I got a brand new Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar and I LOVE it. It's more beautiful in person than on the screen! If I want to stop the floating tremolo temporally could I just add a block of wood or something but not glue or drill it? I still like to use the benefits of a floating tremolo but I don't want to always deal with the typical hassle of tuning a locking tremolo.
New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
- Thread starter Wayne27
- Start date
Re: New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
I do have it, I just didn't get the chance to take a pic.
I do have it, I just didn't get the chance to take a pic.
GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
Re: New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
I've used one for about six years and would like to give a big -1 to the tremelno.
The basic idea is great . . . you just do up all three thumbscrews to have a fixed bridge, or one thumbscrew to have a dive only bridge. In practice it doesn't work as it's supposed to:
The unit works by adding some blocks that fit over a smooth precision rod, one end is permenantly attached to the claw and one end to your trem block:
There is only one little screw to hold the trem in place for dive only . . . and I found that under regular use this screw wasn't enough to keep the stopper from slipping a little after use. If you broke a string or something, the stopper wouldn't work at all. If you want to increase the spring tension enough to do double string bends in tune, the single screw won't hold position properly. You can try tightening the screw even more, but it just won't hold very well.
All three screws tightened do not hold very well either. Certainly not enough to do a string change, maybe enough to prevent slippage from a string break depending on the string. There is enough to do two string country style bends occasionally.
"Why not crank down hard on the slipping screws?" You ask. Well, that's what I eventually did. Cranking down hard on the thumb screws makes gouges in the smooth rod . . . and these gouges mean that your trem will never return to tune properly because of the added friction in the system now. Yes, you could probably pull the whole thing apart and then sand the rod back down to try to make . . . but I eventually just said **** it and took it out.
YMMV and all. I use 11 - 52s, so maybe if you use 8s it would work better?
I've used one for about six years and would like to give a big -1 to the tremelno.
The basic idea is great . . . you just do up all three thumbscrews to have a fixed bridge, or one thumbscrew to have a dive only bridge. In practice it doesn't work as it's supposed to:
The unit works by adding some blocks that fit over a smooth precision rod, one end is permenantly attached to the claw and one end to your trem block:
There is only one little screw to hold the trem in place for dive only . . . and I found that under regular use this screw wasn't enough to keep the stopper from slipping a little after use. If you broke a string or something, the stopper wouldn't work at all. If you want to increase the spring tension enough to do double string bends in tune, the single screw won't hold position properly. You can try tightening the screw even more, but it just won't hold very well.
All three screws tightened do not hold very well either. Certainly not enough to do a string change, maybe enough to prevent slippage from a string break depending on the string. There is enough to do two string country style bends occasionally.
"Why not crank down hard on the slipping screws?" You ask. Well, that's what I eventually did. Cranking down hard on the thumb screws makes gouges in the smooth rod . . . and these gouges mean that your trem will never return to tune properly because of the added friction in the system now. Yes, you could probably pull the whole thing apart and then sand the rod back down to try to make . . . but I eventually just said **** it and took it out.
YMMV and all. I use 11 - 52s, so maybe if you use 8s it would work better?
devastone
Well-known member
Re: New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
Yeah, I've used a Tremol No briefly, and no, can't find the benefit it in. Aside from the problems above, it is advertised as something you can use "on the fly" but that is flawed, if you lock it down, then have to adjust your tuning, when you unlock it will be totally out of tune.
I use a Blackbox trem stabilizer in most of my floating trem guitars - http://www.fu-tone.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=222
If you don't want to drill holes, these work well too, but it makes pull ups a little harder - http://www.fu-tone.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=219
If you like to do "flutters" with the trem, both will seriously limit or kill the ability to do that.
Yeah, I've used a Tremol No briefly, and no, can't find the benefit it in. Aside from the problems above, it is advertised as something you can use "on the fly" but that is flawed, if you lock it down, then have to adjust your tuning, when you unlock it will be totally out of tune.
I use a Blackbox trem stabilizer in most of my floating trem guitars - http://www.fu-tone.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=222
If you don't want to drill holes, these work well too, but it makes pull ups a little harder - http://www.fu-tone.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=219
If you like to do "flutters" with the trem, both will seriously limit or kill the ability to do that.
Gtrjunior
Well-known member
Re: New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
Which do you prefer?
I’ve been toying with the idea of the black box in my new Ibby.
