ZR Tremolo problems PLEASE HELP!

[Bob Vila]

gentlemen, i am confused.

 

i recently aquired an ibanez prestige S2170SE.

 

When i received the guitar i wanted to change strings from what looked like standard .10's to .10-.52.

 

while i was setting up the guitar, if i pitch down, it returns sharp. if i pitch sharp, it returns flat. I cant figure it out for the life of me how to make it return to proper pitch.

 

this is my first time with a trem so please excuse my noobness.

 

i would greatly appreciate it if anyone has any advice they could share.

 

thanks!

[Pizza Combo]

going up in gauge to .52 you just increased your guitar string tension

 

Use the spring wheel on the back of the guitar (trem cavity wheel) to increase trem spring tension (start with half a turn of the wheel or 3/4) , that way the bridge will return back parallel with the body of the guitar, then tune your guitar again, if the bridge tilts forward again (it will) add some more spring tension, then tune your guitar again and repeat process until the guitar is in tune and the ZR bridge stays parallel to the body

 

The ibanez ZR is a damn good tremolo system, it should keep solid tuning no problem

[Bob Vila]

 

going up in gauge to .52 you just increased your guitar string tension Use the spring wheel on the back of the guitar (trem cavity wheel) to increase trem spring tension (start with half a turn of the wheel or 3/4) , that way the bridge will return back parallel with the body of the guitar, then tune your guitar again, if the bridge tilts forward again (it will) add some more spring tension, then tune your guitar again and repeat process until the guitar is in tune and the ZR bridge stays parallel to the body The ibanez ZR is a damn good tremolo system, it should keep solid tuning no problem

 

 

this is kinda what i thought was supposed to happen...basically what ive been doing is...ive got the trem to what i think is parallel, and ive got everything all tuned up, and intonated...if i start gettin on the trem at all it doesnt return properly...at first it just seemed like it was randomly returning sharp or flat...but since then ive noticed that only pitching down returns sharp and and pitching up returns flat...we're talking like 5-10 cents here but i though these things were supposed to return spot on?

 

i still have the zps system in place

[Pizza Combo]

 

this is kinda what i thought was supposed to happen...basically what ive been doing is...ive got the trem to what i think is parallel, and ive got everything all tuned up, and intonated...if i start gettin on the trem at all it doesnt return properly...at first it just seemed like it was randomly returning sharp or flat...but since then ive noticed that only pitching down returns sharp and and pitching up returns flat...we're talking like 5-10 cents here but i though these things were supposed to return spot on? i still have the zps system in place

 

 

if pressing down the bar the tuning comes back sharp, and pulling up it returns flat thats weird, I bet it's the ZPS system messing out the whole balance, take it outta there and work without it

I have a S 5470 and I never use it, it kinda sucks. Much better feel without it anyway and keeps just as solid tuning

[Bob Vila]

 

if pressing down the bar the tuning comes back sharp, and pulling up it returns flat thats weird, I bet it's the ZPS system messing out the whole balance, take it outta there and work without it I have a S 5470 and I never use it, it kinda sucks. Much better feel without it anyway and keeps just as solid tuning

 

 

i will take the zps out here and give it another go. ill let you know what i find...defenitly discouraging...haqvent been able to find anything similar to what im describing on the web...

 

correct me if i am wrong but, the zr just rides on a sleeve of bearings, and the only forces are the strings trying to pitch down and the trem strings pulling the other way right? (if i take out the zps)

 

thanks for the response!

[Pizza Combo]

 

i will take the zps out here and give it another go. ill let you know what i find...defenitly discouraging...haqvent been able to find anything similar to what im describing on the web... correct me if i am wrong but, the zr just rides on a sleeve of bearings, and the only forces are the strings trying to pitch down and the trem strings pulling the other way right? (if i take out the zps) thanks for the response!

 

 

you are correct

[Bob Vila]

you are correct

 

so i removed the zps and the bridge tilted forward...after making 1/4 turns and retuning numerous times...i got the bridge even and is holding tune pretty well. Im sure i probably just need to dial it in further. thanks for the help.

[Pizza Combo]

so i removed the zps and the bridge tilted forward...after making 1/4 turns and retuning numerous times...i got the bridge even and is holding tune pretty well. Im sure i probably just need to dial it in further. thanks for the help.

 

ok, now it's obvious that the problem was the Zero point system, put it back in the case and never look back.

