Ibanez RG5EX1 String change.....

[Da3m0n]

So recently i began having issues with my Ibanez staying in tune. I decided maybe its time for a string change....bought some EB Hybrids and began changing the strings one by one just as the book says.....I noticed that every single nut for the tuning pegs were loose, ah ha i found my tuning issue, or so I thought, so i ever so gently snugged them up and continued restringing, My thinking is that its just the wood on the head stock shrinking back up due to my dry climate here in Nevada( Could be mistaken too), anyways, i start tuning and the nightmare begins, the strings would not tune instead it would raise the Edge III tremolo, to the point it was not parallel with the body of the guitar anymore....Im not sure where I went wrong! I assume that the tuning pegs should be tight in the headstock right? I didnt see anything in the book about it and it sure doesnt make sense why they would be loose, I would think it would do what it was doing before by not staying in tune! But why when i put tension on strings is it pulling the tremolo up? Any help I appreciate because I am a little stressed out about it right now....:confused:

[disobedience]

You changed guage strings...the Hybrids create more string tension as they have heavier lower guage strings.
Just readjust the spring tension on the Edge :)

[Scott7975]

Yes as the poster above stated, you probably put on thicker guage strings which will put more load on your bridge. Your guitar should have come with an extra spring as part of the guitar kit. That is if you bought it new. What you can do is open the port hole on the back of the guitar where the bridge would be, add the extra spring and you should be fine. If you dont have an extra one I would imagine that the local guitar store would have one.

[Dmackenzie]

Everybody above is absolutely right, the heavier gauge string is putting more tension on the springs that balance the tremolo, so it's pulling up. The first time that it happened to me, though, I was terrified and was convinced that I had broken it...

It's not too difficult to fix, though, and if the Edge III is anything like the first Edge tremolo, i'll see if I can walk you through the repair. Firstly, the problem is in that the springs aren't pulling back on the bridge with the same amount of force that the strings are, so it isn't correctly ballanced.

To correct this, simply take off the backplate and you'll see the springs anchored to this "claw" that is then screwed deep into the body. By evenly screwing this claw further in, that should being to balance out your bridge... and after every few adjustments, you'll likely have to retune and see where the bridge stands, haha. Now, if the claw is mostly screwed in and you're not yet balanced, you might have to add another spring and sorta start again...

But that's the jist of it and in no time, you'll be in good shape!

best of luck and don't be shy to ask any more questions,

Dmack.

[Da3m0n]

Thanks for all the speedy replys! You guys were all absolutely correct about the gauge, and yes my guitar came with another spring(i was wondering why it was a different color then the other springs already on the tremolo =]), Got it all set up now and back in tune and attempting to play some cool licks and learn some neat stuff from David and co. Hey Dmack....I was told that you may know what is the correct whammy bar for this tremolo? I was referred to you by Dis....I bought the standard Ibanez bar but it doesn't fit in the whammy bar hole? does it take a different one?

[bcrich]

Hey Da3mOn Your Ibanez has the Edge III trem on it so I would suspect that the bar you are after is an Edge III bar. Contact Ibanez they should have the bar in stock and or it could likely be sent to your guitar store or to you. www.ibanez.com

[Da3m0n]

Ok ill go down that avenue

[Trizzak]

You guys are really helpful! I had the same problem with the floating tremolo, so ill go play with the springs and see what happens :D giggidy goo

[briaN.]

so yeah, i just bought an Ibanez RG5EX1 and immediately changed the strings, i replaced the factory strings with some Ernie Ball Not Even Slinky's which i've used on my Les Paul just fine...i've never had a floating bridge before so i've never approached a problem this frustrating with my guitar...my strings will not stay in tune and my bridge is being pulled up and not parallel with my guitar...i got frustrated and took off all the strings basically, so now i have to restring my guitar and balance out the bridge...anyone know how to keep this thing in tune?!?/..

[briaN.]

ok. so i got my strings back on and even added the extra spring to balance out the bridge, but my guitar will still not stay in tune...if anyone has any advice please help!_!@}..

[custom24]

Some general tuning tips.. tune UP to the note, meaning if its out of tune, drop it well below the target note, and come up TO the note, that way it leaves the gears of the tuning machines in that forward motion, without slack, and they won't slip and drop out of tune.

New strings need to be stretched before they will stay in tune, so remember to do that. Check out the maintenance section if you don't know how, but generally you just gently pull on them to stretch them out.

There is also a product called "Nut Sauce" which will lube the nut and that can also help you stay in tune.

[Trizzak]

Yeah, I put a new guage of strings on my guitar and had the same problem as briaN, read this and saw i needed to add another spring...the problem is: The part of the trem where they go in has a piece of metal over it. I took it off to add another and there's no pre-drilled holes for springs... just the holes that are used and the 2 screw holes for the metal plate that goes over them. So if I wanna add that other spring that came from the factory where do I stick it????

Sorry if this is hard to understand, im just a little confused being i never heard of problems with locking trem untill i bought one and then all of the sudden there's a million horror stories out there

[dalundo]

Oh god there are plenty of issues with locking trems haha :D . I got my RG5EX1 recently and switched to Ernie Ball Top Heavy Bottoms. I found I was having all the same issues.

To add another spring you just pop off that little bar they have over the springs and put the spring into a screw hole. You don't need the bar at all. You will have to tune the guitar a million and a half times to get it to stay in tune. I sit and tune it for 20 minutes every time I screw with the trem. If your spring tension is just a bit off, you can loosen/tighten the screws that hold the whole spring plate in place. It's like fine tuning the tension. When you start to get your tuning close, I advise using the fine tuners on your bridge to tune. Once your in tune lock it all up and keep shredding! :cool:

[dalundo]

another thing you can do is tune way down. I find that I only need 3 springs when I tune to standard B