Need help with Floyd Rose

[Jonathan_Lubarsky]

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...

The strings were very close in pitch when they were unlocked, and the level of the bridge was completely parallel to the body, but when I tightened the clamps on the nut, the high e string became a bit sharp.

In regards to the trem posts, should they be loose when the bridge is not on? I would assume if they screw in they should stay tight, but you could easily shake them around.

[toejam]

but when I tightened the clamps on the nut, the high e string became a bit sharp.

In regards to the trem posts, should they be loose when the bridge is not on? I would assume if they screw in they should stay tight, but you could easily shake them around.

When tightening the clamp, some strings may go sharp; that's why there's fine tuners.

As far as trem posts, they should not be able to move at all. Wrap the threads in PTFE plumber's tape to help prevent them from wobbling.

[EntrailsOfU]

I don't lock until the guitar is in perfect pitch. After you lock, as toejam said, you adjust with the fine tuners as necessary. I usually leave my fine tuners in the middle (roughly guessed) of the adjustment range they have to accommodate for any pinching the nut does.