Whammy bar troubles on JEM7V

[Borgen]

I apologize for my bad English.

Okay, so I bought a brand new JEM7V about three months ago. I wanted a good guitar with a tremolo system that almost didn't go out of tune at all, so i tried it out and it seemed to be working fine. Now, about a month ago I noticed that when I whammy up (strings tighten) the tremolo system doesn't go back to its original position. Instead it stays up a bit so the guitar becomes sharp. If I then whammy down (strings loosen) after that it goes back to its original position. I have visited two different guitar technicians and none of them could figure out what the problem was. However, neither of them picked the tremolo system apart so I can't be sure if there's a malfunctioning or if it can be solved. They told me to send it back but I bought it in Japan (live in Sweden) and rather not pay the expensive shipping costs.

Has anyone had the same problem? Can it be fixed or do I need to send it back?

[djohns74]

Pretty typical problem with floating bridges, though I've definitely run into it far less frequently with Ibanez Edges. I would initially suspect that the guitar just needs a good setup, wherein you make sure that the knife edges of the bridge are exactly parallel to the top of the guitar. If that doesn't help, it's possible that the knife edges could stand to be sharpened a bit.

Check out some of this stuff for more info:

http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setup/index.htm

In particular, see "Trem Angle" and "Sharpening Knife Edges", but there's plenty of good information there.

[Borgen]

I'm sorry, but I just can't seem to understand what the knife and the knife edges actually ARE. I tried to google it, but couldn't figure it out so could you just explain it to me please?

[djohns74]

So then you didn't check out the link I provided? Because the knife edges article there really couldn't make it much clearer.

[Borgen]

Sure I did. I just couldn't figure it out by looking at the photos, perhaps they were TOO much close-up. I'll have another look, thanks a bunch btw!

[Homebake]

Edge pro equipped?

it might be the studs have created an oval shape since they're not locked down and that's why it's going out of tune maybe?

[djohns74]

Originally Posted by Homebake

Edge pro equipped?

it might be the studs have created an oval shape since they're not locked down and that's why it's going out of tune maybe?

Being a brand new guitar, it would have an Edge Pro, so yeah, that's another possibility. Though I don't really know how quickly this can become an issue for a new guitar, whereas I have heard that the knife edges can be too thick straight from the factory.

Borgen, the knife edges are nothing more than metal inserts in the bridge which rest up against the posts and essentially provide the surface that the bridge pivots on. All Floyd type bridges will have some kind of surface that rests up against the posts and provides the pivot point, but with the various Ibanez Edges, this surface is a separate metal piece that's inserted into the bridge. You can see it in the pictures on Rich's site, though yeah, they are pretty close up.

Anyway, from what I've heard, these knife edges sometimes come from the factory not "sharp" or "thin" enough and thus don't pivot entirely reliably against the posts, thus the advice to sharpen them slightly and make the edge that contacts the posts thinner and more reliable in terms of tuning stability. I haven't experienced this exact problem myself and have never sharped any knife edges, so I can't exactly speak from experience here, though perhaps someone (like Rich, the unquestioned expert in such matters) might offer some more substantial advice.

[Borgen]

Originally Posted by djohns74

Being a brand new guitar, it would have an Edge Pro, so yeah, that's another possibility. Though I don't really know how quickly this can become an issue for a new guitar, whereas I have heard that the knife edges can be too thick straight from the factory.

Borgen, the knife edges are nothing more than metal inserts in the bridge which rest up against the posts and essentially provide the surface that the bridge pivots on. All Floyd type bridges will have some kind of surface that rests up against the posts and provides the pivot point, but with the various Ibanez Edges, this surface is a separate metal piece that's inserted into the bridge. You can see it in the pictures on Rich's site, though yeah, they are pretty close up.

Anyway, from what I've heard, these knife edges sometimes come from the factory not "sharp" or "thin" enough and thus don't pivot entirely reliably against the posts, thus the advice to sharpen them slightly and make the edge that contacts the posts thinner and more reliable in terms of tuning stability. I haven't experienced this exact problem myself and have never sharped any knife edges, so I can't exactly speak from experience here, though perhaps someone (like Rich, the unquestioned expert in such matters) might offer some more substantial advice.

Thanks for the info, I understand what you mean now. It's still down at the workshop, I'm thinking about calling the technicians down there and ask them first if they have considered knife edge problemes. Otherwise I guess I have to try to fix it myself, there's not exactly a Floyd Rose expert around every corner here. :P

[Vim Fuego]

A number of people recommend lubricating (!) the pivot point between the knife edges and the posts. It seems that lip salve (chapstick or similar) gives good results!
You'll need to take the trem off the guitar so you can apply a thin layer to the two contact points.
I'm not sure if medicated or original is best!
Jim

[Borgen]

Originally Posted by Vim Fuego

A number of people recommend lubricating (!) the pivot point between the knife edges and the posts. It seems that lip salve (chapstick or similar) gives good results!
You'll need to take the trem off the guitar so you can apply a thin layer to the two contact points.
I'm not sure if medicated or original is best!
Jim

Yes, I read that too. Well, the guitar is still down at the workshop, but when i get it back I'm gonna remove the tremolo and see if the knife edges are too thick. If they aren't, I'm thinking about just lubricating.