Attempting to install Tremol-No in a Gibson Explorer Tremolo

[sittinidol]

Ordered up a Tremol-No to install in my Gibson Explorer Tremolo, and when it arrived yesterday I went to install it...only to find the wacky shit Gibson did to install the Floyd rose.

First of all, I had heard about a common problem of "nasty" routes in the Floyd cavity. Never bothered me much as the guitar still played and sounded good. However, this is coming to impact me now.

Here is a picture of the original claw that was installed. Note the inner pair of holes which are not present on a standard Floyd claw. These are the holes that were used to install the claw...you will see why in the next pic.

Here is a picture of the rout, you can now see why they had to drill new holes in the claw to get it to work...

If you try to use the standard hole spacing (as present in the tremol-no), you run into the huge cavity left by the wire routing. Seriously, who is doing this stuff with a dull chisel?

So what do you guys think? Abort mission? I could use the tremol-no in another guitar I guess, or sell it...

EDIT: Just wanted to make clear that this is not a problem with the Tremol-No itself; more so some err, unorthodox methods by Gibson... just wondering if anyone has ideas for a work-around.

 

[exhibit-sbt]

Tremolo in an explorer? Well that's your problem right there.

 

[sittinidol]

Thanks for the helpful reply haha! Looks like the tremol no will have to go in one of my other Floyded guitars.

 

[Capulin Overdrive]

I've got the exact same guitar, i was gonna try the block of wood thing.

Shame they put a crap chinese floyd on an otherwise nice guitar.


Another thing i've thought about trying, is just getting better quality springs.

 

[sittinidol]

I've had no problems with tuning stability, using 10-52s in Drop D. I did have to go with 5 springs to avoid maxing out the claw travel though. Just wanted to have the option to lock it down if I wanted.

 

[Capulin Overdrive]

My stabilty is shit, at E or Eb with 10-46. Just flat out won't stay in tune!

 

[Code001]

I say abort. It's possible to fix it up, but for proper stability, it would require removing a good chunk of wood and redoing a portion of the cavity with some new blocks of wood. Then you'd probably want to look into refinishing it because it would stick out, and it would end up being more effort than it's worth, IMO.

 

[sittinidol]

That sucks balls man! I'm relatively new to Floyds, although within the last half year I now have 3 Floyd guitars and they all stay in tune really well, even through full dumps/extreme raises.
A few things I have read although you have probably seen the same thing:
-Check the locking nut by tuning each string and squeezing them above the nut to make sure it doesn't change pitch
-Grease the knife edges
-Make sure the string clamps are holding tight
-Make sure the strings are stretched

That's all I can think of, unless the springs are catching in the cavity (which is a definite possibility considering the "Meth-Head with a Dremel" woodworking skills employed by Gibson!)

 

[Capulin Overdrive]

I need to take the back off mine and look it over. Have seen a pic of one where the trem is rubbing the side of the cavity. Seems like somebody here posted the pic?

Anyways, i've never had trouble with a good floyd. This one has been a pain, i'm thinking it's crappy springs?

I'd like to be able to dive and pull up, but also thinking about locking it and drop tuning the shit out of it. Big strings on this one, would be easier than cutting a nut on another guitar.

 

[Mudder]

Man, that sucks. I think I'd just trim a block of wood and cram it in there next to the block.