ZT-3 Trans Trem Won't Float

[jamag911]

I need of some help. My ZT-3 bridge only drops to the lowest position when I move the whammy bar from the locked position to the float position.  The metal gear is also "catching" a little when floating it up and down. 

[Be.eM]

When the trem drops to the lowest position (or any other position than the correct center position) you'd need to adjust the spring tension with the thumb wheel on the back of the guitar. The spring tension needs to be set so that the locked and unlocked position are exactly the same. See the manual on pages 16-18.

When the trem is catching although it should be freely floating it's possible that the screw marked below is too far down. Loosen it a little bit, but only in small steps. If turned out too far the trem might not lock at all.

 

Bernd

[jamag911]

I adjusted that screw out. I read the manual as you suggested but cannot figure this out. When moving out of locked tremolo it the bridge just drops strongly back down to the lowest position. Any help is appreciated.

[r2bflash]

39 minutes ago, jamag911 said:

I adjusted that screw out. I read the manual as you suggested but cannot figure this out. When moving out of locked tremolo it the bridge just drops strongly back down to the lowest position. Any help is appreciated.

There is a spring that counteracts the pull of the strings, and it is adjusted by the knob on the back of the guitar.  If this knob is adjusted to loose, the strings will pull the tremolo bar to the lowest position, you must tighten the spring/ knob so that it counteracts the pull of the strings. 

[r2bflash]

This may also help. Ned Steinberger shows how to setup ZT-3 Transtrem.

[r2bflash]

If someone has adjusted the back knob where the spring has come loose or if someone has remove the spring you will need to remove the back cover to see what has happened hopefully just putting the spring back in place. Hope this helps!

[Be.eM]

2 hours ago, jamag911 said:

When moving out of locked tremolo it the bridge just drops strongly back down to the lowest position. Any help is appreciated.

You mean the bridge drops down on the tuner side and the tuning gets high? In that case the spring tension is much too high. You'd need to lower the spring tension using the thumb wheel. Just turn the thumb wheel while monitoring the tuning of the high e-string. Turn it down until the high e-string shows correct tuning. Now the tremolo top should also be back in locking position for standard tuning, i.e., in "zero position".

[jamag911]

I am at a loss. I have tried everything but do not know the mechanics behind making it stay in the same position while floating as it does when locked. No matter what I do the trem just drops against the body when I move the bar from the locked position. I am trying to learn some Steve Vai Polyphia and it aint gonna work without this damn trem not floating. I am doing everything I can without having to go take it to a guitar tech.

[jamag911]

I missed the post about checking for loose spring. Going to do that now.

[jamag911]

The spring is attached. If I wind it all the way out the thing snaps forward now when unlocked. As stated previously, I do not know what keeps the float position the same as the locked position.

[r2bflash]

The spring tension (thumb wheel) on back of guitar counter acts the pull of the strings. Did you watch the video I posted a link too?

[Be.eM]

5 hours ago, jamag911 said:

 If I wind it all the way out the thing snaps forward now when unlocked. As stated previously, I do not know what keeps the float position the same as the locked position.

Well, you're half way there understanding it. At first the "thing snapped backward", and now, after turning the thumb wheel all the way out the "thing snaps forward".  The solution is finding the correct point of balance between "all the way in" and "all the way out".  For doing so I told you to tune up the guitar in locked position, unlock (guitar goes out of tune now), and then turn the thumb wheel to adjust the spring tension until the guitar (or any string) is back in tune again. Then lock again to check/adjust tuning, unlock, and do the fine adjustment of the spring tension, so that locking and unlocking happens smoothly without changing the tuning.

To repeat the principle of that mechanism: that thumb wheel compresses/decompresses the spring which pushes the trem top into the opposite direction of the string pull. If the string pull is higher than the spring tension, the trem top is pulled upwards when unlocked (and tuning goes down), if the string pull is lower than the spring tension the trem top is pulled downwards (and tuning goes up). Find the point of balance by adjusting the thumb wheel.