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Jtv-89f String Tension?


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I recently purchased my first JTV a month ago and the thing I noticed when I got my hands on it was that compared to my RG series Ibanez the string tension was slightly more taut, despite having the same string gauge as my Ibanez.

 

In recent weeks I have broken the high e string twice when doing simple whole step bends around the 15th fret and 10th fret respectively. Oddly enough, in ten years playing my Ibanez I have never broken a string, so I immediately concluded that this was do to the string tension.

 

Does anyone have a JTV-89F they feel has more string tension then is typical of a guitar strung with 10's? If so, have you been able to rectify this and how?

 

I'm not sure if this feel is unique to the 89F with a floating bridge because I tested an 89 in the store, but the 89F had to be special ordered so I didn't get my hands on it until it shipped. I'm thinking of having a tech setup the action but if this won't help I will spend my money elsewhere.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

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Firstly, i'd check your bridge and the blocks that hold your string in place. Are they over tightened? It doesnt take a lot to over tighten them, squash the string and weaken it at the point it exists the bridge.

In terms of the tension, i'm not sure you can change it. Strings need a specific tension to be in tune, and the bridge springs need to equal that in order to keep the bridge floating.

Was your ibanez a floating trem too?

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The Ibanez has a floating trem also. The strings on the Variax are actually breaking at the fret where the bend is being performed, as oppose to at the saddle. For example, I was doing whole step bends fretting at the 15th and 10th frets respectively in both instances, when the string literally broke right under my fingers.

 

I imagine you're right about the string tension with regards to floating the bridge. If it isn't the string tension then maybe the fret wire has something to do with it I guess. Aside from my fingers, the fret wire is the only other thing in contact with the string at the location of the breaks (for the most part).

 

At this point I won't feel comfortable bending any strings, at least not while playing live, until I get to the bottom of this.

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could be a bad set of strings .... the strings are usually nickle or coper wound ... if there is corrosion inside the winding of the strings, they can become weak and can break with even minor bends .. you are doing whole note step bends and i am guessing using the floyd rose from time to time as well ... even if your strings are slightly corroded they can break. try getting strings from a shop that might have newer stock .. see if that works ... 

 

if that doesnt do the job i would suggest taking the guitar to a luthior ... i dont take my guitars to your average guitar techs because most of them dont know what they are doing .. luthiors are always a safer bet .. 

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I recently purchased my first JTV a month ago and the thing I noticed when I got my hands on it was that compared to my RG series Ibanez the string tension was slightly more taut, despite having the same string gauge as my Ibanez.

 

In recent weeks I have broken the high e string twice when doing simple whole step bends around the 15th fret and 10th fret respectively. Oddly enough, in ten years playing my Ibanez I have never broken a string, so I immediately concluded that this was do to the string tension.

 

Does anyone have a JTV-89F they feel has more string tension then is typical of a guitar strung with 10's? If so, have you been able to rectify this and how?

 

I'm not sure if this feel is unique to the 89F with a floating bridge because I tested an 89 in the store, but the 89F had to be special ordered so I didn't get my hands on it until it shipped. I'm thinking of having a tech setup the action but if this won't help I will spend my money elsewhere.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Comparing my JTV to my Ibanez side by side I am going to guess the difference in tension is caused by a different headstock angle and maybe a different body/neck angle.

 

I notice the same difference in tension tho it doesn't bother me much and I would bet the increased tension helps with purity of tone going into the JTV piezos - I know when I downtune my JTV and the strings get loose and flappy it creates all kinds of problems with the modeling.

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It could be some of the strings are tuned a octave high,  I have actually seen it before even with people using a floyd rose bridge they just have multiple springs ( like 4 or more) and they have it cranked really tight againts the body..  I unfortunately have friends that have no clue of how to properly set up or tune a guitar..  (needless to say after I did a fresh string install and tuned them correctly they had no more issues)  And for some reason I don't know why but they thought their guitars played tremendously better ( who'd of thunkit)..

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I think you're on to something Johnnyayyy. I did the same side by side comparison to my Ibanez and concluded the same things. The angle of the headstock certainly plays a role which I can do nothing about. However, the fret wire on the JTV doesn't seem to be nearly as polished as on my Ibanez. I will give customer service a call so we can go over the warranty details first, before I have anyone touch the JTV.

 

I appreciate everyone's comments and insights. Thanks all...

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Just chiming in, I too noticed the stiffer feel of my JTV-89 compared to a Strat(Blocked) or Jackson DK2(Floyd)with the same strings. I had to drop the JTV to 8's to get the same feel as 9's on the other two. My preferred strings are DR pure blues 9's on everything, but they felt very stiff on the JTV. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a bad(actually 2) set. It's a annoying because I prefer the feel of nickel strings, but no one makes a nickel set of 8's, just nickel plated. 

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The strings on the Variax are actually breaking at the fret where the bend is being performed, as oppose to at the saddle. For example, I was doing whole step bends fretting at the 15th and 10th frets respectively in both instances, when the string literally broke right under my fingers.

 

Actually what you describe is a result of frets that are rough and need polishing. My Tyler JTV-59 required a fret polish, because i could detect rough tops of frets during vibratos and string bending on many frets. 

 

Take your guitar to a luthier and have the frets polished.

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  • 2 years later...

Just chiming in, I too noticed the stiffer feel of my JTV-89 compared to a Strat(Blocked) or Jackson DK2(Floyd)with the same strings. I had to drop the JTV to 8's to get the same feel as 9's on the other two. My preferred strings are DR pure blues 9's on everything, but they felt very stiff on the JTV. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a bad(actually 2) set. It's a annoying because I prefer the feel of nickel strings, but no one makes a nickel set of 8's, just nickel plated.

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This makes it sound like the frets need some polishing, I would think rough spots on the frets are grinding the string in those spots. I know the fretwork on my JTV is not what I would call "good"...

 

 

Actually what you describe is a result of frets that are rough and need polishing. My Tyler JTV-59 required a fret polish, because i could detect rough tops of frets during vibratos and string bending on many frets. 

 

Take your guitar to a luthier and have the frets polished.

 

Add one more vote your fret likely needs some polishing. My 89f had 3 high frets when I got it, which was frankly a bit disappointing for such and $$$ guitar. Took it out to very good luither in my area and had him level a repolish the entire fretboard.

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Add one more vote your fret likely needs some polishing. My 89f had 3 high frets when I got it, which was frankly a bit disappointing for such and $$$ guitar. Took it out to very good luither in my area and had him level a repolish the entire fretboard.

Factory produced, assembly line guitars invariably have fretwork that falls somewhere between "lackluster" and "pounded in by a chimpanzee with a rock". It's not just Variax guitars that suffer from this. I've seen it countless times, from numerous brands. If they're being pressed in by some guy who has to finish 250 other necks this week, attention to detail is essentially impossible...doesn't much matter how much you're paying for it. Sad, but true.

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