Legacy Tribute Spring Tension & Trem Height

[MJ Slaughter]

I bought this guitar used and had it setup so it plays well but the tremolo is much stiffer than my USA Legacy or any other vintage style tremolo I have. Doing a little shimmer is fine but when diving it is so stiff it feels like something could snap and I'd like to change that to have a softer fell to it. On the plus side it is very stable and doesn't really go out of tune even with a dive.

Current setup is 3 springs outer 2 angled in, .010 strings, tuned half step down, tremolo floating and parallel to body but the tremolo plate is only about 1/16" off the body.

Would I be better off lowering the outer saddles to the plate and raise the bridge to where the E strings are at the correct height then adjust the middle 4 saddles accordingly?

Should I keep all 3 strings parallel as they are in my USA Legacy and not angled like they are currently in my Tribute?

Will adjusting the height of the G&L DF bridge without removing all the tension be too hard on the blades or posts?

Thanks

[Craig]

I bought this guitar used and had it setup so it plays well but the tremolo is much stiffer than my USA Legacy or any other vintage style tremolo I have. Doing a little shimmer is fine but when diving it is so stiff it feels like something could snap and I'd like to change that to have a softer fell to it. On the plus side it is very stable and doesn't really go out of tune even with a dive.

Current setup is 3 springs outer 2 angled in, .010 strings, tuned half step down, tremolo floating and parallel to body but the tremolo plate is only about 1/16" off the body.

Would I be better off lowering the outer saddles to the plate and raise the bridge to where the E strings are at the correct height then adjust the middle 4 saddles accordingly?

Should I keep all 3 strings parallel as they are in my USA Legacy and not angled like they are currently in my Tribute?

Will adjusting the height of the G&L DF bridge without removing all the tension be too hard on the blades or posts?

Thanks

Sounds to me like a difference in spring tension, so
I suggest focusing on the trem springs first.

Try positioning the Tribute springs like your USA Legacy.
If that does not help, then try the springs from your USA model, in the Tribute.
If that fixes the problem, then take one of those springs to your local dealer
and see if they have suitable replacements.

Hope this helps.

[MJ Slaughter]

I moved the outer springs to the outer holes on the block but that didn't make any perceivable difference. I am going to play around with swapping springs out next. The middle one is a little larger in diameter and not shinny like the others so I suspect that these may not be the stock springs.

What about the tremolo'heightth from the body? It's only 1/16" from the body to the underside of the tremolo. Should I raise that for any good reason? I like the way it plays with the exception of the stiff tremolo.

[louis cyfer]

I bought this guitar used and had it setup so it plays well but the tremolo is much stiffer than my USA Legacy or any other vintage style tremolo I have. Doing a little shimmer is fine but when diving it is so stiff it feels like something could snap and I'd like to change that to have a softer fell to it. On the plus side it is very stable and doesn't really go out of tune even with a dive.

Current setup is 3 springs outer 2 angled in, .010 strings, tuned half step down, tremolo floating and parallel to body but the tremolo plate is only about 1/16" off the body.

Would I be better off lowering the outer saddles to the plate and raise the bridge to where the E strings are at the correct height then adjust the middle 4 saddles accordingly?

Should I keep all 3 strings parallel as they are in my USA Legacy and not angled like they are currently in my Tribute?

Will adjusting the height of the G&L DF bridge without removing all the tension be too hard on the blades or posts?

Thanks

Sounds to me like a difference in spring tension, so
I suggest focusing on the trem springs first.

Try positioning the Tribute springs like your USA Legacy.
If that does not help, then try the springs from your USA model, in the Tribute.
If that fixes the problem, then take one of those springs to your local dealer
and see if they have suitable replacements.

Hope this helps.

it's already floating, so what you are suggesting is not gonna do much. go to 2 springs, lower the saddles and raise the bridgeplate. my guess would be, if there are felt washers on the trem posts, the lower bridge position is compressing the felt and making movement difficult.

[MJ Slaughter]

it's already floating, so what you are suggesting is not gonna do much. go to 2 springs, lower the saddles and raise the bridgeplate. my guess would be, if there are felt washers on the trem posts, the lower bridge position is compressing the felt and making movement difficult.

Thanks. I'll give that a try after this weekend.