Need advice on my AM255

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Author Message Tone Username: Tone Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 1:28 am:    Hi all I just bought an AM255 Serial number is 1831190 Does this tell me anything? I guess it's not a factory fitted tremolo(<--what does this mean anyway?) and not a Burl Mahogany top? (looks very burl mahogany to me though) Pickups were both Ibanez Super-58's Anyways, my problem is that it's going out of tune like crazy when I use the tremolo bar... I set the tension so that it can go forward and backward because I want to experiment with it although I'm traditional jazz player. Does anyone know a way to deal with the tuning problem? I don't want to just place a block and not use the tremolo bar... just yet... Tone Username: Tone Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 1:32 am:    I'm even thinking about replacing the tremolo with floyd rose... the only tremolo that doesn't go out of tune... or at least that locking nut which usually pairs with floyd rose Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 11:16 am:    Ouch! don't do that. Does the bridge look like this? image{prorockr} This ProRock'r is the factory bridge. A lot of the tuning instability actually comes from the nut and tuners. Make sure the nut slots are big enough for the strings to slide freely through them (loosen the strings and test this). They will need to be widened if there is any binding. Then try a little lube on the nut, either graphite from a pencil, tri-flow oil or Nut-Sauce. Your guitar should have locking tuners, with little slots in the top of the pegs - there should be very little string wound around the peg - a half turn is enough. With a setup like this, I'm able to get a lot of stability out of my non-locking trem guitars. -Sven Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 11:17 am:    Tone Username: Tone Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 12:52 pm:    Wow.. I should definately try that. I have a habbit of winding strings around the peg at least 3-4 times. I never used locking tuner with slots on top of the pegs before, and when I was putting strings on yesterday it made me wonder for half an hour what the heck those slots were for... What's the best way to or how do I wind strings on this kind of pegs? Yes! that's what my bridge looks like. Didn't know it was called ProRok'r. The only difference is that mine has metal lids with screws that go into those slots where strings go in so that the strings can get locked tight when screws are tightened. In the above picture it looks like the person didn't use those lids at all. Is it better not to use them? Thanks so much Sven, for preventing me from going savage on this guitar. Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 2:30 pm:    Tone, to remove the strings, put a coin (quarter, euro or other fairly large coin) and loosen the tuner until the string can be pulled out. To install just run the string through the whole with very little slack, and wind the tuner like you normally would. The tension of the string will cause the locking barrel to tighten down on the string - do not use a screwdriver to tighten the peg, just the action of bringing the guitar to tune and manually stretching the strings as you would normally do will lock them. I'n no expert on the Rock'r bridges, but I know some people are not big fans of them. If it were me, I'd be curious to see if any aftermarket bridge would fit without modification to the stud locations, perhaps the new Ibanez SAT Pro or the older HQ bridge by Gotoh. If you want to send me the stud spacing I'll see what might fit. SAT PRO: Tone Username: Tone Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 1:35 pm:    Funkle I hate to bug you... but I'm still having problems with these tuning pegs... It does look like this <image> I put coin in(small Canadian dime was the only coin that fits into the slot) and try to twist it a bit... it doesn't move.. and I don't see how it's supposed to lock the strings.. All I see is a regular whole with a slot on top of the peg.. Am I missing a part or something? Tone Username: Tone Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 1:35 pm:    http://users.tkk.fi/~arintama/guitar/p/omat/AM255/AM255_head.JPG Tone Username: Tone Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 1:59 pm:    I guess there're only two wholes that I can put strings into. Was I supposed to put the end of the string into the whole from the top? or just into the whole sideway? Tone Username: Tone Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 3:43 pm:    I finally figured out how to upload pix Here's what my pegs look like. I really don't think these are locking pegs.. Tone Username: Tone Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 4:06 pm:    As far as I know, these are Velve Tune II tuners. I'm thinking about replacing them with Sperzel tuners now.. if these turns out to be non-locking pegs... I heard that Sperzel tuners don't require screw holes... is that true? and does anyone know if those will fit into AM255 nicely? Gramatica Username: Gramatica Registered: 07-2005 Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 4:42 pm:    My 2 cents... I have (had) those tuners on 4 guitars. Installed them onto a couple myself. Don't change them, they do not go out of tune. I can take a guitar that has been sitting for ages and it is still in tune. Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 5:53 pm:    Ah, sorry for the confusion. Those are NOT locking tuners. The slots loading the string end from the top. You could use Sperzels, but Gotohs will be much closer to stock (Most Ibanez tuners from the early '80s on are Gotohs). The Gotohs are the ones with the slots in the top. I highly recommend either the standard Locking Gotoh, or the Gotoh 510 Delta Locking tuner.Either one should be a drop in replacement (no mods) as long as your tuners have the offset strew hole. You can get them at universaljems.com. Gramaticas experience with the Velve Tuners is probably on fixed bridge guitars. A trem equipped guitar is a whole different ballgame. No non-locking tuner will stay in tune, unless you use one of the strat tricks to reduce windings. Installing locking tuners will greatly improve the usability of your guitar IMO. Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 6:05 pm:    Here's a shot of the Gotoh's so you can see what I'm talking about. They are identical to Ibanez Smooth Tuners, aside from the logo. Do your tuners look like this? Sperzels don't have a screw hole, but they do have a little peg which you will have to drill a hole for Fox Username: Fox Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 6:25 pm:    Hi Tone! I happen to know the previous owner...the address looked familiar.. Tone Username: Tone Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Thursday, March 02, 2006 - 3:58 am:    Thanks alot Funkle Those Gotoh's have screw holes located diagonaly from the machine. Mine has the holes pointing directly down. I will visit that site you wrote me and see if they have the ones with the matching screw hole direction.(and possibly in Gold too :D) I guess I will have to change the tuners after all... but if I don't have to drill any holes and it can stay in tune much better.. why not.. So I'll look around for Gotoh's first Hi Fox... I knew he'll be around here somewhere Tone Username: Tone Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Thursday, March 02, 2006 - 4:24 am:    hmmm Gotoh's are not going to fit... Ones with direct-down positioned screw holes are not locking... and all the locking Gotoh's have the holes pointing diagonaly from it's body including 510's. I'll probably have to go back to Sperzels... they do have the pegs, but I think those will just go right into the screw holes on guitar head. Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Thursday, March 02, 2006 - 11:58 am:    Tone, That's what I was getting at with the offset vs. inline screw hole. The Grover Locking Rotomatics will be the closest match. http://www.qksrv.net/click-1802666-10381315?loc=http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI .dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D7394828075 They should drop in with no mods, and will look close to original. I put a set of non-locking Rotomatics on my AR100, and it was a perfect fit. I did use the original screws, which were a bit bigger than the ones that came with the grovers. Sperzels will work, but you will always see the exposed screw hole from the Velve Tuners - not the neatest looking installation. -Sven

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