Help! Mariposa floating trem bridge setup

[jpmage]

Hey everyone! Got a recent addition to my arsenal of guitars, with my first Ernie Ball guitar, a Mariposa!


I had brought it to my tech for a recent setup, and while it played great when it came back, it had the bridge of the guitar decked. The tuning stability was perfect, but I missed the ability to raise the pitch of the notes (I set my Suhr strat brige to float to be able to do that. Though the strat becomes *slightly* more unstable, it still is perfectly usable for a 2 hour gig with no terrible drops or raises in pitch when returning to neutral position) I changed the strings on the Mariposa and because they were of a slightly different gauge, the bridge floated. Sadly though, now the strings will not stay in tune when using the trem bar, upwards or downwards.


Can anyone guide me on how to proceed with adjusting that, and if there's something I missed in the setup process? Truss rod looks good and the springs in the back plate all seem even. I would be really appreciative for the help!

Thank you guys, and glad to be a part of the forum!

 

[tbonesullivan]

So wait, did you have the bridge floating before you brought it to your tech?

What gauge strings did you have on the guitar, and what gauge is on it now? If you have a tremolo and the tuning isn't stable, this is usually due to issues at the nut or tuning machines. If you upped the string gauge the strings may not be sliding over the nut smoothly when you use the tremolo. This is true whether you have it decked or floating.

 

[racerx]

Welcome, congrats and share some pics, the Mariposa is cool!

MM Support has a pretty nice guide on the steps for setting up a Floating Trem from scratch: FAQ (see the setting up Luke/Luke 3 setup section)

I have a few bridges set to float and the tuning is pretty consistent. Did you stretch the strings thoroughly up and down the neck? Maybe try a little bit of graphite or "special sauce" du jour in the nut just in case. Also make sure the strings are secure in the tuning post.