ok so i started to use my whammy bar but the problem is that when i use it it makes my guitar out of tune so is this somthing i can prevent, maybe by the way i string the gutitar...........................?


PS. I know that this is the inevitable over time but this happens immediatley after use of the whammy.

Hi wiggs, I don't know much about what you're asking except my Fender would go out of tuen when I'd overuse the trem. If I'm a little gentler with it, no problem !

In your case though, if you mentiioned some details it will help those that do know more about this apparently common problem. Details might include guitar maker and model name/number, type of trem, type of strings, are you getting the problem even after the strings are stretched....and any other details that you can think of would help.

GuitarZen

well first off... is it a fender style trem or a floyd style? and do you have locks at the nut of your guitar (up by the tuning pegs) that hold the strings?

If your ax doesn't have a locking nut then I can help. Firstly, if its a fender, use fender bullet strings because they fit the bridge assembly better. Next, thread the end thru the hole in the tuning peg, make your first wrap go above the tail and all others go below it. Do at least 3 wraps after the first. Take a pencil and rub the lead into the string grooves at the nut, this will allow your strings to slide back and forth easily. Then take a light machine oil and put a drop on each string's bridge saddle and finally lubricate the pivot points of the bridge itself with some lip balm. Works for me and i only tune my strat very rarely and do dive bombs like crazy.

If you do have a Floyd or Kahler style trem it's very important that the guitar is intonated and that the strings are properly stretched.

The trem works by balancing the tension of the strings against the springs in the back on a knife-edge. Without proper intonation it's extremely difficult to get the strings perfectly tuned. Without a perfect (or very close) tuning the tensions will be off and things can go awry.

If the strings aren't stretched they tend to not go back to the same tension, especially when pulling back.


If you don't have a Floyd, there are several factors that can influence the strings coming back to pitch. The first and I think most prevalent are the nut and tuning pegs. If you don't have a locking nut the strings may not return to their original place in the nut slots due to friction. Being sure the nut is properly cut (new guitars with non-factory gauge strings) and lubricated are very important.

Assuming the tuning pegs themselves don't slip the strings can when tension is released from them. This mostly affects wound strings that tend to bind against themselves on adjacent winds. Locking tuners (such as Spertzel) go a long way towards alleviating this issue.

There may be binding happening at the bridge as well. Anything from having the saddles smoothed out to replacing them with graphite saddles can help.

Then there's the whole subject of having the trem properly set up. The slightest variation can affect usability. The need for perfection is directly proportional to how hard you crank on the trem.

If you need pointers with setting up a Floyd I'd be more than happy to impart what little knowledge I've picked up. If you have another type of bridge I'm sure someone here will be more familiar with setup specifics.