Guitar Tuning w/Floyd Rose :(

[AshBaldry]

Got an Ibanez off eBay today,EX series,lovely to play however when I start to tune it by the time I get to the top string the top e is out of tune! The floyd Rose seems to sitting ok! What do I need to do?!

[V100]

Take it to a guitar shop and get it set up. Floyd roses can be a nightmare if not set up properly. However my mate's got a properly set up 'un and it only goes out if you really go for it.

[PhillW]

A Floyd Rose type set-up can be a pain if you are not used to them, but once in tune and locked down are good.

When in tune the plate of the Floyd should be horizontal and parallel with the top of the guitar.

The system works by balancing the spring tension in the back with the string tension, what you describe is perfectly normal, when you start from, say the bottom E to top E, by the time you have tuned the top E, the bottom E, will now be out of tune, you have to repeat this process until the system is in equilibrium i.e. the string tension now matches the spring tension and the unit will not pull up any further.

If at this stage the Floyd in not parallel you will have to make spring adjustments and re-tune, if it is sitting ok, you can now lock the locking top nut and make any final adjustments with the fine tuners. Ensure the strings are stretched in first, re-tune as necessary before locking down, make sure the fine tuners are in the middle of their travel before starting and locking down.

Hope this helps.

[MrCheese]

If you are not used to a floating bridge it will take time to get adjust to it. It isn't like a normal guitar where you can tune once from top to bottom. With the Floyd Rose you have to tune across the strings several times.

A few tips :

Remember that if you raise the pitch of one string, all other strings lower in pitch & vice versa.

AS you are tuning the guitar, pull & push the whammy bar up & down a few times to even out the tension across the strings.

Bend each string up & down a few times as above.

If the guitar is way out of tune accept that it will take a while to get it stable.


Whatever you do, don't start tinkering with springs or the trem angle until you are comfortable tuning it.

[PhillW]

MrCheese said:

Whatever you do, don't start tinkering with springs or the trem angle until you are comfortable tuning it.

This is a good point, as the angle can affect other areas of the set up, including the string height/action, and alot will depend n the current overall setup of the guitar.

[gbbird]

PhillW said:

MrCheese said:

Whatever you do, don't start tinkering with springs or the trem angle until you are comfortable tuning it.

This is a good point, as the angle can affect other areas of the set up, including the string height/action, and alot will depend n the current overall setup of the guitar.

For years and years I played a Charvel 650 with a floyd Rose that did not sit level with the body as it was pulled back towards the rear of the guitar (if that makes sense), and it made no diffference to the sound, tuning or playability - I simply got used to the fact that my whammy had more action than others

When i eventually got round to amending the springs to level it out, it was a relatively simple process with a few minor amendments to saddles, bridge height to retirn to a decent action

[chris5150]

Play floyd guitars all the time, first thing I do when I buy a new one is block the Floyd so there is no 'up' movement. You can if you want just tighten the springs in the back or add another spring so it pulls the floyd down onto the top, its crude but it works. Like EVH adding his Dime on the original that was used to stop it digging into the wood. See attached pic for one of ed's well used guitars, worked for him ok, wasnt worried about the angle of it etc.
I like to use a splinter of wood between the trem block & the body in the back, just the right thickness so that unlike ed's the edge of the trem sits horizontal on the body, but is blocked to any up movement, I think floyds are a lot more stable this way,easier to tune & stay in tune better, and if like me you like to rest your hand on the bridge then the floating trems are annoying. Oh and many will tell you the tone is better when there is more contact with the trem & the body, again thats Eddies take, hence the angled floyds touching the body.

[tuscaneer]

i might be stating the bleedin obvious here but is it brand new set of strings???aside from that the one guitar i ever owned with a tremelo arm(strat,immediately sold as i hated a whammy bar!!)i added 2 extra springs on the back tentioner to aid tuning problems and it seemed to help.

[singlecoil]

I used to make and repair guitars for a living, and IIRC (it was a fair while ago) I found the quickest way to set up a Floyd Rose was to (having ascertained that the player wanted a floating tremolo with up and down movement) was to overtighten the springs and then use a wedge to hold the trem int he correct position. Then set the intonation and tune the guitar as normal, because the trem won't move.

Having done that, slacken the springs slightly and remove the wedge. If the trem tips back, replace the wedge and retune if necessary, then repeat the process- slacken the springs and check for movement. Eventually you will get to a point when, if the wedge is removed, the tremolo will stay where it is, perfectly balanced. You will know because when the wedge is removed the tuning doesn't change.

It's by far the quickest way.

[chris5150]

Good tip there, to be honest though I struggle to understand why anyone wants or needs a floyd to have up & down movement, it will go out of tune with use if its floating, no doubt about it, strings stretch as do the springs move with differant temps etc. Its far easier just to clamp it down and wiggle in one direction only, just setting yourself up for a load of frustration otherwise

[singlecoil]

chris5150 said:

Its far easier just to clamp it down and wiggle in one direction only, just setting yourself up for a load of frustration otherwise

Not a problem if you've got a guitar roadie to hand you a fresh instrument after every number, though. Just makes it a bit more difficult for those who would emulate their heroes, and who don't have eager manufacturers supplying as many guitars as are needed, and paying for the privilege of doing so.