[jds22]

I've had 2 Ibbys with the ZR and I love this trem. There should be no tuning issues either using the ZPS or not. If the guitar is not coming back into tune with the ZPS installed, I'd bet something is not set right.

 

However, if you are fine with the ZPS out and it is staying in tune, I guess all is well as the ZPS really doesn't add much if anything.

[panther_king]

Yeah, my ZR is the best trem I've used; I prefer it to original floyds and edge/edge pro's.

 

Sounds like it was a weird problem with your ZPS there; I took mine out too and haven't ever had a problem without it, but never had a problem with it in either.

 

It just might take a little practice getting it perfect. Setting up locking trems isn't rocket science, but it's not easy for somebody having never done it before.

[Argh! Zombies!]

Also (don't be offended, I don't know how new you are!) of course stretch your strings well first. Unstretched new strings create tuning havoc with trems.

[jds22]

 

Also (don't be offended, I don't know how new you are!) of course stretch your strings well first. Unstretched new strings create tuning havoc with trems.

 

 

Good point.

[crashclc]

Also (don't be offended, I don't know how new you are!) of course stretch your strings well first. Unstretched new strings create tuning havoc with trems.

 

Absolutely Some brands of strings take a lot of stretching before they settle down and it is even worse if you're changing string guages. You need to level the trem, stretch the strings, tune it, level it again yada yada. I have a Prestige RG with the Edge Zero trem (also has ZPS) and have had no problems at all.

 

[jds22]

Absolutely Some brands of strings take a lot of stretching before they settle down and it is even worse if you're changing string guages. You need to level the trem, stretch the strings, tune it, level it again yada yada. I have a Prestige RG with the Edge Zero trem (also has ZPS) and have had no problems at all.

 

Beautiful guitar.

[crashclc]

Beautiful guitar.

 

Thanks, but that's just an Ibanez promo shot. This one's mine...

 

 

and here's the trem adjustment on the back

 

 

 

Beware that going from the standard 9s to heavy bottom slinkies will use up almost half of the travel on the adjusting screw. It's no problem, just don't be surprised. Another thing to remember with these trems when you're setting them up is to wind the adjusting screws on each saddle out to their half-way point before tuning. That way you have maximum tuning flexibility in both directions. You shouldn't really need it but it is handy to have. Mine stays in tune amazingly well even if I go nuts with the arm.

[jds22]

Thanks, but that's just an Ibanez promo shot. This one's mine... and here's the trem adjustment on the back Beware that going from the standard 9s to heavy bottom slinkies will use up almost half of the travel on the adjusting screw. It's no problem, just don't be surprised. Another thing to remember with these trems when you're setting them up is to wind the adjusting screws on each saddle out to their half-way point before tuning. That way you have maximum tuning flexibility in both directions. You shouldn't really need it but it is handy to have. Mine stays in tune amazingly well even if I go nuts with the arm.

 

That's the orange one isn't it? That's even better.

[crashclc]

 

That's the orange one isn't it? That's even better.

 

 

Yep. It is an RG3550MZ in "Roadster Orange Metallic". It's a really intense orange as you can see. It turns out to have been a one-year-only color. They dropped it from the lineup this year, but you can still buy the same model guitar and there are plenty like this one left in circulation if you just have to have this color.

[DrNomis]

Hello Bob Vila,

 

You're not the only one experiencing trouble with an Ibanez guitar equipped with a ZR bridge, I've got an Ibanez S420WK Electric Guitar and have had nothing but trouble with it ever since I first bought it a few weeks ago, you name it, and I've tried it, and all the other tricks to try and get it to stay in tune like Ibanez claim it does, I use 42 to 9 gauge strings on it, I've stretched the strings in till I thought they would break, all it did was made the tone and sustain of the strings very bad, I've tried de-activating the ZR system, and still couldn't get it to stay in tune, one thing I did notice is some of the strings tend to buzz like a sitar (the D-string is the worst offender, followed by the A,G, and B string), tried adjusting the intonation of each string, which is a real headache of a chore even with the ZR system activated, this guitar's tremolo system just does not perform as Ibanez has claimed, I paid $899.00 Australian for this guitar, I expected better than this for that price....

