Floyd Rose, Continuous unsolvable problems

About a year ago i bought a Jackson PS4 with a
floyd rose on it. Ever since i bought it the bridge
was abit pulled up by the srings making the strings have a big distance from the fretboard. So a put an 8 set on and the floyd rose lowered down still not parallel to the guitar. I tightened the screws holding the bridge so it came somewhat further down. Every time i change the strings the whole system goes higher and i have tightened the screws at a level that doesnt seem logical. What would happen with 10 string set(which are usualy used on this type of guitar), i imagine the floyd rose would fly off the guitar. Is it just because of the crapiness of the guitar or am i doing something wrong? Any ideas? PLEEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!

P.S When i pull up a string like to play a double note the other string playing the same note lowers a third of a semitone making it really unpleasant to play that kind of stuff. is this a fact on all Floyd rose guitars?

Floyd Rose isn't that tricky once you've gotten used to it. But it is very sensitive. If you really don't know what you're doing the best thing would be to take it to a guitar tech. If this is not an option for you then I'd suggest checking out http://www.stewmac.com . You can find all kinds of books there on how to set up your floyd rose system.

One solution to your problems, get a guitar with a fixed bridge! ;)

Other solution, read the following site => http://www.jacksonguitars.com/Techtips/floyd_setup.htm


Greetz, TK

the screws holding the springs can no longer go any further into the wood and yet the floyd rose is still at an angle, isnt that odd??????????????????????????

Very simple solution to that one => add one or more springs.

I looooooove playing guitars with floyd rose tremolos, but when it comes to changing the strings or setting it, I wish I had learned the Tuba...
I actually play a fixed bridge guitar, and I have a steinberger with a floyd, but I use it in the studio only for special effects, not for actual playing onstage, because it's too dang unpredictable...
By the way, it's normal that the other strings lower when you bend a note, bye bye b-bender imitation techniques!!!

If i put extra springs on the guitar is it possible that the extra tention will cause any damage to the guitar like bending the neck or pulling out the screws that hold the strings????

the tension won't exceed that of the strings, since the springs pull against the strings, but don't add overall tension...

Which screws are you tightening?

If you're tightening the big ones that the tremolo rests against, those change the overall height, but will NOT change the angle of the tremolo. To adjust the tremolo angle, remove the back cover from the guitar (the square none, not the one that covers the control cavity). There will be two screws that hold a claw that holds the springs, which are THEN attached to the tremolo. Tightening these screws will increase the spring tension, which will lower the tremolo angle. This will also change your string tuning (strings will go VERY sharp), so you'll have to retune. This, of course, will AGAIN lower your tremolo angle, so it's an iterative process.

Try tightening the tremolo screws until the tremolo goes HALFWAY down, then retune. You should end up close. Then, readjust to get it where you want it. I like my tremolo to be level with the body of the guitar.

AFTER you get the tremolo level, adjust the bridge post screws to set the string height.

Schaller used to make a nifty spring hook that attached to the tremolo cavity, and allowed you to adjust tremolo spring tension from OUTSIDE the guitar, with a hex wrench. I have these on all my guitars, they are VERY cool and well worth the money.

Once you have your tension set, use the SAME BRAND AND GUAGE of strings every time. Changing brand and/or guage will mean you have to reset your springs just about every time. Changing tunings will also do this.

the screws i'm tightenig are the screws in the cavity of the guitar, and they are as in as they can go!!! I's it posibble that the springs have lost there pull from use?

Well, you're tightening the right screws.

I've had the same springs in for about ten years, so I don't think they lose their stretch very quickly.

How many springs are you using? I use three, and I'm using stainless 9's, tuned to e flat. For standard tuning I run pretty close to the top of the spring travel, but three works.

If you add another spring, you'll be able to loosen the screws.

If your tremolo won't accommodate more springs, maybe they ARE sprung. If you remove the spring, it should compress all the way, so that the winds are touching. If they don't, maybe the spring has been over-extended. If so, you need new ones.