Changing the Strings

[eisas]

hello peeps. i'm planning to change strings on my jackson wrmg guitar. I want to put in different gauge strings. But i'm not sure about floyd rose. Don't want to get it wicked and so on. Does it require any special job to be done on floyd rose when u put different gauge strings or only springs needs to be adjusted??

[Grandturk]

hello peeps. i'm planning to change strings on my jackson wrmg guitar. I want to put in different gauge strings. But i'm not sure about floyd rose. Don't want to get it wicked and so on. Does it require any special job to be done on floyd rose when u put different gauge strings or only springs needs to be adjusted??

You'll need to adjust the springs in the back in order to get the trem to level out. Different guage strings will also require you to reset your intonation (the position of the saddles). Also, with more tension, you may need to adjust the truss rod to work against the pull of the strings.

[eisas]

Maybe there is some tutorial on how to do it accurately? coz such ignorant fag like me might smash my guitar

[84sups]

Are you going to downtune with the string change? What gauge do you have now and what gauge are you going to? Need to know for better advice. I have several guitars tuned from E-C flat with different string gauges. Also need to know what type of music you will be playing.

[eisas]

i use 9th strings on Standard C# tuning. I would like to put 10th strings

[Dred]

I'd put at least 13s on a 25.5" scale guitar... But that's just me.

Well, as far as your enquiries go, to set the intonation, you:

1:First an foremost, find out if your intonation is flat or sharp. Hit the 12th fret harmonic, and then fret the 12th as close to the fret as possible, and approx. as hard as you fret normally. You may also do as I do, and fret very lightly, yet firmly, no wrong way of doing this. Note both, the harmonic and the fretted pitches. They should be the same, if not, intonate. If fretted note is flat or sharp, is what you need to know. How to fix either, I'll get to later.
2:Loosen the string in question, so it's flabby. (Some will say all of the strings, but that's the way I do it).
3:Loosen the intonation screw. It's the screw right underneath the string, in front of the saddle.
4:Now comes the actual intonation part. If the string was flat, you shorten the string, if sharp, lenghten it. Simply move the saddle in any which way that you need it to go. If changes are drastic, you may also need to change screw holes. Simply tighten the scew once you're done. One more thing, it will take you time to get used to how much to move the saddle for the result you want. It's natural.
5.Tune up, check the pitch same way you did way back in step one. You can also see how the fretted notes are intonating all around the neck by simply fretting random frets, and seeing how well in tune they are. You'd need frets with virtually no fretwear, and a well made fretboard (flaws from factories do happen.). If you're not in tune, simply repeat the procedure.


This is pretty much as condensed as I could get, without compromising most of the info. As time goes, you will discover ways to shorten the time which you spend working, like loosening the strings a tiny bit, and dunking the bar while working on the saddle to relieve tension. I'd go with the standard procedure for the first few jobs.

As for things not to do, simply don't forget to loosen the strings, not overtighten the intonation screws (they strip quite easily) and to simply take care while working.

Should be quite easy for ya to pull this off, if not, seek an in depth tutorial.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

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then adjust the trem.

[Dred]

Oh yeah, you may not need to intonate at all, as sometimes that happens.

[toejam]

i use 9th strings on Standard C# tuning. I would like to put 10th strings

I guess you like playing on floppy spider webs?

[84sups]

I guess you like playing on floppy spider webs?

Not to mention sound like mud. 13s are the way to go. Everyone makes string that are made for downtuning buy some of them.

[Bonscott]

idk man, 13s are just too thick. i personally like 9s and 10s, much more comfortable and sound better

[toejam]

Yeah, but he's tuning to C# and 9s and 10s are way too floppy for that tuning. Though, I guess some people can deal with it.

[toejam]

Not to mention sound like mud. 13s are the way to go. Everyone makes string that are made for downtuning buy some of them.

I tune my RR1T to D or Drop C, and I use the GHS Boomers Low Tunes set... 11, 15, 19, 33, 43, 53. They've actually got larger cores to help control vibration. Though, if I were using regular strings, I'd probably use 12s or 13s.

[Grandturk]

I used to just tune down to play Sabbath with 9's. All told, I actually prefer light strings tuned down to heavy strings tuned down. Its all personal preference. I feel like I'm playing bass with heavy strings.

[Grandturk]

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then adjust the trem.

Not with a double locking trem - slap em on, tune up, lock the nut and you're done.