Guitar String Madness!

ThePrettyDamned · August 2013

I use the same gotoh tuners on my jazzbastard.

I'd leave more than 2 inches of string. Generally, there are limits to how many winds you should have, but you have a locking nut and thin e strings slip very easily!

I use mine at full, untrimmed length. It gives me 3-4 inches of spare. Never heard of winding around the wrong way first - surely tightening it will undo this hard work and force it back the right way? Anyway, I just put it down into the post and wind like there is no tomorrow until it's at pitch, then stretch it in. Then pop the locking nut on and hey presto...

I would say it's slipping at the tuner. Try it with a few more turns of string on it, and if it still happens you've confirmed that it's a saddle issue (they do wear down over time).

Make sure, when winding the string on, it all goes on tight. Hold it with your thumb as if your thumb is a string tree!

ThePrettyDamned · August 2013

Also, lots of bassists boil strings. Don't try it on guitar ones, when a 9 rusts, it becomes a 6 by the time you've washed it off!

Bass strings are much more expensive. Washing them in boiling water removes a lot of solutes from our hands and the environment, as well as removing patches of rust, so it doesn't quite get back to brand new but it is a very good alternative. My bass strings last at least a year if I play everyday, longer because a normally don't!

ICBM · August 2013

ThePrettyDamned said:
I'd leave more than 2 inches of string. Generally, there are limits to how many winds you should have, but you have a locking nut and thin e strings slip very easily!

I use mine at full, untrimmed length. It gives me 3-4 inches of spare. Never heard of winding around the wrong way first - surely tightening it will undo this hard work and force it back the right way?

No, because it crosses the slot.

It doesn't really matter on a locking nut guitar, but on one without it's much better than winding on several inches because it avoids the problem of slippage. With the half back turn you can put only about one turn on the post and it won't slip. It's also much quicker

.

The only string I wind anything like 3-4 inches on is the G, and only because on a Fender-type headstock with one string tree you need the extra break angle at the nut.

Van_Hayden · August 2013

I'd check the saddles are bolted down firm - worth a look, if they aren't they'll slip towards the neck causing your sting to go flat.

ThePrettyDamned · August 2013

Thanks icbm, I get you now! I'll do that next time I restring, I reckon that'll speed it up a lot

Still have not put string trees on the jazzbastard, I'm trying to get out of the habit of bending everything so when I play that, I can't!

One day, I'll sort it... Probably.

Bellycaster · August 2013

@Van_Hayden

I did lock the saddle ok

I adjusted the bridge height slightly but def tightened those sockets up too.

That said I wasn't impressed that they only have a 1.5 mm hex socket, seems a bit flimsy for a quality trem system like Gotoh

3mm socket adjusts the height' 1.5 locks the post

ICBM · August 2013

They don't need more than a 1.5mm - you don't need to crank them, they're only there to stop the posts creeping downwards so they only have to be slightly tighter than just touching the bottom of the sockets.

Fender Jazzmaster/Jaguar/Mustang bridges use two 1/16" (1.6mm) Allens for the whole bridge height adjustment, and they seem adequate.

Bellycaster · August 2013

@ThePrettyDamned

Shouldn't be a saddle wear issue, it's only a 9 month old guitar.

Van_Hayden · August 2013

Are you talking about the saddle string lock or the saddle intonation screw?

Bellycaster · August 2013

@Van_Hayden

I see what your saying now. Yes, I'll give it a check, it's always good to check everything.

Ta!

Bellycaster · August 2013

ICBM said:

They don't need more than a 1.5mm - you don't need to crank them, they're only there to stop the posts creeping downwards so they only have to be slightly tighter than just touching the bottom of the sockets.

Fender Jazzmaster/Jaguar/Mustang bridges use two 1/16" (1.6mm) Allens for the whole bridge height adjustment, and they seem adequate.

@ICBM

Ahh, I see. That lack of experience comes from me only owning very few guitars. The Wolfgang , for all I know doesn't "Lock", its just 2 flat head screwdriver heads to adjust height (i've never adjusted it). Can't remember on the old Kramer and then there is the new one I'm talking about here which has fixtures and fitting I'd not experienced before.

Ta!

ICBM · August 2013

Think yourself lucky you're not so experienced you didn't think to ask

. The first time I had to adjust one of these Floyds with the locking screws, I didn't know they were there because early Floyds which I was familiar with were like your Wolfgang. So it puzzled me that I couldn't adjust the posts downward even though there was still thread showing above the body - they seemed stuck, I thought they were bottoming out in the inserts and I was going to have to do a bit of engineering to set the guitar up properly. Took the whole bridge off, took one of the posts out and was surprised - and relieved! - to see the little lock screw

... and then had to put it all back together. So that set-up took a little longer than it should have

.

Bellycaster · August 2013

@ICBM

Those are experiences you definitely learn from, lol.

As for the Wolfgang, are you saying it does have locks as the manual just states to turn the Pivot Bolts and doesn't mention unlocking anything.

Ta!

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