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Post subject: New Strings Too Tight? Messing Up My Bridge?
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 9:48 am
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Hey, guys,

I've been playing since December, so I'm no expert on this. I need help. I bought a guitar a few months ago (Fender Squire Stratocaster Deluxe) and bought new strings (Eliixir Nanoweb Coated) for it just the other day. I installed them two days ago,and realized that the strings were really tight last night. I have a twin-pivot floating bridge, and the bridge was a lot higher than usual, which I'm accounting to the strings being so tight. Also, my neck was bending inward at the slightest angle. For now, until I get this sorted out, I've loosened my strings up be a lot, so that my bridge and neck look normal. Is this normal, because they're new strings? Is this ruining my guitar? Should I put the extra spring that came with my Strat in the back of the bridge (I only have two right now)? I really need some help right now. Thanks, all.

-Kayla

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Post subject: Re: New Strings Too Tight? Messing Up My Bridge?
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 11:19 am
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Sounds like you've put heavier gauge strings on your guitar than what came on it. I believe your model comes with .009's. By that I mean the little E string is .009". The guitar is setup for those and heavier ones will indeed pull the trem bridge up. This will not hurt the guitar but it certainly wouldn't be comfortable to play like that. You could remove the back plate and adjust the bridge tension springs but I would suggest buying some lighter gauge strings (preferably .009") to put on it.


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Post subject: Re: New Strings Too Tight? Messing Up My Bridge?
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:52 pm
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old tom wrote:
Sounds like you've put heavier gauge strings on your guitar than what came on it. I believe your model comes with .009's. By that I mean the little E string is .009". The guitar is setup for those and heavier ones will indeed pull the trem bridge up. This will not hurt the guitar but it certainly wouldn't be comfortable to play like that. You could remove the back plate and adjust the bridge tension springs but I would suggest buying some lighter gauge strings (preferably .009") to put on it.


And put the third spring in. it will help keeping in tune better, especially if you use the tremolo. If you keep those strings you need to have the truss rod adjusted to compensate for the heavier gauge strings and possibly the intonation set.


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Post subject: Re: New Strings Too Tight? Messing Up My Bridge?
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 1:55 pm
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adding different guage strings can also ruin your guitars intonation it will probably need a set up for the new strings, your local guitar shop should do setups at a price or they will know someone who can do it for you, but i suggest setting up your guitar is an essential thing to learn aswell as playing it.

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Post subject: Re: New Strings Too Tight? Messing Up My Bridge?
Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:24 am
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Maybe the string has been overwound around the pegs? That causes an increase in tension, which is bad.


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Post subject: Re: New Strings Too Tight? Messing Up My Bridge?
Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 6:46 am
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the strings need to be wrapped around the tuner peg no more than 3 times, larger guage strings will increase tention therefore the bridge will probably sit higher you need to adjust the tension springs accordingly (screw the claw screws in further to compensate), also the neck could bow slightly and may need adjusting. I still recommend a luthier if you are not comfortable with this

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Post subject: Re: New Strings Too Tight? Messing Up My Bridge?
Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 1:07 am
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too tight?
was the guitar in tune or did you just throw some new strings on and wind away at it?
unless you left the guitar that way for a loong time you haven't hurt anything at all

add the third tremolo spring & max out the spring tension by screwing in the claw- this will keep the bridge stable -makes whammy dives harder to do but having the bridge set against the body makes it easier to get the guitar to stay in tune and also helps the tone a little bit as well
- its really easy to correct too much bow in your guitars neck -all you need is a set of allen or hex wrenches theres an access hole on the headstock at the end of the fretboard -tighten or loosen as needed (a little at a time)


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Post subject: Re: New Strings Too Tight? Messing Up My Bridge?
Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 4:20 am
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sweetsoulx wrote:
too tight?
was the guitar in tune or did you just throw some new strings on and wind away at it?
unless you left the guitar that way for a loong time you haven't hurt anything at all

add the third tremolo spring & max out the spring tension by screwing in the claw- this will keep the bridge stable -makes whammy dives harder to do but having the bridge set against the body makes it easier to get the guitar to stay in tune and also helps the tone a little bit as well
- its really easy to correct too much bow in your guitars neck -all you need is a set of allen or hex wrenches theres an access hole on the headstock at the end of the fretboard -tighten or loosen as needed (a little at a time)


Its also easy to get it wrong read up on it firsr before attempting to adjust it

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