Ibanez Locking Trem flutter setup (conflicting info found online, need help)

[Legion]

Hello!

I have an RG1527 in my hands, and it is my first serious attempt at learning the Floyd Rose style system, both musically and tech/setup-wise.
I've looked for this online a bunch, but I seem to find some conflicting information. Help a Floyd Rose noob out?

Problem statement: trem feels too stiff, doesn't flutter like its supposed to when I whack it.

I am running a set of 9-64 strings from TheStringSource in drop A (same tension as 9-56 in B standard if the packaging is to be believed). These are NOT stupid heavy gauges at all.
The trem claw is screwed such that there is about half an inch of space between the claw and the end of the cavity. There are four springs in there. If I go down to 3 springs (with the 2 outer springs angled inwards) the string tension is far too much even with the trem claw screwed ALL the way in.


How do I set it up so that the trem flutters? Should I have more springs-less taught, or fewer springs-more taught?

Thanks!

Paging @MaxOfMetal since his bio says he's a trem wank lord

 

[Matt08642]

7 string flutter is difficult, even my 7620 with a LoPro edge and 3 springs (all straight) and 9-54 in standard barely flutters at all.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Flutter and the amount of it is not a guarantee to be reproduced. I’ve done the exact same setup on many, many vibratos over the years. Some do it, some don’t ’. Some do it more, some do it less. If you have a drawer full of springs, you can swap them in/out to see how results may vary closer to your desired effect, but there’s still no guarante.

 

[Legion]

Hmm.

This is...unfortunate. I bought a Floyd guitar specifically to be able to incorporate flutter into metal riffs.

 

[Hollowway]

I would think flutter would be the same for all setups, and only differ in the amount of force it takes to trigger it. If the trem is fully floating, it’s got a balance between the strings and springs, and the flutter is just the trem bouncing back and force, zeroing in on the equilibrium position, right?

 

[nickgray]

There are four springs in there. If I go down to 3 springs (with the 2 outer springs angled inwards) the string tension is far too much even with the trem claw screwed ALL the way in.

Get stiffer springs, try these, they're stiff af, you might be able to get away with 2 of those in an angled pattern. The noiseless part is mostly bullshit, I would recommend stuffing them with shrink tubing or something like that, they're not nearly as noiseless otherwise.

Springs link

 

[Legion]

I would think flutter would be the same for all setups, and only differ in the amount of force it takes to trigger it. If the trem is fully floating, it’s got a balance between the strings and springs, and the flutter is just the trem bouncing back and force, zeroing in on the equilibrium position, right?

Yes: but the flutter should have a wide enough oscillation around the mean "zero" point. It's very narrow, and dies down fast: a far cry from videos I see people doing the "PRRRRRRRRRRRR" effect like the penultimate phrase in Petrucci's solo for Under A Glass Moon.

 

[Legion]

Get stiffer springs, try these, they're stiff af, you might be able to get away with 2 of those in an angled pattern. The noiseless part is mostly bullshit, I would recommend stuffing them with shrink tubing or something like that, they're not nearly as noiseless otherwise.

Link does not seem to be showing up/is unclickable

 

[nickgray]

Link does not seem to be showing up/is unclickable

It's the dumbass new forum, it's too clever for its own good - it tries to embed Amazon links in a fancy way even if you force them to be urls.

Springs link

Seems to work if you change the name of the url to not be the actual url.

 

[odibrom]

Is your trem's arm loose or tight? Tight is way better and it also works better when set facing the guitar's bottom instead of the neck. I think it works better with the pitch up and release.

7 string trems don't flutter much. The less springs, the better... go find your balance...

 

[Legion]

Is your trem's arm loose or tight? Tight is way better and it also works better when set facing the guitar's bottom instead of the neck. I think it works better with the pitch up and release.

7 string trems don't flutter much. The less springs, the better... go find your balance...

Trem arm is tight as a duck's ass.
it's pointed backwards, so when I whack it it does pitch up.

I'm going to try @nickgray 's advice and and try 2 high tension springs. Let's see how that works out.