Changing the Strings

[eisas]

well, 9th strings comes from factory. it's the first time i'm changing the strings on this guitar and i lack experience on floyds. But if i put 11th strings on floyd will my licensed machine work fine and keep tuning well?

Also, i am a bit afraid to adjust truss rod...

[Dred]

well, 9th strings comes from factory. it's the first time i'm changing the strings on this guitar and i lack experience on floyds. But if i put 11th strings on floyd will my licensed machine work fine and keep tuning well?

Also, i am a bit afraid to adjust truss rod...

Everything will work just fine.

As long as you don't go apeshit with the truss rod, it will be dandy.

[Super_shredder]

tony iommi tuned low and had light strings , its all preference

[eisas]

Well, i have ibanez with licensed tremolo too. when i put 11th strings on it and made everything fixed it doesn't keep tuning when i use it. rofl. so i am a bit concerned that might happen with my jackson. and yes, i want to change to 11th because 9th sounds like mud on c# tuning

[toejam]

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

I've still always stretched strings on a Floyd. Just keep stretching and tuning until they don't go out of tune, then lock the nut.

[Grandturk]

I've still always stretched strings on a Floyd. Just keep stretching and tuning until they don't go out of tune, then lock the nut.

I used to do this too for years - until the Speedloader came out, and then it hit me - the string itself doesn't stretch - its actually the windings at the post and the ball end "tightening" when you pull on it. Otherwise - how would the Speedloader work - right?

So I tried it - tune to pitch, lock the nut and you're done - no need to stretch. I still give them a little wiggle every once in a while, but its really not needed. I've done this on Floyds and Ibanez Lo-Pro Edges and haven't had any issues.

P.S. sometimes a good pull is required to make sure you've locked down the string at the bridge tight enough.

[toejam]

Makes sense. Though, I've heard the Speeloader strings were actually "pre-stretched".

[Grandturk]

Makes sense. Though, I've heard the Speeloader strings were actually "pre-stretched".

Well, beats me - do they cost any more than regular strings? I would imagine that would be a considerable upcharge - requiring time and machinery.

[toejam]

From what I remember, they are more than regular strings.

[Grandturk]

From Floyd himself @ http://www.floydrose.com/speedloaderinstructions.html

There are two reasons string stretching is necessary on guitars. First, the strings must be deformed or bent around the tuning key to follow the curvature of the tuning key post. The second reason for string stretching is to deform the string to bend over the bridge and nut. The more string you wind around the tuning key post the more "stretching" the string requires to make the string wrap tightly around its post. The amount of deformation at the bridge depends on the type of bridge you have on your guitar.

Guitars with SpeedLoader bridges don't need tuning keys, so the aggressive pulling or stretching is unnecessary. In fact, if you pull too hard on the strings you may actually damage them. I'll try to explain why.

A steel string has an elastic range like a rubber band. This means that it can be stretched like a rubber band, and, like a rubber band, it becomes thinner as it is stretched. When released the string, or rubber band, returns to its original width, unless it has been stretched too far. If a rubber band is stretched too far, it breaks. However, if a steel string is over- stretched, it becomes permanently thinner somewhere along its length, and thus the string is a little bit longer, and therefore lower in pitch, than it was before it was over-stretched. Having thinner places along the string length can cause the string to vibrate erratically and sound out of tune.

The point I'm trying to make is, when you change strings, don't stretch them aggressively. I recommend that you press down on the strings just in front of the bridge saddles and just in front of the nut. Then give each string one or two medium hard pulls and just play the guitar from there. That's all the seating the strings need.

So basically, he says once the tuner and bridge is taken out of the equation, then you don't need to stretch.

[eisas]

so peeps, will my licensed floyd keep tuning with 11th number strings? on C# tuning.

and also when and how i will have to adjust truss rod?

[Grandturk]

You will need to adjust the springs on the trem in order to adjust to the lower tension of the strings. It should keep in tune fine once its set up correctly.

You will most likely need to adjust the truss rod. Once its tuned up, hold the 6th string down on the 1st and 17th fret. Sight the gap between the bottom of the string and the top of the 11th fret. If there is no gap, loosen the truss rod. If there is a big gap, tighten the truss rod.

Once the truss rod is adjusted, check your intonation and fix that.

Better yet, before you do anything, go buy Dan Erlewine's "How to Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great." Read and learn. No guitarist should be without it.

[Dred]

so peeps, will my licensed floyd keep tuning with 11th number strings? on C# tuning.

and also when and how i will have to adjust truss rod?

It definitely will. It would if you had 8s, or 14s. All you need to be sure of, is that the floyd itself is in good condition (the knife edges arent worn down to death over many-a-year of use, springs good, that kind of stuff.). Simply put the strings on, rough tune, wiggle the floyd for a bit, I'd advise you'd stretch, but you may not need to, as Grandturk says (I'll look into not-stretching myself. Thanks GT! ), pull back on floyd and release to its natural return point, then not touching it (I'll explain later) lock down at the nut, and fine tune up to pitch.

The pulling back, is, as I read on these forums somewhere (JCF is the holy grail of info ), to allow the floyd to return to its natural zero by itself, minimizing chance of going out of tune after heavy use, if posts/knife edges are worn. You don't have to do that, and I rarely do myself, or do it without really feeling it. Some may say it doesn't help, some say it definitely does, I just do it ''just in case''.

Truss rod adjustments are quite intimidating at first, I know. Moderation will save your fretboard. Basically, they are needed when there is too much relief, or bow on the neck. This happens as the strings pull the neck one way, and the wood gives so to speak, and bends. Mainly changes in moisture dictate the expansion and contraction of wood. Basically, if there is a long period of heavy rain, change of seasons, you decide to turn on your A/C unit for a few weeks right beside your guitar, etc., you should check the relief. You'll know when it changes, as the feel of the instrument will change, or you can check by first making a little system for yourself (I check the string height by not pressing down on any frets, and measuring the height of the strings at the 12th fret. some people push down on specific frets, etc., you can always try different approaches, see what works best for you personally), and then simply putting a ruler to the fretboard and checking. I'd recommend a metric ruler with markings every 0.5mm. Try and be as precise as possible.

If you do need to adjust it, pop the truss rod cover off, simply mark the original position of the nut with a pencil, and looking from the nut, towards the bridge (basically, headstock at your face), turn clockwise in small increments, tune up, try it, repeat if necesarry. I do strongly advise you first try loosening the truss rod, it will give you a feel for how it turns and the force you need to turn it. Remember, small increments. And if you ever think of adjusting the damn thin, check first!

Intonation usually goes as a last adjustment too.


*Edit

Grandturk beat me to it.

[eisas]

So, basically, i change the strings, adjust the springs so that floyd would stand at place, do the tuning, stretch the strings, etc... then i adjust truss rod and then i go to intonation?

[Dred]

Adjust the truss rod, retune, and intonate. Remember, you may not even need to adjust it at all.