Now to get those strings unlocked. Here the ZR differs from other Ibz trems, as far as part location goes. The allen key holes sit at an angle on top of the saddles. This angle is probably the only frustrating part of the ZR setup, as the allen wrench just doesn't want to cooperate. Just make sure you use the long end of the wrench, so you only have to insert once per key hole (ignore the fact that I didn't, lmfao). Anyhow, give it a good 1/2 turn...

…and watch out for projectile string lock blocks when pulling out strings! #4 almost took me out.

Anyhow, getting the strings off. After you have unlocked and removed them from the bridge, cut the strings near the nut, but not behind it. This way you wont have to pull the kinked string ends through the nut and risk scratching the first fret.

On a side note, if you liked the performance of the previous strings and want to replicate the way it was tied around the post (for whatever reason) be sure to take note of it when you undo and remove the strings.

^This one was done in usual ball-ends-at-peghead fashion, which imo is definitely the way to go.
Be careful not to scratch to the headstock as you pull strings through the nut and off the peghead (duh).
Now that you have them all off, cleanup time!

The fretboard on this one looks pretty good, and won't need much short of a good rag rubdown/buffering, and some toothbrush action in the fret corners. The frets could use a polish, but that's not for today, heh.

 

If you wipe down your axes with a rag after playing, then your trem will inevitably build up a nice layer of *fuzzies* and other linty-type jazz. For this a Q-tip works wonders. Just put it in your desired crevice and spin it. It does a great job of picking everything up. Just don't overuse the Q-tips, or you'll just replace rag fuzzies with Q-tip fuzzies!

The guitar cleaning applications of Q-tips are infinite. Perfect for the spots between the neck pup and the neck.

As long as your at it, take a dive into the saddles, you'll be surprised with what you find in there.

Also, be sure to clear the inserts, on which the string sits, clear of any grout, rust, dirt, etc. A free moving string is a happy one!

Another side note, having the strings off is a great time for some glamour shots! (very metal \00/)

It's also a good time to even out your fine tuners, with plenty of back-out/screw-in room.

 

Now were cleaned up, and ready to put on some 10s. Break em out and line up your peg holes with the neck. Make sure to load your strings through facing away from the bridge, like so:

This is done to form a tight kink when pulling the strings back around, and enables trouble free winding. Kink like so:

Once their all kinked, feed them under the string tree (1st & 6th outside the screws, the rest inside) and through the nut, pull them taut and clip the ends about an inch past the saddles, just before the fine tuners.

To lock them down, insert them down the middle of the insert, in front of the string lock block, until they stop. Lock the string in place with no more than a ¾ turn, slightly more than finger tight. You can either lock them one by one as you cut them or do them all at once. Either way, double check your string paths or you just might make an a$$ of yourself (again, guilty).

^Doh!
Anyhow, when you've got em all, you should have something like this:

\/ Rich's UVMC version of this pic is for some reason my favorite of all time…

Now begin winding the slack out of the strings. Make sure you leave enough slack such that you can clean under the strings on the headstock/anywhere else. I always manage to smudge up the headstock when loading strings, so I always go back over, well, under…

 

Alright, strings locked at the bridge? Strings appropriately positioned/loaded? Slack removed? Great! Your ready to tune. Or are you?

Doh! Forgot about that gauge change. Since I'm switching to a tighter string gauge (9s to 10s), the springs will need adjustment (tightening). Thankfully, this is uber easy on the ZR. Simply flip it around and make ¼ turns in the spring adjustment screw (clockwise = tighter), retuning the strings each time, checking the trem angle till parallel with the body.

The truss rod may also need tweaking, mine needed no adjustments. Plenty of reference available though.

Okay now your REALLY ready for tuning, so get going. I won't go into tuning specifics, as they are more or less the same on the ZR as on any floater, and there is more than a plethora of info about it both here and on Rich's site. I am happy to say that force tuning is something that came very natural to me, and tuning my ZR bridge has yet to take me more than 10 minutes. This is no brag, and if anything it is a testament to the ease and practicality of the ZR trem, which is far and away the best floater I've ever played. The tuning stability is stunning and the action so smooth, I could never say enough about it. Anyhow, enjoy tuning up, and be ready to stretch!

For the same reasons as stated above, I won't cover stretching, I'll simply note its extreme importance to tuning stability: It's extremely important to tuning stability!!! A total PITA yes, but absolutely necessary (Speedloaders aside). It usually takes about 10-15 minutes of vigorous stretches to get them where they need to be. And I stretch the f*ck outta my strings, I'll elaborate if asked, lol. Today I actually managed to break the low E at the saddle (easy fix) and the high E at the headstock X) which I replaced with a spare .011.

