Just Switched From 10's to 9's on Majesty, Some Questions

[bellaswail]

Hello:

Due to some fretting hand pain I have been having recently, I decided to hop down to 9's from 10's on my Majesty in hopes the lighter strings may help.

Before changing the strings, I thought I might only need to adjust the intonation and do a relatively minor truss rod correction, and adjust the saddle height

However, I wasn't really prepared for the extreme result, lol.

Due to the lesser resistance, the bridge is dipping downward of course. But the issue is that a truss rod adjustment was not able to fix this totally, and I even did a minor adjustment to the spring screws

Is there anything else I can/should do to get the bridge back level with the body of the guitar?

Thanks

 

[Astrofreq]

There are a couple of things I might suggest.

1) screw the tremolo springs in even tighter and see if that does it.
2) add another spring (which will probably need you to unscrew the tremolo springs a good amount)

Or

3) angle the outer springs. For instance, https://blog.zzounds.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Step-1.jpg

 

[JamieCrain]

You need to *loosen* the trem springs. 9s have less combined tension so the bridge will be pulling backwards unless you release the tension from the screws. A couple of turns would do it. Check tuning after each turn, because you’ll find it changes dramatically when the tension reduces.

Also a truss rod adjustment is probably not required or only very slightly.

 

[bellaswail]

Hello:

Due to some fretting hand pain I have been having recently, I decided to hop down to 9's from 10's on my Majesty in hopes the lighter strings may help.

Before changing the strings, I thought I might only need to adjust the intonation and do a relatively minor truss rod correction, and adjust the saddle height

However, I wasn't really prepared for the extreme result, lol.

Due to the lesser resistance, the bridge is dipping downward of course. But the issue is that a truss rod adjustment was not able to fix this totally, and I even did a minor adjustment to the spring screws

Is there anything else I can/should do to get the bridge back level with the body of the guitar?

Thanks

There are a couple of things I might suggest.

1) screw the tremolo springs in even tighter and see if that does it.
2) add another spring (which will probably need you to unscrew the tremolo springs a good amount)

Or

3) angle the outer springs. For instance, https://blog.zzounds.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Step-1.jpg

Awesome, thanks to both of you

I think I was just being too conservative with the spring screw adjustment, as I only did 1/4 to a half a turn. I will loosen it a bit more until things are flush

 

[DrKev]

It's an iterative process, it gets faster when you get used to it...

1) Adjust spring claw screws
2) Retune the guitar
3) Check the level of the bridge
4) If further adjustment needed
then
Go back to step one
else
5) ROCK ON DUDE!

 

[jones4tone]

Dr Kev couldn’t is right - it’s an iterative process.

I made this same change on a JP15 years ago, which was the first floating trem guitar I’d ever had, and I wasn’t prepared for the immediate result. Adjust trem springs, tune, check bridge angle, repeat. One it’s level, adjust truss rod if necessary, then intonate and you should be good.

 

[bellaswail]

Dr Kev couldn’t is right - it’s an iterative process.

I made this same change on a JP15 years ago, which was the first floating trem guitar I’d ever had, and I wasn’t prepared for the immediate result. Adjust trem springs, tune, check bridge angle, repeat. One it’s level, adjust truss rod if necessary, then intonate and you should be good.

Thanks both, yes all went well! I got everything level, and the intonation was somehow still nearly perfect (aside from a few slight tweaks)

I really thought I had totally screwed my setup. But it still stays in tune great, after my amateur adjustments lol. Just love this guitar