Hello....newbie from the UK here.....

[PaulJ]

Hi there.

I looked for a "new members" thread but couldn't spot one.

Anyway, I've just bought my first MM guitar and thought it'd be good to be on a forum where I can get up to speed and learn from some experts. My guitar is a purple / blue quilted Steve Morse Y2D with a Floyd Rose. I've never owned a Floyd Rose, so this will be a challenge. Also, I'm just learning guitar at the age of 56. I've been able to play a few chords for many years but decided that if I didn't learn "better" soon, I might as well give up.

Anyway, I'm exceptionally pleased with the guitar so far (bought it on Sunday at the London International Guitar Show) - but haven't needed to do anything with the strings as yet. Hopefully, it's not as difficult in reality as the mechanism looks. Any tips / pointers would be welcomed.

I've got a few other guitars but I can see the Steve Morse being a favourite.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Hi there.

I looked for a "new members" thread but couldn't spot one.

Anyway, I've just bought my first MM guitar and thought it'd be good to be on a forum where I can get up to speed and learn from some experts. My guitar is a purple / blue quilted Steve Morse Y2D with a Floyd Rose. I've never owned a Floyd Rose, so this will be a challenge. Also, I'm just learning guitar at the age of 56. I've been able to play a few chords for many years but decided that if I didn't learn "better" soon, I might as well give up.

Anyway, I'm exceptionally pleased with the guitar so far (bought it on Sunday at the London International Guitar Show) - but haven't needed to do anything with the strings as yet. Hopefully, it's not as difficult in reality as the mechanism looks. Any tips / pointers would be welcomed.

I've got a few other guitars but I can see the Steve Morse being a favourite.

Welcome to the forum - you'll end up buying many more MM guitars I'm sure.

There is an unwritten rule on here - "Doesn't exist without pics!"

 

[tbonesullivan]

Wow, you certainly dived right into a really awesome guitar!

Generally, the Floyd Rose system is great. You can find some great tutorials on restringing it on youtube.

One thing you will need to do is cut the ball ends off the strings, and then use the included allen wrenches to "lock" them into the bridge. Then you pass the string through the locking nut (you have to unlock it first). After that you wrap it around the string peg and wind it.

I will say that honestly a floyd rose can be frustrating. I have a bunch of guitars, and only two have floyd roses. They are great for what they are designed for, but they do require a bunch more work and can have a higher learning curve. However once they are set up and locked in, the tuning stability is incredible.

 

[johnnyboogie]

Congratulations and happy playing & practicing!!

Floyd Rose will never let you down, no worries at all =D

 

[PaulJ]

Welcome to the forum - you'll end up buying many more MM guitars I'm sure.

There is an unwritten rule on here - "Doesn't exist without pics!"

Thanks Spudmurphy. I can fully appreciate that sentiment but my bank account assures me it's definitely for "real" ;-))

I'll see if I can get a few photos together over the next few days (though we're busy at the weekend).

 

[PaulJ]

Wow, you certainly dived right into a really awesome guitar!

Generally, the Floyd Rose system is great. You can find some great tutorials on restringing it on youtube.

One thing you will need to do is cut the ball ends off the strings, and then use the included allen wrenches to "lock" them into the bridge. Then you pass the string through the locking nut (you have to unlock it first). After that you wrap it around the string peg and wind it.

I will say that honestly a floyd rose can be frustrating. I have a bunch of guitars, and only two have floyd roses. They are great for what they are designed for, but they do require a bunch more work and can have a higher learning curve. However once they are set up and locked in, the tuning stability is incredible.

Thanks for that. I didn't realise I had to cut off the ball ends of the strings but that's not a problem as I have a multi-purpose winder / cutter thing that will do the job. The other thing I was told I must do is to replace one string at a time as, if all strings are removed simultaneously, the tremelo block falls over and is a pain to get back upright. I'm very new to this and, as the guy who told me is Albert Lee's son, I'm taking heed!

 

[Pops]

Hi Paul welcome to the forum.
I had a Jap EVH a few years ago which the Axis is based on.
Loved it but couldn't live with the Floyd so I sold it after about a year.
I was in town one day and on a whim I tried an EBMM Cutlass.
I was so impressed that I sold the Strats and bought one.
Not long after that ,hooked on the EBMM neck I sold a few other
guitars and I bought a 2nd hand Axis super sport with a trem.
I am now officially skint but it was worth it.
On reflection I should have murdered the 1st wife sooner for the insurance money....
Errr Just kidding officer...

