Looking for some advice on Floyd Rose setup.

[Max Headroom]

Finally acquired a Floyd Rose equipped guitar and WTH have I let myself in for...lol.

So I have read a bunch and watched a ton of YouTube videos but none really answer this aspect .
Just at what stage should one "lock down" the upper string clamps at the nut and just how tight should they be?

It doesn't seem to matter how I tune it, once I lock these down the tuning changes, on some strings quite dramatically.
I have the trem about as level with the body as I can get it ( I cut a wood wedge to accomplish this during setup), spring tension is good I think.
But this is now bugging me, sure I'm missing something simple but a couple hours on it last night got me close but no cigar.

 

[Birdsofprey]

On Floyd equipped guitars I’ve always waited to lock down the nut as the very last step in the setup process. I assume you’re using new strings which adds a little time as you really have to make sure they’re stretched out. In the past and often you have to play the guitar for a week loosen the locking nut retune back up to pitch lock then fine tune again. Another tip is not to over tighten those clamps. And yes when you lock them down you will notice the pitch up in tuning so I would set the knurled fine tuners in the middle so you have adjustment for flat/sharp. When tuned to pitch depending what you like them should be level with the top.

 

[Max Headroom]

On Floyd equipped guitars I’ve always waited to lock down the nut as the very last step in the setup process. I assume you’re using new strings which adds a little time as you really have to make sure they’re stretched out. In the past and often you have to play the guitar for a week loosen the locking nut retune back up to pitch lock then fine tune again. Another tip is not to over tighten those clamps. And yes when you lock them down you will notice the pitch up in tuning so I would set the knurled fine tuners in the middle so you have adjustment for flat/sharp. When tuned to pitch depending what you like them should be level with the top.

Ok, that's exactly what I'm doing apart from I might be clamping them down too hard.
But it sounds like I need to give it a bit and play it, retune, play it etc.
So maybe not doing anything much wrong at all.
Although I can see why my daughter blocked off the Floyd on her Schecter ! Lol.

 

[Birdsofprey]

You’re on the right track, another thing is you don‘t even have to put those on for a few days. Let the guitar set in with tuning stability then when you have the fine tuners (which buy the way only come into play once the nut is locked down) neutral, lock down those three clamps not overly tight but tight enough to hold. No need to block a Floyd as you would be missing out on a lot of fun. On a previous Ibanez I could dump the term grab all the strings in my hand hold the guitar up then release back and it would be right on in tune! Oh the eighties!

 

[alantig]

I've got two Floyd-equipped guitars - one w/the 1000 series and a D-Tuna - and I've kind of accepted that they're a slightly different animal. I haven't found them to be the hellscape that a lot of people say, but they're not as easy as my PRSi. Like Birds, clamping is the last thing I do, and I set the fine tuners somewhere in the middle. My tuning (on all guitars) tends to shift a little the first 5-10 minutes I play because the basement gets a tad cooler, but with the Floyd guitars, I'll live with it at first if I can because it's a bit much to change. And I do have to periodically unclamp the nut to reset the fine tuners.

 

[JasonE]

I am not sure I can add to what has already been said. I played Floyds for years. I got good at setting them up early on, when most people had no clue what to do with them. I would just reiterate to not over tighten the nut. It only needs to be tight enough to not let the strings slip. It takes less pressure than most people think. Once you get these dialed in for your strings and action, they are pretty much bullet proof.

 

[Max Headroom]

I'm definitely feeling a little better about this now.
It appears it comes with the territory and I need to relax, take a deep breath and live a little.

It does appear that my biggest "mistake" is probably cranking the snot out of the nut clamps.
I had a feeling I was overdoing it and I guess the "right" amount of tightness will come with use and getting adept with it.

 

[phillybri]

If I can make a recommendation, I'd suggest setting your Floyd to dive only, unless you want the ability to pull up on the bar.

Setting the trem to dive only makes life a good bit easier...

 

[SinSir]

What everyone else said. Once you go through a Floyd once or twice to get the hang of it its not the hell we've been trained to believe. It's really quite easy. I know, right now you think LIES! But it's true..

Now that it's set up, next string change do one at a time and you'll be on easy street.

 

[RossF]

I agree with @Birdsofprey. I would add that sometimes if the retainer bar isn't screwed in enough it will add to the amount of "sharpness" when you lock it down at the nut.

Also a tip for tuning. I came up with this method in the 80s but I am not sure how well known it is. I just told my brother (Floyd Rose hater who bought a Charvel) about it, around a year ago. He told me he has never heard of it before an told me I should post a how-to video. I don't do videos, but I will share it here.

Many times people will complain about "chasing the tuning". As an example: the guitar is flat and as you go through the strings to bring them up to pitch, by the time you get back to where you started the string is flat again. I find this is usually the reason people block the trem.

To avoid this nonsense what I do (if the guitar is flat) is I will check the low E to see how flat it is and tune it approximately the same amount(or a bit more) sharp as it was flat. Then tune from the high E back to the low E. By the time you get back to the low E it should be be close to pitch. Then you can dial it it in after you lock down the nut.

It works in reverse as well. If the guitar is sharp, drop the low E around the same amount flat as it was sharp and tune it from the high E.

If anyone wants to know why this works, so do I.

Hope this is useful.

Edit. Obviously this works after the nut has been tightened.

 

[Bogner]

The Only Thoughts I Have That Come To Mind Are These.

1. Change One String At A Time And Keep Your String Gauges Consistent.

2. Locking Nut Needs To Be Lightly Snug When Locked Down. I Never Locked Down Until Strings Were Fully Stretched And I Used The Bar To Facilitate The Stretching.