[jds22]

Hello Bob Vila, You're not the only one experiencing trouble with an Ibanez guitar equipped with a ZR bridge, I've got an Ibanez S420WK Electric Guitar and have had nothing but trouble with it ever since I first bought it a few weeks ago, you name it, and I've tried it, and all the other tricks to try and get it to stay in tune like Ibanez claim it does, I use 42 to 9 gauge strings on it, I've stretched the strings in till I thought they would break, all it did was made the tone and sustain of the strings very bad, I've tried de-activating the ZR system, and still couldn't get it to stay in tune, one thing I did notice is some of the strings tend to buzz like a sitar (the D-string is the worst offender, followed by the A,G, and B string), tried adjusting the intonation of each string, which is a real headache of a chore even with the ZR system activated, this guitar's tremolo system just does not perform as Ibanez has claimed, I paid $899.00 Australian for this guitar, I expected better than this for that price....

 

Sorry you're having a rough time. I've had 2 ZR equipped Ibbys. An S470 and now an S420 like yours. Both have worked perfectly except for one small issue with the S420. The finish on the underside of the locknut pads was flaking off. I bought a new set at a guitar store for about $10 or so and now it stays in tune just fine.

 

Have you had it set up or looked at by a tech?

[DrNomis]

Haven't had it set-up or looked at by a tech at all, I'm my own guitar tech, I suppose I could get a pro to look at it, but there aren't any that I know of in Darwin NT Australia, also, I'm flat broke at the moment, I have noticed a few other things, the screws holding the locking nut in place don't seem to be doing the job very well, they're just a couple of screws that are screwed into the nut from the top, rather than than from the other side of the neck, I tried tightening the screws, but it doesn't seem to help much, the neck also seems to shift in the neck pocket, and the low E-String ends up closer to the edge of the fretboard than the high-E does, what basically happens is very similar to what Bob Vila has been experiencing, I tune all the strings to pitch, pull up on the bar, and everything goes flat, then I tune the strings back to pitch using the micro-tuners, then depress the bar, and all strings go sharp, this happens regardless of whether the ZPS is activated or not, and even when I've adjusted the spring tension so that the bridge sits parallel to the body....

 

I'm thinking of calling Ibanez Australia on the phone today to see if there's anything they can do to sort this out for me, I found their contact details on Ibanez's website....

[jds22]

Haven't had it set-up or looked at by a tech at all, I'm my own guitar tech, I suppose I could get a pro to look at it, but there aren't any that I know of in Darwin NT Australia, also, I'm flat broke at the moment, I have noticed a few other things, the screws holding the locking nut in place don't seem to be doing the job very well, they're just a couple of screws that are screwed into the nut from the top, rather than than from the other side of the neck, I tried tightening the screws, but it doesn't seem to help much, the neck also seems to shift in the neck pocket, and the low E-String ends up closer to the edge of the fretboard than the high-E does, what basically happens is very similar to what Bob Vila has been experiencing, I tune all the strings to pitch, pull up on the bar, and everything goes flat, then I tune the strings back to pitch using the micro-tuners, then depress the bar, and all strings go sharp, this happens regardless of whether the ZPS is activated or not, and even when I've adjusted the spring tension so that the bridge sits parallel to the body.... I'm thinking of calling Ibanez Australia on the phone today to see if there's anything they can do to sort this out for me, I found their contact details on Ibanez's website....

 

Yeah, it sounds like there might be a few "issues" with your guitar, sorry for your luck.

 

As for the way the lock nut is attached, it's fine. Some attach from the bottom, some from the top. Tuning stability is not affected by either method.

[DrNomis]

Well, I went to Billy Hyde Music in Stuart Park, Darwin NT Australia, and ordered a new replacement locking nut and 12 string saddle screws for my Ibanez S420WK guitar, I'm replacing the original nut with one that has the fixing screws going through the neck, instead of the two wood screws, the original screw holes were worn out and the screws weren't able to be tightened up anymore, I ordered the 12 string saddle screws so I could replace the originals, two of which got a bit stripped so I couldn't tighten them up with an allen key, this happened while trying to sort out the intonation for a couple of the strings....

 

I did some experimenting to see whether the locking nut mounting screws were indeed the source of my tuning issues, by feeling for locking nut movement while using the whammy bar, and I most deffinitely could feel the locking nut move, the other reason why I'm replacing the locking nut is because I kept getting a sitar-like buzz from some of the strings when the three string locks were tightened up, using a magnifying glass, I traced the cause of the buzz to being caused by the string notches being cut too wide....looks like Ibanez have suffered from a downgrading of their quality control, or maybe it was a one-off occurrence?....not sure....