Adding a Tremolo to an Ibanez Artstar! Les Trem II by Duesenberg 

Hey Pete, thanks a lot for your comment. The roller bridge helps for sure, the String Butler (which I have installed on my Gibson SG and Gibson Les Paul) probably as well. Hope everything works smoothly on your Ibanez SG! Cheers, Lukas

Thanks a lot, Laz! Lots of fun, but I need to put a roller bridge on to hopefully fix tuning stability! Cheers Lukas

@L&M Guitar Corner I should have you guys back on the show early next year just to show that thing off, spread the word... really cool!

Mille grazie, Andrea!

Thanks! Cheers, Lukas

Thanks a lot, Tom! Cheers, Lukas

No problem. Hope you like the video, buddy! Cheers Lukas

Hey Glen. Thank for the comment and for watching the video. Cheers, Lukas

Thank you. Rock!!

I think so too and hope mine (that I've ordered in the meantime) arrives soon. Cheers, Lukas

@@LMGuitarCorner Hi, Lukas! Would it be okay if you let me know what make and model roller bridge you ended up ordering? I would be very grateful! Thanks, Simon

@cloud boy Of course, ordered it on Amazon Germany. If the link below doesn't work, contact me on Instagram. It's a rather affordable one, but it looks good and does the job. Cheers, Lukas KAISH Northwest Guitars Tune-O-Matic Steg für Epiphone Les Paul,SG,Dot,Bigsby-Gitarre mit M8-Gewindepfosten www.amazon.de/dp/B07LG2DR79/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_9SE2FV2QTY8V9MWEAKXA?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

@@LMGuitarCorner Thanks, Lucas! :)

Hey there. I've replaced to stock bridge with a roller bridge a couple of months ago and it was definitely a worthy upgrade! Cheers, Lukas

@@LMGuitarCorner awesome :D

I don't have it on the guitar anymore, but thanks for the tip!

Hey Johnny. The angle at the nut might indeed be another (potential) issue. With my AS153, I have found that the tuning stability is much better now after installing a roller bridge. I have the feeling that the tremolo itself doesn't always go back to "neutral", which leads to being slightly out of tune. I don't know if that is because of the nut. I have a String Butler at home that is currently not installed and might put that on when I'm changing strings. Cheers, Lukas

@@LMGuitarCorner the V4 string butler was the right one for oversized headstocks if I remember correctly- my install was over a year ago. Just remember you need to recut the nut slots to straight otherwise the string may still snag at the nut. Snagging at the nut or bridge is the reason for the vibrato arm not returning to zero point once the spring has been used a few times - it becomes a tension balancing act between string tension and spring tension (in all vibrato systems) and the snagging of strings on choke points keeps them stuck out of tune until the snag is loosened usual by pull the arm in the opposite direction. After a pitch down I would have to pull the pitch up with a bend or the bar to pull it past the snag point. I struggled with different solutions for a year but the string butler helped most, but in the mean time also try a drop of trumpet valve oil to lube up the nut and then rock the bar to get the oil in. Should keep for a week before it needs more oil - graphite on the nut didn't work as well for me as the oil

Thanks a lot for these tips! Cheers, Lukas

Great tip, thanks for sharing! Cheers, Lukas

Which roller bridge would you recommend for an Ibanez Artcore model with a 12" radius?

Haha no it's fine, don't worry ;-)

Yeah I agree. In the meantime I've added a roller bridge, which definitely helped. It's still not perfect, but I think that's either because of the spring or just the fact that it doesn't go back "to neutral". Maybe I need to tweak with the spring tension again. Cheers Lukas

@@LMGuitarCorner I added a washer to make the spring tension stiffer on mine and it did it just fine, it's always in tune but i have to admit that i don't do dive bomb very often, i use it kinda smoothly or mid smooth, just not at the extreme very often!

Couldn't find an official one made by Duesenberg. I got my roller bridge, which I purchased after the video, on Amazon and it works wells. Cheers, Lukas

@@LMGuitarCorner brand?

