EVH D Tuna Fitment Problems. Is my Axis one of the unfortunate few?

[Benji Peterson]

Picked up a D Tuna. Cannot get it to install correctly. The date of my Axis is 09/14/99. Is this within the range of production where users can expect fitment issues? I went to a metal shop and picked up a few fine tuner screws that were a bit longer than the longest that came packaged with the kit and I'm still not quite there. Starting to look absurd too. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!

-ben

 

[fsmith]

I had a 2000 Axis and could never get the D-Tuna to work correctly. I called Adam from Floyd Upgrades and he sent me a brand new one and spent about a half an hour on the phone trying to get it to work. I finally gave up and gave it away. Nice idea, but it didn't work for me.

Nice Axis by the way...

 

[straycat113]

The very few times I had an issue with a D-Tuna I would just bring it to my friend and tech Mike and he would hand it back in 3 minutes set perfect. Then again I was not raised in a guitar shop and have close to 40 years of experience as a tech. Like anything else sometimes you have to have someone with a lot more experience at something take a look.

 

[dibart77]

Some of my Axis's came with D-Tuna's installed which seemed to work correctly. So I don't think there's a problem with the Axis Gotoh Floyd and the D-Tuna. Not sure about the new EBMM Floyds (past 6 months or so). I removed the D-Tuna's off of mine as I don't really use it.

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[Benji Peterson]

The very few times I had an issue with a D-Tuna I would just bring it to my friend and tech Mike and he would hand it back in 3 minutes set perfect. Then again I was not raised in a guitar shop and have close to 40 years of experience as a tech. Like anything else sometimes you have to have someone with a lot more experience at something take a look.

The very few times I had an issue with a D-Tuna I would just bring it to my friend and tech Mike and he would hand it back in 3 minutes set perfect. Then again I was not raised in a guitar shop and have close to 40 years of experience as a tech. Like anything else sometimes you have to have someone with a lot more experience at something take a look.

Eh, thanks man but I've been in guitar retail all my life. It's not an issue at all with setting it up. I've set them up for customers before. In fact, this is the first guitar (go figure) that the apparatus doesn't fit on. I'll go to a metal shop and get a longer saddle screw and see if that works. Thanks for trying to help though

Jeff, I'll get some pics with it installed to illustrate my issue. Maybe you or someone else can chime in as to whether or not you've had similar experiences with some and a lack of problems with other bridge types. Thanks!

 

[dibart77]

Hey Ben: You're using the long string lock screw that came with the D-Tuna, right? As opposed to the stock Gotoh string lock screw?

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[Benji Peterson]

Yes Jeff. The longer of the two supplied and then another I bought from a machine shop that's a few mm longer. Still not working.

 

[dibart77]

Beats me, man. Like I said, I don't really use them, but all the ones that came installed on my EBMM Axis guitars seemed to work fine. What's the issue? You can't get it to install? Or it doesn't correctly switch to "D"?

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[shredderbetter]

I've installed dozens,also on my tribute~newer floyds and(tributes) need the E fine tuner on trem backed out even when it seems to stop it needs to keep coming out otherwise the d tuna will ride WAY low it's designed to stop but you need to use a lil force to get it out then it's all straight forward~ the problems i(and most) had was the trem fine tuner not coming out enough to allow dtuna parallel clearance and smooth operation.

 

[Benji Peterson]

I'm going to fiddle with it some more right now. As a starting point, this is the tutorial I'm going by. Everything seem good with this video?

How to: install the EVH D-tuna - YouTube

 

[Benji Peterson]

With the longest bridge screw I have this is the result. As you can see in the photo, the fine tuner is fully extended, beyond the thread, and even completely removed does not allow the D tuna to situate correctly. Where it sits, even maneuvering the D tuna in the forward most position (and it's not a smooth transition) doesn't result in a measurable pitch difference. It almost seems to me like the last bend in the plate (the area that the fine tuners are situated in) and the angle in which they're bent is the reason that the fitment is a failure.
Let me know what you guys think at this point. Thanks!

 

[Jim Warnstedt]

Ben, Try the shorter length screw and that should do the trick.

 

[shredderbetter]

I've had a few where the diameter of the screw is powdercoated and doesnt allow smooth in and out operation(after side fine tuner was set),i put in cordless drill and spun it in fine sandpaper to remove the painted coating then lubed the screw with liquid teflon (slick 50 brand) then make sure little setscrew on side adjuster is out and put 2 drops of lube on "nose" of d tuna ~always worked for me! i find the long screw has wotked in ALL my EBMM's im at 15 or soo with 3 new last year and one tribute,good luck! I think they are a lil sloppy on the tolerance of the screw and chrome plating

 

[Benji Peterson]

Ben, Try the shorter length screw and that should do the trick.

Thanks Jim. Shorter screw and some fiddling between the fine tuner on the low E and the fine tuner on the tuna got me there. Guess I don't know everything. Thanks for the help everyone~

ben.

 

[Jamie M]

don't forget the lube, it always worked for me in the past.

lol

 

[RonJ5150]

i installed on on my axi recently. i turned the fine adjust screw so that it had a few turns before topping out. installed the detuna, had grease on the inside of the detuna so that it would slide easy. tuned to d then to e and done. i use a bit of semi permanent thread lock on the detune fine tune screw, very very little, enough just so the screw doesnt move around.