Help needed with floating trem

nutbox · December 2014

Hi there, I am wondering if someone could give me some suggestions ,I sm having trouble getting the trem flouting right when I tune my guitar. I blocked the trem so I doesn't raise while I tune it and get all the string to pitch ,and then I tighten the springs until I can just slide the block out,but find I have to nearly screw the claw in all the which I don't think is right. Please someone help because I haven't got much hair left to pull, What am I doing wrong. All help appreciated dazz

GuitarMonkey · December 2014

What gauge strings and how many tremolo springs are you using?

It seems like you need to put another spring in.

nutbox · December 2014

I am using 9s and I have 3 springs on ,I don't think there is enough holes on the sustain block to add another one? Cheers dazz

mart · December 2014

I'm pretty sure you can have more than one spring per hole in the block. But if you want the plate sitting flat, you are going to have to screw the claw a long way in.

speshul91 · December 2014

Mine sits flat with 3 springs and 10-52 strings

nutbox · December 2014

What's the best way to tune them ,as if it's the first time the trem has been installed. Is it best to block it off and get it to pitch,and stretch the strings with it blocked? Cheers dazz

GuitarMonkey · December 2014

Is it an Ibanez with the short tremolo cavity? If so, it sounds about right. It shouldn't be a problem having the claw screwed all the way in.

nutbox · December 2014

It a guitar I made from a ibanez guitar body and ibanez premium neck with an edge 3 trem in it.

Andyjr1515 · December 2014

Hi, Dazz

Is it a fender/squier type or is it your ibanez? If it is a strat -type and you want it floating rather than pulled right down to the body, there isn't really a need to use a block other than maybe to get the right kind of positioning to start off with (but I don't use one even for that).

Basically, you start tightening the strings to pitch and as you do, the bridge will start to rise from the back (unless the springs are way too tight). But remember that the tuning is iterative - you tune up all 6 strings, but as you tighten each one, it makes the others go back out of tune...so you basically tune each one and retune all of them again and again (4 - 5 - 6 times...) Each time the other strings will be affected but each time less and less until you get to stable pitch for each.

If when you are doing the initial tune up, the bridge doesn't lift up enough, then loosen the claw. If it lifts too much, tighten it. Once it is about on pitch and the trem is the correct angle off the hard down position (for a strat it is around 3mm off the deck) then forget about the claw and just do the iterative tuning as above.

If it is your Ibanez, then aim for the trem to be level after the initial tuning to approx pitch - beyond that the iterative tuning process is the same as a strat.

With new strings, stretch in the normal way - it just will add a few iterations to the tune up process.

Once up to pitch on all strings, you will be amazed how well it will hold tune...even a poor old much derided original fender trem (which personally I've never had a problem with).

If you get confused, just remember that, when the trem is floating at the correct angle, the string tension is matching exactly the spring tension. If the springs are not tight enough, the strings will pull the trem up, and if the springs are too tight, the springs will pull the trem down.

Hope this helps!

Andy

Andyjr1515 · December 2014

Sorry - while I was typing someone asked the same question

Follow the above reference to the Ibanez and you should be OK. The bit that confuses a lot of people is the iterative bit (ie tuning them all up then again and again and again...) It makes sense once you've done it a couple of times.

GuitarMonkey · December 2014

When asking technical questions it always helps to mention the make and model of guitar.

nutbox · December 2014

It's got ibanez hardware and neck but the body is a precut one that I finished. The things is I have tuned it up and the trem raises and so on,and then I tighten springs to counteract and end up with the screws all the way in,sure that can't be right? Maybe I shall try adding another spring. Cheers dazz

Andyjr1515 · December 2014

Yup - if it is free floating but won't go back down far enough, then either another spring or stronger springs. It's not a problem if they are fully screwed in but nevertheless with the trem ending up at the right angle

Andy

ICBM · December 2014

If it can be adjusted correctly then it doesn't matter that the screws are all the way in. It's only if you run out of adjustment when they're fully tight and still need to go further that you need to worry about it.

How high are the bridge saddles? The higher they are, the greater the spring tension you need to counterbalance the strings.

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Help needed with floating trem

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