Guitar goes out of tune after using whammy bar

Question

I bought a “Jackson Dinky Arch Top” guitar two years ago, and it has a problem that frustrates me a lot! I cannot use the whammy bar because all the strings go out of tune, and I've tried everything. I put new locking tuning machines and it doesn’t work! It does the same thing! Any advice you can give me?

Answer 1

You need a locking nut, not just locking tuning machines. The strings slip over the nut when pulled and don't immediately relax all the way back. However, if you don't have a tuning mechanism at the tremolo end, that's not a practical option. Simply lubricating the nut will give some improvement in that case. Also, make sure the nut slots are not so small that it pinches the strings.

Beyond that, cheap tremolos are not known for their tuning stability, so you may still find yourself fighting it if you have a sensitive ear. Personally, I struggle enough getting a hardtail guitar in tune!

Answer 2

The guitar you own has a Fender-style, non-locking tremolo system, with springs in the back of the guitar, beneath a cover held in place by six screws.

As Edward implied above, such tremolo systems are not noted for their tuning stability. They are good for subtle tremolo flourishes, but not for Edward Van Halen-style divebombs and full-step pitch excursions.

Most players who desire such guitar-slinging fireworks will gravitate toward a Floyd Rose (or Floyd Rose-like) tremolo system.

The Floyd Rose expects you to get the guitar into tune via the headstock tuners, and then you lock down the nut firmly, allowing no nut slippage at all. Subtle tuning improvements are then accomplished via turn-screws at the bottom of the bridge mechanism.

I personally don't care for a Floyd Rose trem system. In the first place, my playing style and set list selections don't require that kind of flashy live performance. And, to be honest, they aren't very fun to maintain and to execute a simple string change.

So, back to the basics of your Jackson/Fender style trem.

1. If the strings are new, make sure they are fully stretched and broken-in. Until that happens, they will not consistently stay in tune anyway.

2. Recognize that your locking tuners are really just a convenience during the new string-mounting exercise. That design allows you to slip each new string thru the aperture in the tuning peg, lock it firming into place, and then begin winding the new string up to correct pitch. Without the locking tuners, you have to put one or two winds on the string, and then slip the string thru the aperture, expecting the winds to trap the string into place. There will always be a bit of slippage in the beginning of that tune-up process.

3. Again, as Edward offered above, lubricating the nut, and making sure that the strings aren't 'catching' at the nut, is a really good idea. Fine powdered graphite is a good lubricant, as is a simple pencil tip.

4. Examine the six individual bridge pieces, where the string lays over each smooth groove. Are the grooves silky smooth? If there aren't, and there is even a slight edge or grab, you must smoothen them and/or lubricate them.

In the end, it comes down to accepting the limitations of the tremolo system you have on the Jackson. It is suited well for small tremolo applications at the ends of classic 1950's song passages, but not at all designed for attempting to sound like Steve Vai or Joe Satriani.