How to get RG2077XL stay in tune ?

[T-MU]

I bought RG2077XL some months ago, if you don't know it's the follow-up for 1077XL, 27" scale and so on.
For some strange reason it won't stay in tune no matter what i do. It's strung with .009 - .54 and tuned to BEADGBE. It's a real nice guitar, but the tuning thing ruins it. Is there some special trick for that particular guitar? Are others having problems with 2077?
I tried to block the trem, but there was no place for a battery or other common blocking thing in tremolo cavity.

[pawel]

I'm not good with setup, but go to www.ibanezrules.com and follow the instructions in the tech section, it should help. If you don't use the trem and want ultimate stability, you can simply try to sand a block of wood to fit into the cavity. It takes work, but If you're set on blocking the bridge, this is the best way to do it...

[T-MU]

I've setupped it many times with many different instructions including ibanezrules and it always goes out of tune eventually. Is there any kind of "tremolo stabilizer" that would fit into 2077? I quess Steve Vai uses some kind of tremolo stabilizer by Ibanez

[Ice]

You either don't have it setup right, or aren't stretching your strings out before you play. Otherwise it coul djust be you are playing while resting your hand on the trem which will make it go slightly out of tune. You're using the smallest gauge strings I'd ever use on a 7 string, let a lone a baritone. A lot of the pro bands out there have baritone 6 strings and their low B is a 70g and all you're using is a 54. That really shouldn't matter though I know some pros w/ 7's using that gauge, but i don't think on the baritone.

[Two hands31]

Originally Posted by Ice

You either don't have it setup right, or aren't stretching your strings out before you play. Otherwise it coul djust be you are playing while resting your hand on the trem which will make it go slightly out of tune. You're using the smallest gauge strings I'd ever use on a 7 string, let a lone a baritone. A lot of the pro bands out there have baritone 6 strings and their low B is a 70g and all you're using is a 54. That really shouldn't matter though I know some pros w/ 7's using that gauge, but i don't think on the baritone.

Actually, you'd want thinner strings on a baritone, because the longer scale length makes the string tension much higher when tuned to the same thing. I.e. a standard scale 7-string with 10-60 as I have would have lighter tension (i.e. easier bends, etc) than an extended scale 7-string with the same string guage.

[Ice]

that's what they say but the bands are using bigger gauge... how much tension do you need... I guess it doesn't matter when most bands don't play solos today, especially the ones playing baritones.

[Two hands31]

Originally Posted by Ice

that's what they say but the bands are using bigger gauge... how much tension do you need... I guess it doesn't matter when most bands don't play solos today, especially the ones playing baritones.

More tension = better for aggressive rhythm playing, less tension = better for lead playing. People are more focused on emotion, riffs, and songwriting than lead playing lately. I'm a fan of bands like Taproot and Coal Chamber (the bands I'm guessing you were referring to about using baritones tuned to drop-A with a 70 guage on them) as well as Korn, Staind, etc, etc, etc.

Funny thing though, Coal Chamber and Taproot use 27"-ers tuned to A with a 70-guage on it, but Mike Mushok uses a 28-30"-ers tuned a half-step lower, and uses a .68-guage on his as far as I know.

[Christoph_JEM]

Hi T-MU!!
What exactly do you mean when you say your guitar doesn´t stay in tune? After what time does it get out of tune? After some minutes of playing? After some days of not playing?

Remember, 7-strings go out of tune much faster than 6-strings! Well. that´s my experience I´ve made. And I also think that heavier strings get out of tune faster than lighter ones.....

What manufacturer do you use? Ernie Balls? DÁddarios? Etc....?

[Ice]

Funny thing though, Coal Chamber and Taproot use 27"-ers tuned to A with a 70-guage on it, but Mike Mushok uses a 28-30"-ers tuned a half-step lower, and uses a .68-guage on his as far as I know.

those are the types, but I think Meegs uses heavier strings that that...
Also Mike (taproot) is a friend his guitars are not 27inch and neither are spineshanks for that matter while we're talking about it. They both have 26 1/4 inch scales. Mike said he couldn't imagine himself playing anything bigger because he's so small.

Mike w/ spineshank though is getting a true baritone made for him as we speak that's 29in scale it's standard tuned but an octave lower like the old danelectros.

Also to be noted Ill Nino no longer use baritone since it's pointless being they were tuning to drop c. However, ESP is putting out signature models for the guys for 2004.

[T-MU]

Originally Posted by Christoph_JEM

Hi T-MU!!
What exactly do you mean when you say your guitar doesn´t stay in tune? After what time does it get out of tune? After some minutes of playing? After some days of not playing?

Remember, 7-strings go out of tune much faster than 6-strings! Well. that´s my experience I´ve made. And I also think that heavier strings get out of tune faster than lighter ones.....

What manufacturer do you use? Ernie Balls? DÁddarios? Etc....?

It goes out of tune before a song I'm playing ends. I don't mean it goes out of tune half steps or anything, but out of tune enough to notice and it really bothers my ears.
I think that such a high end guitar like 2077 should stay in tune a lot better than it does. The setup is perfect, I've really paid attention to setuppin it right.
I think I'm gonna block the tremolo with some piece of wood if it doesn't stop going out of tune. It's a shame because I think the edge pro 7 is very good.

[Rich]

Is this guitar getting whammy abuse/use or is it pretty much getting played like it was a hardtail?

[T-MU]

Originally Posted by Rich

Is this guitar getting whammy abuse/use or is it pretty much getting played like it was a hardtail?

I use whammy bar, but only for dives and Yngwie-like bar vibratos. I dont pull up or do flutters very often. I could live without whammybar if it's the only option.
And I don't pick too hard but I like big bends and vibratos.

[ScottB]

Check the screws behind the locking nut. They should be snug, but not tight enough to squeeze the wood behind the washers. If they're too loose, you'll go out of tune after your first dive when the strings try to return to neutral, or after a hard bend.

[Rich]

The nut should be top mount.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by T-MU

I use whammy bar, but only for dives and Yngwie-like bar vibratos. I dont pull up or do flutters very often. I could live without whammybar if it's the only option.
And I don't pick too hard but I like big bends and vibratos.

If your problem isn't user error [you're not fine tuning only after a whammy down and release] then you'd be well served to do the locking stud mod. I get letters all the time of wierd tuning problems that say it's been cured with the mod.