Js1000

[SilverSurferII]

I just got a Js1000 that is new, it looks great and the action was unbelievably low without any nasty string buzz. The neck is the best neck i've played. But i noticed that the lo pro edge just about sits on the bottom of the routed cavity and this does not allow me to even pull up on the bar to raise the pitch. How can this be? there should be enough room under the bridge to pull up a good whole tone, I mean, the action is where i want it to be....low and without string buzz, but i want the ability to pull up on the bar to raise the pitch at least a whole tone. Has anyone gotten a Js1000 with this kind of problem? or is it just a bad setup on Ibanez's part?? I dont want to have to take this guitar to a luthier to take some wood off just to make more room under the bridge!

[steve]

Either the bridge is leaning back farther than it ought to be, or else that baby's in need of a neck shimming.
If the Edge is leaning back, you'd have to readjust both the spring tension and the pivot studs in order to reorient the bridge to a more neutral, level posture while maintaining that same action.
If that's not it, then perhaps you ought to consider going in and adding a neck shim - thus requiring an adjustment of the bridge height anyway.
That's the most likely two possibilities - have a look, and then we can go deeper into it, if required.
=]

[SilverSurferII]

I checked the angle of the bridge and it was level...so i didnt mess with adjusting the tension springs in the back. Looks like a neck shim will have to be placed just so that i could raise the bridge enough where i can pull up on the bar. But i just hate it when you pay for a guitar that is supposed to be high end and set up right, then you get one that is not even set up the way it should be. That just shouldnt be. I am sure several ppl can relate to this with their new Js1000.

[mikek]

By now I think we all know that ibanez isn't exactly well known for delivering their new guitars with perfect or even good setup's. Anyway, I bought my JS1000 in '96 and it didn't have this problem, I also know a guy who bought a js1000 like 2 weeks ago, and it didn't have this problem also.

good luck

mike

[steve]

I agree, people shouldn't be presented with a brand new, rather expensive instrument that isn't ready to go out of the box.
However, a guitar's set-up really is a very personal thing, based on a specific player and their preferences. I know that I've /never/ purchased an instrument and not done a HUGE amount of work on it before I called it 'mine' in terms of its playability. There are things like nut and neck shims to add or remove, neck relief, bridge height/angle (I actually prefer mine leaning back quite a bit for more bar height =]), action, and all of that other good stuff. It's rare to find a guitar already ready-to-go for /you/ right out of the box.

... of course, having said all of that, they really SHOULD be set up according to a list of specs - like, in this case, the bridge should be situated such that A) the bridge-to-neck relationship allows for at least factory-normal string action, and; B) allows for x-amount of pull-back from neutral.

=]

[jono]

I have to say that getting the best price on an instrument often isn't as important as getting a great playing one, especially if, like me, you can't set them up well

I'm not mentioning any names as far as reputation for a great setup goes, but I might mutter something like "Forum Sponsor" under my breath :biggrin:

[Devine]

Hi-

You might look at the JEMsite tech section; something is not right with that tremolo. *I don't think a neck shim is the answer - that wouldn't solve the pull up problem even if the bridge was readjusted. *A correctly set-up lo-pro should raise pitches a fifth, not a whole tone. *From the way you describe the action, it sounds like the previous owner or dealer tilted the bridge back into the body; that's one way to get really low action. *

Unfortunately, if you want to pull-up a fifth, you're going to have to sacrifice slinky action or buy multi-radiused frets like Satriani.

-Devin

[Vaibanez]

Devine,
Actually, a neck shim would have a direct influence on the amount of trem pull up. It would nessecitate(sp) the trem being raised and give greater clearence for the trem to be pulled up.

J>

[Devine]

Jim-

* But, if Silver can't even pull-up a whole tone, raising the bridge in the body in conjunction with a shim won't solve the problem; he should be able to pull-up between a minor third and a fifth at the twelfth fret, even with a poor set-up. *

Silver- *are you playing the JS 100 or JS 1000? *If it is a 100, then that would explain the pull-up problem: 100's have a LO-TRS.

-Devin

[Rich]

I'm more inclined to think the back of the trem is too far down. When you say it's level I get shivers I've seen so many set up this way. The underside of the BASE of the trem is what needs to be level, not the top of the base. Since you can't see the underside you have to use the little horizontal slots where the knife edges protrude from the base on the side. These should be parrallel to the top.

Devine, Jimm is right, the more you raise the brige by adding a shim, the more room you have underneath it to pull up. But if you have the action set too low, you'll only get a whole step up anyway before it frets out.

[SilverSurferII]

Devine, It's definitely a Js1000 that i'm playing. Lo pro edge and all.

Rich, i determined that the bridge was level by the very horizontal mark you are talking about on the side of the bridge.....thats how i go about seeing if i need to adjust the tension springs in the back. But they were level with the body. The action is great, but cannot pull up...not even a quarter step. I've tried shimming up the neck....and i managed to get some breathing room under the bridge, after raising it a lil, i also managed to maintain the low action that i started out with. So maybe another shimm and a little height adjustment will suit me fine.
But all the Js1000's that i ever played in the store always had some breathing room under the bridge for a good whole tone. This one that i just got, doesnt even come close......then again, who knows maybe the dealer messed with it and not Ibanez?? I mean, the action was nice and low so it's very possible the dealer did some tweakin beforehand.

[jemsite]

I would read thru the jemsite --> guitars --> TECH SETUP area first. If you still have troubles and cannot proceed the next step is to simply bring the guitar back for service. What you have described here is incomplete to determine the cure for the problem or even where to go next. If you can pull up only a 1/4 step there are major setup issues and possible cavity route defects that must be assessed.

Before doing anything further you should be able to visualize the tremolo's movement and see where the problem is that is preventing the pull-up. Finally, all the "breathing room" under the bridge won't help if you have too low action and the strings choke out on the upper fretboard or the neck pickup... glen

[Rich]

You're on the right track, I usually use a medium pick cut strip for a neck shim in this situation. Glen's right though, it'll just choke if the action is too low.

[SilverSurferII]

Ok, i added the final shim and after adjusting the bridge one last time, i got it set up perfectly. I can now pull up on the bar a good whole step. The action is still nice and low and it does not choke when i pull all the way back.
I think Ibanez should hire all of us now )