How to setup Ibanez Edge III Tremolo (new)

Additional Info:

TREM ANGLE PICTURE:

Detailed Guide:

FAQ'S:

Q: Where do I adjust the springs?
A: On the back of the guitar (remember righty tighty, lefty loosey)

Q: Does the Edge III stay in tune?
A: It stays in tune pretty well if you set it up correctly, I have been abusing mine for over 2 years.

Q: Can I replace my Edge III with ___?
A: Edge Pro and Original Floyd Rose (made in Germany) is a drop in replacement using the Edge III's studs

Q: What string gauge do I use?
A: Its all personal preference but you need to adjust the springs the balance the tension

Q: Why do people say the Edge III is a bad tremolo?
A: Because they usually don't take the time to set it up right

[GilmoreStrat]

All excellent info here, I consider myself an IBZ Trem expert, and the ONE MAJOR thing I would add to this setup, is I always play the guitar and manually stretch out the strings for a day or 2 BEFORE I lock down the nut.  I believe this is the main reason you may be going out of tune.  Then check Trem position AGAIN, since stings will lengthen while stretching.  Trems demand stretched out strings.  I also agree w/the Trapezoid pattern for the strings to add some tension, but not as an initial setup.  If you can get by w/3 springs on 9s or 10s, do it, you be able to swap back and forth from straight to trapezoid w/out messing with the claw.  Bottom line is that you are balancing string tension to spring tension.  With 9s 3 springs, 10s, 3-4, 11s probably 4 if you are lucky, may need to crank the claw in, which is the best FINE adjustment IMHO... L8R!  IBZ Rokkkers! 
2002 Ibz S2120XAV Prestige MIJ Double Edge Lo-Pro w/Piezo QM1 / QM2 pups
2010 RGT42DXFM Edge III

[idontknowu]

Good Job ! I would Just like to add one thing, as with any Floyd Rose Trem I have learned that it is also a really good idea to center up the fine tuner pegs before using the regular tuners to tune the guitar and locking down the pressure pads this will allow you more room to play with the different tuning , if you want to tune up a half step or down a half step .. Hope this helps Also !

[alexanderk]

Good man! Straight into it and done! Decided to restore my old Egen and this taught me more than an hour searching online!

[allenhowell]

I have an edge 3 and is better than my original licensed Floyd Rose. stays in tune forever. Advice for everyone. put in the time and research on you tube for setup tips. the same approach is for all floyd rose models. also do not be afraid to work on your guitar. its the only way to learn. I found once I got the spring tension correct everything else fell into place. took me around four hours to be masterful at setting them up. I'm better at these than stop bar tailpeices and these locking trems can't be beat. I also found that the new titanium coated super slinkies work great because they dont stretch out near as much. even longer times before tuning. cheers

[zeppelinhalen]

Using a deck of cards to block the bridge seems to be a good method too. I think your method by using the wire cutters was okay, but the only possible issue it could lead to is damaging the finish by the end of the rout for the bridge.You just gotta figure out how many cards from the deck it takes to block the bridge to set it at the correct trem angle.

[stebbZv]

@bombarder10 under the back-plate cover, there you see a few springs attached from one end to the tremolo block, and the other end hooked up to a piece attached to the guitar. you see 2 screws that goes into the guitar, from that piece. if the bridge is to high, you screw the screws further into the guitar, if the tremolo is falling into the guitar, loosen the screws. do not make to many turns at each time, as you have to re-tune and that makes more tension from strings. hope this helped.

[atkakiss]

it was the best how to video i've ever seen, thanks!!!

[Classicalguitarist]

@ 97warlock turn the guitar over. In the spring cover theres a little round hole thats behind the where the tremelo bar goes ( or atleast there is on my ibanez rg2ext1 that i gt at a pawn shop in perfect shape wrh a case for $160) theres a bolt in there that uses an allen key. If u tighten it it shortens how far the tremelo bar can go in. If u loosen it it allows the tremelo bar to go in further. Its right at the bottom of the hole the bar goes in.

[fredrikfh]

Thanks, dude! This really helped me out. I was recently given this guitar, but that god damn tremolo bridge have kept me from using it. Finally got around to changing the strings and giving it a quick serivce today thanks to this video. I really apprechiate it - this guitar is finally getting some much wanted love after being locked up in a basement for too long... Cheers!

[Winterhert]

this is an ok video BUT, people actually having trouble with the TUNING of an edge 3 not particularly the restringing... and with that problem this video doesnt help at all.

[capnpip]

The bridge is inclined, the parallel isn't the bridge itself, it's basically an invisible line from the nuts that lock the strings on the bridge to the fine tuners. Look at the bridge it is angled up slightly. If you angle it so that that nut-tuner line inclines upward (like the luthier that originally setup mine) it will go out of tune with as little as a 1/4 bend. The big distinction between Edge and Edge III is the lo-pro design, it doesn't stick out as far.

[CIAmrx]

What song is used in this vid? Also, great video. Helped me set up my Edge III perfectly. No more tuning issues. I greatly appreciate it.

[Ibanizt]

For those of you who have the Floyd Rose - LoPro Edge trem. system, you have to adjust it after the string height studs so the line after those 2 screws will line perfectly with the body.

[THETOASTYTOASTEROMEGA]

thanks man helped me out on the leveling on the tremolo bridge you helped me alot on this (:

[JerryMan]

thank you for this. i was looking for an easy fast explaination, instead of watching 8 videos.

[Bluemusic]

It's all good man, I didn't see the last part of the vid. Setting up this trem is very easy now :)

[nicholasgross]

I've had an Edge 3 for about 7 years maybe longer, and lost the wrench a few months ago during a move. I went the dingus route and tried using a slightly smaller wrench which has stripped the tread in 2 string changes... If you lose the allen wrench buy a new one immediately because now i have to replace all of the screws and the wrench lol

[BaeverN]

This is a really good guide! Since I just got my first guitar with a tremolo this is just what I need. Thanks so much! I'm defenitly sharing this among friends.

[MrEvilBacon]

if this helps to make it easier. Something that I do is: Rather than cutting off the ball ends, you could use the ball tips at stoppers at the peg and feed the Tip of the string (non- ball tip part) through the Trem.

[Koshman]

@tomdon1033 Like I said, the initial "figuring out how to get it level" phase is a pain in the ass the first few times. Follow the steps I mentioned before to get all the strings in tune. Then check the trem. If it sits up, tighten the springs in the back cavity, if it's sitting in the body, loosen the springs. Move the screws on the trem claw a half turn at a time. Then une all the strings and check the trem level again. Repeat till level. It's very repetitive process, but you'll get it.