pharmd07
Experienced
The nut on my guitar is rather defiant of my wishes to have a floating trem that stays in tune!
No, you need to stretch tune and start the test again.
I have a 2005 American Deluxe V-Neck with stock locking tuners, 2-post bridge, saddles and nut with very stable tuning. It has 3 springs, I noticed yours has 2, can't say that it would make that big of a difference but worth exploring. I also have my bridge more parallel to the body than the Fender specs recommend.
View attachment 75762
Typically you want the base plate parallel to the body... Yours is angled forward a bit.Hey @JoKeR III - did you set up your bridge that way or did it come that way? That’s pretty much how the bridge is set up on my Pete Thorn Suhr, and it stays in tune incredibly well. Maybe I should try raising the posts and floating the tremolo parallel to the body.
Typically you want the base plate parallel to the body... Yours is angled forward a bit.
The best practice for 2-point is a tad different than for the 6-screw, as the 2-point screws include a V for the knife edge to sit in. The 6-screw depends on the screws being screwed in just enough to prevent the bridge from sliding up/diwn the screws when you swizzle the bar. I actually back the middle 4 out a quarter turn, as thst makes the setting of bridge screws at minimum 3 times easier. The PRS 6-screw trem bridge setup has a little V in the screws' shaft, unlike Fender's 6-screw setup, so the screws' height is critical.That’s how Fender sets them up. The rear of the tremolo is about 1/8” off the top the guitar per Fender specs. It looks weird, but that’s how they do it.
It sounds like one or both of your posts have a little slop in them. Unscrew the posts and put a wrap or two of teflon tape (what you use when plumbing) and screw them back in and reattach your trem. My first thought was one of your springs was hitting the body, but they look clear in the pics. After I had my body painted (Don't get weird on me), there was just enough clear coat to cause the issue your having. Quick work with an exacto knife cured that...your pics look like the trem is clear everywhere, but look closely just to double-check.
Looks like the posts may be a little low, making the bottom of the trem bridge plate possibly contact the body. I would back them out a quarter (or half) turn, and see how it behaves then. If no improvement, you can easilt turn them back in a quarter (or half) turn and be back where you started. If it improves return to pitch, your action will be a smidge high, but if you tighten the trem claw until the bridge is closer to parallel with the body, the flatter angle of the bridge plate will actually lower the action again....
I had the Strat blocked for the longest time but set it up this way after experimenting when I found the more stable tuning of the PRS trem (their setup suggests the baseplate float @ 1/16" off of the body). Fender specs suggest more of an angle.Hey @JoKeR III - did you set up your bridge that way or did it come that way? That’s pretty much how the bridge is set up on my Pete Thorn Suhr, and it stays in tune incredibly well. Maybe I should try raising the posts and floating the tremolo parallel to the body.
Yeah, forgot to mention this.... ^^^^I also read in several places (and it makes sense) to NOT turn the tremolo post height screws under tension. It's like a knife grinding into the post and will for sure dull the edge, which will later increase friction during trem bar movement, meaning the trem won't return to its previous resting position. It's a lot of work, but you should loosen all strings and take the trem springs out before making height adjustments. I have been cringing when guitar techs don't know about this and adjust height under full tension...
When doing a minor third pull up on the g string, having the plate parallel is pretty much out of the question. Unless you want to shim the neck like crazy. Music Man Lukes come with a similiar angle from the factory, and they're already pretty heavily shimmed in the neck pocket.Typically you want the base plate parallel to the body... Yours is angled forward a bit.
Some two post trems are designed to be used like this . You can raise the plate and use it parallel to resist going flat during bends. The Fender trem arm in to the block is even drilled at an angle so that it appears straight when the bridge plate is up at the back.When doing a minor third pull up on the g string, having the plate parallel is pretty much out of the question. Unless you want to shim the neck like crazy. Music Man Lukes come with a similiar angle from the factory, and they're already pretty heavily shimmed in the neck pocket.