anti-slip technique for FR

[uglijimus]

I'm sure a lot of you already know this, but if you cut the string as close to the ball end as possible and use that extra winding as grip, I've never
had a string slip out. I made a video for those who have never heard of this if you're wondering what i'm talking about.

[paranoid]

I am lazy, I only cut one end of the string and leave the ball end on there( up at the tuning key). never had a string slip myself either. making sure they are centered in the saddle and tightening properly make this a none issue.

[uglijimus]

wow, never thought of that. how's your tuning stability? do you have an authentic FR or a licensed/special?

[paranoid]

I have, and have had many types of double locking trems original and not, JT-6, schaller, Ibanez, been doing it that way since the late 80's. tuning stability is not a problem at all, and even if it was once you lock the nut it doesn't make any difference.

[Number Of The Priest]

Another well-made video from you! Nicely done. I haven't heard of this trick before, but I'll provide some commentary since I like your stuff.

1) I couldn't imagine there being damage to the saddle insert blocks caused by strings. Those blocks are solid steel. The hardest electric guitar strings would theoretically be only equally as hard as the blocks. Plain/unwound strings are steel. Wound strings on a typical nickel-plated set (D'Addario EXL, Ernie Ball Slinky Nickel Wound) are even softer because the wrap is nickel plated steel (nickel being a metal softer than steel). There are string companies recently releasing strings made with harder compositions (D'Addario NYXL and Ernie Ball M-Steel come to mind), but even then, the blocks would still be of equal or greater hardness.

2) I've never had a string slip out the saddle either. When installing a new string, my guarantee is tugging on the slack string when it's locked down, but before you tune it up. If it won't slip out when I'm yanking on it (be mindful not to put a kink in the string when you're gripping it with your fingers), I know it's secure and I deem it safe to tune to pitch. But, if you like your tweak, nothing wrong with that! Theoretically I do see why it would give the blocks more to grip.

3) I've done the same as paranoid mentioned above, where I currently have about half my Floyd-equipped guitars strung up with the ball ends at the tuners as illustrated below, and will eventually transition the remainder of my Floyd-equipped guitars to this method with their next string changes. There are fewer winds around the post (you can see some strings don't even have one complete wind) and they act like locking tuners. I have never discovered any damage to the tuning posts caused by the ball ends so it's never been a worry for me. The advantages are that it speeds up the installation and setup of new strings a little bit, and it eliminates the "pointy bit" of the snipped that sticks out of the tuning post hole.

[EntrailsOfU]

3) I've done the same as paranoid mentioned above, where I currently have about half my Floyd-equipped guitars strung up with the ball ends at the tuners as illustrated below, and will eventually transition the remainder of my Floyd-equipped guitars to this method with their next string changes. There are fewer winds around the post (you can see some strings don't even have one complete wind) and they act like locking tuners. I have never discovered any damage to the tuning posts caused by the ball ends so it's never been a worry for me. The advantages are that it speeds up the installation and setup of new strings a little bit, and it eliminates the "pointy bit" of the snipped that sticks out of the tuning post hole.

It's probably just a pet peeve of mine and I mean no offense but... I can't help but feel like this looks lazy or amateur. You couldn't take the extra half second to clip the end of the string?? But hearing about the locking aspect of it makes it at least have some practical sense. I also feel like the string would be too long to just snip the extra core off of the wound strings (Ernie ball doesn't apply here, they wind the whole thing). Do you have to have a whole other rule set for slack when using this method? I was always told having a good amount of winds on the tuning machine helps tuning stability when seated correctly and feel this holds true, locking tuners excluded. Does the locking aspect relieve this too?

If the method is truly better, I am totally interested!

[toejam]

I was always told having a good amount of winds on the tuning machine helps tuning stability when seated correctly and feel this holds true, locking tuners excluded. Does the locking aspect relieve this too?

If the method is truly better, I am totally interested!

I don't think it matters how many winds of string you have around the post when you're clamping down on a locking nut. At least I never noticed it having any affect when using Floyds. With a regular nut, it also doesn't really matter much unless you've got a Strat-type headstock that's not tilted back.

[Zedder]

I think that if you have real made-in-Germany Floyd Rose then string slippage is not a problem if you tighten saddle block screws properly. But if you have Floyd Rose Special or similar budget trem with zinc alloy saddles then this tip might help somebody. When I had a guitar with FR Special strings slipped out few times when saddles got worn out and had deep grooves.

[Number Of The Priest]

It's probably just a pet peeve of mine and I mean no offense but... I can't help but feel like this looks lazy or amateur. You couldn't take the extra half second to clip the end of the string?? But hearing about the locking aspect of it makes it at least have some practical sense. I also feel like the string would be too long to just snip the extra core off of the wound strings (Ernie ball doesn't apply here, they wind the whole thing). Do you have to have a whole other rule set for slack when using this method? I was always told having a good amount of winds on the tuning machine helps tuning stability when seated correctly and feel this holds true, locking tuners excluded. Does the locking aspect relieve this too?

If the method is truly better, I am totally interested!

