doing tremolo dives detunes my guitar... help?

MF_Kitten · #1 06-11-2007, 04:12 PM

now, i think this is pretty normal, but watching the steve vai DVD, he does some insane tremolo-stuff, divebombs and such... but he returns it back up and it sounds awesome again, and i´m like WTH!?

so, i´m guessing he´s probably spending hours fine-tuning everything about his guitars to make the whole setup perfect...

so i´m wondering, what factors are creating the whole out-of-tune issue when divebombing? how can i prevent it?

i use an ibanez RG with an Edge III tremolo... dunno if that makes alot of difference, as all the edge tremolos are very much alike, with minor differences...

Rich · #2 06-11-2007, 04:17 PM

http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setu..._stability.htm

markg5150 · #3 06-11-2007, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setu..._stability.htm

Damn, you beat me to it Rich !!!

MF_Kitten · #4 06-11-2007, 10:36 PM

duh! of course, i didn´t even think to go to that site... i never do! :P

also:
´´the oil collect enough dirt and crud to literally gum up the works. Use your wife's toothbrush to clean the crud off of the posts and knives´´

hahaha! good one!

Salamander In The Sun · #5 06-12-2007, 12:34 AM

It could also be that the knife edges have worn out.

howe · #6 06-12-2007, 02:52 AM

well nothing compares with the original EDGE and the lo-pro edge

the80sroklej · #7 06-14-2007, 08:55 PM

Take the trem out (if you know what your doing with it) and closely inspect the knife's. Check out http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setup/sharpening.htm for more info on it.

My RG550 was suffering from the same thing, Its an old one, the knifes have now been filed and it seems alot better.

MF_Kitten · #8 06-14-2007, 09:43 PM

it´s about a year or two old, so i doubt the knifes are a problem... the trem has suffered almost no abuse, and almost no ordinary use at all too...

the80sroklej · #9 06-15-2007, 11:40 AM

May sound really stupid but have you streched your strings in properly ? The tension change in just one string can change the whole lot if its not streched.

May also be the springs not streched properly if you say the tremelo has had hardly any use.

MF_Kitten · #10 06-15-2007, 01:57 PM

strings and springs are definitely stretched... so yeah :P

i always stretch my strings alot before i return them to correct pitch

the80sroklej · #11 06-18-2007, 03:54 PM

Strange ! I would suggest spending an hour reading through www.ibanezrules.com pages.

Salty · #12 07-01-2007, 01:58 PM

my rg350 goes out of tune in the same way. but when i divebomb or pull back on the trem the neck creaks and then it goes completely out. my guitar teacher has checked it over and found nothing wrong. he used a power drill to get the neck bolts in really tight but the neck still keeps moving. i dont know what to do.

dipstick · #13 07-01-2007, 08:33 PM

Never use a power drill to attach a neck screw.By hand is tight enough snug but you can crack the body or neck heel putting too much pressure.
If the necks seems to be moving try using a piece of sandpaper between the body and neck heel then tighten back down.A loose neck pocket will allow for movement as well.Shim the side of the neck pocket if there is a gap.A small piece of match book cover works fine.
Not returning to pitch?Maybe your string saddles are loose on the bridge.It could be the knife edges check the pivot studs for wear.
Another thing to check and its the most overlooked item your trem springs if they are over stretched they may be too long now.

TongueNGroove · #14 07-03-2007, 11:30 PM

Having owned an Edge III my self, I know exactly what your problem is.

Take the bridge off, grab one of the studs lighty and try to wobble it back and forth. If there is any play at all in there then that is your problem. Unscrew the studs out, wrap then in teflon tape (Enough that when you screw them back in they are SUPER snug, but not so much that you can't get it to screw back in) then screw the studs back in. Check again for any play in the studs.

This will greatly help your tuning problems, but there is no substitute for locking studs.

I hucked my Edge III in the garbage and bought a lo pro with locking studs....no tuning problems at all now.

It did require a minor amount of routing and drilling..but well worth the trouble and money.

evolvedmb · #15 07-03-2007, 11:35 PM

My JS100 is doing the same thing, going out of tune silghtly when diving. It has a modified Edge trem currently, and not the Edge III. I have to push on the heal to bring the trem up slightly to get it back to pitch or fine tune it like crazy constantly. I did an experiment today with my RG and my JS. I took the RG Edge which works great then installed it into the JS, and it still does the same thing. So i'm thinking that the problem is not the trem, but the trem post studes.