cant restring my floyd rose...

hey ive got this randy rhodes model jackson and i just broke a string. i always replace every string when that happens so i can get in to clean it. in a hurry a took all of the strings off, cleaned it, and then went to putting the strings on with no instructions...and up came the bridge :mad: . i checked floyd rose's website and a variety of other sources and they say to replace the strings one at a time. thats pretty much impossible for me to do now. any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Hi philliplach,

You shoould take it to your local guitar shop and have the bridge re-adjusted. It is a fairly inexpensive procedure..and if you'd like, they will probably show you how to re-adjust it yourself. The procedure will have to do with adjusting the springs in the back.

You should definitely remember to only take one string off at a time when changing strings. The reason the bridge came up is because it had no strings to balance it.

^^^^^^^^
What he said.

Another trick is to stuff a piece of wood into the back of the guitar, between the bridge block and the guitar body. This keeps the bridge from moving when the tension is reduced by removing the string.

Take it in, pay for the fix, and look over the tech's shoulder, so you'll know better next time.

I hate Floyd Rose. Biggest guitar-related mistake I ever made. Next time I get an itchin' for a guitar with a tremolo, I'll buy a hardtail model and then have it retrofitted for a Kahler flatmount.

I guess I must have been using floyds for too long....

If the guitar was OK, and now isn't, it should be within your reach to sort it - take it to a tech by all means, but in my opinion you'll learn better doing it yourself than having someone show you, and if there's no strings on it, it's unlikely to get any worse.

If the trem block is still in and pulled flat to the body by the springs, then just restring starting at the low E and start winding it back up. If the bridge is in the air, I guess the springs have maybe jumped off the block at the back - take a look and you'll see hooks and eyes on one end and holes in the trem block to fit them in to...

Just trying to say that you can do this, but as Akira says, patience is a virtue (and a necessity) with floyds....

hey thanks for the advice im gonna run it over to the woodwind and brasswind after the holidays and get it worked on. you were all very helpful.

Nice, yea, just wanted to post because I restrung my guitar today and I took off all of the strings to clean it and all. But I put an eraser under the trem so it wouldnt get jammed against the body. But with time floyds will be second nature to you it took me about 15 minutes to tune it up but could probably swing 10 if i tried, just try everything. I never took my guitar in when i had a floyd, ( mainly because i never could find a ride) but i figured it out so enjoy the floyd.

i kinda was yea stupid...i used some zakk wylde strings. those were way too heavy for that guitar and just pulled the bridge up. had a brain fart and instead of spending 15 or seomthign on having them look at it i decided to buy a pack of smaller gauge strings and whaddaya know. perfect. i used a set of paper note cards to hold my bridge in place so.

Originally Posted by: philliplachi kinda was yea stupid...i used some zakk wylde strings. those were way too heavy for that guitar and just pulled the bridge up. had a brain fart and instead of spending 15 or seomthign on having them look at it i decided to buy a pack of smaller gauge strings and whaddaya know. perfect. i used a set of paper note cards to hold my bridge in place so.

You can use those strings on that guitar, just need to add more springs so the tremelo pulls more. Also, you might have to file the nut to get that low E in.

did that as well not so long ago, my bridge got shot into the body, had to bring it to the shop to be repaired, was pretty embarrassing

I'm looking for a fixed bridge now, reason is that I like to be able to have different tunings and with a floyd rose that ain't easy

Originally Posted by: renI guess I must have been using floyds for too long....

If the guitar was OK, and now isn't, it should be within your reach to sort it - take it to a tech by all means, but in my opinion you'll learn better doing it yourself than having someone show you, and if there's no strings on it, it's unlikely to get any worse.

If the trem block is still in and pulled flat to the body by the springs, then just restring starting at the low E and start winding it back up. If the bridge is in the air, I guess the springs have maybe jumped off the block at the back - take a look and you'll see hooks and eyes on one end and holes in the trem block to fit them in to...

Just trying to say that you can do this, but as Akira says, patience is a virtue (and a necessity) with floyds....

This is sound advice. Usually when a trem is destrung it drops back in to the guitar. So checking the springs first before shelling out some hard earned is best.