[Nik]

You know what would be a really great idea?

If someone made a 2-way semi-fixed trem. Lemme explain...

It's hard to explain without using pictures, but it's a pretty simple concept. In order for it to work, however, the trem arm can only be used at a specific angle. But basically, it would be a mechanism attached to the trem arm inside the trem which would latch on to the fixed body of the guitar. This way, the trem arm locks the trem and it is like fixed; you can rip strings, whatever, the trem won't move and it'll behave as if it's fixed. You'd have more sustain two.

If you wanted to use the trem, as you push down on the trem arm, which releases the latch and actually unlocks the trem. If you let the bridge rise back up into place, the trem locks into place and remains fixed until the next time you push down on the tremolo bar.

Am I a genius, or what?

[Kevan]

HB- thanks for the props, man!
Some industry guys have started calling me "Trem Boy". I *think* that's a compliment. LOL

Nik-
Here's a pic of the original locking studs (I took the pic and gave it to Glensite so...):
http://www.jemsite.com/tech/img/trem_post.jpg
There you can see the small set screw that comes out of the bottom of the trem post. This set screw is one of the main advantages of the Ibanez FR trems over the originals. Once that set screw is locked, those posts don't move, which really helps to keep your floating trem in tune.

Unfortunately, Ibanez stopped doing the locking trem posts somewhere in the 2003 area, and simply went with old-school, non-locking posts. I'm sure with the $0.0004 they save over the next couple of years, it'll pay for that new coffee maker. Anyway, it's a bad idea, several major guys have said so, and we all hope they get back to putting them in as stock. *crosses fingers*

In the meantime, there are a couple of things you can do. IbanezRules offers a locking post replacement kit. The site owner, Rich, is a cool guy and can get you hooked up with that. It's a shame that you have to spend some dollars to get the new guitar where we all think it should be, but....that's the cost of owning something so versatile. :-)
http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setup/stud_mod_03.htm
$40 for the kit. Not terrible.
Just be sure to use a REAL lubricant on your posts and knife edges when putting it all back together.
Unless you're a fluffer, Chapstick isn't a real lube.

In regards to your idea about "move the arm and the trem locks down", you can shake the hand of Mr. Wilkinson. He came up with this idea more than a decade ago, and the trem system (the VS-100-Convertible) is for sale everywhere except the US. Why? Because Steinberger came up with the same type of idea at about the same time, and Gibson bought Steinberger, and Gibson called it patent infringement, and Gibson won. Mr. Wilkinson gave them the finger and continued (continues?) to sell the Convertible everywhere outside the US.
NOTE: The locking system in question is NOT found on the TransTrem. The one I'm talking about is a whole other system designed by Steinberger, and was only in production for about 6 mos. They turned out to be dogs, and went away. Thankfully. :-)

Ken Parker (Parker Guitars) has a system that also works sorta like you described. It's a pretty slick little setup, but....it only comes on the uber-Parkers. Sorry.

Your other option is, ahem...well....I'll let one of the other guys talk about it. Don't worry though- we can get your 1527 hooked up.

[Nik]

Originally Posted by Kevan

HB- thanks for the props, man!
Some industry guys have started calling me "Trem Boy". I *think* that's a compliment. LOL

Nik-
Here's a pic of the original locking studs (I took the pic and gave it to Glensite so...):
http://www.jemsite.com/tech/img/trem_post.jpg
There you can see the small set screw that comes out of the bottom of the trem post. This set screw is one of the main advantages of the Ibanez FR trems over the originals. Once that set screw is locked, those posts don't move, which really helps to keep your floating trem in tune.

In the meantime, there are a couple of things you can do. IbanezRules offers a locking post replacement kit. The site owner, Rich, is a cool guy and can get you hooked up with that. It's a shame that you have to spend some dollars to get the new guitar where we all think it should be, but....that's the cost of owning something so versatile. :-)
http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setup/stud_mod_03.htm
$40 for the kit. Not terrible.
Just be sure to use a REAL lubricant on your posts and knife edges when putting it all back together.
Unless you're a fluffer, Chapstick isn't a real lube.

