Mojo Fly Tremolo/ Tuning Issue

[Danmojofly89]

Hi Guys,

First time poster from Ireland.

I have an issue with My 2006 Mojo fly.

Initially it was experiencing some tuning issues. So I decided to restring it as the strings were dead. Unfortunately when I had the bridge in the locked home position, after I moved the step stop to set the trem to floating, the bridge fell completely down. Causing the action to lower and the strings to go drastically sharp. I have changed strings on this guitar for years and this had never happened.

I then sent it to a local Luthier who has made the problem even worse. Lowering the action so much that notes on certain strings are now choking and not even ringing out or even possible to bend. So the guitar is essentially unplayable

My issue is 1) I need to fix the original tuning problem. The guitar was going slightly out of tune. Which was strange because I've had it for 8 years and it was always rock solid. In fact i could go weeks without tuning it and it would be still in tune.

and 2) I need it set up so the strings are not choking after the luthier I sent it to did such a poor job.

Just wondering has anyone any ideas what the issue maybe?

I have 1 or 2 options for alternative Luthiers Ireland. However should they fail is there anyone who specializes in Parker services/Repairs internationally or even in the Europe area? Its a beautiful guitar, and I would hate to have to sell it because resourcing parts or repairs became impossible.

Also big kudos to the creators of the site, it is a fantastic resource of information.

Kind regard

Dan

[mmmguitar]

Welcome @Danmojofly89. Photos will make this easier to diagnose. When you say the bridge “fell completely down”, are you saying the entire bridge dropped into the body as if the height adjustment screws from the back gave away, or that the trem is tilted backward on the body (as when pulling up on the bar)?

If there were no action troubles before, then figuring out what exactly happened/is happening with the trem should alleviate the other issues. Additionally, were the new set of strings you put on the guitar the same gauge as the ones being replaced, and do they correspond to the number rating on the installed spring (e.g. 9, 10, 11)?

I’m afraid this yank can’t help much with recommending a UK Fly tech - Hopefully others here and in the Facebook groups can chime in.

[Danmojofly89]

Thanks For the reply. The trem moved back into the body like the bar was being pulled up.. This was directly after tuning the guitar in the home position with the step stop. Then when i move the stop the bridge moved into the guitar and all the strings went sharp. Then i sent it to the luthier who made it even worse. Where the action is so low that the higher strings are choking out at certain frets/ and then choking when being bent. Yes the guitar is set with a with a 9s spring and I put a set of 9s on it.

[vjmanzo]

It sounds like that spring is failing unfortunately. If you block the bridge with a piece of wood instead of the spring, does it still lose tuning?

Something like this should help us rule out if the neck or the bridge itself is doing something unusual: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=45&p=110&hilit=wood+block#p110

#SpringIssues #TuningIssues

[Danmojofly89]

@vjmanzo Thanks for that! I will check that out! I only replaced the spring to 9s in 2020 which would be strange for it to be already failing. But thanks. Ill try it and see does it help/curtail the issue.

[vjmanzo]

Happy to help @Danmojofly89 —I truly hope I’m wrong!

Unfortunately, all springs are susceptible to failure and there’s no simple way to tell what’s happening with your (or any spring) without looking at it under a microscope. Many things can cause it to begin to fail beyond fatigue from use, so, actually, it wouldn’t be strange for the spring to begin failing even if it hasn’t been played ever before.

Again, I hope this is not the case for your spring, but, in a way, if that is the root of the problem you’re experiencing, then that’s good news relatively speaking! You’d need another spring or to block the bridge for the time being, but at least it’s not something else!

Keep us posted!

[Danmojofly89]

Thanks! Also checked out your youtube channel! great stuff!

[vjmanzo]

Thanks!

[Danmojofly89]

Just one more question. If the wood blocked bridge doesn't solve the tuning issue, what might the problem be in your opinion?

[vjmanzo]

I am willing to bet that it’s the spring, actually because I’ve experienced this issue before. If it’s not that, then we should check if anything weird is going on with the bridge posts (unlikely) or the neck leaning forward (also unlikely and doesn’t sound like it).

Are the bridge posts still vertical? Any weird things going on with the action (besides what you’re tech did to cause the buzzing)?

