Stringing a floating bridge - help!

[SickNote]

Hi all,

I've got an Ibanez with a floating bridge, the system where you have to cut the ball of the string off and 'clamp' it in. No problems there.

But after the guitar's tuned to pitch (E) the floating bridge is being pulled so tight that the strings from the 12th fret upwards being a good CM higher than they should be. This makes it hard to fret the strings.

All I'm asking is what's the "correct way" of stringing one of these beasts properly?

Oh and how do you wrap the string around the machine head a few times too? Always wondered...

Cheers,
SickNote

[Treznor]

I usually take the approach of :

Use the string the 'wrong' way round... (ie the ball end on the machine head)... This eliminates the need for wrapping the string around.

Replace a string at a time.

Tune everything low and then gradually work your way up to the required tuning... Do everything slowly and increment each string in turn a bit at a time... Don't forget that tuning one string will alter the tuning of the others.

Most importantly.... BE PATIENT

Good luck dude.

[dafuzz]

You may need to remove the backplate and tighten the trem springs if concert pitch is pulling the bridge up too high. I've been gradually increasing string guage over the years and have to do this whenever I make a jump. There's a little line on the bridge that should be parallel with the body (well there is on mine anyway).

Alternatively you can buy more trem springs and add those round the back which will similarly increase the tension.

EDIT: May be best to take it for a professional set up. If you want to piss the luthier off be sure and ask for 'the lowest action possible without buzzing'.

[Sporky_McGuffin]

Have a look on Jemsite - there's a guide there that's excellent. Very clear and methodical.

[BULLET_EKKO]

Make sure you´re using the same gauge strings as supplied in the shop. If it came with 0.09s then the guitar is set up for that gauge. The vast majority of floyd rose style trems come set like this as standard. Also take things slow and make sure the strings are properly streched. Changing strings on floating trems is a bastard, it takes forever but if done properly will stay in pitch even if you lift the guitar by its whammy bar and bounce it up and down. (I don´t mean you should try this). If you want to try a heavier gauge string, that involves tightening the springs inside the guitar. If you´re not exerienced at this take it to a pro as you don´t want to knacker your guitar up. It´s fairly easy once you know how but it´s also very easy to balls up.

[the-crust]

Originally Posted by Treznor

Use the string the 'wrong' way round... (ie the ball end on the machine head)... This eliminates the need for wrapping the string around.

That is so obvious and so simple and yet not so often promoted.... genius.

[SickNote]

Originally Posted by Sporky_McGuffin

Have a look on Jemsite - there's a guide there that's excellent. Very clear and methodical.

Thanks for the help guys! Slower and use the ball at the other end is what I'm hearing.

@ Sporky - you don't happen to have a link for that guide do you? Can't find it for the life of me...

Cheers,

[Sporky_McGuffin]

Here you go - took me a while to (re)find it - it's not an easy site to navigate at times.

http://www.jemsite.com/tech/restringing.htm

[manicguitarist2]

Most of my guitars are floyd rose equipped and yes, there is a certain knack to restringing them.

If you must remove all the strings (to clean the guitar fr'instance) then I use a bit of paper (usually a string envelope folded up) and place this under the rear of the trem to hold it level whilst I restring.

It sounds like yours has either had a spring drop out when you took all the strings off, or isn't seated properly on the posts.

Let us know how you get on.

M

[andrewrg]

What a pain in the arse...and then you break one!
Me, I'll stick with hard-tails, ta very much.