@monmixer the brand is KAISH

Hey Aldrin! Which part of the world are you from? I got it from Thomann. The video was not sponsored and we don't have any affiliate links. Cheers, Lukas

Hi there. You can, but it hits the top and puts pressure on the les Trem. So it's not really ideal, imho. Cheers

Hey there. I never managed to get it to work the way I want, i.e stay completely in tune. Thus, I removed it a couple of months ago. I didn't sell it yet, so maybe I'll give it another try, but I have plenty of guitars with a better Tremolo system. I wouldn't strongly advise against it, but I also cannot fully recommend it due to not being really satisfied with it. Cheers, Lukas

Hey there! Nope, no locking tuners. To be honest, I can't remember if I checked the intonation afterwards... I currently don't have the Les Trem installed on the Ibanez so I cannot check, sorry. Cheers, Lukas

Thanks Lucas

I installed a roller bridge after nut and lubed the nut. Still not 100% tuning stability. Cheers

@@LMGuitarCorner Interesting, mine helped the stability of all string’s bending snd returning to pitch…. That’s a shame. Alternatively, try a Trem True, costs 50% more than a Dusenburg but cheaper and 100% better than anything Bigsby could make, fitted one to SA2100 and it looked really cool and played better than the Dusenburg..

Thanks for the tip, need to check that one out. I uninstalled the Les Trem a couple of months ago... I have multiple guitars with better working trems :D Cheers!

Thanks for the comment. I think it might work just well for the intended application. A roller bridge might be a useful addition, as mentioned in the video. Are you thinking about installing one as well? Cheers, Lukas

@@LMGuitarCorner I suppose I will get a roller bridge as well- these mods have a way of getting out of hand! But those Ibanez AS93 and AS103 are fabulous guitars eh

Yeah I agree! From my experience, I can say that Ibanez guitars in general are fantastic instruments. I have three in total (besides the AS153 also an AZ242 and a RG421HPAM) and they all feel and play great!

I also have an AS103NT. Wonderful guitar. It’s an early model with the fine-tuning bridge. I don’t miss the trem, have a Strat for that. If the guitar wouldn’t fit in the case with this trem it’s a deal breaker for me. Not carrying a 103 around in a bag.

Since I'm not carrying it around, I don't have an issue with not fitting in the case. Nevertheless, it's definitely a valid point. In terms of the trem itself - it feels different to use than the one on my Strat which is reason enough for me too have it. Cheers, Lukas

To a certain extent yes. But you can't go crazy with it, only subtle movements. Cheers

Hey there. I'm pretty sure it fits, the bridge and stop tail look like the one on my AS153. Cheers, Lukas

​@@LMGuitarCornerI bought the chinesseum version, I think it's actually a dussenberg since it's pretty good quality, I need a new roller for the thing

How's the tuning stability? Since you mentioned you'd need a roller bridge, I'd assume it's not all that great. Cheers, Lukas

@@LMGuitarCorner is good, I'm using the Ibanez bridge but, if I've dive bomb it gets out of tune

​@@LMGuitarCornerHi, after combating friction by a while, I replaced the stock bridge with a roller, and a bone nut with locking tuners, it's a all terrain guitar now

Hey Max. Great question.... I'll check later and let you know. Cheers Lukas

@Max Cuthbert The way I've set it up, it still fits in the case, but the tremolo arm is slightly pressured down by the case. Shouldn't be a big deal though. Cheers, Lukas

@@LMGuitarCorner Many thanks, Lukas !

Hey Lorenzo. The stock nut is bone. Since filming the video, I've installed a roller bridge which also helped. Never heard of the Faber locking bridge... Might still be worth checking out! Cheers, Lukas

@@LMGuitarCorner Tone Pro do locking bridges as well and one with roller saddles. That would be perfect. Not that cheap though. I have a Tone Pro locking bridge on one guitar and it totally helps to stop any bridge movement even without a vibrato. Very few bridges slot onto the posts tightly with no movement.

Hey William. Ideally not. After filming the video I bought one and it helped a lot. Cheers!