HELP! Changing strings on Petrucci

[drkluscious]

Hi! I am a proud owner of a fully loaded 6-string Petrucci and I love it to death. This is my first guitar with a tremelo and I need help with changing the strings.

I already changed the strings (from the stock EB that came with it to a set of medium gauge D'Addarios) and now the tremelo is leaning into the body towards the bottom of the guitar. I'm not sure what and where to adjust so that the bridge is parallell and the strings are in tune at the same time. Thanks, i really appreciate your time reading and answering this.

-Josh

 

[fogman]

Hey congrats!
Welcome to the forum.
Somebody will be with ya shortly.

Don't forget, show us pics of your new prize!!!

 

[rrhea]

I'm no expert, but I have a JP and a bunch of double locking Floyds.

What you are going to have to do now is block the trem with something (like a little block of wood or some paper wraped in tape... anything). Block it so that the tremolo is as close as possible to it's neutral float. Then tune to pitch, remove the block and fine tune. You'll probably need to adjust the springs and retune until you get it perfect. Such is the life of a floating tremolo owner.

In the future you can spare yourself this by replacing the strings one at a time (I do the low E first, then A and so on). This keeps tension on the tremolo so it doesn't lose it's float.

You'll almost always need to slightly adjust the springs each time you change the strings, reagrdless of the method used.

Hope this helps.

Ryan

 

[SteveB]

Sounds like you switched from the factory 10's to a lighter gauge of strings.

You'll have to adjust the trem claw (where the other end of the tremolo springs attach, inside the trem cavity on the back of the guitar).

Adjust it so that it puts less tension on the springs. Adjust a little and then re-tune, adjust more, re-tune, etc. until the trem is level when you're tuned to pitch.

Or you could put 10's on there again and do nothing!



I don't think you'll need to adjust the trem after each string change, as long as you consistently use the same gauge strings the trem settings should stay.
I've changed my strings many times on my JP6 and never needed to adjust the trem claw or springs.

 

[Raz]

Ignore the make, same principal:

Floating trem set up

 

[rrhea]

I don't think you'll need to adjust the trem after each string change, as long as you consistently use the same gauge strings the trem settings should stay.
I've changed my strings many times on my JP6 and never needed to adjust the trem claw or springs.

You're probably right. I haven't had my JP for very long, so my first string change was from one brand to another (same gauge), so that required some minor adjustment. I guess it's the same with my Strat, too. It usually doesn't require a tweak, but all my double locking trems do. Those suckers are sensitive.

RR

 

[drkluscious]

Thanks so much everybody! After a good 30 minutes of adjusting and tweaking, my guitar is in brand new shape with the new set of strings.

Rock on.

 

[rrhea]

Cool!

Now, go learn every Dream Theather song and report back here in a month.

RR

 

[SteveB]

Thanks so much everybody! After a good 30 minutes of adjusting and tweaking, my guitar is in brand new shape with the new set of strings.

Rock on.

Well done, drkluscious!
Glad to hear that you got a grip on the situation so quickly. Rock on!