Floating Trem Stabilizer and Drop D devices for Floyd and Ibanez Edge

[devastone]

I've been using the Rockinger Black Box for floating trems, but the last one I got was a little "catchy", so I remembered the ESP Arming Adjuster and found some in the US, althought they aren't ESP branded. I took a chance and ordered a couple from Mark's Gear Garage on Reverb (make him an offer and save a few $). These are easier to install than the Rockinger, work much smoother, and are cheaper. I think the problem I had with the Rockinger was that the trem cavity had a slight angle toward the trem and the Rockinger has a flat point of contact with the block, the Arming Adjuster has a spherical point of contact, so the ange doesn't matter.

FWIW, you can find the same ones on ebay from China (I asked, they are the same ones he sells) for ~$!2 but they ship from China, I didn't want to wait so I paid $24, it was worth a couple of lattes to me, especially since I don't drink lattes :bigeyes:

So I looked in his listings and he also has a drop D device for Ibanez Edges and Floyds, so, if you are and Ibanez guy you could potentially have a floating trem and drop D device, although you would probably have to have the trem springs and consequently the Arming Adjuster springs pretty tight to deal with changing tunings so it may be more of a down only trem at that point. I'm curious about the drop D device, not sure I'm sold on it, might be interesting on a 7 string(?), but thought I'd pass in on here since we were having a trem stabilizer discussion in another thread.

Here's the Reverb listings - https://reverb.com/shop/marks-gear-garage-322

I do recommend these stabilizers if you are looking for one, I bought 2 and replaced the Black Box in one guitar with one already. If you decide to try the drop D device let us know how it works!

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Floating Trem Stabilizer and Drop D devices for Floyd and Ibanez Edge

Good thread. Thanks

I actually have one of his detuners. I’m also not 100% sold on it. I had it installed on my Kramer (Floyd) but took it off and put the EVH back on. Maybe I installed it wrong, idk. It seemed to work fine when I first installed it but then it just seemed to spin and not latch properly. Like I said, maybe it was me.
But Mark is a stand up guy. I’ve had a lengthy email conversation with him and he is legit.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Floating Trem Stabilizer and Drop D devices for Floyd and Ibanez Edge

Do you find that this has that “notched” feel like the TremSetter has? Or is it a smooth transition passing through that center balance point?

 

[devastone]

Re: Floating Trem Stabilizer and Drop D devices for Floyd and Ibanez Edge

Thanks for the info, I was trying to figure out how his drop D thingy worked and can't say I'm 100% sold, but it's the first I've seen that is supposed to work with an Edge. I like stabilizers with floating trems, but not sure I want to lock one in place hard enough for a drop D thing to work.

FWIW, the Arming Adjuster works great, and is very smooth. I think that is due to the spherical contact point and because the "piston" part is brass sliding in aluminum. The AA has a much smoother transition from down to up, and doesn't feel "notched" exactly, but you can feel when it makes contact with the AA and when it is in the zero position, it feels "set" for lack of a better word, although I guess part of that depends on how tight the spring on the AA is set. I just put it in last night so I haven't played with it much.

I really like it and will use those for my stabilizers moving forward. I have an RG655 that I just picked up and a RG7620 7 string that are both still full floating. I will probably put one of these on the 7620, but I"m not sure about the 655, it is very "fluttery" but also comes back to pitch every time. So it may stay floating for a while.

I think some of my issue with the BB in my set up is the flat contact point in an angled trem cavity, so it doesn't contact the block flat. I have one in my old JEM but don't remember it feeling notched, maybe the old cavities were flat on the bottom? I really don't remember.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Floating Trem Stabilizer and Drop D devices for Floyd and Ibanez Edge

I just ordered one too. Same price you paid.