New DK2M.

[bacon]

I got my DK2M today and it looked fantastic, I was surprised how far apart the strings are on it. I'm used to Strats and the strings aren't nearly as spread out, they must have an R4 floyd nut on them, it's going to take a few days to get used to it. I found myself fumbling around quite a bit. The setup was really close I straightened the neck just slightly and lowered the action a touch. It was playing really good but I noticed it sounded flat. I expected the strings to stretch and I had been playing and setting it up for around an hour. I found that the floyd wouldn't return to zero and if I pulled up it went sharp, and dive bombed and it went flat. I checked everything several times over and finally was about to give up. Then I realized the low E string has a slight seperation between windings down at the block on the bridge. I'm hoping the E string is slipping and that's my problem. I'm going to slap a new pair of strings on it tomorrow and hopefully that will cure my problem. If not it's going to have to go back to Sweetwater where I purchased it to see if they can figure it out. Bummer is I talked myself into going back to a floyd rose instead of a fixed bridge and now I'm feeling like I should have stuck with the fixed bridge like my other guitars! On a side note I just bought a 1993 Squire Strat and got it today also. It sounds fantastic and plays great! There's nothing like an aged neck, even on a cheapo Squire!

[KBRR]

Nice man congrats on the guitars , im pretty sure the DK's use R3 nuts and hopefully changing your strings will fix that problem. Post some pics when you get a chance

[bacon]

Changed out the strings and it's holding tune perfectly now! I'll just have to get used to the strings being wider, I like the neck so far, I'm used to chunkier rounded ones. The pickups sound good, I'm still trying to get the neck and bridge setup as far as string height and neck relief but it plays great so far either way!

[bacon]

Ok so after playing for a little bit it began going out of tune again!!! I changed the strings, changed out the springs, checked the nut and bridge over really well and finally decided it was likely the knife edge. I pulled the tremelo off and was not impressed! It was super rough and looked like it was cast poorly or something. I ended up sanding it lightly to remove all the imperfections and cleaned everything up. Now it finally seems to be staying in tune.
I've been playing with the truss rod and the bridge also trying to get the action down and I'm having no luck there either. I've taken the neck almost completely straight, then added relief and no matter what I'm still fretting out when I get the action down where I want it. I don't think I'm unrealistic in how low I want the strings, I haven't had a problem getting my other guitars where I want them? I'm wondering if I'm going to have to shim the trem on the outside strings now to get it where I want it.
Also for whatever reason I can't seem to get a nice tone out of the bridge pickup? My cheapo older squire I just bought sounds brighter and cuts through much better with the cheapo stock pickup? It just sounds muddy, I've played with lowering and raising it and can't seem to find the sweet spot, does anyone have a suggestion how low it should be from the strings, maybe I'm way off or something?
I have started getting used to the wider string spacing and I'm starting to really like it, if only I could get the action down to where it plays easier I would probably be super happy.
In all I hate to say it but I'm really not too impressed so far. Which is confusing because I've owned LTD's and the lower priced Jackson's over the years and never had these problems? In fact the reason I bought this guitar without playing it first is because I had such good luck in the past with them. Hopefully I can shim the bridge blocks to get the action down where I want it, if not I'll be finding it a new home.

[mastershake]

When i first got my king v i was blown away by the spacing too, but i got used to it. I dont even notice it that much now. ok well, i still notice it but it doesnt bother me...

[bacon]

So I've continued tinkering with this thing and decided the bridge is a complete piece of crap, I continue to try and get the knife edge looking good, the machining is so terrible! I've gotten the neck setup and I can now get the action down, I didn't need to shim anything, I just can't keep it in tune. I ordered a tremsetter to try and if that doesn't work I guess I'll just block the trem until I can afford an OFR. I broke two high e strings now trying to get the trem setup and being it's christmas nothing is open so now I can't play today. I'll never buy another guitar without an original floyd rose again, not impressed.

[mustaine-who?]

Its

Its pretty much accepted that the Trem (JT580) is crap. Anyone that has replaced it wih a Schaller, OFR, or Gotoh have expresses a big improvement in sustain, musicalness, and performance.

A must-do in my book...

[metalchurch79]

Strats have a 1-5/8" (R2) nut on them as you may or may not have known? Jacksons have a 1-11/16" (R3) nut on them.

[bacon]

Strats have a 1-5/8" (R2) nut on them as you may or may not have known? Jacksons have a 1-11/16" (R3) nut on them.

That makes sense, I can definately tell the difference. I have finally been able to get this thing to stay in tune. I had to really sand down the knife edge so it was completely smooth and it seems to be working now. I have the neck just about where I want it, I'm just about as low as I want to be with a little buzzing in the lower frets, I can live with it. I can't say I'm super happy yet, I'll have to wait a couple more weeks to see how it works out. The pickups still sound a little muddy after adjusting up and down a million times, I'm assuming it might have to do with the slight fret buzzing I'm getting. I'm really surprised it doesn't sound brighter but more of a smooth sound, I figured the maple neck would sound really snappy. My other maple neck guitar sounds quite a bit brighter with more bite than the Jackson. I am adjusting to the spring spacing now but I'm trying to decide if I want to go with 10-46's instead of the 9-42's strings that came on it. I've spent so much time getting it setup I'm afraid to start all over again!!! I must say even though I'm not completely sold yet I can't stop looking at it!!!

[Ben...]

I'm surprised. I've never had an issue with my DK2's JT580LP. It stays perfectly in tune and I use the Floyd daily. Are you stretching the strings after putting them on? If so, how? The neck on mine doesn't have any buzz what so ever. Maybe you got a dud?

[bacon]

I'm basically stringing up, then doing some really big bends like I'm playing only further. I'll bend each string several times up and down pretty far then retune then bend then retune. After a few times I'll play for a little while and then finally crank the nut down and tune up with the fine tuners. I had a Jackson a while ago and I think it had the even cheaper locking trem but stayed in tune perfectly. I think the trem on mine was just cast really crappy. I like my action really low but I'm getting a little buzz, I have the neck nearly completely flat so I might have to add a little relief since the I'm buzzing near the nut right now. It usually takes me a couple weeks to get my necks dialed in to where I like them, then after a couple months I still tweak a little here and there. I love the looks of the guitar and I'm sure I'll adjust to the neck, it's still just a little awkward after playing mostly strat style necks. I did order a tremsetter for it too, I haven't installed it, I'm going to hold off until I decide whether I'm going to keep it or trade it off for another strat. It kinda sucks I've wanted a DK2M for years and for whatever reason never went for it, now I did and I'm not as happy as I thought I would be. I don't want people to think the guitar is junk, just different then I'm used to, so I'm trying to adapt to it, we'll see what happens.

[bacon]

We'll I'm throwing this thing in the classifieds, I just can't get used to the neck. The good news is that it stays in perfect tune now. I have the action lowered but I just can't get used to the string width and the flat neck, I'm too used to the rounded fender necks. I'm not a platinum member so I guess it will go to craigslist for $400 obo, thanks.

[wilkinsi]

which finish did you get it in?

[elysianfield]

when adjusting a truss rod, i thought it took weeks not 2 days to get results?

[Robert Hendrix]

when adjusting a truss rod, i thought it took weeks not 2 days to get results?

Especially if it came from another climate... Patience is indeed a virtue sometimes.