[Danmojofly89]

No the action was fine. Though obviously it dropped initially when the bridge dropped into the body of the guitar before sending it to him. I will buy that wooden block and see if that works. The neck has always been fine and the guitar has been serviced, this time aside, properly for years. I hope it is just the spring. When he returned the guitar earlier he said there was some slight movement in the bridge. He mentioned he had lines drawn to judge and could see it slightly moving or something. He also stated the bridge might need to be replaced. But im hoping hes wrong, and judging by the very poor set up he did, perhaps he isnt well versed in setting up Flys. I found it hard to understand what he was referring to though. Im more of a player than tech guy. Thanks so much again.

[mmmguitar]

Until we get into a bit more detail, this thread may end up being pertinent:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=250

So far, it reads as though the adjusted spring tension for the previous set of strings simply didn’t match the new set - Whether this and the previous detuning issues are/were symptomatic of a failing spring unfortunately cannot yet be ruled out. In the meantime, one can only go through the steps of adjusting the spring tension wheel (again; assuming the printed spring rating and current gauge set are matched).

[vjmanzo]

+1 what @mmmguitar said

[billy]

The link and info mmmguitar offered is pretty good, as are VJs comments. You came to the right place!

One possibility that is mentioned briefly there is that your bridge post anchors have shifted deeper into the body.

It sounds alarming but your mojo is a little thicker than earlier fly bodies and they would have biased the anchor towards the front face. A little too much pressure can push the anchors towards the back, making your bridge sit lower.

If you remove the back cover, you can see the spring and the post anchors. If you push them towards the face, be very careful not to use too much pressure. I suspect they will move pretty easily in your case based on the luthier comments.

If you verify this is the issue, then we can offer more advice on how to make a longer term repair.

Imho this would be a great issue to have, given the available springs.

Also- be careful of the wires when removing the back cover. Easy to break the while thinking the cover will just come right off.

[vjmanzo]

Also- be careful of the wires when removing the back cover.

Almost every time for me with my Mojo!

[billy]

Yep. I finally spliced a connector in line with a few inches of extra slack.

[Danmojofly89]

Was out at a family Gathering today guys, But thanks so much for the responses. God the amount of possibilities is fantastic to narrow it down. I have found a luthier who is top class (Lives in a different county). I will print off this trend and the links to the other bridge blocking and spring issues. That will all be invaluable information. Here's an old picture of the guitar in question! Its only when Im not playing it that I miss it so much. Playing my strat and L4 is fun but the Parker has something special.

[Danmojofly89]

And I was caught previously with the wires! Had to get out the soldering kit

[Noodleboy]

I will be taking possession if my first ever Parker Mojo Fly next Wednesday(UPS willin) And I a couple of questions that fit this thread so I'll ask them here. The guitar currently has an 11 gauge spring and I generally play 10's. However my plan is(was) to hopefully play with the trem in the "home" position. IE blocked.
Will this be doable just using the stop switch under the back plate?
Or will the wood block option be the better bet?
Or should I get used to playing 11's?
Thanks in advance. Can't wait to get this guitar in my hands.

[vjmanzo]

I, personally, have the vibrato blocked with wood on all but two of my vibrato equipped Flys—I actually prefer it. A spring will try to flex when the string tension on the bridge changes (when performing bends/stops, during alternate tunings, etc.), so I enjoy the increased tuning stability of a blocked bridge and don’t compose or perform a lot of music that requires the vibrato arm.

So, @Noodleboy and others, I feel that you can live a full and content life without changing that spring just by tightening it against the step stop or just replacing it with a block of wood. FWIW, @Ken Parker told me once to “tune the bridge” by trying different types of wood as the blocks—I have used maple, mahogany, spruce, and poplar as wood blocks (same shape as shown) and, to my ears, I don’t hear any change in the timbre.

What you’re looking for in the bridge of any guitar is a transfer of energy from the strings into the body—the material of the bridge will contribute to that (it could be not at all, it could be just right, it could be too much), so I think that’s what Ken was implying with “tune the bridge”. A flat spring will transfer energy for sure, even if it’s tightened, a wood block will also do it, and will, of course, have the benefit of not compression when the string tension changes.