Overall my first floyd-type string change went very well, and didn't take too long. When I began I had just put on the 1997 G3 DVD (favorite). Eric Johnson was finishing Red House just as I clamped down the nut, and the G3 guys left the stage as I cleaned up my supplies. After that it was just stretching, retuning, and a wipedown. A few Bodom licks later, I walked away satisfied, and began writing this novel you see here, lmao I think this took longer than the string change! I hope you enjoy!

Lastly, I would to give some big-time thanks. I came into this endeavor (actual ownership of the guitar) completely knowledgeable about the parts and mechanisms that I was getting. I was totally prepared, and encountered no surprises and no unexpected problems whatsoever. I have no one other than Ibanez Rules and Jemsite to thank for this. So a big thanks to Rich of course, and a huge thanks to the regular posters here on Jemsite, who take time to provide answers and aid for every problem, situation , and scenario that user's present. The wealth of information here is invaluable at the least. So thanks to all.

Last-Lastly, I would like to say, this alone justifies the difficulty of floating trems:

So f*cking cool! Oh yes, and pinch harmonic whammy raises\00/, nothing is so godlike…

\00/

 

very nice..

I like the beauty shots

 

So f*cking cool! Oh yes, and pinch harmonic whammy raises\00/, nothing is so godlike…

\00/

I'd have to agree! And I must admit I didn't really read your walk through as I have no ZR's, I just liked looking at your axe, very nice BTW.

 

Thanks for the guide. Great job and a beatiful guitar. Now all Ibanez needs to do now is make a lefty version of their S series . They did it before, so come on Ibanez :grin:.

Regards

André

 

good work man, that has in fact helped me



and givin me a great deal of GAS FOR AN S SERIES!!!!!

 

Cool guide man! Thanks very much!

Ps, do i get any bonus points for guessing the video in the back is G3 live in Denver??:lol:


Edit: Oops my mistake.. just read the whole post... just ignore it

 

That baby looks smooth with them emgs in it! Awesome guide too!

 

Looks great! Awesome pics! 8)

 

I vote to Sticky it ( so that we don't get anymore, how do I set up a ZR Trem!! Threads)

Even though I don't have a S series, it was still helpful......well not really but interesting! lol

 

Thats one sexy looking guitar man. Good job, very informative.

 

I have the 520EX myself and there are some things that I hate about the ZR.
1.) The armholder breaks. It's made of crappy metal that won't last.
2.) The sideholders are loose in their nuts, without strings and springs the whole thing rattles in its place. It's made cheaply and yet it still costs more than Lo-Pro! And just to annoy normal people, the screwholes in the body are off standards so that no-one can just replace the crappy ZR to a lo-pro without modifications!

 

this is very good i must say. Mods can we have a section for this to go in and others like it. very usefull +++

 

Very good demonstration man. I love it.

But i got a question. pardon it may sound noob.

if you remove all the strings at once, won't the neck get all funny cause you just released a huge amount of tension on them?

 

Very good demonstration man. I love it.

But i got a question. pardon it may sound noob.

if you remove all the strings at once, won't the neck get all funny cause you just released a huge amount of tension on them?

only if you leave the strings off for say.... 8-24 hours and let the neck get used to that lack of tension.

 

Hi,
thanks for the info. I was wondering why you use the battery to hold the trem. What is the purpose behind doing that?

 

Bump

Thanks for the demo !! Nice Axe !!

 

because the bridge moves its angle once you change strings gauges

 

So basically you need to do that ONLY if you're changing gauge? Can't you set the angle with the set up screw located at the back?

 

If you take out all the strings , the tremolo will fall into the cavity.
Battery prevents this. I use the same thing with my edge pro

 

If you take out all the strings , the tremolo will fall into the cavity.

What's wrong about this...

 

If you remove strings on a floater without vlocking the trem you the "neutral" position when you try and tune up the new strings. If you're tuning strings already from a close to neutral poistion its easier.

Another option is change strings 1 at a time

 

hey sonata guitarist loved the setup page but. I just got a S470 the other day but I never got the intonation where and what tool do you use to set the intonation

 

The ZR intonation tool is built into the trem. It's screwed in opposite to the bar.

 

Then what DO i do with that (sorry I know nothing about it I had someone else pick it up for me)

 

(Waiting to hear Rich reply...)

 

I'll guess, to the intonation question? It's in the manual, but, you unscew it and screw it in the back of the saddle, look from the butt strap pin toward the headstock and you'll see the threaded holes. Screw it in until it stops, unlock the saddle hold down screw [do it more than once and you will be replacing it] and you can use the tool to move the saddle back and forth.