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Changing strings with Floyd Rose

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(@robert-d)
Active Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 2
Topic starter  

Hey Guys,
I've got a brand new Carvin DC127 with a Floyd Rose tremolo.I'm ready to change my strings the first time.I've already removed the old ones,and it seems that the trem has rocked back towards the tail.Could someone tell me the correct method to putting on the new strings? Thanks. :oops:


   
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(@katmetal)
Prominent Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 726
 

I had a youtube vid. in my favs. that had excellent instruction on this, but I can't seem to find it now - I will keep looking for it. But, you can do a youtube search for some info. on it. Didn't your Carvin come w/ a manual that explains how to do it?

I know some guitars I purchase don't, but my Ibanez came with an excellent manual on how to re-string, blocking the trem. system, etc.

At any rate, you are supposed to block the trem. system before you remove the strings. Most guys use a small block of wood, or wrap a 9 volt batt. w/ electrical tape & use that. That keeps the trem set at about the right height for you. You can still lift the trem. up now, & slide a batt./etc. in there to put it at the right height.

Good Luck!


   
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(@ricochet)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

Works OK to change one string at a time and bring it up to tune before changing the next.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@gnease)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

blocking the trem works best if one does NOT remove all the strings at once. as you've already removed them, you probably should start by carefully installing one of the middle strings first, and bringing that string up to light (partial) tension while reseating the bridge assembly back onto the knife edge fulcrum/pivot/bearing points. add a second string -- still under light tension, and double check that the fulcrum points are still seated. do all this very carefully to avoid damaging the fulcrum points. now up the tension a bit and block the bridge to achieve proper (usually level) bridge positioning (height) and install the rest of the strings.

if you don't already realize it: you need to recenter the fine tuning adjustments before doing the final tune up and lock-down of the nut. when you get to proper tuning and tension, the bridge should float stably at the blocked position/height, and the block should be easy to slip out, as there should be little tension holding them in place. if not, adjust the trem springs to achieve this at tuned tension. last thing should be lock down of the nut and fine tuning.

next time: start by tuning the guitar and blocking the bridge -- and always leave a couple strings on the guitar at some tension to hold the bridge against the pivot points.

you guys who use FR guitars on a regular basis - tweak/expand my description as necessary.

-=tension & release=-


   
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(@stratslinger)
Active Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 11
 

blocking the trem works best if one does NOT remove all the strings at once. as you've already removed them, you probably should start by carefully installing one of the middle strings first, and bringing that string up to light (partial) tension while reseating the bridge assembly back onto the knife edge fulcrum/pivot/bearing points. add a second string -- still under light tension, and double check that the fulcrum points are still seated. do all this very carefully to avoid damaging the fulcrum points. now up the tension a bit and block the bridge to achieve proper (usually level) bridge positioning (height) and install the rest of the strings.

if you don't already realize it: you need to recenter the fine tuning adjustments before doing the final tune up and lock-down of the nut. when you get to proper tuning and tension, the bridge should float stably at the blocked position/height, and the block should be easy to slip out, as there should be little tension holding them in place. if not, adjust the trem springs to achieve this at tuned tension. last thing should be lock down of the nut and fine tuning.

next time: start by tuning the guitar and blocking the bridge -- and always leave a couple strings on the guitar at some tension to hold the bridge against the pivot points.

you guys who use FR guitars on a regular basis - tweak/expand my description as necessary.

As it sounds like you've never done this before, be prepared to spend some time in the tuning process itself. As you tune each string up to pitch, it will cause the other strings to go flat, so you'll need to retune those until you get a good balance of string tension to spring tension. I find it works best to start with the low strings first and work your way to the higher ones. For example, I'll tune the Low E, then the A. Then I'll go back to the low E then the A then the D. Then back to the E, etc., until you get all of them to pitch. Hope that helps!

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(@ricochet)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

That's actually true of all guitars, and the source of a lot of tuning errors when folks forget to go back over the strings. Way worse with a spring loaded trem, though!

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@gnease)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

blocking the trem works best if one does NOT remove all the strings at once. as you've already removed them, you probably should start by carefully installing one of the middle strings first, and bringing that string up to light (partial) tension while reseating the bridge assembly back onto the knife edge fulcrum/pivot/bearing points. add a second string -- still under light tension, and double check that the fulcrum points are still seated. do all this very carefully to avoid damaging the fulcrum points. now up the tension a bit and block the bridge to achieve proper (usually level) bridge positioning (height) and install the rest of the strings.

if you don't already realize it: you need to recenter the fine tuning adjustments before doing the final tune up and lock-down of the nut. when you get to proper tuning and tension, the bridge should float stably at the blocked position/height, and the block should be easy to slip out, as there should be little tension holding them in place. if not, adjust the trem springs to achieve this at tuned tension. last thing should be lock down of the nut and fine tuning.

next time: start by tuning the guitar and blocking the bridge -- and always leave a couple strings on the guitar at some tension to hold the bridge against the pivot points.

you guys who use FR guitars on a regular basis - tweak/expand my description as necessary.
As it sounds like you've never done this before, be prepared to spend some time in the tuning process itself. As you tune each string up to pitch, it will cause the other strings to go flat, so you'll need to retune those until you get a good balance of string tension to spring tension. I find it works best to start with the low strings first and work your way to the higher ones. For example, I'll tune the Low E, then the A. Then I'll go back to the low E then the A then the D. Then back to the E, etc., until you get all of them to pitch. Hope that helps!

sure I have: on my floating trem G&L. I've just never removed more than four strings at a time, because I can see the bridge will drop out of place.

as Ric says, all of the above is true of of any floating trem guitar, and those with two-point knife-edge pivots also have the I-took-off-all-the-strings-and-the-bridge-dropped-out-of-place problem. from your tuning description, what I think you may be missing is how simple temporary blocking of the bridge makes string changes -- even with a gauge change. 99% of the iterative tuning you describe goes away on a blocked trem -- one changes strings and tunes much like a non-trem guitar: with lot less inter-string tuning interaction. then, the last three steps are 1) adjust the trem springs to ensure bridge floats at the blocked angle/height. 2)remove the blocks and tweak the springs to do a final bridge angle/height adj. now all strings should still be close to in tune, and need only a 3) final tweak (which will be somewhat iterative in the normal FR fashion.

I do have a FR trem Jackson, but rarely use it. I've done several blocked trem string changes on my G&L S-500 (floating trem). works beautifully if done correctly. I've seen some players complain about how complicated temporary trem blocking is, or how it doesn't work. they don't yet understand how the process works. for those persons, it's usually easier to just change and tune one string at a time ... unless making a gauge change, intonation adj or resetting the bridge angle.

-=tension & release=-


   
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