John Petrucci tremelo bar question

[Ekib]

I would like to know if there are JP model users here.What is your experience with the tremelo?I noticed it is not a Floyd Rose type of thing and I am sure John wanted it to be different because of all the hassles with a Floyd Rose.
Does the guitar stay in tune with this tremelo that's on the JP model?What is designed for?I mean can you only use it lightly or can you really do some weird Vai type of stuff without having to tune your guitar again.Or say if you do one EVH divebomb thing does it stay in tune?
Offcourse I can check out this guitar myself in the guitarcenter but I wanted to hear some longer type experience than just that hour in a guitarstore.How does it stay in tune during a gig for example?
Is this trem based on the wilkinson principle or is it something totally new???
I am really doubting about getting this guitar or an Axis.

[punkin]

I have a JP... love it!. I've got a couple Ibanez guitars, an RG 570 and a JEM and a Fender Strat. The RG was my first and favorite even after spending way too much on a JEM. Bought the JP a couple months ago.

The trem on my JP is similar but...different...simpler. No tuning down on the tail (not a double or single locking system) but very smooth. I can't keep my hands off the JP! As for your Vai crazed stuff, the JP is very flexible with perfect string action. I especially like the neck. Flat and smooth, not as thin as a Wizard or WIZ II neck and much nicer than any Fender neck ever made.

The guitar does stay in tune when hit with big dives but on on the up, maybe not quite as loose as my RG/Floyd. It takes a little more effort I think. One very nice thing about it is that you don't have all the Floyd tuner junk hanging on the end meaning, that if you put your hand down, it won't upset the tuning.

Now that I've been playing the JP for awile, it's my favorite!...Mystic Dream come true.

[Ekib]

Thanks punkin for the answer!!!
Actually I finally had a chance to check out a JP model myself last weekend.I totally liked the guitar.I did some wild stuff on the tremelo and only the high E detuned a bit.The rest wasn't too bad.I had wanted to buy the guitar if there hadn't been a problem with the neck pick up.It sounded drasticly different from the other one.It sounded very very thin and cold.I am sure something must have been wrong with that pick up.So I will wait untill they got a different model.The guitar is too expensive.It has to be perfect.
Still a great guitar and a great addition to my Axis.
In fact the tremelo is the best I have ever tried.A floyd Rose stays better in tuning but doesn't have the feeling this tremelo has.I tried the Axis with a tremelo(my Axis doesn't have a trem)and I think it works horrible.It is so heavy and it can bend only in one way.The JP tremelo rules!!! Can't wait to get one.

[ddt802]

I had a question on the JP trem system. How does the guitar stay in tune without a locking system? Does the nut need to be lubricated or altered somehow? How well does it stay in tune when it's used?

[SteveB]

The JP guitar has locking tuners. The strings get clamped down in the tuning peg. It holds tune as well as any of my Floyd's ever did, but with much less hardware, and I can tune via the tuning keys instead of tiny, limited-range discs!

It strings through the body at the bridge, which is really cool, too.

[ddt802]

Maybe someone can help me with the problem I'm having with my JP 7-string. I recently bought one and it looks great, sounds great, BUT I'm having problems with the tremelo system. If I ever use the bar, the strings go sharp. Sometimes I'll bend a string and the string will go flat. I'll then do a divebomb with the bar and the string will tune itself back up. I'm very discouraged and upset that I can't use the bar without the guitar freaking out, which is why I had to ask that question about how the tremelo is supposed to work on my JP 7-string. Do the locking tuners really work? They aren't doing a very good job on my guitar. By the way, my strings have been thoroughly stretched (they're two days old) so I know that can't be the problem. Please help!!

[NorM]

Lube the nut and knife edges on the tremelo. 3in1 should do the trick. Have a great weekend.

[OrangeChannel]

NorM is correct...lube those puppies....it's always a good idea to lube the knife edges and the nutslots...you gan also use: original variety chapstick, or a vasoline/graphite mixture...

[clintusmaximus]

i just got my cherry burst 7 string petrucci and I love the way it plays but i use tha bar in my style alot. Im a very Vai like player and the damn thing will not stay in tune and its really starting to piss me off. Its such a great instrument and that damn trem system is sub par in my opinion so far. I have 3 Ibanez 7s and I NEVER have tuning issues with them and I know this EB is a superior axe. Im stumped. You would think for the price it would be rock solid out of the box and not need any tweaking. Im starting to regret my purchase

[ProtoChicken]

When setup and cared for properly the JP stays in tune as well as any Floyd under general usage, but it's never going to stay in tune as well as a double locking system under Vai like conditions. They still withstand a good amount of abuse without any problems though.

I think it's important to remember the bridge does it exactly what it was designed to do when played by the guy who it was designed for. The majority of JP's trem usage is pretty much flutters, a few dives here and there, and some vibrato.

[the24thfret]

Best tremolo ever, and I've played full-floating trems all my life. You'll never go back.

[the24thfret]

i just got my cherry burst 7 string petrucci and I love the way it plays but i use tha bar in my style alot. Im a very Vai like player and the damn thing will not stay in tune and its really starting to piss me off. Its such a great instrument and that damn trem system is sub par in my opinion so far. I have 3 Ibanez 7s and I NEVER have tuning issues with them and I know this EB is a superior axe. Im stumped. You would think for the price it would be rock solid out of the box and not need any tweaking. Im starting to regret my purchase

You should contact EB customer service if you think there are issues with your guitar -- this doesn't sound normal.

music-man-customer-service | contact-us

[clintusmaximus]

i just got it so it may just be the new strings settling but if it doesnt clear up in a few days I am going to have the vendor RA the guitar back to Ernie Ball and Im gonna get some nut sauce and see if that doesnt help. I hope it works, this guitar sounds like a wet dream through my diezel herbert and Gforce

[73h Nils]

Yeah, when I first had my JP6 I put it through a lot of random abuse to see what it could handle. It went out of tune a lot. After I messed with the setup a bit it could withstand some ridiculous torture. My friend and I were trying dive bombs for literally half an hour and it was in perfect tune every time we checked. Also, my JP7 trem did the same thing, but can now handle the way my JP6 can.

[clintusmaximus]

I have been shredding away on it even since my last post and now the only string really giving me alot of trouble is the G string which is wierd but i think I can feel it starting to settle in. The sustain and the harmonics are great. Hard to believe its a bolt on neck. And speaking of the neck, compared to my other RG7s the neck is quit small for a 7 string