madpickin03

Setting Up Floyd Rose
Floyd Rose Breakdown

Other terms -

• String clamp - pressure pads
• Saddle mounting screw - intonation screw/saddle screw
• Pivot screws - tremolo stud/tremolo post/stud screw

Restringing -

1. Depending on your system, you could either block your tremolo using appropriate materials (eraser, wooden block, batteries) BEHIND the bridge area/inside the cavity, OR you could just simply string them one by one and immediately proceed to the tuning process without having to block anything.
2. Undo the string lockers.
3. Insert a new string.
4. Tighten the string lockers firmly until the string is snug (dont overtighten).
5. Increase the string tension by turning the machineheads. Depending on your bridge angle, if its buldging out, then slacken the string(s).
6. Repeat #5 for all strings, gently remove your blocker if you block them.

<NOTES>

• Always Restring 1 by 1.
• For ease of use and to save time, make sure you have the same gauge and the same brand of strings you previously had.
• Blocking the tremolo at the cavity
  
  

Tuning -

1. Loosen the locking nut.
2. Set your fine tuners to middle position.
3. Tune up your guitar to standard or whichever tunings u wish. "Cross-tuning" = Tune the low E string> A string> low E string again> D string> low E string>A string... and so forth. Keep repeating for all strings. To make it easier, tune the previous string generally a bit sharper or about half step
   sharper so you don't have to repeat cross-tuning too much.
4. If the floating bridge comes out, loosen the tunings and then tighten the springs in the tremolo cavity at the back, if the bridge sinks, then vice-versa, until the bridge is parallel to the body.
5. Be patient.
6. If you're happy with your tunings and your bridge is well centered/parallel, lock the nuts.
7. Tune again using the fine tuners.
   
   

<NOTES>

• Stretch the strings first if they're new.
• You might want to have at least 3 springs at the back and after following the tuning method above, tighten the 2 claw's screw for about 1/8th or 1/16th. This is to prevent your floating bridge from getting stuck to the knife edges on the posts after you bend notes. You can ignore this if your bridge/trem is reliable (e.g. Edge Pro, Edge, ZR, Lo-Pro Edge, Original Floyd Rose, Licensed Floyd Rose by Kahler/Schaller/Gotoh). You "may" face this problem a lot if your guitar is brand new.

Tremolo Angle for Different Kinds of FRs -
Ibanez ZPS3 Edge Zero (Diagram)
Ibanez ZPS3 Edge Zero (Photo)
Ibanez SynchroniZR (Diagram)
Ibanez SynchroniZR (Photo)
Ibanez Edge Pro (Diagram)
Ibanez Edge Pro (Photo)
Ibanez Edge Pro (Photo)
Ibanez Edge Pro II (Photo)
Ibanez Edge III (Diagram)
Ibanez Edge III (Photo)
Ibanez ZR Tremolo (Diagram)
Ibanez ZR Tremolo (Photo)
Ibanez Lo Pro Edge (Diagram)
Ibanez Lo Pro Edge (Photo)
Ibanez Edge (Photo)
Ibanez Edge/Lo Pro Edge (Photo) (see the tapped knife edges from the side, they're straight with body)
Ibanez Lo TRS (Diagram)
Kahler Fulcrum Series (Diagram)
Original Floyd Rose/Gotoh Licensed FR/Schaller Licensed FR/Ibanez Lo TRS II/Ibanez ILT1/Most LFR In The World (Diagram)
Original Floyd Rose/Gotoh Licensed FR/Schaller Licensed FR/Ibanez Lo TRS II/Ibanez ILT1/Most LFR In The World (Photo)

Intonation -
For intonation, the only thing you should be adjusting are the saddle screws. Labeled (B)

1. Make sure that you're tuned to perfect pitch in the open or 12th fret harmonics
2. If you dont have the intonation-tool*, you need to loosen the string 1 by 1 and adjust its intonation step by step.
3. Here's the tricky part, your string needs to be properly loosed and you might want to hold it using ur fingers because if the tension is still there, the strings will pull the intonation saddle after you loosen it.
4. Loosen the saddle screw, see your notes that you just jotted, if the fretted note is SHARP, move the saddle AWAY from the neck and vice-versa.
5. You might have to move the saddle quite a bit to realize changes. You can get it really far back, past the bolt's head or washer in fact.
6. There are TWO bolt positions for adjustments so if the adjustment is not enough on either sides, unscrew the saddle screw and move it to the other position.
7. Tighten the intonation lock screw firmly taking care not to strip the screw.
8. Retune the string and retest fret-12 fretted to the fret-12 natural harmonic.
9. This is probably the most sickening step of all. This is a really really by trial and error, so if your desired pitch isnt working, you have to do it again and again and repeat the steps above until its properly intoned.

<NOTES>

• Loosen the strings to make way for the allen/hex wrench to be properly inserted onto the saddle screw. AVOID hex wrench contact with strings, It can slowly scrape it and break your string (usually those lower gauges).
• You don't need to loosen the strings if you have an intonation tool.
• A blocking mechanism as simple as blocks of wood can be extremely helpful. Make sure when you block your system, they're parallel to the body. When blocked, you do not have to worry about the tremolo system rocking forward or backward (which makes intonation a hell).

Intonation Tool for Different Kinds of FRs -
OFR/LFR Intonation Tool
Ibanez Edge Intonation Tool
Ibanez Lo Pro Edge Intonation Tool
Ibanez EdgeZero Intonation Tool
Ibanez SynchroZR Intonation Tool
Ibanez ZR-II Intonation Tool
Ibanez ZR/ZR-II/EdgeZero/SynchroZR Intonation Tool

Action -
Adjust the screw labeled (A) according to your preference. If you have the Ibanez Edge/Lo Pro Edge/Edge Zero/Gotoh LFR system, make sure you've unlock the "locking studs" before making any adjustments.