 

[tbonesullivan]

Thanks for that. I didn't realise I had to cut off the ball ends of the strings but that's not a problem as I have a multi-purpose winder / cutter thing that will do the job. The other thing I was told I must do is to replace one string at a time as, if all strings are removed simultaneously, the tremelo block falls over and is a pain to get back upright. I'm very new to this and, as the guy who told me is Albert Lee's son, I'm taking heed!

This is true of all floating tremolos, not just floyd rose equipped guitars. The bridge "floats" because it has springs in the back that counteract the string pull. When you remove one string, that tension is removed, so the springs pull it back and it will dip into the body. With the Y2D it is recessed quite a bit, so it can go in pretty far.

If you take all of the strings off, the bridge can pull off the pivots entirely.

It's not as easy, but the fretboard can be cleaned/conditioned with the strings on.

If you really want to get all the strings off, that's not really a big problem. You just need to pull off the back plate, and disconnect the springs as you take the strings off, and eventually you can take out the bridge entirely, or you can just put a towel in the recess and let it rest there.

 

[DrKev]

Here's my trick for takingall the strings off Floyds...

With the strings tuned to pitch, put something behind the bridge to stop it falling into the cavity. A deck of playing cards or stack of post-its is ideal. Use just the right thickness of material so that the cards/post-its don't fall out and only barely pushes the bridge forward or detune the strings. Now you can slacken the strings and take them off. The back cards/post-it stop the bridge falling backwards and the back pull from teh springs keeps the cards in place. When you re-string, tuning up becomes very easy because the bridge is already almost in position.

 

[tbonesullivan]

The only thing to be careful of is that whatever is used to prop up the bridge only contacts the bridge plate, and not the string clamps that the fine tuners act on.

 

[kestrou]

Here's my trick for takingall the strings off Floyds...

With the strings tuned to pitch, put something behind the bridge to stop it falling into the cavity. A deck of playing cards or stack of post-its is ideal. Use just the right thickness of material so that the cards/post-its don't fall out and only barely pushes the bridge forward or detune the strings. Now you can slacken the strings and take them off. The back cards/post-it stop the bridge falling backwards and the back pull from teh springs keeps the cards in place. When you re-string, tuning up becomes very easy because the bridge is already almost in position.

What he said - what manly man doesn't have a pack of dog-eared playing cards around?

Kevin

 

[DrKev]

The only thing to be careful of is that whatever is used to prop up the bridge only contacts the bridge plate, and not the string clamps that the fine tuners act on.

Yup!

What he said - what manly man doesn't have a pack of dog-eared playing cards around?

Doesn;t your guitar deserve brand new playing cards?

Yo! EBMM! How about some Music Man Beautiful Guitars playing cards? "Guitars from the Vault"?

 

[kestrou]

Yo! EBMM! How about some Music Man Beautiful Guitars playing cards? "Guitars from the Vault"?

I'd go for a couple packs - or at least an EBMM calendar?!

Kevin

 

[aufgangs]

Hi there
I am also a newbie from Israel

Lior

 

[Warg Master]

Welcome! Yes. PICS!! REQUIRED. please?

Personally, I usually string floyd equipped guitars "backwards" leaving the ball end sticking a millimeter or so out of the tuning peg. Habit from having cheaper gutters that would break strings at the bridge so I could unwind at the tuning peg a little and not have to replace the entire string m it stuck cause I liked the look.

 

[steevo]

Hi Paul, where in the uk are you?
Its probably worth watching a few videos on YouTube on the ins and outs of floyd roses, its little things like not over tightening the Allen bolts at the nut and bridge, centring the fine tuners before tuning up so you have maximum adjustment when the bit is locked.
Ive gone off floyds after trying the standard musicman trem, I think its better and more responsive. That said, a floyd can be a lot of fun.
Im sure any questions youve got will be answered on here anyway


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jamie M]

Welcome aboard, great guitar and it is nice to have another fellow Brit on here as well.

 

[spychocyco]

Personally, I usually string floyd equipped guitars "backwards" leaving the ball end sticking a millimeter or so out of the tuning peg. Habit from having cheaper gutters that would break strings at the bridge so I could unwind at the tuning peg a little and not have to replace the entire string m it stuck cause I liked the look.

Same here, though I do cut the ball end off. I've always put the plain end through the tuning peg and run it back to the Floyd and snipped the ball end with the excess.