??Floyd Rose tuning trouble..

[stratotak]

Lately ..the past 2-3 months .I have been having trouble keeping my guitar with a Floyd copy in tune..It just wont stay in tune anymore..If I use it or just do a few string bends its outta tune..mainly the lower strings..I have checked base plate pivot area and its smooth to touch and stud has no deep scratches..I have checked locking nut by striking note and then press down on strings behind nut near tuners and pitch stays the same..there dosent seem to be any slipping or binding that I can see..Its made out of alder and the area around stud posts seems fine..no cracks or anything....Ive heard guitars out of bass wood have problems with stud post because of basswood being so soft..but like I said mines alder and that area seems fine..I have pretty much run out of ideas as what it can be..any ideas??something i might have over looked??The guitars like 16 years old..early Hamer California..its a great guitar and sounds and plays good... i want to keep it..

[andrew]

answered your own question.....
age

[warmstrat]

Really? I have little experience with FR setups, vintage or otherwise, but that doesn't sound right to me. Good equipment should last.

[stratotak]

Yeah..the age part doesn't sound right either..Its not a guitar that has seen 15 years of road use or something..Its a guitar that gets played when I was In mood to play..The Floyd may not be a original Floyd but its well made..not a cheap one..Back then Hamers mid priced range guitars were well made..this is the first generation Hamer Slammers..,which use to be there import series..the import series were copies of their high end guitars..but instead of things like set necks and mahogany bodies and original floyds..they were bolt on necks and alder,at least this one is, and Floyd rose copies..no bindings on neck..Its a shame Hamer went and made the Slammer series into real cheap junk these days..I haven't played one of there Hamer XT series..which are there mid priced imports..so i don't know if there on same quality level..I believe there still made in Korea..but anyway back to the Rose..I cant visually see anything wrong with the parts..but I cant figure out why Its going out of tune..

[andy]

Stupid question coming up, but how old are the strings?

An old set can cause no end of trouble, particularly if they have come under some heavy trem abuse, and a lack of any other mechanical issues suggest a fresh set might be a life saver. Also the general setup can be worth re-tweaking, even on a guitar which doesn't get much use, as changes in atmosphere will still be affecting it whilst it's waiting around for you.

[stratotak]

The strings are new..about week old..Originally i thought it was the strings..I use Daddario's..but thought Id try some Ernie Ball Super Slinkys..and thats when I started having trouble with tuning..then went back to Addarios....that would have been funny..lol..wondering why I cant get a guitar with 15 year old strings in tune..lol..

[andy]

Well, I wasn't assuming they'd be THAT old!

I was going to apologise for not being much more help, but actually, it may be worth looking at the condition of the springs round the back too. If they are a bit tarnished or corroded they many not be as supple as they once were, or the pins in the tone block and loops round the claw may be a little stuck in place, again maybe hampering return-to-pitch. Removing them and cleaning with WD-40 or some such should be good to clean them up and lubricate them for further useage. Bit of a long shot, but it sounds like the obvious stuff all covered!

[stratotak]

Yeah..cleaning springs couldnt hurt..I replaced them about 2 years ago..bought them off ebay..i had taken guitar apart to repaint,which I never got around to doing..lol.just sanded it to wood and rubbed some lemon oil on it..and lost a few parts..I dont know..maybe they were cheap springs and there whacked now..lol..Im going to google cheap floyd rose spring problems and see if that could be problem..just cheap butt springs that have gone bad..Im thinking about replacing it with a new one..One i have is black..thinking about replacing it with chrome one..If I do ill go with a GOTOH version,,there like $140
www.guitarpartsresource.com/guitar_frtremassembly.htm
Shur uses them on there guitars..so If its good enough for a $3000 guitar It should be good enough for me..lol..

[quarry]

Floyds with the floating bridge, like to have the same strings on them... I tried to change my floyd guitar from Super Slinkys to Regular Slinkys and it gave me fits... I ended up giving up and going back to Supers...

If your strings go out of tune by going flat, I'd try tightening the spring claw just a smidge... If they go sharp, try loosening the spring claw just a smidge... After any adjustment, you must loosen the locking nut and retune all the strings.

I strongly suspect your problem was (is) caused by changing strings (changing Brand, type, etc). Now you must "dial in" and fine tune the "balance" of the floating bridge.

[stratotak]

Well..I knew about the different set of string gauge issue.and Ive even read going from one brand to another can cause tuning issues..so that was never the issue..I have always used 9's...tried 8's once before and didnt like it..I think I have pretty much found problem..after posting i read some where that there was something you never do to a floyd rose ..which turns out I have done ..lol..many times..lol..you never adjust the action with full spring tension on floyd..you loosen strings and then do it..Im pretty sure that i have created a groove in the post that even though i cant feel it..is there..the floyd knife edge shows no wear and is smooth to touch, so a set of $10 posts might fix it..

[axekicker]

How low is your action? If you screw the mounting posts too deep into the body, the bridge will not stay in tune. That's the one drawback of the Floyd, the inability to adjust the action of individual strings.

[axekicker]

You can try shimming your neck and then raising the bridge considerably so that the pivot points are well in the clear. I had to do that on mine in order to keep the action low as possible.