Originally Posted by: polanskySo the deal is trail and error?
I might get to detune even lower than drop d right?

Cause I know that one gauge more (let's say from 9 to 10) increases various pound of tension into the tremolo (pretty dramatic increase indeed).

Gee, this is a bit scary.

nothing to be scared about, you really won't be harming anything, you'll just need to spend 5-10 minutes adjusting the tremolo... which basically means, put on the strings, and try to tune up, when the trem starts lifting, tighten the springs (though, I'd really add at least a third spring, they're not expensive. I got some at my local guitar store for like $2 for 4 springs) then try to retune. tighten springs, tune, tighten springs, tune. continue doing that until you are at your desired tuning and the tremolo is parallel to the body.

on my ibanez guitar, when I was still real new to guitar I put 12's on it going from 9's :eek: I didn't know about adjusting the springs or anything, so I tuned it to standard and the trem lifted way out! man, I was so surprised by that, I didn't really know anything about guitars back then. anyway, for the longest time I just ended up tuning it one whole step below standad (d-g-c-f-a-d) and put a capo on the second fret to be in standard. and that's how I played it for weeks until I was instructed about how a floating trem works (and I thank whoever it was here on GT who taught me all that stuff, lol)