[greenman]

I'm working on my old JEM555 which was nicely set up last year by Iron Maiden's guitar tech and playing really well. Tremolo arm on Lo-TRS 2 is loose though, it's the one with a screw-down sleeve which isn't very good and basically knackered. I'm thinking of replacing it and the Gotoh 1996T came up a a possible without any rerouting. I've found a YouTube video replacing the trem on a JS guitar with this. Has anyone here done this successfully on a JEM555? Love the guitar - the Evolution pickups, the new setup action etc, the neck and the recently smoothed fret ends, sound and playability, but the trem arm is the weakest bit it's too loose and floppy. I've bodged it in the past with plumbers tape and with hard nail varnish, but realise I can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear - I'd rather find a good trem replacement than buy a new guitar!

 

[sepulchrave]

You can simply replace the entire arm assembly with a Schaller lockmeister unit.

 

[j.arledge]

the lo-trs 2 will do a straight swap with an original floyd rose which is a vast improvement. If you aren't using the lo-trs 2 you can block it, but if you actually use the tremelo, and OFR is the way to go.

 

[greenman]

Thanks, people. I've now replaced the Lo-TRS 2 with the GOTOH 1996T which fits perfectly on the original posts and with original backplate and springs. So now I've got a tremolo arm that stays put, doesn't flop down. Much better! The GOTOH springs are shorter and stronger though and I'm thinking of using these to keep the bridge tighter. I'm imagining this might make some improvement in tone or would I be wrong? But such a relief to find a replacement bridge that doesn't require any routing!

 

[sepulchrave]

Yeah, but the original posts are made of blue cheese, use the Gotoh posts.

 

[j.arledge]

Yeah, but the original posts are made of blue cheese, use the Gotoh posts.

the gotoh posts are indeed better. I wouldn't worry about taking out the actual trem studs if the gotoh posts screw in to the original posts.

 

[greenman]

It seems the gotoh posts are slightly wider than the Lo-TRS posts and body will need to be drilled to accommodate them, so I'm keeping the original pots at the moment

 

[greenman]

Yeah, but the original posts are made of blue cheese, use the Gotoh posts.

I know what you mean, but this would need some drilling and I'm not up to that :sad2:

 

[greenman]

the gotoh posts are indeed better. I wouldn't worry about taking out the actual trem studs if the gotoh posts screw in to the original posts.

Apparently they don't

 

[j.arledge]

Apparently they don't

yeah taking out the old trem studs and putting in new ones can be a little tricky. Most of the time there isn't a lot of room for error. There usually isn't much wood around the posts and that means it is easy to crack or drill through the back side. I tired not to do them when i was a tech. That is why i said i wouldn't mess with taking them out. if it was a les paul or something, taking the posts out isn't difficult at all but i definitely broke one or two bodies that had floyds.