[Tinman]

Hi, any help with this welcome.

On my recently acquired Jem 7V the tremolo arm holder tends to spin loose, particularly when the trem arm is rotated anticlockwise. I assume the arm holder nut is loose but its super awkward to access.

From the rear cavity, my recessed socket wrench is too short to reach the nut due to the length of the arm holder. From the front (with the tremolo fully pushed up in dive bomb position) the space is still too tight to put a spanner on the nut without gouging the finish around the tremolo cavity.

There's surely an easier way to tighten this nut without taking the bridge apart and wrecking the setup?!

 

[Rich]

IBANEZ RULES!! tech - setup

 

[Tinman]

IBANEZ RULES!! tech - setup

Thanks. A relatively easy fix after reading that.

Unfortunately I decided to up my string gauge while the rear cover was off (from 9-9.5)...not so straight forward! A couple of hours and a 4th spring later and I've just about got it setup correctly, I think.

 

[Santir79]

Thanks. A relatively easy fix after reading that.

Unfortunately I decided to up my string gauge while the rear cover was off (from 9-9.5)...not so straight forward! A couple of hours and a 4th spring later and I've just about got it setup correctly, I think.

You shouldn't need 4 springs with 9.5-44. In fact, up to 10-46 you should be ok with 3 springs

 

[Tinman]

Thanks. A relatively easy fix after reading that.

Unfortunately I decided to up my string gauge while the rear cover was off (from 9-9.5)...not so straight forward! A couple of hours and a 4th spring later and I've just about got it setup correctly, I think.

You shouldn't need 4 springs with 9.5-44. In fact, up to 10-46 you should be ok with 3 springs

That's what I expected but the bridge flew up, even with the claw screws turned to tighten the springs.

 

[Santir79]

How old are those springs then? You might need some new ones. But only if pushing the bar down is hard (normally it is with 4 springs)

 

[Tinman]

How old are those springs then? You might need some new ones. But only if pushing the bar down is hard (normally it is with 4 springs)

It's a new guitar! Had it 3 weeks. Yes the bar now harder to push down.

 

[Santir79]

it sounds strange to me. I use 9.5-44 with my Jems in standard tuning. Never had to add a spring.

 

[Tinman]

it sounds strange to me. I use 9.5-44 with my Jems in standard tuning. Never had to add a spring.

I double checked it all and without the 4th spring I "just" run out of enough trem claw screw travel to bring the bridge level. It's a shame as I probably preferred the trem bar tension with 3 springs. Also, it means the spring locking bar has to be held with only 1 screw as the 4th spring uses a threaded hole in the block. I'll live with 9.5s for a while and decide if it's worth it.

 

[Rich]

You haven't run out of room unless the claw is flush against the wood. If it is your springs are weak.

 

[Tinman]

You haven't run out of room unless the claw is flush against the wood. If it is your springs are weak.

No, hadn't gone that far in but was meeting quite a lot of resistance so kind of bottled it. The screw was entering wood at the smooth, unthreaded part near the head...that ok then?

 

[Rich]

You're running into resistance because nobody ever put a heavier gauge on and you're cutting threads. If it's basswood no problem, it it's mahogany I would pull the screws and drill the hole deeper. I have twisted screws in half cutting threads in hard wood.

 

[Tinman]

You're running into resistance because nobody ever put a heavier gauge on and you're cutting threads. If it's basswood no problem, it it's mahogany I would pull the screws and drill the hole deeper. I have twisted screws in half cutting threads in hard wood.

It's alder (a new 7v-wh). I'll try again without drilling first. Really appreciate your advice, thanks.

 

[Tinman]

it sounds strange to me. I use 9.5-44 with my Jems in standard tuning. Never had to add a spring.

You're running into resistance because nobody ever put a heavier gauge on and you're cutting threads. If it's basswood no problem, it it's mahogany I would pull the screws and drill the hole deeper. I have twisted screws in half cutting threads in hard wood.

Ok, you guys were right. I removed the 4th spring and was a bit braver with claw screw insertion. Problem solved, there's now enough tension on the 3 springs. Much obliged.