I can dive bomb mine on my Epiphone & it returns back to pitch perfectly, didn’t even change the bridge. Just filed & lubricated the nut & saddles. Any tuning instability is likely from these 2 points. Also using the top & under stringing method locks the string, especially on a 3 + 3 headstock.
Maybe buy a bridge with roller seats. I put a roller nut on my strat and it stays in tune. That spring must have a happy place and it's probably doing it's job if only one or two strings are hanging up.
I've seen only positive reviews about the Les Trem II, and I really want it to work on my Gibson SG Special 2018 as well, especially because it's much cheapter than a Vibramate + Bigsby..
That's unfortunate that it didn't work out for you. I installed one on my Starcaster and one on my Les Paul Special. Both are very stable even with dive bombs and fairly aggressive vibrato. I don't even have roller bridges. Maybe there are other undiagnosed issues at play?
I've got mine to work perfectly, I have a graph nut and grover locking tuners on my les paul. Everything was perfect until I wanted to gig with it. I can't close the lid of my guitar case with the Deusenberg trem on it. It sticks up miles. I managed it on my SG That fitted although a bit tight but no chance with my les Paul.
Hey mate a few tings that will help you. A bit of burts bees in the nut slot with some graphite and some on the bridge where the strings make contact. I had a similar issue with a bisgby on my SG. Also making sure that the nut slots are correctly cut too will make a big difference. I have played a Les Trem equipped guitar and find them more stable than my bigsby equipped guitars. All the best mate.
Good advice. The did lubricate the nut and saddles, but I didn't want to recut the nut because of how poor the performance was. It's on its way back to Germany for a refund, and I'll be fine with my four other guitars with floating trems that stay in tune hust fine.
Could I ask did you ever try it with roller saddles ? I have them on my Levinson blade, 6 point term with locking tuners totally stable yet I’m my stat with 2 point term locking tuners normal saddles won’t stay in tune with any major term use.
The graphtec bridge you installed looked a bit loose (3:31) with a fair bit of play forward-aft that will definitely give you tuning issues. Try a decent roller bridge but also make sure it’s rock solid.
I've fitted a few of these. Guitars with that terrible Gibson-style headstock design are the worst due to the fanned string path over the nut. There's just way too much friction. For that kind of guitar you really need the full set of solutions: the Les Trem, locking tuners, a GraphTech nut, a String Butler (to mitigate that string path issue) and a roller bridge. Having the bridge loose like yours makes it rock slightly - but less than the Fender offset design. It just doesn't work with a trem. The windings on the bass strings catch on the tune-o-matic saddles where the plain strings slide through. That means some strings go more out of tune than others. Get a roller bridge and wrap the posts to make sure it can't rock. Other friction points and the absence of headstock locking aren't a design fault of the trem. Trust me, they work very, very well when you eliminate the other issues.
Also, a bridge that locks in place would be good. Few bridges slot in that tight to not shift when you use the vibrato, even with roller bridges. I have a Heritage guitar with Tone Pro locking bridge. These guitars also don't have such splayed strings at the headstock. This simple Duesenberg might work quite well. I just need rolling saddles.
Yeap, i think you should check your saddles, and also check your guitar nut, you should clean it, or use a sandpaper, then lubricate it, with a vaseline will works 😃
Thanks for this review. I bought 2 of them. One in Gold and one in Silver. Love them.
I can dive bomb mine on my Epiphone & it returns back to pitch perfectly, didn’t even change the bridge. Just filed & lubricated the nut & saddles. Any tuning instability is likely from these 2 points. Also using the top & under stringing method locks the string, especially on a 3 + 3 headstock.
Maybe buy a bridge with roller seats.
I put a roller nut on my strat and it stays in tune.
That spring must have a happy place and it's probably doing it's job if only one or two strings are hanging up.
I've seen only positive reviews about the Les Trem II, and I really want it to work on my Gibson SG Special 2018 as well, especially because it's much cheapter than a Vibramate + Bigsby..
Mine works fine but I do have a roller bridge. I just wish it had the curly bar like Billy Duffy's black Gretch.
That's unfortunate that it didn't work out for you. I installed one on my Starcaster and one on my Les Paul Special. Both are very stable even with dive bombs and fairly aggressive vibrato. I don't even have roller bridges. Maybe there are other undiagnosed issues at play?
I've got mine to work perfectly, I have a graph nut and grover locking tuners on my les paul. Everything was perfect until I wanted to gig with it. I can't close the lid of my guitar case with the Deusenberg trem on it. It sticks up miles. I managed it on my SG That fitted although a bit tight but no chance with my les Paul.
Hey mate a few tings that will help you. A bit of burts bees in the nut slot with some graphite and some on the bridge where the strings make contact. I had a similar issue with a bisgby on my SG. Also making sure that the nut slots are correctly cut too will make a big difference. I have played a Les Trem equipped guitar and find them more stable than my bigsby equipped guitars. All the best mate.
Good advice. The did lubricate the nut and saddles, but I didn't want to recut the nut because of how poor the performance was. It's on its way back to Germany for a refund, and I'll be fine with my four other guitars with floating trems that stay in tune hust fine.
Could I ask did you ever try it with roller saddles ? I have them on my Levinson blade, 6 point term with locking tuners totally stable yet I’m my stat with 2 point term locking tuners normal saddles won’t stay in tune with any major term use.
The graphtec bridge you installed looked a bit loose (3:31) with a fair bit of play forward-aft that will definitely give you tuning issues. Try a decent roller bridge but also make sure it’s rock solid.
I've fitted a few of these. Guitars with that terrible Gibson-style headstock design are the worst due to the fanned string path over the nut. There's just way too much friction.
For that kind of guitar you really need the full set of solutions: the Les Trem, locking tuners, a GraphTech nut, a String Butler (to mitigate that string path issue) and a roller bridge.
Having the bridge loose like yours makes it rock slightly - but less than the Fender offset design. It just doesn't work with a trem. The windings on the bass strings catch on the tune-o-matic saddles where the plain strings slide through. That means some strings go more out of tune than others. Get a roller bridge and wrap the posts to make sure it can't rock.
Other friction points and the absence of headstock locking aren't a design fault of the trem. Trust me, they work very, very well when you eliminate the other issues.
Excellent points, but I wasn't willing to spend more time or money on something that *might* work for me.
@@andymacksoundvision Fair enough, mate.
Have you put it in a hardshell case?
It looks like it may not fit to well
Also, a bridge that locks in place would be good. Few bridges slot in that tight to not shift when you use the vibrato, even with roller bridges. I have a Heritage guitar with Tone Pro locking bridge. These guitars also don't have such splayed strings at the headstock. This simple Duesenberg might work quite well. I just need rolling saddles.
Yeap, i think you should check your saddles, and also check your guitar nut, you should clean it, or use a sandpaper, then lubricate it, with a vaseline will works 😃
Do you think that you could modify a guitar with a warparoud bridge to a Trem II? I mean buying a new bridge and the trem II.
What do you expect if you just slap it on there and do nothing else. Change the standard bridge or use graphite on the nut or ... do something !
My thoughts exactly. I would’ve assumed a self proclaimed “whammy player” knows to address friction points when setting it up at least.
Mite try a roller bridge
Roller bridge