Me vs Floyd Rose

If you want to change all the strings at once, which I do cause my flat is kind of dusty and I like to take the chance to clean the whole thing, just tip the bridge up with the whammy bar and put something under it to hold it in place before you take the strings off. I have a friend who uses a nine volt battery wrapped in duct tape. THat's a bit too big for mine, but I have an eraser that fits perfect.

Best,
Ande

FR's can be a pain. I have a Jackson that's not to bad but the wifes which is also a Jackson is a pain to get in tune.

Not sure I understood your post about the ball ends of the strings. When I use the strings on the FR and put the ball ends up in the tuning pegs and then use the other ends in the bridge.

Why do you put the ball ends on top ??

Well the Bridge, you screw off the thing so you can put the string in, and it has a little red thing that kinda stops the ball end from going any deeper, but I went right by it X_X.

I purchased a guitar with a FR once, and it quickly found itself a new home. :evil:

Floyds get a bad rap mainly because folks rush into a string change, just as you mentioned you did, Coolnama! Bad! When will you learn? :lol:

However, all is not lost if the trem tips back, as it is a very easy fix. Ande has it right, simply pull the trem back up w/ trem arm & place a block under it. To set it level, you may need different thicknesses; I went to my wife's laundry basket & robbed a clothespin, took it apart, wrapped in elect. tape & it is the right thickness for my guitars. An eraser is good too.

cnev's idea about the ball ends up at the tuning pegs is an excellent one; I have been doing it that way for years now, & it works great! Plus, you only need to cut the strings one time, at the bridge. What could be easier?

Finally someone mentioned cutting the strings. Thank goodness, it helps. It was katmetal. 8)

Of course the ball will not fit, nor is the thin unwound core of the last 3 strings appropriate for the clamps at the bridge, IMO.

And due to the 3 blocks in the nut for 6 strings, you may change 2 at a time. :lol:

It takes practice and internet instructions do not always help anyway. :roll:

Hmm can u explain

1. why would I put the ball end up top ?, would it fit into the holes ?

2.How can I cut the strings? Scissors don't work, I've tried xD, why would I cut strings ? ( cutting away money :P )

3. Can I recycle the strings I've cut and make something out of them ? xD ( if so, what ? :P )

And yeah, lol I rushed into it cause tommorrow the old owner is going to see it and I didn't want to look like a total fool without strings on, I almost end up looking like a total fool x2 but you guys saved me :D thanks.

Now I need to wind them up on the tuner pegs so I don't get an eye out, how do you guys do this ?

You cut the spare bit of string off to neaten things up and prevent e.g. you taking someone's eyes out with a sharp string end hanging off your guitar's headstock. I used to use a set of pliers, but since I got the Planet Waves stiring winder, that has a built-in string cutter so I use that. http://www.chappellofbondstreet.co.uk/product.php?product_id=DAD-PRO-WIND&source=froogle awesome awesome device, I love it!

As for using the spare bits of string you've cut off, interestingly, yes you can reuse them....

Do you have a Les Paul style guitar? If so, that Tune-O-Matic bridge has a little bit of metal wire which holds the saddles in place when you take the strings off. You can use spare lengths of .17 gauge guitar string as a replacement for this length of metal, should you need to. You have to bend it to the right shape, but that's fairly straight forward. 8)

Another use for spare bits of guitar string requires you to have an annoying younger sibling with a low pain threshold.... :roll: :wink: :evil:

Bits of old strings of various sizes are very useful to keep around the shop for cleaning out or opening up small holes in things.

1. why would I put the ball end up top ?, would it fit into the holes ?

There is a youtube vid where the guy does this;

1.Line all the peg holes up point at the bridge.
2.Thread the string through the peg, pull the end back to the fine tuners & clip them, usually with cutting pliers; that is the length you will need.
3. Insert the cut end into the trem, tighten the allen screw down.
4. Tighten the string using the pegs.

This is about the easiest, neatest, coolest method I have ever seen. Since the ball end is pulled tight against the pegs, there is absolutely no chance of slippage, even on a guitar without a locking nut on the neck. And, you only have to cut once!

You cut the spare bit of string off to neaten things up and prevent e.g. you taking someone's eyes out with a sharp string end hanging off your guitar's headstock. I used to use a set of pliers, but since I got the Planet Waves stiring winder, that has a built-in string cutter so I use that. http://www.chappellofbondstreet.co.uk/product.php?product_id=DAD-PRO-WIND&source=froogle awesome awesome device, I love it!

As for using the spare bits of string you've cut off, interestingly, yes you can reuse them....

Do you have a Les Paul style guitar? If so, that Tune-O-Matic bridge has a little bit of metal wire which holds the saddles in place when you take the strings off. You can use spare lengths of .17 gauge guitar string as a replacement for this length of metal, should you need to. You have to bend it to the right shape, but that's fairly straight forward. 8)

Another use for spare bits of guitar string requires you to have an annoying younger sibling with a low pain threshold.... :roll: :wink: :evil:

Yeah I need to get one of those string cutters, and yes I do have a younger sibling

:evil:

Official Disclaimer: Guitarnoise cannot be held responsible for Coolnama being grounded for attempting any suggestions posted on this site. Even if his sibling ends up in the ER with multiple minute puncture wounds in their butt.

I recommend these for cutting strings. I always called them wire cutters, just googled, and what do you know, everybody seems to call them wire cutters! :lol:

Many types of pliers, especially the linesman's and sometimes needle nose will cut strings in general, but do not do fine work, or cut precisely such as you have to do at the capstan or post ends of most tuners. Because jaws are in the way.

Protruding jaws seem to stick out too far as shown here; they are really for other things, like pinching or grabbing.

On the Floyd Rose and Kahler-type trem/bridges, I just assume that we cut off the ball, and stick the cut end into the bridge, and clamp it down with a hex key. That's what I taught my little girl at age 5, when she worked with my son. :shock:

We wrap the top end through the tuner post like any other guitar and tighten it into a close proximity of being in tune, but a little below pitch, before clamping down the blocks. Then we had the fine tuners or thumb screws ready to do the final tuning, after some preliminary string pulling and stretching.

I recommend these for cutting strings. I always called them wire cutters, just googled, and what do you know, everybody seems to call them wire cutters! :lol:

they are not wire cutters, tho that is the typical application. they are diagonal cutters, informally called dikes and occasionally called (diagonal) side cutters.