Bad Floyd? Tuning Problems

[shreddermon]

So a week or two ago, I noticed that one of my guitars was not returning to tune after divebombing with the Floyd. However, if I pulled the bridge up sharp, it would be back in tune. The tuning loss was subtle, but noticable. Frustrating.

So last night, I went through process of elimination to try and fix the problem. Old saggy strings? Restrung her. Maybe a bad trem spring? Replaced them all. Binding on the Floyd knife edge? Lubed it a bit. I redid a complete set-up, including leveling out the bridge again. ...Problem fixed? Nope. Arrrgggh!

I inspected the bridge, and did notice what might've been some very slight wear on the knife edges. Hard to tell if this was just finish wear, or actually into the metal. It was that subtle. But I have 25+ year old guitars with Floyds that look a lot worse, and are still rock solid tuning-wise. This guitar is only two or three years old.

I've never had a Floyd bridge go bad on me, so I'm not sure what to think here. And, yes, it's a made-in-Germany original Floyd.

Could it be something else? Am I missing something to consider?

[Chad]

Something is likely moving that shouldn't be. Could be any number of things. Are the posts mounted solid in the guitar body? Are the nut pads or the nut itself grooved to the point that a string could slide even with the nut locked down? Is the nut mounted solid in the neck?

[DalyTek]

I'm on board with Chad. I'm going to guess loose mounting posts.
Try wrapping the threads with that teflon tape that plumbers use.
That should help give the posts better grip and eliminate any wobbling.

[Hellbat]

I'm on board with Chad. I'm going to guess loose mounting posts.
Try wrapping the threads with that teflon tape that plumbers use.
That should help give the posts better grip and eliminate any wobbling.

Add another person to this school of thought. The posts on my Model 5 used to be very loose and it would never come back to pitch properly after use. I always had to pull or flutter it to get it to normal pitch. Some teflon tape and the posts were solid and the tuning problems have vanished.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Maybe the nut is moving? Does it stay flat when you dive/sharp when you pull up?

[shreddermon]

It never goes sharp. Only flat.

When it goes flat after a dive (and I don't pull sharp to compensate), it is out of tune at first, but will gradually come back into tune after a few seconds.

The mounting posts did rock slightly in the studs, but no more than I've seen in most every Floyd I own. Seemed normal to me. The studs themselves were rock solid in the body.

The nut seemed secure in the neck, but I'll do a double check on that. No grooving in the nut itself or the clamps. I'll check the neck's mounting screws, too, while I'm at it.

[Scooter]

I'm with Chad too. The newer post setup I put plumbers tape on all of them, as my KVX10 was doing just this too.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

If the nut were moving it would be sharp after a dive.

Are the springs binding in the block maybe?

[tonemonster]

See!!!!! OMG the naysayers are right! whatever you do dont try any double stop bends on it. then will really go out of tune.





seriously though, I would start with the nut, check to make sure its good and secure. if not, take some wood glue and glue some toothpicks in the screw holes, let it dry over night then reinstall the nut. be sure to put some soap on the screws to help them in so they dont strip the heads. then try it. if that dont work, then its off to checking the springs to make sure nothing is binding back there, or in the body cavity. then the posts, and its possible the saddles could be movingn too, but not likely. but its possible.

[moku]

lube the posts' knife edge with chapsticks.

[tonemonster]

lube the posts' knife edge with chapsticks.

thats not one I have heard before. interesting!!!!

[ginsambo]

The trem bar housing on the back of the floyd isn't rubbing in the body cavity is it?

Are the posts smooth or grooved (From adjusting action with string tension still up)?

I've never had a problem with loose post machine screws, all Jacksons are like that. Floyd ones are lesser tolerance I guess with finer thread but still move.

As you describe, it sounds like something is binding in the trem cavity or with the springs. Schaller trem bar housing is slightly further out than Floyd one and can bind if the rout is real tight. But as nothing has been changed, seems odd.

I think it is perhaps because you have been doing too many unison bends? You have obviously broken it as, despite being the most advanced vibrato tailpiece available, a Floyd just cannot cope with unison bends.

[straycat]

Check your string saddles to see if they are a bit loose.

[toejam]

Are the posts smooth or grooved (From adjusting action with string tension still up)?

You do not need to loosen string tension when adjusting Floyd posts.

[shreddermon]

Nothing is rubbing in the trem cavity, and the posts are shiny smooth. No grooving. I checked all of these previously.

Didn't think about checking the saddles, though. I'll give that a try, too.

Probably won't get back to this until the weekend. I'll update after new attempts to resolve.