______________________________________madpickin03®________________________________________

~credits to members of jemsite.com, pics vary either from jemsite.com or from my own, special thanks to nuno and Rich~

STANDARD BRIDGE/SETUP QUESTION - GOES HERE



Great FR Setup Pictorial Here.

__________________
"Play with your ears" - Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert
Thats what she said...
UGmusic

madpickin03

Tremolo Swap -

• Ibanez Edge III route accepts----------------------- Edge Pro, Original Floyd Rose, Gotoh LFR
• Ibanez Edge/Lo Pro Edge route accepts------- Lo Pro Edge, Edge Pro, Original Floyd Rose
• Ibanez Edge Pro/Edge Pro II route accepts--- Original Floyd Rose
• Original Floyd Rose route accepts---------------- Edge, Lo Pro Edge, Gotoh LFR

keep in mind that these are immediate drop in. Changing the studs might temper the fitting minutely and requires some drilling or routing.

Headstock Area -
Make sure the nuts are aligned properly and that you set the retainer bar at proper level so that when you lock the nuts, it wont go out of tune so violently. You just need to tighten the retainer bar till the string is lower than the nut level.


Tremolo Arm for Ibanez Edge/Lo Pro Edge/Edge Zero/ZR//ZR-II/SynchroniZR -
To prevent the plastic bushings from damaged, make sure you insert the arm properly.


Miscellaneous -
Ibanez ZR Tremolo - Engaging the ZERO Point System for ZR
Ibanez ZR Tremolo - Removing the ZERO Point System For Full Floating Mode
Ibanez ZPS3 - Engaging the ZERO Point System for Edge Zero
Ibanez Edge-FX/Edge-III-FX Bridge Angle
Kahler 2200-2300 "Pro" Setup Page

Helpful References & Videos -
Very Helpful Restringing/Setup Video
Floyd Rose Official Site
Restringing Video
Ibanez Rules Setup Page
Jemsite Setup Page
Youtube Setup References
Kahler "Pro" Setup References
Kahler Traditional-Vintage-Modern Instruction Manual

Things to Keep in Mind -

• Don't unleash the fury by swinging your guitar like Yngwie unless you have sufficient practice or professional training, you might end up hurting yourself.
• Floyd Rose system is very dangerous, keep your distance.
• Stringing ball-end first at the tuning posts prevents you from accidentally puncturing major arteries.
• Don't use glass cleaners to clean your guitar.
• Keep away from extreme temperature

______________________________________madpickin03®________________________________________

~credits to members of jemsite.com, pics vary either from jemsite.com or from my own, special thanks to nuno and Rich~

STANDARD BRIDGE/SETUP QUESTION - GOES HERE



Great FR Setup Pictorial Here.

__________________
"Play with your ears" - Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert
Thats what she said...
UGmusic

Archeo

madpickin, sorry but this thread REALLY needs attention and the spotlight...

because it's a great source of info for the other Floyd users who are new to the thing.

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Ibanez RG560 91'
RJ Shark w/ S/H setting

Carlsbro GLX100
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I'm a Bleach Fan!

Dave_Mc

excellent.

I didn't know that about the retainer bar either. o_O

__________________

madpickin03

Sorry but the power to stick this on the front page is far beyond my control.

Same goes for my fellow colleague's Q & A thread, ppl just keep refusing to post there about setups, they just prefer making a new thread.

well now ya know

__________________
"Play with your ears" - Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert
Thats what she said...
UGmusic

One Way Ticket

Awesome stuff Mad, you know your stuff.

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I'm back, you douchebags.

Pingu132

I found a video that shows you how to change strings on a floyd rose.

Dave_Mc

(and bump!)

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666_Belial

this should be stickied. very useful... (bump...)

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Member of the Jackson/Charvel Owners Group

MetalMilitia212

I've apparently got to adjust the height of my ZR.

Thanks for the info .

__________________
Dickless.

madpickin03

Update 1:
- Added more diagrams for tremolo angle
- Added misc. section
- ZR tremolo zero point setup guide and info. about the stop bar function
- Fixed Edge bridge angle

enjoy

__________________
"Play with your ears" - Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert
Thats what she said...
UGmusic

jigy-i-joe

Could you find any info on less known tremolos? Like Schecter and DEAN liscenced tremolos?

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My Gear

Guitar
DEAN Razorback Shards
Wesley crappy cheap thing

Amps
Cheap Crappy Freedom Practice AMP 15watts
VOX AD50 Valtronix

mr kipling

They are basically the same as an OFR/Gotoh/Schaller in terms of shape.

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hoimhi0et0hm03oi

madpickin03

The setup guide for Licensed Floyd Rose Tremolos from Schecter/Dean/ESP/Yamaha/Washburn/Fender/TRS505/TRS101 etc etc are exactly the same an OFR setup. They're just different in terms of quality and material build, that's all.

__________________
"Play with your ears" - Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert
Thats what she said...
UGmusic

Ippon

This thread should kill/answer 99.999% of FR How do I? threads.



*waits for mod to sticky*

Wait, if it gets stickied, nobody will read it.

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Who To Listen To EG/GG&A and GB&C ... 7/ERG Field Marshall ... ?!?

Serendipity

Awesome guide! The people demand a sticky!

tubab0y

Uh...you forgot the Kahler Fulcrum-type bridges.

Oh well, I'm probably one of the only people in the world with one.

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flickrrrr




I am Michael!

madpickin03

^ uhm i hate kahler bridges

anyways, ill attempt my best at doing it later on

__________________
"Play with your ears" - Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert
Thats what she said...
UGmusic

Karg45

This is amazing.