TIPS in RE-STRINGING a Floating Bridge & Fixed Bridge

[amocrass2]

The baffling question is:
In replacing strings, to remove all at once or not to remove all at once?
:?:
If you'll take out the strings all at once, you'll end up losing the tension on the bridge springs. Making it very difficult to re-tune the strings back.

"This is not adviseable to do for newbies or intermediate guitar players w/ little knowledge on guitar technology." :roll: :wink:

Maybe if you have a fixed-bridge, you can do what others are doing, removing strings all at once. Since fixed bridge don't have springs, other strings won't be too much affected if other strings will change tension during re-tuning. :wink:

Floating tremolo re-stringing needs to be done one by one especially if you'll change the gauge of the string. This advise also comes from Professional Guitar Techs in M.I.T. (Musicians Institute of Technology) in the US. 8)

Although, you can do this w/o placing a cardboard on the bridge, you can just make sure to re-tune strings back to the original guitar tuning (e.g E,Eb,D,etc) before proceeding in replacing the next string, and so forth so as to "program" back the string to the original tension, then before moving forward. :wink:
After you're done re-stringing them all, you'll find that some of the strings will be out of tune slightly, we all know this is normal, but this time, it won't be difficult for you to reach proper tuning. Use you Chromatic Tuner (or any electronic guitar tuner) to reach your tuning.

As for cleaning, who says you cannot clean the guitar well w/ the strings on?
That's not true! :x Who says a thin guitar cloth cannot go past through the strings above the pickups? That's not true! Improvise! Be creative! That's what we all guitarists should be when it comes to our precious equipment! :wink:

There are only 7 logical reason(s) I can think of why we need to remove all the strings at once is if we're
1. Replacing the pickups
2. Re-fretting (removing, changing of the steel frets on the neck)
3. Replacing, correcting, repairing the bridge (Floating, fixed, etc)
4. Replacing Head Tuners
5. Replacing the neck
6. Replacing, repairing the nut (locking or not)
7. Re-painting

Feel free to add if you can think of any. If your reason fall to each one of these, then removing all strings is the right & most appropriate thing to do, (or should do). :roll: :wink:

Hope this would shed light to this debate. 8)

 

[ShredCow]

I take off all the strings on my floyd rose. 1st time I did it, it took me 5 hours to retune. Then 2 hours. Then 45 mins.

Now, I take 15 - 20 mins.

I don't even have to adjust the claw spring.

I support taking off all the strings at once and I did a walkthru too.

 

[suckasucks]

i always do it on my strat with the 6 screw traditional trem bridge. theres nothing wrong with it really. wouldnt imagine it being that different with floyd rose bridges.

 

[amocrass2]

There's nothing wrong doing your way if it works your way. But I do it the professional way. :wink: Coz whether you're a beginner or a pro, there's no hassle in doing it the right way.

But I really don't think putting a stopper in the trem bridge is adviseable. What's the purpose of this? To prevent the tension of the trem bridge springs from losing it's normal tension & make it easier to tune? It's almost like cheating :?

Then that's my point, to prevent this, stringing one by one is the key! No fuss, no worries! :wink:

What if the stopper slipped accidentally? Or the stopper you put is not enough to hold the actual tension coz you're just assuming it will hold it? You know what will happen, read below from ShredCow...

I take off all the strings on my floyd rose. 1st time I did it, it took me 5 hours to retune. Then 2 hours. Then 45 mins.

See?! 8O As I've said, removing strings on a floating bridge is not adviseable especially if you're a first timer.

I denounce cheating, it will get back to you one way or another. :wink:

i always do it on my strat with the 6 screw traditional trem bridge. theres nothing wrong with it really. wouldnt imagine it being that different with floyd rose bridges.

You can do removing strings all at once on a Strat w/ less problems coz it's not a floating bridge, it's a "traditional" trem bridge w/c is not floating between the strings' "pull" & the floating bridge's own springs' pull at the back. Try what you're doing w/ your Strat on a floating bridge & you'll see what I mean.

It's like you thought the 6th & 5th strings are in tune, after you're done tuning the 1st string, when you go back to check the 6th, 5th 4th & 3rd strings, it's already very flat & out of tune, you'll end up re-tuning again & again until you'll end up seeing you're floating bridge being pulled by the strings tension all the way up! You might break strings also doing this, and still, you're waaaay out of tune!

So, it's all up to us. I'm just voicing out my opinion to guitarists out there what is the "proper way" to do it, you might have your own way that works for you, but doing it properly have many ups than downs.
I'm not a professional guitar tech but I'm just doing what professional guitar techs are doing..."the right way". I'm just sharing my knowledge. Anyway, this is a free country! Do what you want! hehehe! :wink:

And want to share also my experience in the US... I've went to a D'Addario strings promotion in the states & likewise the Ibanez Roadshow, guitar techs do the stringing one by one whether the guitar bridges were traditional, fixed or floating. Wow, they do it for only 5-7 mins & it's all f!@#$ng done, re-stringed & in-tune! 8O They're the best! :wink: