• Ernie Ball
  • MusicMan
  • Sterling by MusicMan

Jammin86

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
14
Hey guys, I am new to both a floyd system and ebmm. I must say so far I love my axis, and ive never played a more comfortable guitar. I've got a couple questions: 1. I've noticed I can feel the bridge pull up off the body when I do a bend with vibrato...should I add springs/tighten the claw screws slightly to hold the bridge a little more against the body? 2. Ive noticed the bottom of the bridge isn't 100% flush with the body. It is slightly raised in the front (the rear of the plate under the bridge touches first). It is only at a very slight angle, but being a perfectionist, I am wondering whether it should be completely flush with the body. If I should lower the front of the bridge slightly, would this be achieved by lowering the posts? I believe they use a simple allen key? Any help would be appreciated...Thanks guys!
 

lumberjack

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 2, 2006
Messages
2,987
Location
Toronto, Canada
Hey guys, I am new to both a floyd system and ebmm. I must say so far I love my axis, and ive never played a more comfortable guitar. I've got a couple questions: 1. I've noticed I can feel the bridge pull up off the body when I do a bend with vibrato...should I add springs/tighten the claw screws slightly to hold the bridge a little more against the body? 2. Ive noticed the bottom of the bridge isn't 100% flush with the body. It is slightly raised in the front (the rear of the plate under the bridge touches first). It is only at a very slight angle, but being a perfectionist, I am wondering whether it should be completely flush with the body. If I should lower the front of the bridge slightly, would this be achieved by lowering the posts? I believe they use a simple allen key? Any help would be appreciated...Thanks guys!

Hey Dude, Welcome to the forums. I have 2 Axis' and I love em. Lets see if I can help ya out.

1. Yes, the bridge should sit flush against the body.

2. Did you get the Axis new. Cause you shouldn't need to adjust the pivot posts to lower the bridge. Unless you bought it used and someone was messin around with it. I wouldn't go adjusting the bridge at the pivot posts. You'll mess up the action. Your best bet is to tighten the claw screws a bit and that should bring it flush. Try that first.

3. Yes, the floyd's have a tendancy to lift a bit with string bend. How many springs are on it now. It ships from the factory with 3. You can try adding another spring. The feel of the floyd will be a little different with an added spring. But, it shouldn't be too bad.

Hope this helps,
Scott
 

Jammin86

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
14
Thanks for the quick reply! I did buy the axis new. I don't think tightening to the claw screws will solve the problem because the rear of the bridge is already slightly lower than the front, and it seems tightening the screws would only pull the rear of the bridge down further. If I am not mistaken the bottom of the bridge is supposed to rest on the body, correct? It already rests on the body, but like I said the front of the bridge is slightly higher than the front. Any ideas? Thanks!
 

lumberjack

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 2, 2006
Messages
2,987
Location
Toronto, Canada
Sorry dude. Read your post a little wrong. So you are saying the back of the bridgle(the fine tuner side) is already against the body? If that's the case, lowering the pivot posts seems to be the only way to bring the rest of the bridge down. Cause the whole bridge should sit against the body.

Some of the other guys will be able to give advice too.

P.S. Saw pics of your Axis in the pics thread. Kick Ass. Love the tobacco burst. That looks like a Wild West Guitars Axis.
 
Last edited:

Jammin86

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
14
Yep it sure is from Wild West. Funny thing is that my family lives right by the shop, but I am away at school and so I had to have it shipped to me from a store which was right by my house. But hey you gotta do what you can to get an axis, I wasn't about to buy one from my local Guitar Center. Anyhow, yeah I am thinking lowering the pivot posts a very small bit would be the right solution, because the rear of the bridge is already against the body. It's honestly a very small angle, maybe a couple sheets of paper, but I don't want to do any damage to the finish since it is definately now my #1. I may wait and contact EBMM next week before I do anything but thanks for the advice! If anyone else has any suggestions I am all ears...err eyes...
 
Last edited:

lumberjack

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 2, 2006
Messages
2,987
Location
Toronto, Canada
LMAO. Dude, a couple of sheets of paper.:p I thought it was a little more drastic than that. I understand, though. You want to make sure there are no problems with your new baby. There should be no problems come about from that difference in height. But definately get in touch with customer service. They'll make sure everything is ok. They are the best in the business.

P.S. Must be cool livin' that close to Wild West. They always have a great collection of Balls.

Later,
Scott
 

Larry

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 6, 2005
Messages
3,687
Location
Iowa
It ships from EBMM with 2 springs installed like this / \ ;)
 

Lord Toneking

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
78
Make sure the springs are in the underside of the Floyd all the way.

What tunings are you using?
 

jacey714

Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2007
Messages
7
It should be flush...Yes, lower the pivots...However, if you lower one side too much, the other side will raise where it bottom touches the body. What I do is go down til the other side raises...then back off until the other side just touches the body...then it's totally flush...
 

Jammin86

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
14
To answer everyone's questions, I haven't changed anything. I am using 9-42's, factory spring configuration, and standard tuning.
 

Jammin86

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
14
LMAO. Dude, a couple of sheets of paper.:p I thought it was a little more drastic than that. I understand, though. You want to make sure there are no problems with your new baby. There should be no problems come about from that difference in height. But definately get in touch with customer service. They'll make sure everything is ok. They are the best in the business.

P.S. Must be cool livin' that close to Wild West. They always have a great collection of Balls.

Later,
Scott

Like I said, perfectonist syndrome kicking in a little bit. It's a curse I tell you. Haha, anyways thanks for the advice!
 

TNT

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 18, 2005
Messages
3,576
Location
Oakland - Raider Nation!
Personal opinion:

I use the springs for only one purpose; to bring the trem plate to rest (level, flush at the same time, on the body of the guitar with enough pressure to "snug it" down. I like to hear a "slight" click when it hits.

The trem plate should always be level, including the individual saddles NOT tilting forward or backward. Strings should rest level in the saddle cradle. (You won't break many strings!!)

Action is raised or lowered using neck pocket and/or saddle shims only, NOT the pivot anchor screws (they only tilt forward or back wards).

The string height (action) is permanently fixed by the rear of the trem plate sitting on the guitar body. So and up and down adjustment of strings (action) can ONLY be with shims.

:)
 

Jammin86

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
14
Personal opinion:

I use the springs for only one purpose; to bring the trem plate to rest (level, flush at the same time, on the body of the guitar with enough pressure to "snug it" down. I like to hear a "slight" click when it hits.

The trem plate should always be level, including the individual saddles NOT tilting forward or backward. Strings should rest level in the saddle cradle. (You won't break many strings!!)

Action is raised or lowered using neck pocket and/or saddle shims only, NOT the pivot anchor screws (they only tilt forward or back wards).

The string height (action) is permanently fixed by the rear of the trem plate sitting on the guitar body. So and up and down adjustment of strings (action) can ONLY be with shims.

:)

Yeah, I certainly don't need to change the action at all, it is perfect, but I think it will be altered slightly by the pivot posts being lowered a small amount to bring the bridge down perfectly flush. I am trying to figure out the balance with spring tension, on one hand, I don't really like the feeling of the bridge pulling up when using heavy vibrato or bends, but on the other, I imagine too much spring tension would make the trem difficult to use and also possibly bring the bridge to snap back hard on the body which doesn't seem like a good idea.
 

TNT

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 18, 2005
Messages
3,576
Location
Oakland - Raider Nation!
Jammin'

Yes, that extra "spring tension" to make the trem bar stiffer, certainly doesn't add sustain anymore than a slightly snug trem.

That extra spring tension I don't really like (too much pressure) for all parts connected I think.

One added note: I also DO NOT like to tighten the springs (using the claw screws) without first taking off the springs. Why you ask? Because turning that spring adjustment screw with all that spring pressure on it is "way too hard" on the wood threads (in or out)!!

I know it's very time consuming. However, in the long run the wood threads will not be ruined.
 
Top Bottom