Ask The Guitar Guru: Tuning a Floyd Rose Tremolo
By
Gene Imbody, 4/5/2002
Chris wrote in with the following question about tuning a guitar that has a Floyd Rose tremolo:
I have had a major problem with my ibanez Gio. I stapped my A string so Ithought well Imight as well replace the whole lot and have a nice fresh set of strings on. I worked out how to thread them on the M. heads 3 under one over slip it underneath so that the strings grip it good article by the way, and then when Ituned it up it was so tight it lifted up my bridge which made my action higher and I had to loosen the strings so that it went back in place making it impossible to tune wat do I do? aaaaaaah another beginner guitarist making a fool of himself, please save me!
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Your custom built Guitar Guru answer:
Chris, It sounds like you have a Floyd Rose or similar bridge on that guitar. They can be tricky to deal with. It is very important to tune with equal tension on those bridges, or you get what you described here. Many players change only one string at a time with bridges like these...you may find this to be your easiest approach in the future.
The proper way to tune any guitar with a tremelo is with what I call "Cross Tuning." This is a method of tuning back and forth across the strings. If you start at the bass E string and tune in succession to the treble E string you'll find that the bridge will tilt toward the peghead and all of the strings will be flat. Here's what you do (it is best to use a good electronic tuner for this): Your strings are numbered 1 to 6 (#1 being treble E, #6 being bass E.)
Start with some tension on all strings, but make sure none are above pitch (all strings should be flat.) Tune #6 up to pitch. Tune #1 to pitch Tune #2 to pitch Tune #5 to pitch Now repeat this from the beginning(6, 1, 2, 5.) After you have re-tuned 5, tune #3. Now tune #4. Repeat from the beginning until you are in tune.
Remember to ALWAYS tune up to pitch and never down. If you are sharp, tune below the desired note, then tune back up. It may seem confusing at first, but you will get used to it. I've gotten so used to it that I tune fixed bridges this way too. What this method does is apply even tension to the strings from side to side so that the tremelo rises level. If you go from one end to the other, the trem continues to raise and as it does all of the strings you've tuned become flat. This is more controllable with cross tuning.
If you get to the end and are in tune, but the bridge does not sit parallel to the body, then you need a set-up and you should probably visit a good repairman. Good Luck! Gene Imbody
