Help! Need mods to keep guitar in tune!

[Paul Penney]

Well,

I have a Godin SD. I like this guitar a lot, the tone and feel, etc. The only real thing it lacks is a means of staying in tune during my.. ahem.. most dramatic whammy useage. I have explored locking tuners as an option to keep my guitar in tune, but have been told they wont work to the point I want them to? I am looking for any mods (besides putting in another bridge) that will help me keep my guitar in tune during whammy usage! Anything!

Thanks

Paul

[Executioner606]

Locking tuners have always worked for me. Maybe a locking nut if you dont already have one ? Possibly a Tremsetter ? Thats all i can think of for now.

[Paul Penney]

Will locking tuners work to the point of where, say, the strings are floppy? (or near floppy stage)

I dont have a Frose style bridge, just a standard strat bridge, so a locking nut would definatly be a pain in the ass. heh.

Whats a tremsetter? :O

Thanks,

Paul

[albertop]

Hi Paul, maybe you wanna check these links:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailp...Stabilizer.html

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailp...n_Adjuster.html

Those are systems that can solve your tunning problems, also there you can check some locking tuners, cheers

Alberto

[Executioner606]

Hi Paul, maybe you wanna check these links:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailp...Stabilizer.html

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailp...n_Adjuster.html

Those are systems that can solve your tunning problems, also there you can check some locking tuners, cheers

Alberto

Just out of curiosity since i know nothing of the locking claw , can it be used in unison with the tremsetter ?

[Paul Penney]

Are you guys sure its a spring tension issue?

[vwall]

Are you guys sure its a spring tension issue?

Yes, I agree..

This could be a possble Buzz Feiten retrofit issue???

[albertop]

When you have problems with your tremolo unit it could be: problems with the tuners, with the nut and with the tremolo unit itself. The locking tuners help a lot with fixed bridges and with tremolos (I think Jeff Beck uses them and he uses a standard tremolo bridge). Also when the nut isn´t properly fitted it could tend to pinch(?) the strings, not allowing them to return to pitch. If you don´t wanna change the tremolo bridge you can use the tremsetter, Kirk Hammett from metallica uses it, and he does some wild bending (but he uses a FR tremolo). Lastly it could be the bridge posts, maybe they´re worm. You can improve your stability by checking and improving these areas, goo luck.

p.s. I don´t know if you can use the tremsetter and the Sure Claw together, you can ask the folks from StewMac.

[soapbarstrat]

If it's pretty much exactly like an old stock strat bridge, these mods help:

Removing the 2 "fulcrum" screw that line up with the B and A strings, or removing all of them except the ones lined up to the two E strings.

Drilling the trem block so the ball-ends of the strings sit close to the base-plate of the bridge (but still in the trem block , in other words : don't drill too far)

Your bridge might very well already have these mods as it's been made by the company.

[Maiden69]

I will take a shot at this with a 10 feet pole, so here it is.

1. How much string slack are you leaving on top of the tunner, I mean how many times are you going around the tunner when you tighten the string it should be kept to as minimum if you don't have a locking nut. ie. I leave about 3'4 of a turn on the 5,6 str, and about 1-1/2 on the other and go thru the hole twice opn the 1st string.

2. If you don't ahve a locking nut, get one.

3 . A roller nut will be usefull here to to let the string go back without binding on the nut.

I think this is more of a problem than the spring issue, but I would definitely get the trem-setter until the tremol-no is available, the adjustable claw is handy, but I think is more handy for when you change string gauge than for keeping the tension on the trem.

[Paul Penney]

Actually, I have tried replacing the nut with something a little less restraining and have had varied sucess with that. The reason I am so ancy about locking tuners is that they are 100$ CDN, and results arent guarenteed.

soapbarstrat,

I am curious, what does removing screws do?

Thanks,

Paul

[Maiden69]

you can buy the locking nut and do the work yourself, and it will be about $20 USD with shipping and duties included.

[Paul Penney]

I will take a shot at this with a 10 feet pole, so here it is.

1. How much string slack are you leaving on top of the tunner, I mean how many times are you going around the tunner when you tighten the string it should be kept to as minimum if you don't have a locking nut. ie. I leave about 3'4 of a turn on the 5,6 str, and about 1-1/2 on the other and go thru the hole twice opn the 1st string.

2. If you don't ahve a locking nut, get one.

3 . A roller nut will be usefull here to to let the string go back without binding on the nut.

I think this is more of a problem than the spring issue, but I would definitely get the trem-setter until the tremol-no is available, the adjustable claw is handy, but I think is more handy for when you change string gauge than for keeping the tension on the trem.

1. I aim for rougly 3 turns, and I have even tried "locking" the string exiting the peg in between two of the turns as recommended by a friend.

2. I would get a locking nut, but is it really practical with a bridge that doesnt have tuners on it? It is a 6 point strat style bridge.

3. I am pretty sure there is no nut binding going on, as I have had a guitar tech replace the nut with something that will not allow binding. I am also using relativly light (9-42) gauge strings.

[soapbarstrat]

Gets rid of some friction, I would assume. I learned those mods from a very famous guitar repairman/builder.( not Erlewine, although he's got good trem tricks in his books)

[Maiden69]

2. I would get a locking nut, but is it really practical with a bridge that doesnt have tuners on it? It is a 6 point strat style bridge.

this is a great piont... I think on your case the roller nut will be the most indicated and 3 turns is too much specialy for the low strings , as you dive the tension in the tunner is released, when yopu bring it back down it never goes back were it was. that's why I got mine blocked.

On a side note, I never knew how Yngwie could use the tremolo and keep it in tune, other fom mods that he might have, I saw him live and he tunned back like twice in almost every song, he did it so fast that if you didn't know how to play guitar you will think he was doing something else... a few of my friends notice this and we kinda mock him once, we were about 5 feet from him, and he saw us and said that it happens always, he was a great sport that day...

SO I guess that you are due an upgreade if you play the Vai-Satch-Kirk route of the trem... I see a Double locking tremolo in your future...

[Paul Penney]

Heh... I was thinking of buying an Ibanez RG 570 with an edge bridge, but the tone on the stock pickups suck so much........ I could not bear to sell my godin.

[soapbarstrat]

Heh... I was thinking of buying an Ibanez RG 570 with an edge bridge, but the tone on the stock pickups suck so much........ I could not bear to sell my godin.

Also, the Ibanez has a 25.5" scale. I think the Godin has a 24.75" scale. Different sound right there.

[Paul Penney]

Well, its well known that stock Ibanez pups are lacking. Most people pull them, as would I if I could afford to.

Paul

[Paul Penney]

Any more ideas? :/

[lucky1]

Edited September 19, 2004 by lucky1