Question for Floyd Rose users

[levantin]

why are you touching your headstock on a dark stage??

Because in the dark, noone can see

[Cuthbert]

I did it once, but I had the impression that the tuners didn't appreciate it THAT much.

The problem of the blood sample is indeed real and honestly I never understood while Schaller, Grover and Gotoh don't adopt the old Kluson solution of the split tree.

[Endrik]

because I break strings very often due my heavy hand and the lazyness to buy new ones every day.... I don't cut the strings, I put them on from the tuner side and then they go to the trem.... I do a couple of turns on the tuners.... the strings ends which are hanging out from the tuners... I just make "rings" of them... the way strings are in their packs at first.... only smaller.
It looks funny when the string rings are hanging on the headstock but it's mostly for the home use anyway.
When I break a string... which 99% of the time happens near the trem... I cut of the broken end of the string and because I have a lot of length due the "string ring" at the headstock... I just lengthen the "straight area" of the string with the "ring area".
Sounds pretty stupid... but when you sometimes break the same string 3 times a day... it's saves you from a lot of headache.

[levantin]

Sounds pretty stupid... but when you sometimes break the same string 3 times a day... it's saves you from a lot of headache.

Interesting, I've never broken an electric guitar string.

[Spivonious]

Really? Mine usually break after 4-5 weeks. Then again, I rarely wipe them down after playing, so it's probably just corrosion.

[VitaminG]

Interesting, I've never broken an electric guitar string.

I have occasionally. But then I identify the source of the problem (eg. burr at the saddle), rectify it, and then it's not a problem anymore

[SEEGERMANY]

Interesting, I've never broken an electric guitar string.

I've broken one and that was during tuning.

[Endrik]

I have a habit of striking the strings downward really hard near the bridge... makes them break with tremmed guitars (floyds and even V-trems.... and no it's not a saddle problem) not so big of a problem with stopped bridges.

[vklobucar]

A certain very cool and down to earth guitar tech that used to tech for a certain very cool and also down to earth guitar great, showed me that trick back in 1992 I believe.

That and stepping up to 11's meant that I honestly never break a string!

Brooks (ie. Horror guitars...) will know whom I am refering to to no doubt....


Used it ever since and not only did I like the look but never managed to prick myself ever again. I was sold from then on.....

By the way I ALWAYS do that method to my PC1 especially!!!

Hint! Hint!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/ninja1195/DSCF0022.jpg

[Jack The Riffer]

Wouldn't cutting the balls off cause your tone to be sterile? Bah dum bum

I'll be here all week folks!!! Try the veal!

[Tonelover]

I do it on my Ibanez' all the time and it works great. Seems that on my Jacksons though the tuner posts are shorter so with the ball in the way it is hard for me to get any nice clean wraps, particularly on the E, A and D. I'll be cutting them off in the future.

[pinto79]

I cut the balls off. I also trim the strings off at the tuner really close to avoid the injury problem.

Unwinding part of the string to re-use it after breaking at the bridge is silly, the locking nut has crushed the windings or flattened the plain strings.

[Newc]

"cut the balls off"
"cut the balls off"
"cut the balls off"

Well, that explains a few things around here


Seriously, there's no wrong way to do it. Balls at the head or in the trash, either way is fine.

I thread them through the head and cut them off when the string is tuned.

If your strings aren't mushed at the locking nut such that you can just run a bit more out without revealing a noticeable mark on the strings (both visually and tonally), then your nuts aren't as tight as they should be.


Revlon makes a pair of manicuring nail cutters that are ideal for guitar strings. They come to a sharp point that makes it easy to trim the string close to the tuner so you don't give blood reaching for your head.

[Floating Seeds]

I've found 5 charvels at pawn shops and all of them were strung that way, except one where the idiot ran the ball under the saddle

it doesn't really seem to have any effect on anything but it looks like it was strung up by someone who has no clue what they are doing.