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How do you improve tuning stability of a floyd rose bridge? (ibanez edge)


mbengs1

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I'm having problems with tuning when bending notes and hitting other notes in adjacent strings? when i bend say on the third string, and i play another note on the second, it's very out of tune. is there a way to fix this problem? even if the guitar is in tune, it doesn't fix this problem.

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Ummm' date=' unless you decide to block the trem so it doesn't move, no.[/quote']

 

i wonder if steve vai has this same problem with his jems. i don't remember him ever having a problem like this. i know he uses a tremsetter. is that what fixes it?

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That's normal with any floating bridge. When you bend one string up, the others go down in pitch. The idea of using a trem is to use the trem to bend strings. Unless you use a trem that bottoms out, like a Fender adjusted down against the body, or something like a Steinberger what has a trem lock, its a matter of working your playing style around that inherent fault.

 

On Fender bridges you have the option of adding up to 5 springs which reduces the effect of the other strings going flat, but even with all 5 it can be enough to notice. What I do on my floaters is bend up then release the bend before hitting the adjacent note otherwise doing a hold on a bend and going to the next string comes up flat.

 

Many guitarists block their trem's. Some even come up with adjustable lock systems of their own. You can find many of them here https://www.google.com/search?q=floyd+trem+block+lock&biw=1280&bih=951&site=webhp&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CEAQsARqFQoTCP6N05mPl8cCFUGegAode5gC4g

 

If the tuning fails to return to pitch then maybe the string tension isn't enough for your string gauges. I use 2 springs with 9/46 gauged strings and the trem touch is about as light as you can go and still have it return to pitch. I need to use new springs with the spring claw very tight as well.

 

If you use 10's I'd probably suggest 3 springs then re-level the trem by loosening the trem claw. This will make the trem bar stiffer but it will resist the string bend syndrome better. You could go up to 4 or 5 but it does put allot of stress on the arm socket doing dive bombs and can wear the socket out quickly. These are all things you have to take into account weighing the benefits vs the drawbacks.

 

I use a trem guitar for trem work and for everything else I pick up a hard tail so I don't have to deal with all those issues. Trem guitars are high maintainence and require allot more tuning. Because the springs and strings expand and contract with temp changes they can vary pitch allot.

My Steinberger is the best of the bunch because you can lock the springs, tune to pitch, release the springs, then tune the strings to pitch using the spring tension knob to get an match between locked and unlocked tuning. No other guitar bridge I know of does that.

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A trem setter allows the floating bridge to be locked down, or only allow a certain amount of movement. If set up a certain way, you can't bend upwards. The problem you are having is the same one as described above. Either dump the floating bridge, or get used to it.

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i wonder if steve vai has this same problem with his jems. i don't remember him ever having a problem like this. i know he uses a tremsetter. is that what fixes it?

 

Vai has a trem setter on his guitars. This will also work. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/tremolo/allparts-tremol-no-tremolo-locking-device--small-clamp?cntry=us&source=3WWRWXGP&gclid=CIfCyvTwl8cCFQ4paQodS3cNiQ&kwid=productads-plaid^82171012827-sku^H71941000000000@ADL4MF-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^51870555867

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This just the way they are.

It is not a 'fault.'

The system is 'balanced' and when you increase the string tension by bending the bridge inevitably moves.

If you use a functioning floyd or a properly set fender vibrato (most are decked to avoid it) you will just have to play around it, as you are beginning to do. :)

 

 

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man' date=' there's no other solution than to block the trem. which i don't want to do. i've gotten bad feedback for being out of tune on recordings. it's not my fault though. lol. [/quote']

 

This is a loser. It IS your fault. Recordings for public consumption need to be in musical spec. Intonation is on the remedial list. Sorry.

Incidentally wammy wizzes oh, like Henderson or Beck sound good because they know the terrain. They hear what the intonation is doing and have learned to keep it moving. Very difficult to nail a moving target.

 

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