Ibanez Trem on my DK2

[Trev57]

Before I discovered Jacksons, I was quite into Ibanez RG's and Jems. I am a Lefty, so there really isn't much choice in the JEM department, so I custom built one. Having collected 6 lovely Jacksons, I have now parted with most of the Ibanez guitars. I did however, keep a spare Cosmo Pro Lefty Trem unit. I do think these things are streets ahead of Floyd Rose in the technical department. I decided to update my DK2 with a Sustainer, and replace the Jackson Trem (which I believe is contributing to the dull sound of the guitar) with the Cosmo Pro. Not only has the guitar brightened up somewhat, but I think it is better to play.

[blackendvampire]

Sweet, Those Ibanez trem units are really different than floyds, Im not entirely sure what makes them better though, I think they use the same metal, just steel. I just always liked how the Floyd Rose's Tremelo Arm locks up fully and doesnt flop around, I dont know if the Ibanez's do that, most guys I see playing Ibanez let the trem swing freely.

[Trev57]

That is the one thing I don't like about the Ibanez, the swinging arm. I am looking at adapting the old Jackson arm to fit. If it works, then it will be the best of both worlds.

[toejam]

It's not a TRS Ibanez trem that looks like the Jackson JT580-LP?

[Trev57]

No! The TRS is a POS! This thing has been engineered!

[Trev57]

If I could figure out how to post pics, I would put some up.

[rjohnstone]

Use photobucket or Flickr and post links to the pics.

Sounds like you have an Edge trem. If so, the Schaller style trem arm and socket from a JT-580 will not work with it.
You would have to machine the base plate down before it would fit.

[Trev57]

I'll give the photobucket thing a try. It says down below that I cannot post attachments? So here is the html.

http://s244.photobucket.com/albums/gg17/Alienlefty/?action=view&current=DK2FrontbodyIbanezTremSustainer.jpg

[Trev57]

At least you can go to the bucket now and have a look. Here is one of the rear cavities showing the back of the trem.

http://s244.photobucket.com/albums/gg17/Alienlefty/?action=view&current=DK2rearcavitiesmodified.jpg

[Trev57]

[Trev57]

One nice touch with the Ibanez is that you don't have to cut the string balls off to install them. You can see the ball ends poking through in the cavity photo. I wasn't very careful, and didn't get them in their little plastic (red) pockets, but it helps illustrate the point. If you are careful, the ball end snaps into the red plastic retainer and it is all very neat. You can't normally see it of course because the backplate covers it up.

[toejam]

Ah, cool. I thought the Floyd post spacing was different on all the Ibanez trems except for the TRS.

[blackendvampire]

One nice touch with the Ibanez is that you don't have to cut the string balls off to install them. You can see the ball ends poking through in the cavity photo. I wasn't very careful, and didn't get them in their little plastic (red) pockets, but it helps illustrate the point. If you are careful, the ball end snaps into the red plastic retainer and it is all very neat. You can't normally see it of course because the backplate covers it up.

Yeah I had an ibanez RG once that had a trem like that where you dont have to cut the ballends off, but it didnt lock the strings in, so if you broke a string you'd have to replace the string, If I ever break strings on a floyd I love being able to just wheel some off the tuner and stick it back in there and lock it down again and tune up, especially if the string isnt very old, somtimes their just shitty near the bridge end or I pull up too hard on my tremelo and they break, not so much lately anymore though. I just love the option of that. Looks like your Ibanez trem locks as well as takes the ballends, kinda weird. I keep a string cutter with me at all times when I play anyways though, you have to cut it off to reuse it anyways, I put the ballends at the tuners actually, I just remembered. I feed it from the tuner all the way down and cut off the excess and then tune it up that way, its really simple for me because im slightly retarded.