My whammy bar is loose

[Avenite]

Hi!

I got an RG20th (the 550 reissue) with the original edge tremolo and I think it is great, but the whammy bar is loose inside the socket. I replaced the bushings with the included spares, and it was perfect for a couple day (if that) and it is becoming loose again. What can I do to secure my bar, I have seen the nail polish solution on the site and another forum, is that what I should try?

Thanks.

[IbanezFreak777]

Yeah try using Clear nail polish that helps.

When I bought my rg550 in 1990 the same thing happened, I bet Vai's whammy bar never goes loose. In every video clip you see it stay where ever he puts it. He is one lucky boy that mr VAI !!!

[JJEMMER777]

Pick up some teflon plumbers tape. Remove the bushings, wrap a bit of tape around the trem arm, right in the slot for the bushings. Wrap it tight and do it neatly. Then simply replace the bushings, insert the trem arm, and you're good to go, bro This lasts a while as well!

~Rock~

[Batchimp RG]

http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54687

The above thread might help...I had a similar issue. There's some great advice in there....

[Satchriossi]

Plumbers PTFE is the way to go. Be sure its the kind for use on water joints and not the thicker gas joint kind.

[Avenite]

I put the tape on (happened to already have some in the house) and it is holding so far (only played for a few minutes after putting it on). I noticed the arm torque is tighter, so I am going to play around with it a bit to find a sweet spot.

Let's see if it holds.

Thanks for the tape suggestion guys!

[Avenite]

The bar became loose once again so I took off the bushings, and the tape was completely gone on one and almost gone on the other, so I am putting more tape on.

[sniperfrommars1]

You just have to learn the balance for the right amount of tape, nail polish is a better fix sometimes if you get the right amount of thickness, hardness going on. WHile your at it, try to pickup a few packs of bushins off **** if you can find em. I just apply the teflon every several days myself, only takes 30 seconds or so to get it right.

[Avenite]

My bar is already coming loose again. It looks like the tape is disintegrating inside the bushings.

[IbanezFreak777]

Like I told you before try using clear nail polish. remove the bushings, paint a clear layer. let it dry and put the bushings back. Then see how that goes. If not add another layer and continue this way untill its tight enough. Make sure you let the nail polish dry hard before you try it out.

Also quick dry cement glue the kind that you have to mix 2 glues together to make the bond. That stuff is so tough and should last ages.

Nail polish or glue is better in my opinion, because you can make the layer as thick or as thin as you want. Just my opinion ....

[jb4674]

You might just have to get a bag of bushings since you're wearing the tape that quickly.

Jimmy

[sniperfrommars1]

Originally Posted by Avenite

My bar is already coming loose again. It looks like the tape is disintegrating inside the bushings.

As my post said you have to redo the tape on a regular basis no one else mentioned that. Your bar shouldnt be super tight anyways, especially if your using it alot, youll probably notice if you listen super close, that when you grab your bar your shifting it slightly out of tune before you actually start to move the bar, that is if its loose enough to fall back to facing the ground.


The bushings are designed to be replaced every so often, its a part designed to wear, try the nail polish trick, and you may still end up using the teflon tape on a regular basis. You could replace it with a original floyd rose finger tight bar assembly though. Those wear out too, as the bar and bushings go bad in them eventually too, but you can tighten them up at random with finger torque.