I just bought a new set of strings for my electric i got recently. I've never changed the strings on an electric before. I having trouble with the tuning, every time i tune the strings up its pulling the bridge up, n out of its position due to the strings tension. What am i doing wrong?

Thanks.

http://www.fender.com/support/setup/stratsetup.php

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God damn Fender for recommending their strings. Having just changed the strings on my new Strat from the original Fender Bullets to D'addario's, it sounds twice as good as before.

ernie's strings are a lot better.


yeah, bullets suck.


is there a set period that youre supposed to keep your strings for?

is it bad to have overlapping winds on your tuning pegs?

there is not set period to keep your strings on. sometime i leave strings on a guitar for a year or so and then some are on there for a couple months or even weeks. it depends on how much you play the guitar on how often you should change the strings. the rule of thumb that i use is if you run your finger under the unwound strings and you feel "a lot" of dirt and grime then it is time to change them. you can tell by the sound of the strings when you play it acoustically. whether they are bright sounding or very dull sounding. i guess if you are not gigging or recording then it would not matter how long you keep your strings on. it's really a players preference on how and when they should change strings.

overlap on the pegs is not good. you want the string to wind in a uniform way. if one of those overlap were to slip, then your guitar would go way out of tune. if you keep them lined up and there is not overlapping, then you will definately have better tuning stability.

I disagree, ernie balls seem to fall flat (tonewise) after 1 live show or 1 week of normal playing. D'Addario's keep their tone for twice that time.

I change my strings when I start to notice loss in tone and sustain (about 3 weeks under normal playing conditions).

To keep your strings from overlapping while tightening the pegs I do the following:

Once the string wraps around the peg once, make sure there isn't too much loose string between the nut and bridge. You should be able to pull the string 2-3 inches (less for the thicker strings) away from the fretboard without pulling hard. Hold the string tight against the nut by pressing it down with your finger, making sure there's tension between the nut and peg. The second wrap should go under the first, and if you keep your finger pressed against the nut while tightening the peg, each additional wrap will lay perfectly under the previous wrap.

D'addarios by far. Ernies are bright, which can be nice, but D's have a longer, strong tone. And they have color coated ends so you know which string goes where.

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I'll second that. They also have stronger tension. Ernies can be a bit too floppy and buzzy sometimes.

I solve this problem by playin with 12s and 13s Always used ernie's, never tried any others...kinda blind devotion i guess, but my dad has always used them...so i guess i grew up with them.

If we all followed in our daddy's footsteps I'd be paying child support right now.

Dude, are these strings the same gauge as the ones that came off the guitar? If they are heavier they will have more tension which would explain why the bridge is lifting like it is.

You may be able to counter this by tightening the tremelo springs (in the back of the guitar)to bring it back down a bit. If this sounds confusing or scary - take the guitar to the guitar shop and have them restring and do a setup for you.

If you have a trem (and even if you don't) it's a good idea to know what gauge strings you use and stick with it, otherwise you'll have hassles with that bridge every time you restring.

If you are happy to tinker with your guitar a bit, do a google search for "guitar setup" and learn how to do it yourself. I learned a few years back and now I won't let anyone else touch my guitar's setup. It's not that difficult, it just requires patience, the correct tools and a good electronic tuner.

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what you guys think about goin from 9's to 11's on my Les Paul... (D'Addario's of course )

i gotta worry about trussrod adjustment?

thinkin of tuning to drop c or drop d full time for that guitar so is it a problem?

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Sounds like a great idea. You won't regret it when you hear the improvement in your tone, and you won't know if the trussrod needs adjustment until you have the strings on there are tuned up.

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how do you fix that bridge problem with heavier strings?


never tried d's. cheap?

anyone have a preference on elixirs?

Bridge problem: if you have a trem system, when you put heavier strings on the bridge will be pulled up by the extra string tension. This can be countered by tightening the tremelo springs (in the back cavity of the guitar). If your springs are already tightened, you might need to add more.

For some f***ed up reason, most Strats seem to come with 3 springs installed in the tremelo. Go buy 2 more. You will never regret having 5 springs there. Also, if the trem springs ring when you mute a chord (common) it can be helpful to weave a piece of felt or other soft material between the springs to stop them ringing when you play a stacato chord.

Me - I hate trem systems so I usually tighten the damn things to their maximum tightness (bringing the bridge into direct contact with the body and thus improving the tone), but if you wanna use your trem then tighten your trem springs enough to bring the bridge back to where you want it, but not so much that you can't use the bar when you want to.

D'Addarios: personal preference and yes, they are cheap. I use GHS TNT Boomers, but strings are very much a personal preference thing.

Elixirs: meh. You pay more, they last longer and towards the end of their working life you get little straggly bits of plastic hanging off of the string windings. I've tried 'em but I won't stick with them for my electrics. Maybe for my acoustics that don't get played so often. Maybe.

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