I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

[BluesGuyJ]

Hey guys,
I bought a Joe Satriani about a month ago, and this is my first guitar with a floyd (JS1000BP). I can not get it to stay in tune at all. I've screwed the setup twice and I've spent $60 having it setup 2 times by my local shop. My shop just did a setup like 7 days ago and they adjusted the bridge and something to see if that would help. Well, the guitar stays in tune, but not well. You can definitly tell it's off. When I tune it, I go from the first string (small e string) all the way to the 6th (thick e string). The E A and D strings will be in tune, but the G B and E will be sharp. Then when I flatten those down to perfect tunning the E A and D strings are sharp. And this situatin keeps trading off. Now I'm only using the fine tuners on the bridge, not the tuners on the head, I've learned that using those will really raise and lower the bridge, as well as the intonation, but i was told to only use the fine tunners. What am I doing wrong? Did they set the guitar up poorly? Im so frustrated Im thinking of trying to return the guitar. A $1,200 guitar that I can't get to stay in tune, **** that.

 

[timccart]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

Try here.

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

Ok. So right now I have my guitar tuned like this. The E B and G strings are all in perfect tunning, but the D A and E strings are all a little sharp, not up a whole half step, but about half way to a half step. Should I loosen the bass side of the claw? Or do I tighten it? if I read the tutorial right I should tighten it, because that will raise that side of the bridge, dropping the tension of the strings, right?

And while I do this, I should have the locking nuts loose, and the fine tuners screwed halfway down, and I should use my tunner to check tunning along the way. Should I tune with the fine tunners or the tunners on the head stock?

And I was confused about the whole string progression tunning method, can either of you explain this? Will I need to do that in my situation, or only a simple adjustment of the trem claw to balance out the strings? This floating tremolo is more than I thought it was gonna be, I knew I should have gone with a Les Paul lol. Being legally blind doesn't help me with this situation.

 

[ankalar]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

Loosen your locking nut and just keep on tuning. You have to find a happy medium between the strings. It takes a while the first couple of times you do it, but once you've tuned it correctly a few times you'll get the hang of it. You don't have to adjust your bridge at all unless the plate is way off after it's tuned up.

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

Alrighty, thanks! Wish me luck.... lol

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

Here's how I do it...

I start with the high E, get it in tune, then go on to the B, G, etc... until I've brought each to pitch separately. Then I start over, and just keep doing it over & over until they're all in tune together. Then , if the bridge is leaning forward, I'll tighten the claw, and retune. If its still leaning, repeat. If I over corrected, I loosen it a bit and retune, so on and so forth.

It usually takes me about an hour to get one strung up & in tune. One more tip, leave the locking nut unlocked until the strings are stretched. If there's not gigging, I usually leave them unclamped for approx 24 hours.

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

I think my claw does need adustment. The E A and D strings areperfectly tuned, and I mean perfect. While the G B and E strings are fairly sharp. I need to tighten the treble side so the bridge lifts a little on that side and release some of the tension and so it all balances out, right?

 

[rspst14]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

Is this a floating tremolo, or is it set up flat against the body?

Ryan

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

Im not very good with all the terminology but I believe it's a floating. It's a Pro Edge Bridge.

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

Here's a link that may help.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/519566/

 

[SheDoesntDoIt4Me]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

Welcome to the world of the floyd.

Ive always made a "block" of some wood to stick between the body and bridge from behind, in a size that will hold it right where you want it. String it, and tune, tune, tune...adjust claw, tune, claw, tune...keep your fine tuners a little on the sharp side(screwed in a little more than half) that way when your done and you lock down the nut, which will leave it a little sharp....you can fine tune down and youll be in the middle.

It takes time to master, but youll get it.

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

I'm so lost, I've been told like 3 different ways to do it... I should just be able to tighten the treble side, which should release tension on that side, which will flatten the sharpness and bring all the strings into balance right?

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

P.S. Half are tuned perfectly (EAD) half are sharp (GBE)

 

[rspst14]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

I'm not sure I'm following you here. Like any other guitar, you should tune with the tuners, not by adjusting the springs, which is what it sounds like you're trying to do. Start by adjusting the claw so that it's level on both sides. Then tune the low E, then the A, then the high E, the B, the D, then the G. After a few passes, it should be in tune, unless your spring tension is way off. I would suggest setting up the Floyd so that it lies flat against the body. My Wolfgang is set up that way and I have zero tuning difficulties.

Ryan

 

[Marcel]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

My experience:
The main problem is if you tune one string higher the others go lower, because when you tune the string higer there is higher tension on the bridge and the bridge goes up which make the other strings lower. It's more complicated you have to watch all forces etc.
But it's always:
1. one string tuned higher the others goes lower.
2. if you tune one string much (maybe more then for ex. 1/8 rotation) you have to retune the others as well
Let's say the strings are to low.
I go fro the lowest string to the highest by tuning (with a tuner). If I'm on the low E is
wrong again (to low). You have to do this again and and again and every step it would be better.
I do it this way if i see i have to tune the low e up much i tune the other strings up a bit too
You get a feeling for how much have to do this.
So you needs to tune every string 2-3 times. Then u can lock and you just have to fine tune!
By fine tuning when you tune one string a bit it wouldn't affect the tuning of the other strings (that much) . So you get perfect tuning.
My guitar once tuned stayed very well in tuning.

But I've blocked the trem coz i did'nt like it if i bend one string the others go lower and i don't use the trem.

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

I'm just going to bring it to a different shop and have them REALLY set it up. Once this is done, will the way it's been setup come out of that form naturally? Like will the action go lower, the trem go out of wack? And also, when it's setup and restrung and everything, I really wont have to worry about tunning right? Just use the fine tunners? I wont have to fool with the trem claw ortension everytime I go to retune right? I only have to do this after it's been restrung fresh? If I have to go through this process every week, I'm going to see if I can return the guitar. It's that I dont mind doing it, but I can't see well enough to notice, lets say, that the string heights are all different, or that one side of the bridge is up higher than the other, by a smidgen.WTF

 

[Warheart]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

heres the steve vai way of doing it:
with everything locked, using the fine tuners
tune the low e
then the a
then the low e
then the a
then d
then a
low e
a
d
g
d
a
low e
all the way up through and back, until everything is in tune.
but you're gonna want your claw adjusted so that its even on both sides maybe?
if everything is in tune, but the floyd isn't floating level with the body, then you need to loosen the or tighten both claw screws the same amount, then retune and see if its better, once its set up that way, it should stay in tune for a nice while, and then you don't have to play with the claw ever again.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

Like he said...never ever start with the thin strings, and if it is a floater....try to find something that can be fitted between under the finetuners and the body of the guitar....
Anyways did Zerb not made a Floydsetup instructions in the Vault???

 

[B2D]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

I'll trade you for a perfectly set-up '92 MIA Strat with two PAF Pros and an OFR!

The guitar's not a JEM, but www.jemsite.com has some great tips for working with Floyds in general and Ibanezes with Edges in particular.

I'd advise taking this guitar in for a setup to the best shop in town and getting the luthier to give you a hands-on lesson if possible. This is one of those things where sometimes you have to see it done to really get it.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: I'm so frustrated, can't tune guitar with floyd

The only time you need to adjust the spring claw is to make sure the Floyd baseplate is perfectly parallel to the body.

Your tuning problem sounds like the intonation is out. Many techs like to breeze over that part of a Floyd setup, but it's gotta be perfect. If not, some chords on the neck will always sound sour.