Floyd Rose Edge balancing issue

imalrightjack

stonevibe said:

The grub screws lock the post into place by forcing the thread of the main post to make contact with the mounting stud and 'locks' them into place, so that they won't drift / move once you have set your desired trem height.

But does that mean there is a point they stop turning?  Or should they keep spinning?  Forgive my ignorance...

ICBM said:

imalrightjack said:

All in, I've learned quite a lot from this experience, although I'm yet to get the intonation on the low E right, which oscillates horrible past the 12th fret.

Have you got the pickups too close to the strings? (Neck pickup especially.)

They're probably about 1.25mm off the strings on the bridge pick-up - so possibly.  Although I do think the intonation needs readjusted.  Is there a rough maximum closeness?

Thanks, chaps.

mike_l

MattFGBI said:

You need 3 bits of wood, then you can bin the springs. 

Epically wrong mofo.

None of my guitars have more than 3 springs, all on 9's now, previously on 10's. 5 have Floyds, 1 a modern Fender-type trem.

If they need more or less tension, I'll adjust the claw, 1/4 turn n a spring at a time, I always do bass side first, the the treble side. A touch of nut sauce or lithium grease on the posts as well (only a smidgeon though) helps things be a little smoother.

ICBM

imalrightjack said:

They're probably about 1.25mm off the strings on the bridge pick-up - so possibly.  Although I do think the intonation needs readjusted.  Is there a rough maximum closeness?

That sounds a bit too close, although it's the neck pickup that's usually the problem. If it's too close it will both affect the intonation and can cause it to oscillate as you're describing - it tries to cause a 'false node' on the string which will make it vibrate unevenly.

imalrightjack

ICBM said:

imalrightjack said:

They're probably about 1.25mm off the strings on the bridge pick-up - so possibly.  Although I do think the intonation needs readjusted.  Is there a rough maximum closeness?

That sounds a bit too close, although it's the neck pickup that's usually the problem. If it's too close it will both affect the intonation and can cause it to oscillate as you're describing - it tries to cause a 'false node' on the string which will make it vibrate unevenly.

Even when a different pick-up is selected?

FelineGuitars

imalrightjack said:

Wow, lots to digest. Will I need to adjust the height? And which are the mounting posts?

Lastly, when is the Edge deemed straight?

The edge is straight when the piece of steel that makes the knife edge (and can be seen on the side of the trem) is parallel with the face of the guitar and perpendicular.

Note that with the edge trem when it is set right the side wall still looks like it tapers up like a wedge shape bacause unlike the floyd it is made to a different shape - trust the line of the hardened steel inserts that I mentioned above

Mounting posts are the two treaded height adjustable posts that the knife edge of the trem rests against.

If it is the original style edge then the studs look like these , and you can see the grub screw in the pic 

Here is a diagram that represents how the grub screw contacts the interior of the body insert

imalrightjack

@FelineGuitars Sorry, this was my last question - I got that sorted

I'm a bit confused by the 1.5mm grub screw in the tremolo mounting posts. In terms of tightening, is there a point they should stop moving? They get to the point the allen key becomes unremovable, so I'm a bit confused. All in, I've learned quite a lot from this experience, although I'm yet to get the intonation on the low E right, which oscillates horrible past the 12th fret.

ICBM

imalrightjack said:

Even when a different pick-up is selected?

Yes - the pickup selection makes no difference, it's the magnetism of the pickup that does it. It will be the same even if the guitar isn't even plugged in.

Stevepage

Excuse my naivety but can you use the Ibanez posts with an Original Floyd Rose? Or would the bridge and post not match right?

viz

Fuzzdog said:

Also make sure you're taking the right reference for the trem being level - a lot of Ibanez trems look like they're tilted up at an angle when the knife edge angle is actually dead on.

Yes. Very important. You should see on the side of the trem a line scored onto it. This line should be parallel to (and level with) the guitar body!!! It often looks tilted but isn't.

FelineGuitars

Yes - look at the diagram i put up - the internal grub screw will stop when it pushes against the bottom of the threaded insert into the body

You should try lowering the middle pickup to see if that helps reduce oscillation

viz

imalrightjack said:

@FelineGuitars Sorry, this was my last question - I got that sorted

I'm a bit confused by the 1.5mm grub screw in the tremolo mounting posts. In terms of tightening, is there a point they should stop moving? They get to the point the allen key becomes unremovable, so I'm a bit confused. All in, I've learned quite a lot from this experience, although I'm yet to get the intonation on the low E right, which oscillates horrible past the 12th fret.

You just loosen the inner one, then move the height of the post with the bigger outer one, then lock it with the inner one again.

imalrightjack

@felineguitars That's weird - that didn't show up first time I looked. Sorry How much does it need to be loosened before adjusting the 4mm adjuster? Thanks again.

And @ICBM I'll try adjusting the pickup heights. Ta!

viz

2nd picture on this page: http://www.jemsite.com/forums/f21/ibanez-edge-trem-122987-5.html

imalrightjack

viz;768827" said:

2nd picture on this page: http://www.jemsite.com/forums/f21/ibanez-edge-trem-122987-5.html

Definitely sorted with the trem level, thanks

viz

Ah ok lol, came to the thread a bit late

viz

Re trem posts, don't over tighten the inner one or you will be trying to strip the post through the wood. Just lock it.

imalrightjack

viz;768835" said:

Re trem posts, don't over tighten the inner one or you will be trying to strip the post through the wood. Just lock it.

It might sound daft but is there a point you know it's locked?

FelineGuitars

Yes - when it wont move anymore

imalrightjack

FelineGuitars said:

Yes - when it wont move anymore

I guess it isn't locked then!  Although doesn't seem to get to that point.

And what point can it be considered unscrewed enough to be unlocked? @FelineGuitars or @viz

FelineGuitars

Often there can be 8mm of travel downwards.

Start with an allen key - put it in and wind anticlockwise first till it won't go any further .

This is the fully withdrawn point.

I'm assuming that there IS a grubscrew there and it hasn't been removed - the guitar is secondhand  so who knows what it has been through

Then reverse the process and turn it clockwise as far as it will go - it may go a long way but will stop when it hits the 

You won't break anything as long as you don't use massive force

The worst thing that can happen is that the grub screw would fall out of the thread it runs in (very unlikely unless your main posts are really high up out of the body). 

 You'd fix this by removing the trem (unhook springs and take the unit off and remove the post and screw the grubscrew back into the bottom of it).