In regards to your idea about "move the arm and the trem locks down", you can shake the hand of Mr. Wilkinson. He came up with this idea more than a decade ago, and the trem system (the VS-100-Convertible) are for sale everywhere except the US. Why? Because Steinberger came up with the same type of idea at about the same time, and Gibson bought Steinberger, and Gibson called it patent infringement, and Gibson won. Mr. Wilkinson gave them the finger and continued (continues?) to sell the Convertible everywhere outside the US.
NOTE: The locking system in question is NOT found on the TransTrem. The one I'm talking about is a whole other system designed by Steinberger, and was only in production for about 6 mos. They turned out to be dogs, and went away. Thankfully. :-)

Ken Parker (Parker Guitars) has a system that also works sorta like you described. It's a pretty slick little setup, but....it only comes on the uber-Parkers. Sorry.

Your other option is, ahem...well....I'll let one of the other guys talk about it. Don't worry though- we can get your 1527 hooked up.

Wow, that was a really really helpful post. You deserve your title dude.. Thanks!!!!

Pity that idea isn't mass produced.

As for getting the studs... Well, I just spent a bunch of cash on getting the guitar and getting new pick-ups so I think I'm not gonna buy anything musical for a while. I'll probably order the studs through Guitar Center so they can install them for me (I know, I know, but you should hear some of my guitar stories, then you'd understand why I'm not much of a hands on guy )...

Unless... Well, I'm very curious as to what that last sentence in your post means... ? What's my other option?

BTW, how many of these locking studs would I need 2? 4?

$40 bucks is a lot for a bunch of metallic bolts

Well, thanks again!

--Nik

[Kevan]

Let's go thru these one at a time, shall we?

Originally Posted by Nik

Wow, that was a really really helpful post. You deserve your title dude.. Thanks!!!!

You're very welcome.

Originally Posted by Nik

Pity that idea isn't mass produced.

As far as I know, the VS-100-C is still being produced. You just can't buy it here in the US. A week after that lawsuit was over, you couldn't even find Convertible parts here in the States. Most folks have resorted to getting the trems and parts from overseas.

Originally Posted by Nik

As for getting the studs... Well, I just spent a bunch of cash on getting the guitar and getting new pick-ups so I think I'm not gonna buy anything musical for a while. I'll probably order the studs through Guitar Center so they can install them for me (I know, I know, but you should hear some of my guitar stories, then you'd understand why I'm not much of a hands on guy )...

Ugh. GC + trems = Paris Hilton + video camera. It's just a bad idea to let them loose on a trem-equipped guitar. Plus, GC won't have the complete 'replacement kit'. Rich puts it all together himself, in a nice plastic baggie. And, with GC you will wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. And....*hits side of monitor*

Spending an hour learning the basics of your trem will save you thousands of dollars and tons of time in the future.
I'd type everything out for you, but most of the basics can be found here:
http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setup/index.htm
Read everything except #16. Filing knife edges is extremely bad advice (once you file it away, you can never get that metal back). I've found that 98% of tremolo issues can be solved by simple lubrication of the trem post notches and both sides of the knife edges. I use a PTFE (Teflon-based) lube, and wipe away any excess. The PTFE imbeds into the metal and provides a really smooth surface for the two parts to interact on. It's metal-on-metal contact, so lubrication is a must.
You don't drive your car down the street with out any oil in the engine, right? Why drive your trem without any lube on it?

HINT: You can get great lubes (PTFE, Graphite, etc.) at most auto parts stores. The little tube will last you years.

There are some other points where Rich and I have different ways of doing things, but the link above will get you started. If you have questions, let me know and I'll try to answer them.

Oh, and if you want to spend another 20 minutes learning to solder, you'll be able to replace pickups too. :-) You can get a beginner soldering kit from Radio Shack for less than $25 and it'll last years. Another minor, but worthwhile, investment.

Originally Posted by Nik

Unless... Well, I'm very curious as to what that last sentence in your post means... ? What's my other option?

As I said, I'm gonna let one of the other guys here tell you about it.

Originally Posted by Nik

BTW, how many of these locking studs would I need 2? 4?

You would need one set. One set will do one guitar.

Originally Posted by Nik

$40 bucks is a lot for a bunch of metallic bolts

In the package, you get new trem studs as well. They normally go for about $12-15 ea.(2 per guitar), so it's not that terrible of a deal.

Originally Posted by Nik

Well, thanks again!

You're very welcome again.

[darren]

Here's a little secret: TonePros bridges still wobble around like mad. TonePros only locks the bridge to the studs. The studs themselves still slop around inside the threaded inserts. This is easily remedied by using a couple of jam nuts on the studs to lock them down to the inserts once you've got your action set. (I'll post photos of my new setup later.)

