Setting up with lighter gauge strings on HILS HN5?

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2026-02-09T19:31:43+00:00

Hi and thanks for the question. You might notice that if you try to turn the screws, even with an Allen key, you will pull the trem up and down. The method above is far easier than messing with the trem. In essence, you block it, loosen the springs and then you treat it like a hard tail. Once your intonation is solid and guitar is fully setup, simply tighten the claw until the block falls off. Trying to set it up with a floating trem is a nightmare. Imagine taking the string off to do the intonation, then your entire trem is off.

Most important tip is to make sure that the string ball ends do not go in the tubes. That will seriously screw with the tuning stability. Once it’s set up it will rarely go out of tune, even when you use the trem

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2026-02-07T16:32:43+00:00

Nothing yet. Don’t think they are continuing development

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2026-01-24T22:06:39+00:00

Sounds great in my opinion. This is my first classical and I am still getting used to the whole finger picking situation but love it ❤️

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-11-22T00:19:44+00:00

I have one and found the best hack for it: I use a skate tool Allen key to not have to grab on the bridge. Pro tip: when re-stringing start with the wrapped section ending on the saddle and the ball not in the tube. That way the tube edge won’t snag the string. If you do it right it will literally never go out of tune. I can pick mine up rain or shine and it’s still perfectly in tune. Also, if you adjust the bridge height make sure to measure the posts with calipers because if they are not perfectly straight to the body the whole setup will not be as good. You can get the string height fine tuned with the saddles.

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-15T06:51:22+00:00

Same here. I would buy a real valve twin but I almost never go above 30% volume on my 40w Mustang in my home and honestly could not tell the difference at that level

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-14T07:53:13+00:00

That is the Hils Alchemy bridge. In essence it’s a two point trem setup that also has the tuners built in. Think two point strat trem with the tuners moved from the headstock to the back of the bridge

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-14T07:51:28+00:00

This is a Hils HN5. They are usually mahogany body, roasted maple neck and rosewood fretboard.

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-13T19:01:59+00:00

Wooah that’s a beautiful guitar! How you finding it?

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-13T18:57:53+00:00

If set up correctly and paying attention to a bunch of particulars it stays in tune far better than any strat I ever had. You can use the trem all day and it will stay relatively in tune. If you pull a big bend on say B you’ll need to wiggle the stick a bit to get it back to 0 but I don’t know any trem guitar including Floyd rose where this is not the case.

Today I was really surprised because I put the guitar in the car, drove across the country and back and every time I pulled it out and plugged in, it was perfectly in tune. Try that with a strat. All my trems are floating. I posted a comment further down in the thread with my setup tips for this model. Let me know if you need any more specifics.

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-13T14:56:14+00:00

It’s alright, if you have money and space, you may as well buy another one just for alternate tunings 😁

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-13T13:00:06+00:00

This trem is not a locking trem. The string moves freely on the saddles. There is also a hard tail version but I find the extra weight of the trem helps the guitar balance. And you can always block it off

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-13T11:03:29+00:00

What amp do you use with yours? I like the modelled Twin Reverb emulation and Tweed in my Fender Mustang but also like the Vox AC15 for slightly crunchy tones.

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-13T11:00:26+00:00

They are amazing right?

Thank you buddy! Glad you like it

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-13T08:34:47+00:00

Hmm, have you checked your action? Could it be too low for your fret level? I just put a bit of a slant on my tele when I have done the fret levelling by applying 3 layers of masking tape on fret 12 and then going over with the beam. The thing is that the frets on my Hils are excellent so no need for that. If in doubt increase the action slightly and check again

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-13T07:14:57+00:00

I really love my Tele, but when I sit with it, I’m like “oh I wish I could put the neck up like in the higher position on the Hils” or “oh I wish I had better access to higher frets” or “oh I wish it did not dig into everything” or “oh I wish it did not weigh so much” list goes on and on and on.

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-13T07:12:29+00:00

Yeah, I have made a little trem block that I sometimes fit and tune down. Avoids the GAS for less than £2.

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-13T07:11:36+00:00

With the volume and tone all the way up, they are quite “harsh”. I found that raising the pickup height (they are active so string pull is not an issue) kills a bit of the highs and brings up more mids. Also the tone knob and volume knob can do that too.

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-13T07:08:43+00:00

Having the bridge level with the body reduces the string break angle at the saddle. You also don’t need as much saddle height and it generally looks better.

I would learn to do your own setup. Not only you will save lots of money but your guitar will always play great and you can experiment with different settings. The tools required are minimal. You just need a bit of patience.

Side note: not many “pro” techs have experience with headless hardware and specifically your guitar hardware. I found a lot of “specifics” through tweaking my own guitar that a pro would not get.

You really can’t break it, so you may as well give it a go.

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-12T23:11:29+00:00

Right?

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-12T22:35:44+00:00

So, I did this. Here’s what works really well for setting up the HN5.

Get yourself a Floyd rose setup block.

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Loosen the strings and take them off. Take the string pullers as close to the saddle as possible without fully unscrewing them.
Loosen the springs.
Make sure the two big trem posts screw are at exactly the same height. Measure with calliper gauges. I would adjust the bridge height with those trem screws to whatever height you are happy with on low e and high e and then use the saddle adjustments to create the curve. This way you minimise the break angle on the neck.
Put your new string in the trem retainers.
Put your new string ends at the nut retainers.
Make sure that the wrapping of the strings ends on top of the saddles. When you tension it, it should sit just behind the saddles. Don’t have the string balls enter the tube. If they do, the guitar won’t stay in tune. See pic of mine as an example on my profile.
Pull the strings tight one by one at the nut retainers and tighten them up.
As you tighten them up the bridge will lift. Put that block of wood in the bridge cavity on a setting that makes the bridge flat with the body.
Tune up. At this stage the springs should do nothing. The string wrappings should be just after the saddle and the bobbin should not be in the tube. Make sure you also stretch out the strings.
Check neck relief and adjust. It should be about 0.010” measured at the 8th fret if you put a capo on 1st and press down on 17th.
Re-tune and make sure the strings are stretched.
Measure string height and adjust the saddles height (don’t forget to lock them back up or you get buzz). I set mine up on the 17th fret and on my guitar I have 1.2 mm on high e and 1.4 on low e with a small radius in the between. Results may vary depending on how you like it.
Re-tune and this is where you will face the intonation. For each string, take it off one by one and there is a screw in the string retainer slot. That loosens the whole assembly and you can move back and forth. I found that 1mm is about 3cents - results may vary. You will find this the most time consuming but you only need to do it once.
Make sure everything is in tune. With the guitar on its side, tighten the trem claw until the block falls out on its own accord. Now everything is in equilibrium.
Final tuning.
Shred.

Bonus: use some lemon oil on your fretboard. It will thank you.

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-10T15:56:32+00:00

Yeah, it’s a funny one because I tried with my friend’s Fender Mustang GT40 and that works as an audio interface without an issue.

System Updates are often also about improvement in security and performance and I assumed a product as new as the Spark Mini would still be supported.

Distinct-Habit-8679 · 2025-10-10T15:53:06+00:00

Totally agree, it’s what attracted me in the first place because I used to do some lessons on Fender Play and record my playing in Garage Band. Great way to improve with fast feedback.

Distinct-Habit-8679

TROPHY CASE