Meastro Vibrola Expertise needed :s

[jibidy]

I restrung my guitar today and noticed that part of the vibrola has slipped downwards making the strings wonky.
I've tried taking the bar off and using a mallet to lightly hammer back but it didnt budge.

Does anybody know how it can be pursuaded back into place??

[Twinfan]

On mine, it slides freely when the strings are loose.  Slacken them all off, adjust it, then tune the bass E to pitch again holding the vibrola steady.  Then tune the other strings.

To stop it happening again, and make things easy for yourself, don't change all the strings at the same time  ;)  I change bottom three/top three so the bridge stays put, and I can polish half the pickups/bridge etc.

[Philly Q]

Can't suggest anything helpful, but since they've been mentioned I do like the way Maestros look (mainly thanks to Andy Powell and his Vs).

Apologies for going off-topic but how well do they work, and do they have an adverse effect on sustain?

[Twinfan]

I never use mine for vibrato, so I can't comment on it in use Phil.  I bought it purely for looks as it's a bit Angus-y, and a bit Weller-y  ;)

With regard to sustain, it sustains just fine!  My Epi with vibrola sustains just as well as my Gibson did.  Without ripping it off and sticking a stoptail on it I can't really compare it to a fixed bridge SG though.  It doesn't sustain as well as my Mira, but that's a completely different guitar anyway...

[Philly Q]

Thanks Dave, I thought it would probably be OK sustain wise - it looks like a pretty solid unit without too many moving parts.

Something else I could do as a project one day, perhaps...  :)

[jibidy]

Ah i should have thought of that :lol:. Cheers Twinfan!

It works well for little shimmers semi bends. It certanly isnt a floyd rose, and it sustains fine. Its my most sustainy guitar in fact 8). Looks cool to!

[Philly Q]

It works well for little shimmers semi bends. It certanly isnt a floyd rose

Sounds perfect!  :D

[WezV]

i havnt tried one yet but came across a vintage one on ebay the other week and must admit i was tempted.  Allparts charge £75 for a modern version and the vintage one i saw wasnt too much more

[HTH AMPS]

Can't suggest anything helpful, but since they've been mentioned I do like the way Maestros look (mainly thanks to Andy Powell and his Vs).

Apologies for going off-topic but how well do they work, and do they have an adverse effect on sustain?

I had a lyre trem on my old '67 SG jr and when I compared the trem versus fixed bridge on it, I'd say with the trem on it was twangier with a slinky 'feel'.  Tuning held up fine provided you only use it for a slight wobble, no divebombs on this baby. 

Overall I liked the tone more with the wrap-over bridge.  the feel was more solid and the low strings had more authority.  The Lyre trem wins for coolness though.

[Philly Q]

Thanks guys.  I'm still keen on the idea - just the simple short version, without the lyre or anything fancy.  Should work pretty well with a tune-o-matic with Graph Tech saddles. 

Right now, though, I don't even know what guitar I'd put it on.