Question about the tremolo on my SC-3

As many of you know I have a 1990 SC-3. I put on a new set of strings today and noticed something unusual. After I'm done putting on the new strings I noticed that the trem was noticeably tilted forward. I had to increase the tension on the trem springs on the back quite a bit (2 to 3 screw turns) to bring the trem back to level again. I have not noticed this before with the last several string changes, and I'm just wondering if something bad is going on. Just to be clear, the new string set is a 10-46 Daddarios, the same as has been on the guitar for at least a couple of years. The low-E intonation had to be adjusted also after the string change, but it wasn't off by much.

I'm keeping an eye on the guitar to see if anything starts shifting on it.

Kit

They cannot be the same type of strings as normally used, it doesn't make sense at all. Do you change your strings one string at a time? For a test i would refit the old strings one at a time and monitor the bridge plate angle. Has the relief in the neck increased?.
Very odd indeed,,

Hi Kit,

I wonder whether what you are experiencing might be due to the change of seasons and/or weather… How long as it been since you changed strings? New strings are a bit stiffer/tighter initially so that may have contributed some but It does seem strange that you had to adjust the trem screws so much…

Cheers,

KF

As many of you know I have a 1990 SC-3. I put on a new set of strings today and noticed something unusual. After I'm done putting on the new strings I noticed that the trem was noticeably tilted forward. I had to increase the tension on the trem springs on the back quite a bit (2 to 3 screw turns) to bring the trem back to level again. I have not noticed this before with the last several string changes, and I'm just wondering if something bad is going on. Just to be clear, the new string set is a 10-46 Daddarios, the same as has been on the guitar for at least a couple of years. The low-E intonation had to be adjusted also after the string change, but it wasn't off by much.

I'm keeping an eye on the guitar to see if anything starts shifting on it.

Kit

I think your trem springs are losing tension. Since you were able to increase the tension of the springs, I would not worry too much about it.
You might get a new set of trem springs, should the current set continue to lose tension.

Just my $0.02.

24 hours later and everything's fine. The term stays level and the strings are holding tuning. I'm going to give it some time, if I need to put on new springs I'll do it.

Another question: the middle spring is bronze and the outside springs are silver in color, does G&L sell these replacement springs?

Kit

I highly doubt it… As far as I know the middle spring is made of copper and was used only during the Leo-era. Some early Legacy's have them but like so many of Leo's appointments they were dropped and discontinued not long BBE took over operation. Probably another cost cutting tactic…

Cheers,
KF

I wouldn't worry about it. As KF mentioned, weather could be a factor. You could also have just ended up with a set of strings that deviated from the normal specification for that brand.

I would keep an eye on the neck relief in case it ends up needing an adjustment.

Ken