Wilkinson trem and buzzing low E

Snags

Looking for some tweaking advice (without the meth).

Reverend Jetstream 390 (from @sweepy of this parish) with which I'm essentially a very happy camper, apart from the flipping low E buzzes just enough to be annoying when fretted at the lower end of the board. I'm not sure whether it's done it since I re-strung it (came loaded with 9s and I've popped my customary 10s on) and I've just become more aware of it as I'm practicing more using that guitar, or if it's a recent development.

When I strung it with 10s I obviously screwed the trem claws back in (quite a lot) to get the bridge to float level again, but otherwise didn't particularly adjust anything else.

All the other strings are fine, so I'm assuming it's not the truss rod (?).

I've had a crack at raising the saddle for the low E, but despite going through multiple sets of allen keys, none of them appear to be quite the right size for the screws, and I don't want to butcher it. Indeed, I'm not entirely convinced they're allen heads on them anyway.

So, as a Wilkinson virgin:

- truss rod tweak?
- some magic tool I need?
- screw the claws back a smidge more to raise the front edge of the bridge a fraction?
- live with it?

It's only really starting bugging me because of doing My Sharona next weekend at Sasquatch, and I was planning on taking the Reverend as something a bit different from all the R8s ...

Funkfingers

Snags said:

truss rod tweak?

Correct.

The other possibility is that the not slot for the offending string is cut too low or has been damaged.

ICBM

A string buzzing at the low end of the neck is going to be caused by either the neck being too straight, or the nut being too low - but it's odd that you didn't notice with the 9s, since if anything the neck will have been pulled forward very slightly.

The saddles do use Allen keys, I'm pretty sure the size is .050" - the standard US bridge saddle screw size, but that's a bit smaller than the normal far-east one. If you're adjusting the saddle heights you *must* loosen the black cap-screw in the middle of the saddle first, or you may crack the post it screws into.

If you want to adjust the angle of the whole bridge you need to loosen the claw screws slightly to allow it to float higher.


Best solution - replace the whole bridge with a USA Standard Fender one, it fits on the same posts and is a better-engineered unit which is easier to adjust and will improve the tone. [Flame suit on]

Snags

Thanks guys.  Armed with that info, and a little bit more pressing need than normal I've had a good furkle about and improved things somewhat just by tweaking the saddle heights - hadn't originally realised that the locking screw needed to be loosened for height as well as intonation (which is pretty dumb of me, with a moment's reflection).

Will give it a more thorough going over at the weekend.

The 9s weren't on it for long, and the test play when I bought it was very much of the "yeah, it's a guitar, it works, I want it" variety. Went from 9s to 10s because for me the 9s were too flimsy and rattly anyway, and it's only in recent weeks that I've really started playing it and listening properly, and then only in short bursts (life, man).

Funkfingers

ICBM said:

it's odd that you didn't notice with the 9s

I interpretted the OP problem description the other way about. i.e. Rattly with 009-042 gauges and “not sure” with 010-046. 

Reverend’s published specs state 010-046 from the factory. A change to nines without truss rod adjustment to compensate would create the fret rattle. Reinstating tens should correct it - possibly with no need for adjustment. 

Snags said:

tweaking the saddle heights

The installation instructions for the original USA VS-100 recommended adjusting the saddles heights to the same radius curvature as the fingerboard. (Both E strings flush on the baseplate.) After that, overall height adjustments can be made at the two pivot posts.

ICBM

Funkfingers said:

The installation instructions for the original USA VS-100 recommended adjusting the saddles heights to the same radius curvature as the fingerboard. (Both E strings flush on the baseplate.) After that, overall height adjustments can be made at the two pivot posts.

I've always found they play and sound better with the saddles a lot higher than that, so there's more downward force on the saddles, and the springs need to be tighter to offset the greater turning moment.

Snags

Hrm.  OK, bit more reading and then some fettling when time permits, then.

The 9s were just too light for me, and did rattle a bit acoustically (but no choke outs). The 10s feel 'right' (but then, I've used 10s for ages now, so …) but there's definitely a bit of deadening/buzz on the low-E up to around the 4th/5th fret Not totally choking out, just a bit more of a thunk than a ring. Don't really notice on chords and chuggy things, but it stands out on rhythmic single-note riffs, and also doesn't feel great.

Hence wanting to do some appropriate tweaking. If I get chance this week(end) I'll flatten the saddle again and nudge the truss rod a smidgen.

{Edit for a FFS autocorrect}

{Clarification edit: x-post with @ICBM, above was based on @Funkfingers additional info}