How to change strings to keep the guitar in tune

[CrunchyBob]

When changing on a floating Floyd rose (or any floating system) you change one string at a time, stretching and tuning back to pitch before moving to the next string. (with same brand and gauge)

A little trick I do with the Floyds is string them backwards... ball end at the tuner, cut to length at the bridge end, approx 1" past the saddle (2.54 cm for you metric folk ), clamp down at the bridge, stretch and tune up. It's a pretty quick way to swap them out.

 

[ksandvik]

Also if you replace each string separately (and tune them with the existing strings) with a floating system you keep the right angle on the floating bridge, rather than measuring and adjusting that later...

 

[juanpmoran]

This page has a little bit more info about Yngwie's tuning system, not much but a little bit more:

http://www.yngwiemalmsteen.com/medialessons.html

PS: Also read As Above, So Below -- The Unauthorized Yngwie Biography by the Swedish author Anders Tengner.

Whoa, thx for the info man!

 

[Robboman]

I read many posts about stretching here above. And have seen people doing it.
But when i change strings it's not necessary at all. If properly mounted it stays in tune from day 1.
I never understood the need for stretching. I even wonder if stretching partly sucks the life out of the strings.

You must not bend notes very much when you play then. Having a well set up, properly strung guitar is one thing.. that helps you stay in tune long term after the stretching. But no guitar prevents strings from initial stretching.. that's a property of the string itself.

I solo aggressively and bend hard. I've never encountered new strings that don't stretch and therefore fall flat. The only question is, do I pre-stretch them all in 5 minutes, like a pro, BEFORE playing... or do I just tune up and play... then constantly slip out of tune and have to re-tune for the next few hours or days until all the required stretching happens naturally via playing.

 

[ksandvik]

I usually change the strings the day before the gig and play along back home for a while with normal playing to stretch them out and so on. This because I don't want any surprises when up on stage.

 

[NeoSound]

A little trick I do with the Floyds is string them backwards... ball end at the tuner, cut to length at the bridge end, approx 1" past the saddle (2.54 cm for you metric folk ), clamp down at the bridge, stretch and tune up. It's a pretty quick way to swap them out.

yep, me too. most of my guitars have floyds or the Ibanez edge. A lot of guitar players don't like them but I really believe it's from lack of knowledge/experience in using them. 5 extra minutes to change strings compared to the hours it saves in tuning later.

Another trick with a floating trem is to block it at the proper level ( I find a carpenters pencil or a popsicle stick works great most of the time) with something that doesn't scratch the finish, then overtighten the trem springs slightly - tune up, take out the block then adjust the springs until it comes back to pitch and its magically in tune

 

[Robboman]

I once shocked a former bandmate by starting a full 6 string change 15 minutes before showtime.

He figured I was crazy! That I wouldn't be done in time, and I'd be out of tune during the show with new strings.

I was on time and in tune He was an experienced bass player but had never seen me change strings and pre-stretch.

(EDIT - this was a Strat with stock trem, bone nut and locking tuners)

Here's how I do it:

After the strings are on and tuned roughly to pitch:

Hold down the string at the 12th fret, grab the string halfway between 12th and bridge with your other hand and rapidly yank it back and forth about 30-40 times. Tune up to pitch again, grab between the nut and 12th fret this time and yank it back and forth another 30-40. Tune up to pitch again, repeat for all strings. It sounds like a lot, but the whole process takes me less than 5 minutes. I can yank up and down really fast (lol.. don't go there.. )

When I say "grab the string", I mean hold it between thumb and first 2 fingers to really grab hold of it, because you have you apply quite a lot of pressure and bend it out pretty far to either side for effective stretching. When I first started doing this I managed to break a few high E strings.. be careful, but DO pull them pretty hard.

The wound strings stretch out way more than the unwound, but after doing this routine and tuning up I find they all stay in tune really well, from the first set through the rest of their lifespan.

(EDIT 2 - Some amount of the pre-stretch achieved is coming out of the slack in the tuner posts and the string wrap around the ball-end at the bridge. With a Floyd (locking nut and bridge saddles), there's nothing but pure string between the lock points. It still stretches when brand new, but not as much.)

 

[GibsonLesPaul]

I solo aggressively and bend hard.

Agree, I'm a (aggressive) rhythm player. Not a hard string bender. So thats why I don't have those tuning problems you stretchers talk about

 

[RoshRoslin]

A properly set up and intonated guitar will stay in tune better than any string voodoo/magic.

Other than that, the usual things such as lubricating the contact points and properly stretching new strings until there's no slippage around the nut, tuners or bridge.

Also, lots and lots of guitar practice. Intonation and being "in tune" has a ton to do with the guitarist. Eric Johnson and Andy Timmons are great examples of players who have amazing intonation on the instrument. Proper fretting, bending technique etc will help.

 

[RoshRoslin]

Agree, I'm a (aggressive) rhythm player. Not a hard string bender. So thats why I don't have those tuning problems you stretchers talk about

It's not really "stretching" the length of the string. But I aggressively pull on new strings so that they seat well at the tuner as well as slide out of the nut if there's any binding occurring. I definitely find more problems with binding at the nut and seating the 2-3 wraps around a tuning post on my Gibsons.

For my Suhr and fender style guitars with straight pull and locking tuners. A good firm yank or two on restringing and they're good to go.

 

[biskitboy]

A little trick I do with the Floyds is string them backwards... ball end at the tuner, cut to length at the bridge end, approx 1" past the saddle (2.54 cm for you metric folk ), clamp down at the bridge, stretch and tune up. It's a pretty quick way to swap them out.

I have to try this! Thanks!

 

[ksandvik]

The nut clamp on a Floyd will hold down the string so having the ball end at the tuner indeed has no other difference than somewhat faster to change strings -- not that you need to cut the string for the bridge, anyway.

 

[Fl7x]

The nut clamp on a Floyd will hold down the string so having the ball end at the tuner indeed has no other difference than somewhat faster to change strings -- not that you need to cut the string for the bridge, anyway.

It helps to avoid the slippery somewhat... And you must cut the strings for the bridge anyway so that's not just to speed up the process.

Almost everything posted here is in my spanish post. Sorry guys, but since the OP is spanish it was a lot faster for me to write it in spanish... And no one was answering at that time so...

It's a nice topic.