Sticky floyd problem (non ebmm)

[spkirby]

This isnt on a EBMM guitar but thought I'd ask the experts here...

I have a guitar fitted with a Schaller floyd that is for some unknown reason "stiff". Firstly its too stiff to do a whammy flutter. Secondly if I pull up on the bar and then release all strings end up sharp. If I dive the bar and release the strings are all flat.

Any ideas?

BTW the knife edges dont appear to have any visible wear on them even though it is a 14 year old guitar...

Thanks
StevenK

 

[Mick]

Check the distance of the pivot screws.!!!
Was there a FR installed before?? Different models require different pivots and their distance.
Would check that first, because I repair "friend pimped " guitars all the time.
So not to offend your friend, but.....

 

[spkirby]

I believe it is fitted with the original floyd...

 

[DaveB]

Its worth not just looking at the knife edges but the posts themselves too. You sometimes get a notch in the post which really f**... I mean messes with your tuning.

HTH

Dave

 

[Raz]

This isnt on a EBMM guitar but thought I'd ask the experts here...

I have a guitar fitted with a Schaller floyd that is for some unknown reason "stiff". Firstly its too stiff to do a whammy flutter. Secondly if I pull up on the bar and then release all strings end up sharp. If I dive the bar and release the strings are all flat.

Any ideas?

BTW the knife edges dont appear to have any visible wear on them even though it is a 14 year old guitar...

Thanks
StevenK

Perhaps on a 14 year old guitar the springs need replacing...

 

[nobozos]

First, try some new trem springs. Also try different trem spring configurations. I've found 2 trem springs going from the outer holes at the sustain block to the inner pegs on the claw works pretty well.

Second, check to see if the pivot screws to see if they are loose. Sometimes where the pivot screws go into the body gets "wallered out", to use a technical term.

Third, check to see that the locking nut is screwed down tight. A lot of times if you have a problem like you described, it's because the nut is shifting with the movement of the strings because the nut is locked to them, and the nut isn't screwed down tight enough. I'm not talking about the lockdowns, I'm talking about the screws that actually hold the nut to the neck.

 

[Dodgeball]

The first thing that I have noticed showing the first signs of wear on floyds in the past is the lock-down plates (or whatever they are called) on the locking nut. They develope little grooves on them over time from over-tightening (and general wear on a 14 year old axe I expect).

I think that may be a good contender for the cause of the tuning drift you describe but I'm no expert.

How you doing anyway Steve? Did you get my last email in like November?