Problem with low-E fine tuner on Edge trem

[stratoskier]

Hi,
I seem to recall that this question has been addressed here in the past, but I'm having zero luck with a forum search, so I'll go ahead and ask.

I have a 540R with an original Edge trem. As most of you know, on the Edge the fine tuners are situated more on top of the trem than on the Lo-Pro or other Ibanez trems. This creates a problem for me, because (apparently) I keep brushing the low-E tuner with my hand, thereby causing it to go flat.

I believe that Vai used to have some sort of plate on one of his guitars that guarded the fine tuners from the picking hand. If anyone is able to describe that device (how it's attached, etc), or anything else that might work, I'd appreciate it.

Cheers,
Bert

[horstausmforst]

Are you talking about the handrest device?

http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/...jem777/p02.jpg

The purpose of that was to prevent accidental pushing down of the trem while picking, but not to guard the fine tuners.

I think your best option would be (obviously) adjusting your technique or replacing the trem with a lo pro, which should be a direct fit on post-'88 radius guitars (the trem routing on the 87's was not deep enough to allow pulling up with the lo pro).

[stratoskier]

Yes, that is probably the device I was thinking of. I guess that isn't the answer.

This is actually the only guitar with an Edge trem that I regularly play, and my hand position doesn't present a problem on any of my other guitars (Lo-Pro or other). I remember that people also used to have a problem like this on some of the old Kahler trems, but the problem with those was that the fine tuner threads were too coarse and they would just vibrate themselves loose.

Anyway, I may swap out the Edge for a Lo-Pro -- I believe that's what was on it originally, but I bought the unloaded body without a trem. Except for this problem, I'm happy with having an Edge for a change. It does have a different feel from a Lo-Pro.

Thanks for your advice!

Bert

[albee1952]

The lo-pro is a drop in replacement and should solve your problem. It is my favorite of all the Edge variants but all work fine for me. You could try taking the Edge apart so you can bend the spring plate(the 6-fingered spring-steel part that presses against the bottom of the long allen screws) for more tension.

[stratoskier]

I'll try that.

I thought of one other 'last resort" solution that I might try just out of curiosity to see if it works. I could put some small velcro circles on top of each fine tuner, that would mate with velcro on the bottom of a narrow strip of thin plastic or plexiglass (~3/8" wide and long enough to span all 6 tuners). That way none of the tuners could rotate, but... it'd be ugly and inconvenient for using the fine tuners. Probably not any uglier than the "bridge guard" on the old Jem in the pic that horstausmforst linked, though.

[S-man]

I'd just swap it out for a lo pro if it is causing you that much of a problem.