[Regor]

Originally Posted by HateBreeder

Its the same as a tonepros bridge, for floating bridges basically. You know how when you take of the bridge, the posts are wobbly? It corrects that. Cause when they're wobbly like that, when you're whammying, it can slightly adjust the angle and whatnot of the bridge, and cause instability.

You know, I've never noticed a problem with that. I would think the tension from the strings pulling the bridge towards the posts wouldn't allow them to wobble.

Then again, I don't whammy much/hard. So it's never been a concern for me I guess.

[dpm]

Kevan, I haven't seen a VS-100 Convertible for a few years, I don't think they're in production anymore. Some may be available as old stock.
Trevor Wilkinson's latest gear is mostly Korean cheapo stuff, with the exception of the Gotoh/Wilkinson units which are improved versions of the VS-100, including locking studs.

Kevan and HB's advice here is solid, particularly regarding filing knife edges. They are hardened steel and once that hard layer wears through the softer metal is exposed. Ibanez knife edges are replaceable (they can be a bitch to remove though).
If you aren't comfortable working on your guitar don't, unless it's something reversible. Take it to a good tech. Not GC. Ask around, find out who is recommended in your area. I say this as someone who sees a lot of crap work that can't be undone. Setups are reversible, and the stud conversion is very straight forward.

Oh, and regarding Kevan's last sentence http://www.tremol-no.com/
He's the inventor behind this marvelous gadget, soon to be available through AllParts. Check out Drew's reviews of this thing. Having chatted to Kevan a bit about it I can tell you it will be good. The most important aspect of a device like the Tremol-No (apart from the design) is having it made accurately of the right materials. Kevan has got this thing nailed contractually to be right.

[Drew]

Dan - update for you - rather than waiting until I can drive down to GC to buy some bulk springs, I'm going to pull the T-No from the CST and put it into my Universe, and then give you a "hands on with metal-as-fuck strings" update.

by the way, I'm completely in love with 11's now that I'm used to them.

My personal recommendation for a good lube is Pedro's Extra Dry mountain biking chain lube. I forgot exacly what the stuff's called (Kevan, you'd know) but it's got the chemical lubricant stuff that actually bonds with the metal in it, and is specially formulated not to attract dust and dirt. If it can keep my chain from gumming up in New England mud season, it can keep your trem smooth and free from dust.

That said, Kevan, aren't you working on an official tremol-no lube?

Also, unrelated tangent - is the Gotoh/Wilkinson trem a direct retrofit for a Fender American Standard trem? I've been meaning to swap mine out for something a little more confidence inspiring for rather a while.

-D

[Kevan]

Nik- DPM's advice about taking it to a REAL tech is a great idea if you don't want to get into it yourself. If you let us know what part of the country/world you're in, maybe one of us can steer you towards a reputable, trem-friendly, guitar tech.


DPM- thanks man. I'm glad you approve of the materials used to make the Tremol-No. LOL

I wasn't sure if they were still offering it or not. I've seen a few NOS ones for sale. The Convertible is/was a cool idea, and I personally think that Trevor's a genius.


Drew- I'm not working on any sort of Tremol-No lube. The device really doesn't need any lubrication as there's no constant force pressure between any of the parts (until you use the screws to lock it down). Plus, I only got a C in chemistry.

The chemical you're talking about in your bike chain lube is probably PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). It's good stuff. Highly recommended. Anything with PTFE in it, or PTFE-based, will make a good lube. I like the gel stuff, simply because it doesn't run all over the place when I apply it.

"standard" from Fender....that's some funny shit right there.
Saying "Standard American Strat Trem" is like going to the Playboy mansion and saying, "Oh- she's hot." Umm....which one? I've seen about 4 different "standard" trems from Fender, all on American Strats. A quick search on the Convertible should get you the dimensions necessary to see if a swap is drop-in or not. I'll have a look at my notes here as well.

[Drew]

My bad, I was under the impression that "American Standard" was the model name. It's their run-of-the mill two-point knife edge non-locking trem...

http://www.fender.com/products/searc...tno=0992050000

Eh, American Series Stratocaster Tremolo Assembly, #0992050000, the top left one in the pic. An eyeball check suggests it should be a direct retrofit, but I'm not crazy enough to go on just that... I'd drop Wilkinson or Gotoh an e-mail about it, but a week or so ago someone posted looking for contact info for them, and I couldn't find aything on the net.