Floyd guys - a word of caution.

[Chris Pile]

I picked up a really nice ESP M-II with a complaint about one of the string blocks not moving. It was making it hard to change the string.

I took the saddle off the Floyd and found that the block was indeed wedged into the saddle and didn't move much. It took me well over an hour to worry that thing out of the hole. The client had been tightening the block down too hard on the string. On the older Floyds, the locking blocks were hardened, and simply cracked when over tightened. Now - they bulge out at the bottom, thus resulting in the block being stuck. I sanded a couple thousandths off each side and swabbed the square hole of the saddle with light machine oil (Mobile Vactra DTE-10, if you care). Now the block moves back and forth freely, but will be held in once the locking screw is inserted.

Then I performed a complete restring and set it up nice and low so the client will be happy-happy-joy-joy when he picks it up tomorrow. Yes, I charged extra for fixing the block.

So, here's the deal - snug it down on the string, but don't cinch it down like a muscleman. You just want the string to stay put, not to damage the small parts of your axe.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

Very few parts are ever helped by "farmer tight".

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[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

Good to know they bloom at the bottom. Made the mistake of overtightening before, but (luckily) it simply cracked and was easy to remove / replace.

 

[devastone]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

I've had this happen decades ago, don't remember if it was an OFR or one of the Schaller cast plate ones. And yeah, I was probably overtightening, it's pretty amazing how much force is generated from that extra 1/4 - 1/2 turn on the allen wrench.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

Very few parts are ever helped by "farmer tight".

My dad's a farmer. Every time something's wrong with the tractor the first tool he picks up is his hammer. I don't let him touch my guitars.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

My dad's a farmer. Every time something's wrong with the tractor the first tool he picks up is his hammer. I don't let him touch my guitars.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

As a Floyd noob,I gotta ask: what is "tight enough"?

How do I know that the strings won't slip out of the saddle? Is there a trick to making sure they don't?

 

[devastone]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

I understand your question, and don't have a good answer except "firm", if it's too loose the string will most likely slip out when you tune it up.

I know that isn't a good answer, it's definitely a feel thing after the past 3 decades. Back in the day I also have had Ibanez Edge saddles break because they are not hardened, so they require a little more care than the hardened Floyd ones.

 

[tstone2]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

Snug and make sure the string is centered or it may not last long.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

Finger tighten it with the Allen wrench going into the bolt the long ways. Then take the wrench out, put the short end in so that you have more leverage, and go 1/8 to 1/4 turn max more. At least that's what I do.

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[dave74]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

Finger tighten it with the Allen wrench going into the bolt the long ways. Then take the wrench out, put the short end in so that you have more leverage, and go 1/8 to 1/4 turn max more. At least that's what I do.

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That's a good rule of thumb. Once you know the "feel" then you can skip the first step.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

Finger tighten it with the Allen wrench going into the bolt the long ways. Then take the wrench out, put the short end in so that you have more leverage, and go 1/8 to 1/4 turn max more. At least that's what I do.

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+1
This is what I do as well.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

That's a good rule of thumb. Once you know the "feel" then you can skip the first step.

It's not about saving time. It's about doing it well the first time, so you don't have to do it the second time.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

Thanks for the info, gents. I have had a Godin with a floyd for years that I hardly play because I'm kind of intimidated by the idea of having to do any maintenance on the bridge.

 

[devastone]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

Thanks for the info, gents. I have had a Godin with a floyd for years that I hardly play because I'm kind of intimidated by the idea of having to do any maintenance on the bridge.

Well that's a waste! :stooges:

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

Well that's a waste! :stooges:

It is! Plays like butter, too. I'm going to pull it out and start playing it more.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

The only thing about a Floyd that intimidates me is setting the intonation. I suppose that all one has to do is block it while you are doing so. Luckily, I haven't had to mess with the only one that I have.

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[Benjy_26]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

The only thing about a Floyd that intimidates me is setting the intonation. I suppose that all one has to do is block it while you are doing so. Luckily, I haven't had to mess with the only one that I have.

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Yup. That's another thing that I sort of don't want to get into. Setting a VS100's intonation is enough for me.

 

[devastone]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

It's not so bad after you figure out a routine, I just sit down in front of the TV with tools and a tuner. But, I have been playing them since ~1987, so, I have had a bit of practice. The good news is that once you get it set, it's pretty much set as long as you don't make major string gauge changes.

 

[dave74]

Re: Floyd guys - a word of caution.

It's not about saving time. It's about doing it well the first time, so you don't have to do it the second time.

Well it's really just about not over-tightening things, that's basically it.