I recently was given a 12 year old fender strat for christmas and the strings were in a terrible state. The guitar itself was second hand and clearly hadn't been looked after in a very long time.

Today I decided to replace the strings and being my first time with an electric I was nervous so while I'm comfortable changing the strings on an acoustic I made sure to do plenty of reading around, look at tutorials etc. I replaced each string one at a time and everything was pitch perfect, in tune etc but I noticed that the bridge had lifted up from the main body. I've loosened the strings so it sits flat against the guitar again but now obviously I can't play it for fear of damaging the guitar. I'm really inexperienced with electric guitars, so I'm still learning my way around it so any help, tips suggestions as to what is happening with my guitar/how to resolve this issues would be amazing.

Cheers in advance.

If this is a tremelo bridge I think it should lift.

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In my opinion Leo Fender had essentially perfected the guitar amplifier by 1964.

There isn't a tremelo in place but it looks like one could have been removed

trocket, What you're describing is perfectly normal for a Strat w/a floating bridge. You can also adjust them so that they don't float if you don't use the tremolo arm. Anyway, nothing to worry about.

Okay thanks so much, I was worried I'd broken something, Cheers!

Also remember if you replaced the strings, with a heavier guage than what was on it before, then the bridge will lift further off the guitar body. You just tighten the claw further in on the back to adjust it to where it was.

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Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

I also found the phenomenon you're describing annoying. Lots of people add a couple springs and/or tighten the screws so that the bridge sits flush against the body of the guitar.

I had a feeling it was the gauge that was the culprit I've adjusted the bridge tension now so it's only lifted a few millimeters compared the the 1/4 inch from before.

^Good news, a lot of people replace the strings when they buy a guitar or get it from someone else and they have no way of knowing what guage strings were on it originally, so it's easy to put a heavier guage on and the bridge rises up, depending on how heavier the replacement strings are.

I wish someone would give me guitars especially fenders

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Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.