Preamble:
I recently purchased a headless straight-thru guitar with an "Overlord of Music" locking vibrato bridge. I assume it is "Maestro" in Mandarin, before going thru Google Translate.
This one works with single ball end strings.
It is a very good system (very sensitive, and stays in tune well), but it is easy to see why people have trouble with it.
Hardware Setup:
First of all, the bridge has a module that comes off, and a bracket screwed to the guitar. On my guitar the wood-metal interface seemed to have been routed by a Canadian beaver after a few Molson Lites. And not refinished, bare wood. |
| The beaver is on paid administrative leave |
Also the tuning mechanism was stiff, and removed skin from my thumb.
So, like a rifle, you need to fill the gaps twixt wood and steel with cola can aluminium, or epoxy (JB Weld, put kitchen film or cooking spray or Liquid Wrench over the metal so it isn't permanently stuck.). If you fail to bed the bracket and lube the internals, something will break or wear out. Grease the knife edge.
PDF - Disassembly of a Steinberger R-Trem for cleaning.
Unscrew the bridge saddles until they fall out. You don't have to open the whole thing up.
Grease them up. Reassemble. Or at least spray some lube in there.
Don't fully remove the "Master Tune Knob", you can strip the thread getting it back in.
Tuning:
PDF - Steinberger R-Trem Instructions.
Lock the bridge, tune up. If the bridge jumps up when you release the lock, tighten the "Master Tune Knob" about half a turn. Repeat until the bridge does not jump up.Get a skin graft or lube the tuners like I told you.
"I got blisters on ma fingas!" - Ringo with his new Steinberger
