Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me nuts

[txcharvel]

OK, this is driving me nuts. On one of my guitars, the springs keep popping out of the sustain block. It's an original Floyd, 42mm block, non-recessed of course. I can be playing it, do a dive bomb or some trem motion and wham... the spring pops out and hits the cavity cover (and usually freaks me out [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img])

I've have two other guitars with OFRs and one with a JT6. This has never been an issue except for this guitar. I've tried different springs, different spring claw, bending the end of the springs, bending the spring claw...nothing works.

Please help, any ideas [img]/images/graemlins/help.gif[/img]

[MetalMedal II]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me nuts

The only thing I can think of is the sustain block could perhaps be installed backwards from what it should be. They are one-direction specific, as the slot for the springs is angled a particular way, so they won't pop off when using the trem. I've bought a bunch of used Floyds thru the years and 2 of em had the blocks installed backwards, and damn if the springs wouldn't stay put..until I reversed the block! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me

Ibanez Edge trems have an extra little metal bar that you can screw into the #2 and #4 positions of the sustain block, thus pressing the spring hooks down and attached to the block in positions #1, #3, and #5. Perhaps one of those is in order for you! See this pic:

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me

Ignore the 1 star rating... that was my stupidity... my mouse jumped while I tried to click on Preview Reply and shot straight for the damn one-star thing... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I hate it that 1-star is default. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Feel free to get angry at me now. I deserve it... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[txcharvel]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me

NOTP, you mean I don't even deserve one star [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

MetalMedal II, you are the man. I did change this block out from a 38mm block, sure enough I mixed it up. Thanks for pointing this out man. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

I should have brought this here months ago [img]/images/graemlins/eyes.gif[/img]

[toejam]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me

I had that happen on a Dinky Reverse a couple years ago. Every once in awhile only one spring would pop out, and I used four or five in there. Someone here also brought this topic up one time and they mentioned it could be a shorter spring or something. [img]/images/graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me

Maybe it was me who brought up that the springs were popping out, except my springs were popping out of the CLAW end because of the reduced tension from trying to use five springs. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Got that problem solved, and I still wonder how Toejam manages to tune to standard with five springs and 9-42 or 10-46 gauge strings. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Impossible, I say!!! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[toejam]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me

Never had a problem with five springs with 10-46 in E, Eb or D. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] It just gives the Floyd a little sturdier feel and is a little harder to press the bar down. I really don't know why you had a problem.
I even wanted to try adding two extra springs when I had my 7-string Ibanez RG7620 but I had to stick with only three because those two extra holes were only for the screws in the little metal piece like shown in your pic above. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me

I dunno, I just couldn't do it. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] There wasn't enough tension created by the strings to counteract the five trem springs pulling the trem down. I would tune up so that the trem could be lifted, and then the guitar would be in tune too. But, each individual trem spring carries less tension than when there were three springs previously, so each one slacks a little bit more now. I lift the "distortion stick" [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] and the damn springs would slide out of the claw. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Or did you have a semi-recessed trem or blocked-for-divebombs trem?

[MetalMedal II]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me

[ QUOTE ]

MetalMedal II, you are the man. I did change this block out from a 38mm block, sure enough I mixed it up. Thanks for pointing this out man. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]


[/ QUOTE ]

You're welcome! It's nice to know my post actually helped... 1 post outta 563 ain't bad! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[toejam]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me

On my old Kramer it was semi-recessed with a 37mm block. On my old Charvel Model 6 and 5A they were floating, non-recessed 42mm. On the couple Dinky Reverses I had, they were both fully recessed with 32mm blocks, one was totally floating and the other I had blocked for a little while for divebombs only and then I took the block out. My old Kelly XLR and Warrior MG had four springs and were floating. I don't know, four or five springs always felt better to me.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me

Hmm, maybe it's just my 9-46 hybrid set that doesn't give enough tension to counteract four or five springs. You were using a regular 10-46 set. Maybe you should post a handy guide... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[toejam]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me

I used mostly either 10-46. I had 11-48 on the Warrior tuned to D and only four springs on it from what I remember. I used 9-42 on the Kramer a long time ago but can't remember if I had put all the springs on at that time. I don't think you should have a problem with the hybrid 9-46, though. I really don't know. I just always was able to counteract with either adjusting the spring claw accordingly.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me

Oh yeah, I forgot to discuss the claw. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I had to loosen it enough so that the trem would go back to level, and by then, the five springs were so loose that they would slip off the claw when I would pull up on the "wiggle stick". [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[toejam]

Re: Floyd Rose springs popping out are driving me

Yeah, the purple Dinky Reverse I had, a few times when I pulled up on the bar, just one spring would sometimes pop out. I could never figure that one out. The other four springs stayed fine. I just figured it was a weird spring and didn't really think too much about it.