A little advice for Locking Trem users

VB · 09-05-2004, 06:22 AM

From my time at the shop and from various pictures I have seen I can't help but notice people reverse loading their strings.(ie. ball end through the tuner and then cutting to length at the Floyd end.) THIS IS ONE HUGE NO NO.
Strings are graduated towards the tuner end. When you reverse load the strings. your putting a graduated end where it can stretch and deform the most. Floyd Roses and other similar trems are designed to clamp on the wound end and for the plain strings, on the thickest part of the string. The graduated end is designed to be after the nut or locking nut where there is less chance of stretch and deformity. So if your having tuning problems out the wazzzooo, thats where your problem more than likely is. It only takes a minute or 2 longer to properly string a locking trem unit and saves a lifetime of intonation problems.
Keith
VGB

**axeshredder** · 09-05-2004, 08:28 AM

wow...i never knew that..though out of habit i usually did it that way...great advise...thank you

DannyBoy · 09-05-2004, 10:35 AM

for some reason that didnt make sense to me .. im loking to get a floyd .. so can you try n explain again .. which is the graduated end haha ? hmm .. my brain refuses to format this .. how odd ..

El_jalepeno · 09-05-2004, 11:21 AM

Instead of stringing the guitar at the bridge with the wrapped part of the strings and snipping the ball stopper, some people start at the tuner and string it up to the ball stopper, then cut the length appropriately and lock it at the bridge. Once you have a Floyd, it will make more sense when you can see how the Floyd works to picture what Vintage said.

VHFan strings his guitars like this. Maybe he can pipe in on what kind of issues he is having?

JackThe Riffer · 09-05-2004, 11:36 AM

Also dragging the wound strings all the way through can create a burr around the hole of the tuner possibly causing string breakage problems.

**mikemellow** · 09-05-2004, 01:10 PM

Im guilty of doing this, I thought I was being clever. haha I guess that's why my gibbie is always out of tune, and I never play it. [img]images/smilies/icon_frown.gif[/img] Ill try it your way vintage, thanx for the advice..[img]images/smilies/icon_thumb.gif[/img]

**VHF** · 09-05-2004, 03:12 PM

Yep......I am guilty of putting that ball end at the headstock, I don't have any problems with staying in tune....but I do break a hell of a lot of strings.

I'll try it the opposite way and see it it makes a difference....and I hope it does. I never thought strings would be different from one end to the other......I hope this helps.

**CanyonCarver** · 09-06-2004, 12:22 PM

Funny. I love putting the ball end at the headstock and have no problems with anything. Intonation is tits and the sucker never goes out ot tune.
Additionally, I change my strings every month, way before they have a chance to wear off and break.

Thanks for the advice, but I really like it my way... [img]images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif[/img]

**Mondy** · 09-06-2004, 12:52 PM

I also am a little confused. So even if you try it your way, you still have to cut the ball off as well, so the floyd rose can clamp it yeah ? I'm not clamping at the bridge on the ball itself am I ?

[img]images/smilies/headscratch.gif[/img]

El_jalepeno · 09-06-2004, 02:19 PM

[ QUOTE ]
mondola said:
I also am a little confused. So even if you try it your way, you still have to cut the ball off as well, so the floyd rose can clamp it yeah ? I'm not clamping at the bridge on the ball itself am I ?

[img]images/smilies/headscratch.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]
No, the ball stops at the tuner, then you crank it to tighten it up. You woudl still lock as normal, but if you but the wound end at the bridge as Vintage suggests, you must clip the ball end and tighten on the string itself.

VB · 09-06-2004, 05:45 PM

To help clarify this. The ball end of the string is the biggest end (has the largest diameter) at the core,. It is graduated (gradually decreases in diameter) all the way to the tuner end of the string. This holds true on wound and plain strings. All manufacturers do this, its part of the way the internal core wire is drawn (its pulled through a series of holes while its hot to achieve the desired diameter). The string is then wound with the appropriate size and type of winding. The strings are wound in a particular direction to minimize core and winding separation. As Jack noted it can and will cause undo wear on the tuning peg holes.
As far as how often you change strings that depends on how much you play, your body chemistry and your hygiene habits.(how clean your hands are and how often you wipe down your strings). Strings that appear bright and shiny on the outside when unwound can still show signs of corrosion and rust.

Yes. to properly install strings on a Floyd Rose Trem you cut the ball end off just above the double wrap at the ball end. and again about an 1 1/2" past the tuner. By making a 90 degree bend prior to cutting at either end, you will eliminate slippage of the winding on the core.

Another thing of importance that is often over looked is the rake ( degree the strings go down hill) of the string to the tuner. Too much rake ( too much of a downhill slant to the tuner) will cause the string to bind in the nut and not vibrate properly. This can be caused by too many wraps, or in the case of reverse loading too large of diameter string being wrapped around the tuning peg.

**Mondy** · 09-07-2004, 01:40 AM

Sorry guys, you have both collaborated to confuse me completely sorry. I have no idea what you are talking about now.

[img]images/smilies/headscratch.gif[/img]

So I'm just going to stick with what I know, right or wrong.

[img]images/smilies/icon_thumb.gif[/img]

VB · 09-07-2004, 06:45 AM

Heres a simple diagram http://www.guitars101.com/webs/basic...t/about_1.html

**Mondy** · 09-07-2004, 07:52 AM

Ah, a picture speaks a thousand words !

CHeers dude, that's what I thought you were getting at, and then I got lost again, but now I have found the path of righteousness once again.

Amen brother...

[img]images/smilies/icon_bowdown.gif[/img]

**Mondy** · 10-06-2004, 04:13 AM

Hey hey hey !

I tried restringing my guitar this new way. Now, I don't know if it really is me, but it seems to feel better, and play better...

[img]images/smilies/dunno.gif[/img]

It actually took me shorter than usual to tune, but this is down to my cat when I do it the other way. My cat's now a little miffed. The old way, the wire used to dangle before I clipped off the bridge end and fed it in. My cat just knows when I am going to restring a guitar, and sits there waiting. Then he runs over and bats the end of the string. As he's really shy, I usually let him do it, since I don't get much interaction with him, hence why it takes me bloody ages to restring a guitar.

Anyway, he just sat there all sad and surprised because using this method, he didn't get to bat any strings at all ! [img]images/smilies/icon_ball.gif[/img]

It seems to stay in tune better (I think). You will soon here the fruits of this new restringing in a song coming to your area soon...

[img]images/smilies/icon_thumb.gif[/img]