3. Back The Fine Tuners Almost All The Way Out So You Can Adjust To Pitch With Them And Still Have Plenty Of Tuning Space Left For Future Which Is Usually Needed For Sharp And Not Flat.

4. Tune Slightly Flat Before Locking Down.

5. When Tuning, And Especially On String Changes, Work Your Way From The Middle Strings Outward When Tuning. Example 4-3-5-2-6-1 Or 3-4-2-5-6-1. Don't Tune Straight Down The Line Like 6-5-4-3-2-1 Or 1-2-3-4-5-6 As It Can Cause Issues And Prolong The Time It Takes To Get In Tune. It Can Be Done This Way But There Is Are Back And Forth In My Experience.

6. Take Extra Care On How You Store The Guitar. If On A Stand, Rotate The Guitar So Neck Tension Is Not Just One Way...(Meaning Face Guitar Outward As Well As Backward On The Stand...Same Thing If You Lean Your Guitars Against Something. (Hopefully You Don' Do That).
If You Case It When Not In Use Then All Is Well.

Hopefully This Helps You Out In Some Way. It Sure Has Served Me Well Over The Years.

 

[JasonE]

By far the hardest thing to set on a Floyd is the intonation. I have a completely manual way of doing it with no special tools but you would have to see me to it to get it. I am not sure I can even explain it to where someone would understand it. Once I started doing it the way I do it, I am able to do them pretty fast. They make a couple of devices you can use to set it that I would probably recommend for anyone that has not figured out a good way to do it yet. I am sure if I had one of those devices years ago it would be my way of doing it now.

 

[WEDGE]

I love Floyd’s and there is no reason, other than setting intonation which can suck, that setting it up to float should be much harder than a PRS trem. It’s the same basic principle, and I would argue that the fine tuners get your tuning really spot on easier.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

I agree with everything @Bogner said, except #3. I FULLY stretch the strings before locking down the nut. Do whatever you want or normally do, but then stretch them from the middle of the string length last to make sure the whole string is stretched uniformly. But after that I tune, center the fine tuners, then lock the nut. And yes, you may run out of adjustment room after a few hours of playing, but loosen the locking nut, recenter the fine tuners, tune to pitch with the tuning key, then relock nut.

That is my process. I've had floaters and decked, and that's what I've always done.

 

[Bogner]

I agree with everything @Bogner said, except #3. I FULLY stretch the strings before locking down the nut. Do whatever you want or normally do, but then stretch them from the middle of the string length last to make sure the whole string is stretched uniformly. But after that I tune, center the fine tuners, then lock the nut. And yes, you may run out of adjustment room after a few hours of playing, but loosen the locking nut, recenter the fine tuners, tune to pitch with the tuning key, then relock nut.

That is my process. I've had floaters and decked, and that's what I've always done.

As Do I...My Second Point Mentioned NOT Locking Them Down Until They Were Fully Stretched.

My List Was More of A Points To Consider Styled List And Not A Do This In Such And Such Order Kind Of Thing. Sorry For The Confusion.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

As Do I...My Second Point Mentioned NOT Locking Them Down Until They Were Fully Stretched.

My List Was More of A Points To Consider Styled List And Not A Do This In Such And Such Order Kind Of Thing. Sorry For The Confusion.

I agreed with #2, it was #3 that I said I do differently. I center the fine tuners before tightening the locking nut. You said you back them most of the way out. So no confusion, just offering a tip to go along with yours. Certainly neither is "wrong", it's just one thing we do a bit differently.

 

[Bogner]

I agreed with #2, it was #3 that I said I do differently. I center the fine tuners before tightening the locking nut. You said you back them most of the way out. So no confusion, just offering a tip to go along with yours. Certainly neither is "wrong", it's just one thing we do a bit differently.

No Worries At All. I Read Your Post To Say You Stretch Your Strings Then Lock Down And That I Don't Stretch Before Locking And That Was My Point In My Response. I Keep The Fine Tuners Backed Out And Tune Flat A Wee Bit Then Lock Down. That (For Me) Gives Me More Fine Tuning Room Long Term So I Don't Have To Unlock And Lock The Nut As Often.

 

[Max Headroom]

Many thanks to all who have contributed here.
I have got some excellent tips and I think it should go well when I get chance to play with it again as stuck in Minnesota all week for work.
Yes it was with new strings as it was setup with some pretty heavy strings in something like dropped C so they had to go!
Hopefully it will be fun and not frustration in the future.

 

[gush]

Back when I was playing floyd guitars, I'd always make sure fine tuners were in the middle of their adjustment so when you lock down the nut you'll be able to adjust. They go a little sharp when you lock down the nut. Nut doesn't have to be very tight either.

Helpful tip here. When stringing Floyd's, always leave ball end on headstock end. Don't clip ball end off and stick it in locking saddle.

The reason, ball keeps string captured at the tuner. Wrap more than you need as well. When you break a string it will ALWAYS happen at the saddle sooooo if you have extra wraps and ball end is at the tuner you can loosen locking saddle and pull broken part of the string out, wind out a bunch of string, put it back in saddle, clamp it and tune. String is already stretched and string won't pull out of tuner while you're doing this.

Huge advantage at a show or simply get more life out of strings if you are practicing a bunch.

 

[gush]

You can tune down the line but low E needs to be sharp by a few cents. A slightly less sharp D slightly less until high E which should be on pitch with tuner.


Now you'll have to do this a few times to understand just how sharp to make em first time through but once you do string changes will be pretty quick.

I wouldn't own a guitar without a floyd back in the day.

Now days I prefer the feel of the prs trem. Just hate the play in the screw arms on Floyd's now.