Tuning Issues With My RG570

Manachild

Manachild

New member
This is a picture of the back of my Ibanez RG570 (Original Edge Tremolo System)

back2gu.jpg


I've been told that the springs are wrong, the spring at the bottom of the picture should be straight like the others and a 5th spring should be in between the top 3 and the bottom one.

The guitar is setup with 12-56's in D tuning (DGCFAD).

The issue is, i tune up my guitar, and after every song, the tuning has rised in pitch, i've been told this is an issue with the bridge.

Anymore information needed to help me i can aquire if needed, i just dont know too much about this stuff and i need to know whats going on.

Thanks alot,

regards,

Daniel
 
Re: Tuning Issues With My RG570

I can only see two issues here. You might have lost the knife edge on your bridge against the pivot screws, or somehow the strings are not locking properly on the nut. While the springs do look kind of funky, it should not be an issue if the strings were tuned properly and stretched.
 
Re: Tuning Issues With My RG570

It could be lowered about 2mm and that's about it. However this shouldn't matter if the guitar was tuned and the strings were locked. Rule of thumb is that the bridge should be adjusted so that the saddles are horizontal with the body, but this would not explain the problem you are having.
 
Re: Tuning Issues With My RG570

Just for clarification purposes.

When i tune up, the pitch rises a little after playing for 10minutes.

but with the pitch raised from just playing, if i dump the bar and do that a few times while playing, it doesnt put it out of tune anymore than it is from normal playing.

Does this suggest that it may not be a trem problem at all?

edit: after extended use, i noticed a small rise in pitch on the tuner.
Extended use after that, it lowered in pitch past the centre point before i started fiddling with it.

Could this suggest that there is no middle point or the middle point is raised too high.
 
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Re: Tuning Issues With My RG570

There's always a chance that the uneven (E to E) spring tension should be causing some binding. I'd go ahead and make the springs symetrical and see if that does anything.
 
Re: Tuning Issues With My RG570

First, I would suggest changing the spring configuration so that tension is distributed evenly across the bridge. After that, you should make sure the bridge is set to "float" at the correct zero point when tuned to the tuning that you use (i.e. standard E tuning, drop-D, etc...). Change this by tightening or loosening the two anchor screws that the spring claw attaches to (hint: a very small change will have a HUGE impact, so be gentle). If the bridge is being pulled towards the nut (angle above the guitar face), loosen the spring claw anchors, if it's pulling on the strings too much (angled below the guitar face) tighten the spring claw anchors.

The following procedure (annoyingly repetitive) is recommended: Tune to pitch & determine if the spring claw anchors needs to be tightened or loosened... If they need to be tightened, you may want to de-tune slightly before proceeding. Make the adjustment & re-tune to pitch - is the position correct or in need of further adjustment? Repeat until the bridge sits at the correct zero point.


Then, try this test to see if it's a dull knife edge problem. With the guitar hooked up to a tuner that displays differences in cents (or at least is accurate enough to where you could notice a small change), tune the guitar to pitch & lock the nut. Push down slightly on the tail of the bridge (or use the trem bar to raise the pitch) & then release - now check your tuning on the tuner... is the tuning now sharp or is the guitar still in tune?

If still in tune, next try pulling up slightly on the tail of the bridge (or use the trem bar to lower the pitch) & then release - check the tuner... is the tuning now flat, or is the guitar in tune?

If you have a knife edge problem, the above tests should result in the guitar not coming back in-tune, as the center "float" position of the tremelo will be imprecise due to the dull pivot edge.

I've experienced this problem with a number of cheap import Floyds & lower-end Ibanez Edge tremelos constructed of inferior metals. I solved it by replacing the bridge with a higher-quality one (Floyd Rose Original) made of steel. Other solutions include installing a Trem-setter (~$40) or other device that "sets" the zero point, or blocking the trem altogether, but only if this is actually the problem...


Hope that helps!

--Nightrunner
 
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Re: Tuning Issues With My RG570

off the subject, but this thread is making me miss my 570 that i got rid of a few months ago
 
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