuitars

No - i was suggesting that the angle might be increased very slightly so the bridge will be giving lower action even before adjusting the pivot posts

ICBM

Just shim the neck. It will only need a tiny amount, probably only the thickness of a piece of paper, or the action would be currently unplayably high.

Don't believe the nonsense about wood-to-wood contact. Or if you must, remember that paper is made from wood .

clarkefan

FelineGuitars said:

No - i was suggesting that the angle might be increased very slightly so the bridge will be giving lower action even before adjusting the pivot posts

My bad, I get it now, thanks  

Kittyfrisk

ICBM said:

Just shim the neck. It will only need a tiny amount, probably only the thickness of a piece of paper, or the action would be currently unplayably high.

Don't believe the nonsense about wood-to-wood contact. Or if you must, remember that paper is made from wood .

Witches are made of wood too apparently.

FelineGuitars

We start our process with a piece of paper, card, wood veneer as a shim and then calculate the angle to cut so that it achieves the same thing. 

I don't have a problem with a shim, but some folks would rather not have one.

If you are concerned about tone getting Jeff Beck's fingers seems to be the answer

andy_k

Or, leave the neck alone and recess the tremolo?
Drastic, but do able.

darius

The very non-drastic action of winding the posts down 1/4 turn made a small reduction in action and a huge difference in playing feel. Sorted thanks @Chris_Bradley !

Chris_Bradley

Excellent, glad to hear. Sometimes its the simple solution. Have fun