Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

B

BluesGuyJ

New member
Hey all...


I have an axe with an Ibanez Edge Pro on it. I typically use Elixer 10-46, but just threw on a set of Ernie Ball Cobalt 10-46 and the bridge is resting lower in the bridge cavity, stupid low. The whammy bar is getting caught on the pickup selecter. How do I fix this? Its in tune perfect and intonation sounds dead on still. Also, the cobalt strings on this sound great! I assume that although the EB cobalts are the same gauge, they do have a liter tension, causing the bridge to fall a smidgen lower now?


I feel like this must be an easy fix and would love to tweak it myself. Tricky thing is I am legally blind and do everything by feel, so no pictures online of what to do will help. I'd hate to have to bring this to a tech to fix. Can anyone give me solid detailed tips on what to do?
 
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

The string tension is different, so you will need to adjust the claw to equalize.
 
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

Different core to wrap ratio. Different overall tension to reach the same pitch.
 
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

Wow them EB's must be spaghetti like to play.....no tension....yeah adjust the claw, might take a few turns to get it there...just be patient....stick to same strings(manufacturer) is a good rule with Floyds.
 
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

I'd say that the bridge's knife edges are not in the grooves of the pivot posts, as is common when restringing a Floyd-style bridge, but rather have slipped down to the actual body of the post.
 
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

How do I adjust the claw if that is the issue? What direction to turn screws?


If the other issue is the bridge knife edges have fallen, how does one adjust that?
 
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

Anti-clockwise to put less tension on the springs. Bear in mind that the strings will have less tension too, so they'll go below pitch for your chosen tuning. When you tune back to pitch, the bridge will rise further. You may well end up adjusting the screw a few times (either way), before you get the bridge at the right height when the guitar is in tune. It takes a little time, but isn't difficult - it's just a balancing act you need to play.
 
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

hmmm me thinks I may leave this to my tech. even when I go to take off the back plate, I am not sure whih screws are for what.... I can not see that fine of detail
 
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

If the bar is hitting the pickup selector, then the claw is not the issue. I'd say since you did not change the string gauge, it's not the issue at all.

If the trem is merely leaning farther back than it did before, and the knife edges are seated properly in the pivot post grooves, then the claw is the issue.


If the entire bridge is physically lower into the cavity than it was before, the bridge has slipped down the posts. What you have to do to fix that is loosen the strings fully and lift the trem straight up by the bar until the knife edges seat into the post grooves, then tighten the strings.

Alternatively, you can leave the strings at tension and simply pop off the springs. You'll have to hold the trem by the bar, pulling it back as far as you can, and keep a firm grip on each spring as you remove them, because they will fly like a bird. They hurt, too.

Then, since the springs are not pulling the trem, you can seat the knife edges into the grooves, pull the trem all the way back again with the bar, and put the springs back on.

How I usually do this is rotate the bar so it's pointing at the rear strap pin and lay the guitar strings-down in my lap, pull tightly on the bar so the bridge leans fully back, and do the springs (works for both removing and reinstalling).
 
Last edited:
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

Do you mean that it has angled backward? If so, adjust the claw so it lies flat or angled slightly upward.

If the whole thing has sunk, then it fell off the posts. Just loosen the strings and lift it back up into the right spot, then re-tighten the strings.

If it is the latter, it was likely caused by taking all the strings off before installing any new ones. Just replace one at a time and you'll avoid it in the future. It's better for your neck not to put it through a complete de-tensioning and re-tensioning every time you change strings anyhow.
 
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

I restrung it string by string, from low E to high E.


I thik I am going to bring it to my tech and see what he says. Just tired of paying $20 here and there to fix something I know I could if I could actually see lol.... Maybe I can pay him to show me how to set up a floyd unit.
 
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

The problem here is that those strings have a different tension than the ones you were using before. When I was still using Floyds (I still have a couple guitars with them now), I also had a fixed bridge guitar that I tried new strings on. If I liked them, then I would set up all my guitars for the new strings. Now I have only one or two Floyds (out of 10 or 15 guitars) so It's not so much a big deal anymore.
 
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

Adjust the spring tension in the back and re-tune.
 
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

And this is why all my floyds can go only down, nut up, and use 3 springs screwed back as far as possible. And yet... I love floyds.
 
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

Take it to your tech.

Adjusting a Floyd for new tension is a pain in the ass for someone with 20/20 vision.

I wouldn't be too hard on myself for needing a little help!
 
Last edited:
Re: Just restrung floating bridge and bridge has fallen lower into cavity....?

BluesGuyJ said:
hmmm me thinks I may leave this to my tech. even when I go to take off the back plate, I am not sure whih screws are for what.... I can not see that fine of detail
Click to expand...

There are only two screws holding the claw in-- turn them counter-clockwise to loosen them which will allow the strings to pull the bridge back up to where it should be when you tune them back up. Like others have said, just a little fine-tuning of how much to unscrew them, then screw them back in, etc., but no sense in paying someone to do something so simple.

Do you have serious vision problems? From your profile, you're 28-- that seems pretty young to have a vision problem that can't be fixed w/ glasses or contact lenses.

I'd hate to think of how close I'd have to get to the guitar to work on it if I didn't have my contacts in!

Good luck, man!
J.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

O
Red devil for Strat bridge wiring options
Replies
3
Views
152
jeremy
jeremy
O
First new build since 2022, and a little 'gift' from Gibson
2
Replies
27
Views
1K
playas
playas
idsnowdog
Introducing the Garbagecaster
Replies
6
Views
753
JamesPaul
JamesPaul
J
Full shreds and pole pieces
2 3 4
Replies
72
Views
4K
jeremy
jeremy
P
pickups and frequency emphasis issues with DIY baritone guitar
Replies
7
Views
320
pjd3
P
Back
Top