RG550 and Edge problems with the Edge trem, please advice

LaXu · #1 08-10-2002, 04:27 PM

I've got an old RG550 (1989, Edge trem, basswood body, one piece maple neck, rosewood fretboard, more black than a Spinal Tap album, Gotoh tuners, old style block heel, pickups changed to Seymour Duncans). I recently put .010 strings on it (that is, it had 10s on it but I put on new ones since the ones that were on it previously were worn) and adjusted the trem so that the notches on the sides are parallel with the body. The action is fine and intonation correct, and the only parts that show any noticeable wear are the nut lock pads (the strings have scratched of the paint where the strings lie underneath the pad). The strings are also properly stretched.

Anyway, the thing doesn't stay in tune for very long, I have to keep retuning it with the fine tuners pretty much every day (I play about 1-2h a day) or even more often.

Then I noticed that the trem isn't like suggested on Jemsite, but it's a bit higher from the body (and it's not parallel to the body if you look at the top of the saddles). But I had to screw the springs (3 of them) all the way to the back to get it in position where the notches were aligned with the body, so I can't move the trem further back. What do you suggest I should do, get new springs, get more springs or what?

yurich · #2 08-10-2002, 07:35 PM

I use .10s and just got an Edge installed in my ESP. turns out I had the same problem (weird, never happened on the old trem) so I just added another spring. works nicely!

nuno · #3 08-11-2002, 09:04 AM

Laxu,
try put an extra spring, and check for the neck-body joint screws tightness: sometimes, with weather/moisture changes, the wood shrinks or expands, and you got to tighten some screws here & there.

also,
the Jemsite Edge's height specs are just reference points, not to be taken as exactly the same for any Edge-equipped guitar. i've got a bunch of RGs and my Edges always sit higher then what Jemsite says.

btw:
did you placed something beneath the Edge's tail while you were stringing the guitar? Rich's plastic-bottle-caps idea is pretty good: this will help you setting the Edge horyzontally while you strung the guitar, with no need to tighten the springs plate's screws all the way into the body.

Scott 74 · #4 08-12-2002, 05:49 AM

Unlock the pads on the nut and check to make sure your retainer bar is low enough to keep all six stings resting against the grooves on the locking nut. I don't think thats your problem, but wouldn't hurt

kleiduif · #5 08-12-2002, 07:35 PM

Have you checked that the nut is firmly attached to the body, with the two screws at the back of the neck?

LaXu · #6 08-13-2002, 01:09 PM

Yes, I checked the retainer bar (looks ok to me), the nut is also firmly attached. I bought new springs today, I'm going to install them in a moment. According to the documents on Ibanezs site it seems to be that the notch on the side is indeed the marker to be used when setting the trem parallel to the body, so I guess the problem is that it just doesn't have enough springs.

nuno · #7 08-13-2002, 03:40 PM

sounds good.
btw: never take the top of the saddles as reference for the Edge angle: they'll almost never be parallel to the top of the guitar, second to how you touched/set the fine-tuners.

LaXu · #8 08-13-2002, 05:38 PM

Yeah, after some thinking I realized that. Now I added new springs, four of 'em and now it stays in tune, and imo even sounds better (I don't know if this is just in my head or what..but that's what I thought). I think I got a slightly lower action as well.