So here's the deal. Back about 3 months ago, I had my strat setup for 10's (ernie balls), and the guy did a great job. Plays great, and I love it. So today I decide to change my strings to a new set of the exact same ones. But when I finish changing them, the bridge is sticking up REALLY high. I have no idea what happened, but the string tension was also extremely high.

Since I used the same brand/gauge of strings, why should this be happening? I couldn't figure it out, so I put back the set of strings that were originally on, and it all goes back to normal.
I just used a micrometer and its official that all the gauges are the same.

Is this just some crazy "mind-bottling" mystery? Or am I just missing something really obvious?

Were you tuning the new set an octave up?

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

nope... made sure of that

MAX You have me boggled on this,you put the old strings back on and its fine but the new set is not. The only thing to do is try another set if it happens with another set bring it back where you had it done and show them. Keep us posted as this one has me baffled.

Did you change the strings one at a time or did you pull the whole set at once?

The cause is simple: Old strings lose a certain amount of pulling tension over time. Or, to put it another way, your old set was stretched out. Consequently, when you put on a new set of strings, the pulling tension of the strings on the tremolo block became much stronger. Therefore, your new string set is exerting more pull (PSI) than your old ones were hence. the bridge lifts more. Conversely, when you restored the old set, the tremolo springs pull (PSI) won the literal, tug of war.

Now premising when your guitar was setup last time and if the strings were new then, oftentimes, once a new set is pre-stretched (like they should be) and then tuned to pitch, a few dive bombs done with the tremolo and subsequent retuning, restores the string/spring balance.

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You dig?

[quote="Martian"]The cause is simple: Old strings lose a certain amount of pulling tension over time. Or, to put it another way, your old set was stretched out. Consequently, when you put on a new set of strings, the pulling tension of the strings on the tremolo block became much stronger. Therefore, your new string set is exerting more pull (PSI) than your old ones were hence. the bridge lifts more. Conversely, when you restored the old set, the tremolo springs pull (PSI) won the literal, tug of war.
quote]

Doesn't a string of the same gauge, regardless of age or use, require approximately the same tension to achieve the proper pitch? I do understand that strings stretch as they get older and more so when they are brand new. However as they stretch, you need to apply more tension with the tuning peg to achieve proper tuning therefore bringing the tension back to where it was. Just my 2 cents.

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2004 American Deluxe V-Neck Strat w/Kinman Blues
2007 American Deluxe Tele w/Kinman Broadcasters
Mesa Boogie Lonestar Classic 2X12
Fender Cyber-Twin SE

That's what I thought for years (as it is logical) until some brainiac engineer went off on this whole diatribe to me about how it is not the case due to metal fatigue which is inherent in the properties of all strings, compounded by the influences of external elements such as air, light, heat, cold, etc. He said the wraps of the wound strings begin to microscopically sag, corrode and slide on the core which itself too, begins to corrode due to age which diminishes elasticity, etc, and this is why all strings eventually go dead or to put it another way, no longer 'perfectly' tune and even if you think they still do, it is just barely and are definitely not in tune when played with each other as anyone who has ever dealt with a dead set of strings can attest to. And for those who bend strings, the set's demise is accelerated. He went on to say that it is at this advanced 'dying' point that it takes less PSI to tune at the very least, the wrapped ones because the brunt of the tuning to pitch is now working more off the core itself, rather than in conjunction with the solid reinforcement of the wrapping to the degee it did when it was new. He even used my above example about the tremolo block slacking off with old strings. He then summarized, saying that if all the properties in all strings were unchanging constants, then strings would never go dead nor ever have to be retuned, emphasis on the 're', regardless of whether you bent them while playing or not. It was at this point that he began justifying his entire postulation with the whole Atomic Half Life thing in scientific detail. It was here that I capitulated to his learned point of view and urgently requested to get off the subject. In truth, it was a combination of me being convinced that he was right and because I really didn't want to suffer through additional Atomic Half Life paradigms as reinforcement. YMMV.

Sorry for all the run-on sentences. I was trying to convey it as accurately as I remembered per his impromptu 'lecture'.

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You dig?

I don't know. But I've never had a setup go that bad with a string change as long as I kept the same gauge/brand. It's kind of weird.

Forgive me for asking, but are you SURE you haven't tuned way to high? If the trem is that far off, you've either tuned an octave up or you've dropped a trem spring. There ain't no other explanation.

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

I just moved from .9s to .10s. My bridge lifted more than I was ok with. The 2 tension screws for the tremolo fixed my problems. Make sure you detune each string a whole step before you tighten the trem. Make small, even adjustment to the 2 screws, and notice your bridge tucking in. THen re tune of course.

Wen I changed the strings on my Hwy 1 from 9's to 10's...I added 2 more trem springs. Nw I have 5 and they seem to keep the bridge down to the same heights as the 9's did. I had no unexpected set up issues...

Max it should be an easy fix. If you want your trem to float the ideal is about 1/8" from the body. This will give you a whole step up in pitch if you pull back on the whammy. It sounds like you kept the old strings on longer than you should have and they lost some of their tension as others mentioned. Check you manual it will explain the details for adjusting your instrument and pay close attention to what Martian and BigJay post. My endorsement for what its worth.