Need help with Floyd Rose

[Jonathan_Lubarsky]

Hey everyone. I recently bought a factory refurbished Jackson JS32 King V: https://bit.ly/2GN9ai9

It really does not stay in tune at all, even when not using the whammy bar... The strings go flat when the whammy bar is pushed down and they go sharp when pulled up, sometimes not even every string detunes at the same rate.

So I decided to take a look at the knife edges, and even though the factory found nothing wrong, one side was pretty flat in comparison to the other. I tried to file it and lube them with vaseline but it's not working so I just want to get a higher quality Floyd Rose.

I need the measurements of mine but the problem is I have no idea what exact model it is. I looked on Jackson's site and plenty other ones and all they say is "Floyd Rose® Licensed Jackson® Double-Locking Tremolo". I tried measuring it myself and everything seems to measure well in comparison to OFR and Gotoh, except for the 2 side panels where the bar sticks out and it says "Jackson by Floyd Rose". Every single other model is 2 millimeters longer than mine, so I'm not sure it will fit...

Can anyone help me with what floyd rose would fit the guitar? Thanks!

[Zedder]

If I remember correctly that Jackson labeled trem is actually a Floyd Rose Special. If it is so it can be replaced with an OFR, Schaller Lockmeister or possibly Gotoh GE1996T. If you install OFR or Lockmeister you do not need to replace post inserts, pivot post threads are same, with GE1996T they may be different.

Have you already checked that the problem is not caused by faulty/loose locking nut? If you press on a string behind the nut does the pitch change?

[Number Of The Priest]

Are your strings properly stretched and "broken in"? When I install new strings, there's a mild break-in period. Even after stretching the strings, my strings will still go very slightly out of tune for the first little while. It lasts about ten minutes of playing the fresh strings, a little bit more if the guitar needed a complete setup in addition to fresh strings. The tuning stabilizes after that initial break-in period. Day 2 of playing that guitar is pure bliss. This is why Dan Erlewine, in the accompanying DVD to his book "How to Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great!", states that if you have a performance tomorrow night and your guitar needs a setup/strings, you need to work on your guitar this afternoon.

[Nightbat]

I'm thinking the posts or the knives are worn, in first instance I'd check the posts

[Jonathan_Lubarsky]

If I remember correctly that Jackson labeled trem is actually a Floyd Rose Special. If it is so it can be replaced with an OFR, Schaller Lockmeister or possibly Gotoh GE1996T. If you install OFR or Lockmeister you do not need to replace post inserts, pivot post threads are same, with GE1996T they may be different.

Have you already checked that the problem is not caused by faulty/loose locking nut? If you press on a string behind the nut does the pitch change?

The pitch does change VERY slightly only when pressing the low E and G strings. After I did this a couple times, the 2 lowest strings went almost a semitone flat...

[Jonathan_Lubarsky]

Are your strings properly stretched and "broken in"? When I install new strings, there's a mild break-in period. Even after stretching the strings, my strings will still go very slightly out of tune for the first little while. It lasts about ten minutes of playing the fresh strings, a little bit more if the guitar needed a complete setup in addition to fresh strings. The tuning stabilizes after that initial break-in period. Day 2 of playing that guitar is pure bliss. This is why Dan Erlewine, in the accompanying DVD to his book "How to Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great!", states that if you have a performance tomorrow night and your guitar needs a setup/strings, you need to work on your guitar this afternoon.

It's been more than a week and I did stretch them a lot.

[Jonathan_Lubarsky]

I'm thinking the posts or the knives are worn, in first instance I'd check the posts

As I said in the original post, I did actually see one of the knives were a little flat so I tried to file it but after many tries it seems to stay the same shape. All I managed to do was wear the black finish off which kind of pissed me off so I don't really want to mess with it anymore.

But what should I be looking for in the posts? They had finish wear on the inside but they still look in normal shape.

[Jonathan_Lubarsky]

Update

Another thing I just found is that once I try to fine tune the strings using the bridge, as soon as I tune up one, the others go flat again, so it's not possible to get a perfect tuning. Also, at that point, if I try to pull up the whammy bar to get the strings a little sharp it doesn't work and they stay a little flat. But if I push the bar down, they go flat even more, and only go back to the original slightly flat state when I pull it up again...

[Zedder]

I don´t think this problem is caused by posts or knife edges, if it was strings relative pitch should stay same.

Those saddles are made of soft zinc alloy, it is possible that strings are slipping in some of them when whammy is used, check if those have visible grooves on them. If they have you have to replace them.

[Number Of The Priest]

Hmm, this remains puzzling.

Are the trem posts wobbling or unstable when the guitar is tuned to pitch and you are using the whammy bar?

As a last resort, since you provided a link to Sweetwater, are you able to return your guitar to them, or does the guitar being factory refurbished prevent that from happening (is it "final sale")?

[Jonathan_Lubarsky]

Hmm, this remains puzzling.

Are the trem posts wobbling or unstable when the guitar is tuned to pitch and you are using the whammy bar?

As a last resort, since you provided a link to Sweetwater, are you able to return your guitar to them, or does the guitar being factory refurbished prevent that from happening (is it "final sale")?

Nothing moves at all when I use the whammy bar. Also, I bought it from an ebay shop that said it was factory refurbished, not from Sweetwater. And by now I have already scratched the finish up a little so it's too late.

[Jonathan_Lubarsky]

I don´t think this problem is caused by posts or knife edges, if it was strings relative pitch should stay same.

Those saddles are made of soft zinc alloy, it is possible that strings are slipping in some of them when whammy is used, check if those have visible grooves on them. If they have you have to replace them.

They have no grooves at all...

[z1n]

im not an expert either but I would check that the floyd is level with the body and check the springs in back. May need to pull one out and tighten the claw?

[Jonathan_Lubarsky]

im not an expert either but I would check that the floyd is level with the body and check the springs in back. May need to pull one out and tighten the claw?

No I already made sure of that right away. Everything is already leveled perfectly.

[EntrailsOfU]

No I already made sure of that right away. Everything is already leveled perfectly.

Leveled perfectly while all strings are unlocked at perfect pitch?

I've had a few customers come through saying their floyd wont stay in tune but come to find out it was never properly in tune in the first place. Sorry if this is redundant but perfectly flat and leveled means nothing if the strings are not at proper pitch. I always unlock the strings at the nut and then tune to pitch, if the trem comes up out of the body and the strings aren't in tune, tighten the springs and try to retune. If you went too far, back off and retune again. Floyd's take a ton of tuning and retuning to get it to stay put. After they are finally in proper pitch and the trem is level, then it is time to lock the nut. Also make sure the points on the nut locks are parallel with the strings - this is highly important as the shape of the underside is orientated this way as well. If at this point after you are locked at the nut and the strings are still coming out of tune and not able to get back to pitch with the fine tuners, it may be time to have a professional look at it.

The nut could be slipping in its spot. That is rare but might be worth checking if the screws holding it down are loose. And the trem posts could be moving too. Although I've seen guitars with loose trem posts and they hold tune fine with string tension...