[TheRiverDragon]

Hi! My name is Markus and I am from germany. I discoverd this forum some time ago however I've never participated. But now it's time since I just bought a used Ibanez RG2077XL (excellent condition ) from eBay. I really like the guitar, however I have some problems with setting it up properly. I strung it up with D'addario 010-056 strings (not very thick for a baritone guitar) and still it seems impossible to tune it to standard B without the tremolo block bending way out of the body. I already packed 5 springs in there and drew the screws as much as possible into the wood. On my other floyd rose 7 string it seems no problem to get the tremolo block parallel to the body (as it should be). I think it's very odd because usually baritone guitars are strung with even fatter strings (as I am planning to do aswell) and therefore even more weight is lasting on the tremolo block (or is it just called bridge?). Maybe someone here could help with my problem!? Rock On. Markus

[bostjan]

Well, being a baritone, it was originally introduced for lower tuning. .010" on 28" scale for E is actually quite a lot of tension.

I do believe the RG___7XL'sare meant to be tuneable to standard, though. Does it still require five springs if you tune down a full step to D standard? If so, there may be something wrong.

EDIT: This thread is in the wrong subforum.

[Shikaru]

Thicker springs would help I imagine.

[bostjan]

Originally Posted by Shikaru

Thicker springs would help I imagine.

Hmm, do regular springs come in various stiffnesses? I didn't know that was an option. Maybe you have crumby springs?

[Rev2010]

Originally Posted by TheRiverDragon

I think it's very odd because usually baritone guitars are strung with even fatter strings (as I am planning to do aswell)

Please don't take this the wrong way but you're wrong here. Baritone scale guitars are longer hence have greater string tension and therefore usually will use a lighter set of strings than if you were shooting for the same string tension on a 25.5" guitar. Where you're confusing this is when talking about 6 string baritone guitars. 6 string baritones use heavier gauges cause they're tuned all the way down to "B" rather than the standard "E" tuning so you need the thicker string for tension. But since you have a 27" extended scale 7 you will want to use a step or two lighter guage than you would use on a 25.5" seven. When I had a 24.75" seven (tuned to "A") I strung it with 12-70. My Schecter 26.5" scale (tuned to "A") is strung with 11-62.


Rev.

[TheRiverDragon]

Thanks for your replies. I understand your point Rev2010 however I am still confused that it seems impossible to tune the guitar to standard B with relativly light stringe gauge 010-056. Tuning one full step low still is not possible using 3 springs, only with five. Any suggestions? Btw I bought the guitar from the forum member Mayzan, maybe he could respond, too.

[The Dark Wolf]

You have to use lighter strings. .009's on a baritone are basically equivalent to .010's on a standard. What you're doing would be sort of the equivalent of trying to tune a Floyd-equipped guitar to standard with .012's or heavier!

Way too heavy of a string gauge, bro. Use .009's, maybe a .052 for the low B. You're not going to make this work, the strings are just way too thick for a floating trem and a baritone.

[Rev2010]

Please explain to us how you're tuning it, the exact way you do it. 5 springs is mega spring tension and if you're tuning where the tremolo is angling up you must be doing something wrong. Are you locking the nuts after each set of strings is tuned? Cause if you don't lock the nuts this will happen. In other words, you tune the first two, lock it, tune the next three, lock both center nuts, tune the last two, lock the nuts. You should be fine with 10-56, you don't need to get 9's.


Rev.

[TheRiverDragon]

Thanks Rev. This way it works. I didn't know that I need to do it this way cause I never had the problem. Thank you very much again, now I am happy man

[Drew]

Originally Posted by Rev2010

Please explain to us how you're tuning it, the exact way you do it. 5 springs is mega spring tension and if you're tuning where the tremolo is angling up you must be doing something wrong. Are you locking the nuts after each set of strings is tuned? Cause if you don't lock the nuts this will happen. In other words, you tune the first two, lock it, tune the next three, lock both center nuts, tune the last two, lock the nuts. You should be fine with 10-56, you don't need to get 9's.

Um, nothing personal, but locking the nut after tuning each set of strings should have zero effect on whether or not the trem will angle up as you put more tension on it - it's going to anyway, as the trem rises from inside the body towards level as additional spring tension is added, and all locking the nut will accomplish is you'll have to unlock it to tune the strings back up to pitch afterwards.

I have no idea why you're having trouble, you should be able to get 10-56's on a 27" scale without problems. TDW has a point to an extent, but at the same time I've run 11-68's on a 25.5" in standard B with no problems before, and that was with just 4 springs in the back - I'd say the tension here should be comparable.

I'd start with a fresh set of strings, maybe, and a conversation with Mayzan to see if maybe he swapped them out for lighter springs or something. Have you talked to him yet? That's the first thing I'd do, if I'd bought a guitar off him I was having problems with.