problem stringing my strat

scot88

so i bought a strat recently after owning teles exclusively. the strings that came on the guitar were 9's (i think), so i decided to change them to 11's. this raised the bridge too much (and i didn't want to mess around with the springs,) so i just put 9's back on it (they were fender strings that i got free with the guitar. they weren't super bullets or anything, just plain strings.) while tuning it the high e and the g string snapped clean off. i've never had this happen before. now i'm stuck on an isolated college campus with very limited means of driving to the nearest guitar store. before i attempt to restring it (or i may just have them do it at the store) is there anything i should do that i didn't do before that caused the strings to snap?

Novawind

Only think I can think of is that you left no slack in the string when you put it on. The way I do it is put the string through the peghole, then put my hand between the nut and the string and leave that much slack in the string. Crink it, then wind up from there and just wrap the slack around the post. The string will touch itself and the post and you'll get sufficient friction to hold the string in place. Also this way, you won't break the string because as you're tuning, the string will stretch little by little and you won't get a snap like you would with quickly tuning/tightening an already taut string.

MLC2006

did your strat come with the manual? because if it did, there is an angle that they suggest the tuner holes should be turned at before putting the string in. don't know if this really matters or not. also, I'm not sure what you mean by the heavier strings causing the bridge to raise. why would it do this? I don't see why that would happen, but if it did, all you have to do is take the back plate off and tighten the 2 screws that are holding the little clawplate that holds the springs the springs. this will this will tighten the springs and give the bridge more resistance from being pulled up.

it's sounds like you just attempted to wound it too tight and it snapped. if not, maybe there is a spur in the bridge saddle that needs sanding down.

moster78

Novawind wrote:

Only think I can think of is that you left no slack in the string when you put it on. The way I do it is put the string through the peghole, then put my hand between the nut and the string and leave that much slack in the string. Crink it, then wind up from there and just wrap the slack around the post. The string will touch itself and the post and you'll get sufficient friction to hold the string in place. Also this way, you won't break the string because as you're tuning, the string will stretch little by little and you won't get a snap like you would with quickly tuning/tightening an already taut string.

I do something similar. I pull the string into the hole as tight as I can, then from the nut, I pull the string back about a fret to a fret and a half and start winding. Works for me.

louichick

I had the same problem with the bridge when i changed my strings to 10's that i use even.
Easily rectified.take the back plate of the guitar and add another spring to cause more tension holding the bridge in place.just add the new next to the fitted 1's.
Job done in 5 mins,if it was complicated i would'nt of been able to do it im sure!!

P.S. Theres no need to touch the 2 screws under there.

moster78

louichick wrote:

I had the same problem with the bridge when i changed my strings to 10's that i use even.
Easily rectified.take the back plate of the guitar and add another spring to cause more tension holding the bridge in place.just add the new next to the fitted 1's.
Job done in 5 mins,if it was complicated i would'nt of been able to do it im sure!!

P.S. Theres no need to touch the 2 screws under there.

That's one way to do it. When I first got my Strat and switched from the default 9's to 10's the bridge was sitting way too high and wouldn't stay in tune for shit. I just tightened the screws until the bridge floated about 1/8 or 1/4 inch away from the body, I can't remember which. Of course now all of Strats just have five springs and the bridge flush to body since I never use the whammy anyway.

MLC2006

louichick wrote:

P.S. Theres no need to touch the 2 screws under there.

tightening the 2 screws is what keeps the bridge from floating too easily, moreso than adding additional springs. not saying that adding additional springs is a bad idea or anything, but tightening the screws is THE recommended thing to do if the bridge is moving to easily (when I say "recommended", I mean recommended by Fender). although really, both methods would work. imho, Fender bridges are crap and I see no sense in even having a whammy bar because all it does is throws it out of tune too easily.

louichick

I agree.never once but the whammy bar on to my strat.

kigcat

whammy on strats dont always make it go out of tune. a trick my guitar tech once told me is dont stretch new strings in just play them in naturally and keep the nut oiled or run graphite over the nut and saddles (stops string ping) this works really well. I used to always stretch my strings in on my strat and then using the whammy would make the tuning slip. But now that i just tune em and play them in normally the tuning stays fine and you can whammy it till your hearts content and the tuning will barely slip in the slightest. try it. i give you the kigcat gaurantee.