Do they both still let you have a full floating setup? I’m assuming it’s similar to the Tremsetter where it establishes a “set point” that it return to for its neutral position?
Which do you prefer?
I’ve been toying with the idea of the black box in my new Ibby.
Do they both still let you have a full floating setup? I’m assuming it’s similar to the Tremsetter where it establishes a “set point” that it return to for its neutral position?
devastone
Well-known member
Re: New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
Yep, that's exactly how it works. It's more work to install and setup than the stabilizer, and requires a couple of holes, but I like it better. Both give you a full floating setup, meaning you can raise or lower pitch, but you do lose the ability to flutter, although less so with blackbox, depending on how tight you set the "negative" spring.
The downside to the blackbox is that you can't do a drop D tuning with it though unless you have the negative spring set really tight, which will also affect your ability to raise pitch. Same goes for breaking strings, unless the neg spring is tight, it will go out of tune if you break a string.
The stabilizer is more of a hard stop, and to raise the pitch you are actually making the claw slide on the claw screws (so they can't be fully threaded screws), but, it is more stable, it will stay in tune if you break a string or if you want to do drop D or something.
Yep, that's exactly how it works. It's more work to install and setup than the stabilizer, and requires a couple of holes, but I like it better. Both give you a full floating setup, meaning you can raise or lower pitch, but you do lose the ability to flutter, although less so with blackbox, depending on how tight you set the "negative" spring.
The downside to the blackbox is that you can't do a drop D tuning with it though unless you have the negative spring set really tight, which will also affect your ability to raise pitch. Same goes for breaking strings, unless the neg spring is tight, it will go out of tune if you break a string.
The stabilizer is more of a hard stop, and to raise the pitch you are actually making the claw slide on the claw screws (so they can't be fully threaded screws), but, it is more stable, it will stay in tune if you break a string or if you want to do drop D or something.
Gtrjunior
Well-known member
Re: New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
I can live without the flutter. The Ibby has an Edge Pro so I can’t install any type of drop d devise.
But I would like it to keep time in the event of a broken string. You’re saying the black box won’t do that unless the stop bar is set really tight. (?)
I have one guitar with a Tremsetter and it works fine. Stays in tune both with a break and when using an EVH drop d.
Do you also have a guitar with the fu tone devise you linked?
I can live without the flutter. The Ibby has an Edge Pro so I can’t install any type of drop d devise.
But I would like it to keep time in the event of a broken string. You’re saying the black box won’t do that unless the stop bar is set really tight. (?)
I have one guitar with a Tremsetter and it works fine. Stays in tune both with a break and when using an EVH drop d.
Do you also have a guitar with the fu tone devise you linked?
devastone
Well-known member
Re: New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
The Edge Pro probably has enough travel in the fine tuners that you could lower your E string to drop D if you set it up right.
The problem with the Tremsetter (IMHO) is you have to drill a 1" - 2" deep hole into the body for the rod to move in and out of. Yes, I have used one on a JEM7VWH years ago and it worked fine, although if you can drop tuning and it stays in tune with broke strings you must have the negative (not sure what else to call it) spring set pretty tight.
The Stabilizer might be your best bet, FWIW, they used to sell them in singles and they worked fine on the center spring, 2 is pretty much overkill(?), of course that is $20 per guitar for 2 guitars. Yes, I have used these but it's been quite a few years, I think it was in a Robin Medley or a Hamer Diablo, don't recall exactly, it did work pretty well as I recall.
And yes, I use the Blackbox thingy all the time now, there was one in the JEM7RB in my pic which is about 9 - 10 years ago now, my hair is shorter and grey and I weigh more, but the Blackbox was still working fine until I sold the guitar to pay rent in 2017 (which I still regret). I've also used those in a Washburn N4 and N6, RG1527 and RG7620 seven strings, currently in a Schecter SD (pics are in the Trading Post), and pretty much any other floating Floyd guitar I've had for the past decade or more. I guess you could say I like it.
And FWIW, I have used a TremolNo too, and was quite unimpressed for the reasons stated earlier, most of which I figured out before I tried one, but I bought a guitar that already had one installed.
The Edge Pro probably has enough travel in the fine tuners that you could lower your E string to drop D if you set it up right.
The problem with the Tremsetter (IMHO) is you have to drill a 1" - 2" deep hole into the body for the rod to move in and out of. Yes, I have used one on a JEM7VWH years ago and it worked fine, although if you can drop tuning and it stays in tune with broke strings you must have the negative (not sure what else to call it) spring set pretty tight.