I definitely see why it would seem lazy or amateur. When I first saw people do this, I thought they were heathens. Actually, the worse version of this method I've seen on some Facebook guitar groups is when people don't even pull the ball ends taut against the tuning post... they leave a few inches of string (with ball end intact) flapping around on the headstock! Like, WHYYY the hell would you do that? I wish I had a photo of this but I can't find any at the moment.

I'll reiterate the advantages.

1) Fewer winds around the post. Not necessarily for tuning stability since that's the locknut's purpose, but just a little bit quicker when tuning up. Less cranking the tuner to bring the string up to tension. You also don't need to wrap the string around the post in that special manner that grips the string as it passes through the hole (I don't know what to call it but one of those methods is illustrated on the acoustic headstock below). It's way more forgiving since the ball end is doing the gripping. OK, I guess it IS lazier and amateur if you think about it.



2) When stringing the "normal way", no matter how close I clip the string to the tuning post, I will always have an annoying "pointy bit". By contrast, the ball end at the headstock eliminates that. Not that I poke my fingers at the headstock often, but I find that my cleaning towels get shredded by the "pointy bits" when I pass the towel over the headstock if the guitar is strung the "normal way".

I remembered another advantage.

3) If you break a string at the bridge, and provided you have enough extra string around the tuning post, in a pinch you can unwind a little bit of string from the tuner and re-clamp the broken end in the saddle. No worries about losing the string at the tuning post because the ball end keeps the string there. If you had strung the guitar up the "normal way", you risk disrupting the manner in which the string "grips" itself as it wraps around the post the two or three critical times... even losing the pointy bit through the hole and forcing you to install a new string.

Try it on one guitar and see if you like it. If you don't, just go back to the normal way on your next string change. It's all preference.

Yes, the string is far too long with this method, but just thread the string through the tuning post hole, pull the string semi-taut to the saddle, and clip the string where it hovers over the fine tuners. That's about the appropriate length of slackened string to have that will permit minimal string winds around the post (advantage #1), as well as enough string to perform advantage #3 in an emergency.

I'm only half a heathen. Out of necessity, I still need to string guitars the normal way if they don't have double locking trems... pointy bits and fancy wrappings and all.

[paranoid]

Call me lazy for pulling the ball ends to the tuning key's, but with damn near 100 guitars(around 75 Charvel) in the house I get tiered of changing strings. Any thing that makes it easier is welcome.

[pianoguyy]

I don't think it matters how many winds of string you have around the post when you're clamping down on a locking nut.

nothing after the lock matters

https://imgur.com/a/XnPbL3A

[pianoguyy]

most floyd how-to's will tell you to keep some of the ball end windings.
it helps lock them in. sort of the same theory as how you string acoustic guitars with pins.

*

if your blocks are breaking, you're locking them to tight.

*

many of the "this is how you wrap a string" rules no longer apply because of the changes to guitars over the years.

[metalhobo]

damn near 100 guitars(around 75 Charvel) in the house

what the fuck

[EntrailsOfU]

I think the sharp part at the tuning machine alone is enough for me to try it on my next restring.

Call me lazy for pulling the ball ends to the tuning key's, but with damn near 100 guitars(around 75 Charvel) in the house I get tiered of changing strings. Any thing that makes it easier is welcome.

I thought just double digits was bad to restring and maintain setup wise, I can't imagine.

[uglijimus]

Another well-made video from you! Nicely done. I haven't heard of this trick before, but I'll provide some commentary since I like your stuff.

1) I couldn't imagine there being damage to the saddle insert blocks caused by strings. Those blocks are solid steel. The hardest electric guitar strings would theoretically be only equally as hard as the blocks. Plain/unwound strings are steel. Wound strings on a typical nickel-plated set (D'Addario EXL, Ernie Ball Slinky Nickel Wound) are even softer because the wrap is nickel plated steel (nickel being a metal softer than steel). There are string companies recently releasing strings made with harder compositions (D'Addario NYXL and Ernie Ball M-Steel come to mind), but even then, the blocks would still be of equal or greater hardness.

2) I've never had a string slip out the saddle either. When installing a new string, my guarantee is tugging on the slack string when it's locked down, but before you tune it up. If it won't slip out when I'm yanking on it (be mindful not to put a kink in the string when you're gripping it with your fingers), I know it's secure and I deem it safe to tune to pitch. But, if you like your tweak, nothing wrong with that! Theoretically I do see why it would give the blocks more to grip.

3) I've done the same as paranoid mentioned above, where I currently have about half my Floyd-equipped guitars strung up with the ball ends at the tuners as illustrated below, and will eventually transition the remainder of my Floyd-equipped guitars to this method with their next string changes. There are fewer winds around the post (you can see some strings don't even have one complete wind) and they act like locking tuners. I have never discovered any damage to the tuning posts caused by the ball ends so it's never been a worry for me. The advantages are that it speeds up the installation and setup of new strings a little bit, and it eliminates the "pointy bit" of the snipped that sticks out of the tuning post hole.

hey thanks, I appreciate it!
1. I felt the same way but I've heard of people complaining about it. btw, I do plan on buying the D'Addario NYXL in the future and doing a review on it.
3. this is a good idea, maybe I'll try this too. But I would feel a little uneasy not having that extra winding which usually goes in the saddle block area. Maybe i'll buy a double ball end and get the best of both worlds!