0.011 on a Ibanez RG 550 = trouble?

B

bcnx

New member
'lodeli,

just got me a RG 550 for a fantastic price. I just stringed this baby with a 0.011 set, but can't get it tuned properly. Everytime I get at the top string, the lower strings have lowered in tune. It's as if the three springs of the Floyd Rose tremolo can't handle the force of the strings, eventhough I'm tuning down to D, which should relieve things somewhat.

Is it safe to assume 0.011's are just too much for the RG?

cheers,



Bart
 
0.009's dude......

Gotta break her in gentle like..............

Virgins can be that way.............or so I have been told:D


She is a virgin .....yes?
 
No, she ain't ...

0.009 are too light for me anyway, since I'm tuning down to D for that good ol' shredding . Gonna try a 0.010, hope that holds ...

Thx for the answer!



Bart
 
Mmm, done that, but you need respect the fact that the tremolo needs to be parallel to the guitar's body.
I have been fiddeling around with it for several hours, but no good.
Do you think it should be possible with a 0.011 set?


Cheers,

B.
 
I have 11 on RG550 but I tune to C#.
I think 10 will work if you are tuned to D.
You probably need to adjust the tross rod a bit too so you won't bend the neck too much.

Keijo
 
take your guitar into a luthier that you know is good ask them to set up your guitar to take this guage of string you cant just string a guitar up to a new guage of strings without having the the guitar setup to take this guage

I run 9,46,s on my of my guitars it has a floating bridge so i can whip the guitar back into tune by just tweaking back on the tremlo arm

There are alot more factors in keeping a guitar in tune then just buying new strings and giving them a quick stretch while they are on the guitar

trem block height saddle height and position condition of the saddles and also the condition of the nut as well there is also more to mention here but from what you have said you have a floydrose first of all it would have been better to change one string at a time on those its just the nature of how they are

before you have any more dramas with it take it down town to a guy who will have some time and patience with the guitar also choose someone who will do it for you while you wait and will explain what they are doing and maybe show you what to do to keep your guitar playing the way you like it i could go into al the long and winding details here but i feel it would be better serve you to follow the above info rather then do it yourself

Once you have the experience and you have learnt what to do then by all means tweak away but for now save yourself the headache every man to their profession i say
 
Yes it is possible, the amount of spring tension has to be adjusted to exactly offset the tension of the strings. When you change string guages, you are starting from scratch, "set-up wise". Does the floyd have the capability of installing 4 springs? Try some different springs if you can't get enough counter-force from the ones you have. Floating trems are a BITCH to get set up correctly! Leo Fender designed the original strat so that the trem only goes down, in its at-rest position it is against the wood; the spring tension is greater than the string tension, you just ease back on the spring claw until it is easy to operate the trem. On a Floyd a shim would have to be installed. Here's an idea: put a temporary shim in to keep the trem at the right attitude, adjust the spring tension enough to keep the trem tight with your guitar tuned to pitch. Begin releasing the tension on the springs just until the shim can be removed. I had a floating trem, but I converted to the down only mode; easy to tune, stays in tune, still playable if you break a string...
 
I actually setup the Floyd exactly as you describe it, with the diference that I put the shim on the opposite site of the springs. But you sound quite convinced, I'll try the procedure again.


Thx!


Bart
 
If the RG was used, the first place to fix when you have an older guitar with trem probs is the springs. The springs eventually lose their force and must be replaced to have proper tension. Also, the RG550 is capable of using five (5) springs. Thus, go to the shop and pick up five new springs. Even if the springs are not old, the two additional springs should solve your problem.

Warlock also has a good point in that you will have to adjust the truss rod to compensate for the additional string tension. Otherwise you will have dead spots and string buzzing.


Lopp
 
Hi,

thx for the answer. I finally managed to get the RG working without any detuning happening. This axe is only 10 months old, actual playing time was like 4 hours or something so I don't think the strings have suffered too much.
I found your remark about the 5 springs quite interesting, since I can only spot 3 holes for springs, the other two are for the screws of a little plate which holds the springs in place ...


cheers,


Bart
 
hi,

I kinda had the same problem on my strat, which is about 3-4 years old. When I put the o.11's on it, I adjusted the spring tension and everything seemed perfect. But soon I got troubles with my neck, which clearly suffered. I went to my guitarshop, who told me I just had a weak neck and that 0.11 was simply to heavy. Damned!
 
In what key is your guitar tuned? Standard E? I tune to D, which should spare the neck at least a little ...
 
bcnx said:
thx for the answer. I finally managed to get the RG working without any detuning happening.
Click to expand...


Congrats!

I found your remark about the 5 springs quite interesting, since I can only spot 3 holes for springs, the other two are for the screws of a little plate which holds the springs in place ...
Click to expand...

That's odd Bart. I have five springs on my RG550. Mine's a little older. They must have changed something with their bridge.


Matt
 
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