How do you restring a guitar with tremolo?

[FattMusiek]

Can anyone direct me to a site where it shows (in detail) how to restring a guitar with a tremolo lock system? I have an Ibanez with a tremolo lock and I'm afraid of breaking something. My first guitar didn't have a tremolo system, so this is an enigma to me.

Thanks!

 

[grinder]

One string at a time is the way to go.Check out ibanezrules.com for more info.

 

[jcmm]

What kind of tremolo is it?

Either way your first take an allen wrench and loosen the screws on the nut. Then loosen one string. If its a Floyd Rose, there is another allen screw at the butt of the bridge. Loosen that and you can pull the string out of the bridge. If its a Kahler, then it may slide out of the bridge lika a normal guitar.

Restring 1 string at a time. On a Floyd Rose, you will need to cut the ball off the end of the string, and feed it back into the "pinch point" of the bridge where you took the old one out. Tighten the screw at the end back up and move on to the next one.

DO NOT tighten the nut on top until you do the following:

AFTER all the strings have been replaced, tune the guitar and then take each string and stretch it up and down by pulling it. Tune up again and repeat this process like 2 more times. Your strings will stretch more than you think and this will help you stay in tune.

Next check your fine tuners on the bridge and make sure none of them are screwed all the way down (or up for that matter) I generally unscrew them 3/4 of the way out since strings stretch, and they get screwed in to get back in tune (tension increases)

Once you are confident you have stretched them good, tune it up and tighten down the nut. You may need small adjustments with the fine tuners, but you should be good to go.

And don't forget Whammy rule #1

Every time you push it down, youll have to pull it up to stay in tune decently.
Kinda like Newtons law.

OR you can pull it up just before you do a dive bomb and the effect would be the same.

Hope that helps!

 

[mekkab]

And don't forget Whammy rule #1

Every time you push it down, youll have to pull it up to stay in tune decently.
Kinda like Newtons law.

OR you can pull it up just before you do a dive bomb and the effect would be the same.

Hope that helps!

WHoa! Great idea!

 

[jcmm]

WHoa! Great idea!

Obviously you have no idea what I'm talking about.

If you continously push down on a whammy, and never pull up, you will go out of tune. The spring tension always keeps a level, but you need to keep that level even.

If your playin with me.......then fine.

If not, then you don't know anything about tremolo bridges.

 

[Kelly5150]

Obviously you have no idea what I'm talking about.

If you continously push down on a whammy, and never pull up, you will go out of tune. The spring tension always keeps a level, but you need to keep that level even.

If your playin with me.......then fine.

If not, then you don't know anything about tremolo bridges.

I've never had any problems with my Floyd Rose equiped Jackson going out of tune after massive, totally flopping stringed, dive bomb whammeys...
I've even expermented, tuning up with my tuner, then after dive bombing, putting it back on the tuner and still being in perfect tune...
Now pulling up on the whammy bar stretches the strings and there you might have some problems, but I never pull up on mine so I'm always in tune...

 

[jcmm]

My statements come from playing live over 3 or 4 hours at a crack.

I had a couple Jacksons with Floyd Rose, and Kahler whammys. I found I had better luck getting through a set if I "kept it even".
Maybe it was just my style.

If you are doing nuclear bombs and holding tune, then you are set up nicely! Which model guitar is it? and what strings do you use (if you don't mind me asking)
I have found some strings are ALOT better than others for the amount they stretch.

 

[mekkab]

Obviously you have no idea what I'm talking about.
.....
If not, then you don't know anything about tremolo bridges.

Whatever, no need to act like a jerk.

two words; LOCKING TREMOLO. What else did I need to know?!

Besides- the up and downs canceling eachother out? Never considered it, because when you pull up, you are stretching out your strings. Push down for all the times you pull up and you have STILL stretched out your strings.

 

[Kelly5150]

My statements come from playing live over 3 or 4 hours at a crack.

I had a couple Jacksons with Floyd Rose, and Kahler whammys. I found I had better luck getting through a set if I "kept it even".
Maybe it was just my style.

If you are doing nuclear bombs and holding tune, then you are set up nicely! Which model guitar is it? and what strings do you use (if you don't mind me asking)
I have found some strings are ALOT better than others for the amount they stretch.

I'm sure it depends on how much you do it... I do it once in awhile, I dont beat on it and do a 3 hour bombing of Pearl Harbor...
But it stays in tune pretty nicely..

Its a Jackson Fusion XL, it looks like a soloist, but it has a Les Paul scale neck, 24 3/4 as opposed to 25 1/2, I think those are the lengths...

And I use Dean Markley 9's....

 

[AcidRain]

Two things:

1) I've never had my axe go out of tune like that, even after several hours of abuse. (Ibanez with an Edge trem)

2) go to http://www.jemsite.com/tech/index.htm, and like grinder said, if you have further trouble, go to ibanezrules.com, and check Rich's tech section. If you still have problems, just squeal.

 

[jcmm]

Not trying to be a jerk mekkab.
Take a look at your first post in this thread and tell me who the wise ass is.
Its not just the strings that need "evening" but the springs/bridge/entire assembly that moves.
I admit I beat the tar out of them, but I also used to silver solder the ball ends for the Kahler to keep them from unwinding.

Like I said its probably my style. I have read many posts here with people saying the same thing. Lets just say if you ever do have that problem, this would be a possible solution.