The Stabilizer might be your best bet, FWIW, they used to sell them in singles and they worked fine on the center spring, 2 is pretty much overkill(?), of course that is $20 per guitar for 2 guitars. Yes, I have used these but it's been quite a few years, I think it was in a Robin Medley or a Hamer Diablo, don't recall exactly, it did work pretty well as I recall.
And yes, I use the Blackbox thingy all the time now, there was one in the JEM7RB in my pic which is about 9 - 10 years ago now, my hair is shorter and grey and I weigh more, but the Blackbox was still working fine until I sold the guitar to pay rent in 2017 (which I still regret). I've also used those in a Washburn N4 and N6, RG1527 and RG7620 seven strings, currently in a Schecter SD (pics are in the Trading Post), and pretty much any other floating Floyd guitar I've had for the past decade or more. I guess you could say I like it.
And FWIW, I have used a TremolNo too, and was quite unimpressed for the reasons stated earlier, most of which I figured out before I tried one, but I bought a guitar that already had one installed.
Last edited:
Gtrjunior
Well-known member
Re: New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
Awesome. Thanks for the info.
I also have a tremol-no with I am pretty unimpressed with too.
Awesome. Thanks for the info.
I also have a tremol-no with I am pretty unimpressed with too.
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
I had a Jem Junior for a while. A lot of people will tell you they are no good, but if you're not expecting it to sound and play like a 777, they are quite nice instruments. I actually held on to my Junior for quite some time until I found a good deal on a 777.
Quite a few guitars go flying in and out of my stable, but that Junior is one of the few that I sometimes miss.
I had a Jem Junior for a while. A lot of people will tell you they are no good, but if you're not expecting it to sound and play like a 777, they are quite nice instruments. I actually held on to my Junior for quite some time until I found a good deal on a 777.
Quite a few guitars go flying in and out of my stable, but that Junior is one of the few that I sometimes miss.
Re: New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
Totally agree! bought it and sold it in 10 days! you dont notice, but the guitar needs to have a properly deep back cavity for i tto work! plus the studs never lock properly on the screw! waisted money IMHO!
I've used one for about six years and would like to give a big -1 to the tremelno.
The basic idea is great . . . you just do up all three thumbscrews to have a fixed bridge, or one thumbscrew to have a dive only bridge. In practice it doesn't work as it's supposed to:
The unit works by adding some blocks that fit over a smooth precision rod, one end is permenantly attached to the claw and one end to your trem block:
There is only one little screw to hold the trem in place for dive only . . . and I found that under regular use this screw wasn't enough to keep the stopper from slipping a little after use. If you broke a string or something, the stopper wouldn't work at all. If you want to increase the spring tension enough to do double string bends in tune, the single screw won't hold position properly. You can try tightening the screw even more, but it just won't hold very well.
All three screws tightened do not hold very well either. Certainly not enough to do a string change, maybe enough to prevent slippage from a string break depending on the string. There is enough to do two string country style bends occasionally.
"Why not crank down hard on the slipping screws?" You ask. Well, that's what I eventually did. Cranking down hard on the thumb screws makes gouges in the smooth rod . . . and these gouges mean that your trem will never return to tune properly because of the added friction in the system now. Yes, you could probably pull the whole thing apart and then sand the rod back down to try to make . . . but I eventually just said **** it and took it out.
YMMV and all. I use 11 - 52s, so maybe if you use 8s it would work better?
Totally agree! bought it and sold it in 10 days! you dont notice, but the guitar needs to have a properly deep back cavity for i tto work! plus the studs never lock properly on the screw! waisted money IMHO!
devastone
Well-known member
Re: New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
Just posted a new thread - https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...r-Floyd-and-Ibanez-Edge&p=4301999#post4301999
Just posted a new thread - https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...r-Floyd-and-Ibanez-Edge&p=4301999#post4301999
Mr. B
New member
Re: New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
A faster way to restring floating trems...
https://youtu.be/AXU8VjE01mY
A faster way to restring floating trems...
https://youtu.be/AXU8VjE01mY
dystrust
Well-known member
Re: New Steve Vai Jem Junior guitar!
Been doing that for ages. If you don't have an eraser handy, a 9V battery also works quite well.
Been doing that for ages. If you don't have an eraser handy, a 9V battery also works quite well.
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