Action too stiff, harmonics hard to hit……Splawn content

[stompboxfreak72]

My Splawn SS2 arrived last August. Once the honeymoon ended….it ended. I could not stop breaking strings on the SS2 and eventually had to put graph tech saddles on it. That put an end to the string breaks but I altogether stopped using the guitar at live shows around November. I gig every weekend and had every intention of the guitar being my main axe but it just has not worked out that way. The action is incurably stiff and I cannot get harmonics for dive bombs to save my life out of it ( Im not a huge whammy bar guy but a few tunes call for the obligatory dive bombed harmonic).

Frustrated ! Does anyone else have a Splawn guitar ? Thoughts ????

 

[NaturalBornBoy]

The saddles probably had burrs that were causing the string breakage. A once over with a fine grit sand paper would've taken care of that. It did with one of my Jems.

As for the stiff action, I dunno man. I've never had a guitar with a Floyd that had stiff action. But I understand what you mean about the artificial harmonics not jumping out. Same issue with my N4. It just takes more work than my other guitars to get the harmonics to really sing. Don't know why that is though.

Have you thought of having it looked over by a tech you trust?

 

[stompboxfreak72]

The saddles probably had burrs that were causing the string breakage. A once over with a fine grit sand paper would've taken care of that. It did with one of my Jems.

As for the stiff action, I dunno man. I've never had a guitar with a Floyd that had stiff action.

Have you thought of having it looked over by a tech you trust?

Yeah I have a really good tech in my area who looked it over after the string breaks last fall. I think my heavy handed style and use of dunlop picks had more to do with that than anything else. Tech looked for burs and did not find anything. Set it up and sent it back to me and I would break a string at every single gig. Again, heavy handed with 2.0 picks so I don't blame the guitar for that. Ive not broken a string since I got the graph tech saddles. I liked them so much I put them on my Charvel Music Zoo also.

The guitar is unbearably stiff even with 9 gauge strings on it. Literally plays like a $400 guitar. I am dropping it off again tomorrow to have it looked at again. It's just been a very frustrating experience.

I think Im probably just venting at this point. Love me some Splawns but for once I have a Splawn that really is stiff and unforgiving and its not an amp !

 

[Spaceboy]

I had no idea Splawn made guitars.

 

[cardinal]

If the Floyd is stiff, change the springs. Raw Vintage springs are very low tension. Or use the springs you have but less of them. Makes a huge difference in how the guitar feels and resonates.

 

[Anonymous]

Does it have a Floyd ?

 

[stompboxfreak72]

If the Floyd is stiff, change the springs. Raw Vintage springs are very low tension. Or use the springs you have but less of them. Makes a huge difference in how the guitar feels and resonates.

This ! I will try this. !

 

[NaturalBornBoy]

You mean you haven't tried using 2 springs instead of 3???

I thought that would've been the first thing you would've tried.

 

[Wayniac3]

Try less springs, but remember to screw the spring retention plate/claw in farther to offset the tension loss.
Experiment with 2 springs, in the outermost anchor holes on the trem to closest and attach them to middle 2 clawson the plate.. then work in on teh trem and adjust that plate as needed. You'll find the balance

 

[paulyc]

I have a SS-2 Koa body, ebony board, Floyd, Lynch Super V pickup and have no issues at all, although the wiring in the guitar was FUBAR when I got it, had to have a local tech sort that out. Is your pickup high output ? That could make a difference in the harmonics not ringing out...

 

[Lord Toneking]

Use two springs and back out the claw screws until it softens it up without lifting it off the body

 

[stompboxfreak72]

Use two springs and back out the claw screws until it softens it up without lifting it off the body

this sounds so easy ! I took the middle spring out but having trouble getting the floyd to sit flush

 

[NaturalBornBoy]

Use two springs and back out the claw screws until it softens it up without lifting it off the body

this sounds so easy ! I took the middle spring out but having trouble getting the floyd to sit flush

When you go down to 2 springs, you're in all likeliness gonna have to screw the claw screws almost all the way in.

 

[Lord Toneking]

Use two springs and back out the claw screws until it softens it up without lifting it off the body

this sounds so easy ! I took the middle spring out but having trouble getting the floyd to sit flush

When you go down to 2 springs, you're in all likeliness gonna have to screw the claw screws almost all the way in.

Yes....just tighten the sping claw now. You'll get a much softer 'gushy' feel

 

[stompboxfreak72]

Use two springs and back out the claw screws until it softens it up without lifting it off the body

this sounds so easy ! I took the middle spring out but having trouble getting the floyd to sit flush

When you go down to 2 springs, you're in all likeliness gonna have to screw the claw screws almost all the way in.

getting closer and you are correct sir. Getting rid of the middle spring is definitely what I needed to do.

 

[NaturalBornBoy]

Keep us updated, bro!

 

[stompboxfreak72]

+1000 x better !

Its always the obvious stupid stuff that gets overlooked. I never once thought about pulling a spring. I might be the forum's official oldest noob…..

 

[Lord Toneking]

+1000 x better !

Its always the obvious stupid stuff that gets overlooked. I never once thought about pulling a spring. I might be the forum's official oldest noob…..

What you lack in guitar setup skillz you make up for in pharmaceuticals

 

[NaturalBornBoy]

+1000 x better !

Its always the obvious stupid stuff that gets overlooked. I never once thought about pulling a spring. I might be the forum's official oldest noob…..

Yeah sometimes we get so caught up in our own heads that the simplest solutions elude us

Any improvement on the artificial harmonics front?

 

[stompboxfreak72]

+1000 x better !

Its always the obvious stupid stuff that gets overlooked. I never once thought about pulling a spring. I might be the forum's official oldest noob…..

What you lack in guitar setup skillz you make up for in pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceutaskillz !!! Doh !!!!