LoPro Flutter?

[Yul Brynner]

It's been a long time since I've had a guitar with a LoPro. Or even a Floyd. I've got my RG set up with 9-46 in standard tuning. Somehow the tremolo just doesn't feel as springy and easy as I remember. Pull ups are much more resistant. I used to be able to just smack the end of the bar to get a nice oscillating effect on guitars I had years ago that doesn't seem to work now. Do I need to tune down or get different springs? Less springs? I have three of whatever springs came with it.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

The first place to start would probably be new springs. Nothing fancy, just something that you know isn't "extra super heavy-duty" or stretched to shit.

Older springs and heavy springs just don't tend to be as "springy" and bouncy as a fairly newer set of normal ones. At least with normal tuning/tension.

 

[Yul Brynner]

Yeah it's a 23 year old guitar with everything stock as far as I can tell. New springs it is then.

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

New springs should definitely help. You might also experiment with setting it up with an extra spring at the same time you're already putting new ones in, too

 

[odibrom]

Let's assume the LoPro is well balanced. In this "well balanced position" there's an "margin of error" of having it a little bit raised or a little bit lowered. I tested this some months ago on how the feel resulted and found that if the trem is a little raised, it will feel stiffer, if it is a little lowered, if will flutter better and feel softer.

For a certain string tension (tuning), there's a corresponding spring stretch. Adjusting the springs' tension is not actually the tension nor the springs' stretch we're adjusting on floating trems, but the balance point of the whole system (springs and strings. Try to do small adjustments so to level the LoPro a little lower and check its feel. Repeat until you find your sweet spot.

This is by no means a suggestion not to swap the springs, but I must say I have 20+ and almost 30 years old LoPro equipped guitars without having spring issues... I've replaced some springs in some of the guitars for testing purposes, not because the guitars needed...

 

[Yul Brynner]

What makes it more slinky? Fewer springs stretched more or more springs stretched less?

 

[MaxOfMetal]

What makes it more slinky? Fewer springs stretched more or more springs stretched less?

Neither.

Springs are more stiff at the extremes in one direction or the other.

You need to find a good balance where the springs are stretched enough, but not too much.

 

[Yul Brynner]

Thanks. I'm going to get new springs anyway because I want to try these supposably silent springs. I'll do some experimenting.

 

[død]

Thanks. I'm going to get new springs anyway because I want to try these supposably silent springs. I'll do some experimenting.

They’re great, but also stiffer than normal springs. I’ve got a set of soft ones on order, the heavy and normal ones are way too stiff feeling for me. They eliminate almost all spring noise, tho!

 

[Yul Brynner]

I've tuned the same 9-46 strings down one whole step. Didn't have to touch the spring claw screws. If the trem body moved further down into the cavity, it's barely noticeable. String tension feels way more slinky. Springs still feel stiff. I popped off the back cover in case adjustments were needed when tuning down. The wraps toward the ends of the springs look more stretched out than the center at resting position.