ChangeYourStrings

How to change strings on a Floyd Rose locking tremolo, the procedure that doesn't ruin the setup

Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team ·

Changing strings on a Floyd Rose: block the bridge level with a tremolo block or folded business cards, unlock the locking nut, loosen the saddle clamp on the string you're replacing, cut the ball-end off the new string, clamp it at the saddle, tune up, stretch, retune, lock the nut once at pitch. Use the fine-tuners on the bridge for any final tweak. Single-string-at-a-time keeps the trem in plane and the other strings tuned. Total time: 30 to 45 minutes the first time, 15 minutes once you're comfortable.

A Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo is a beautiful piece of engineering and a setup headache. The locking nut and the saddle clamps that give the bridge its dive-bombing tuning stability are the same parts that make string changes a 30-minute procedure instead of a 5-minute one. Done correctly, the bridge stays in tune for weeks. Done incorrectly, you can end up with the bridge tilted forward, intonation drifting, and the strings slipping at the saddle. The procedure below covers the canonical approach.

Why Floyd Rose string changes are different

Three things distinguish a Floyd Rose string change from a hardtail or trem-stop bridge change:

  1. The bridge floats. It's balanced between string tension and spring tension. If you remove all strings at once, the bridge tips backward against the springs and you lose the reference plane. Single-string-at-a-time keeps the bridge level.

  2. No ball-ends. Floyd Rose saddles clamp the string with a small allen-key bolt directly on the wound section. You cut the ball-end off every new string before installing. The string is held by the clamp's grip on the metal, not by a retainer post.

  3. The locking nut. At the headstock end, three small clamping pads (with allen-key bolts) lock the strings against the nut shelf. While the nut is locked, turning the tuning peg can't change pitch. Unlock to change strings; re-lock once tuned to pitch; use the bridge fine-tuners for any final adjustment.

What you need

The Floyd Rose comes with two allen wrenches in a small holder bolted to the back of the guitar. Most aftermarket Floyds use 3 mm at the saddle and 4 mm at the locking nut; some imports differ slightly. Verify the size on the wrenches that came with the guitar before starting.

Step-by-step procedure

How to change strings on a Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo

Step-by-step procedure for changing strings on a Floyd Rose-equipped electric guitar. Covers blocking the trem, unlocking the nut, clamping at the saddle, tuning up, stretching, re-locking, and using fine-tuners for final adjustment. Single-string-at-a-time methodology keeps the bridge in plane and the other strings tuned during the change.

Time
45 min

    Common mistakes the procedure prevents

    1. Removing all strings at once. The bridge collapses backward; you spend 30 minutes getting it back to plane. Always single-string-at-a-time.

    2. Forgetting to cut the ball-end. The ball-end blocks the saddle clamp's contact zone. The clamp won't grip; the string slips during tuning and won't hold pitch. Always cut.

    3. Over-tightening the saddle clamp. Strips the bolt threads, crushes the saddle, or both. Snug plus a quarter turn is enough.

    4. Locking the nut before the string holds pitch. The string drops below pitch within minutes; you have to unlock, re-tune, re-lock. Stretch fully first; lock only when the string holds.

    5. Ignoring bridge balance. The bridge sits parallel to the body when the spring claw is set correctly. If you skipped the balance check, intonation drifts and the trem doesn't return to pitch after dives. Always verify after the change.

    Recovery: the bridge tilted forward, now what?

    If you removed too many strings at once and the bridge tilted forward into the body's neck recess:

    1. Place the guitar face-up on a padded surface.
    2. Detune all currently-installed strings to slack so spring tension dominates briefly.
    3. Tighten the spring claw screws on the back of the guitar a half-turn each side. The springs pull the bridge backward.
    4. Re-tune the strings. The string tension pulls the bridge forward.
    5. Iterate (claw vs string tension) until the bridge baseplate sits parallel to the body.

    The balance is a tug-of-war between strings and springs. Both sides have to be in the right ballpark; neither can be overpowered.

    What this procedure does NOT cover

    Related on CYS

    Frequently asked questions

    Why is changing strings on a Floyd Rose harder than a hardtail?

    Three reasons. First, the bridge floats — it's balanced between the string tension pulling forward and the spring tension pulling back, so removing all strings at once collapses the bridge backward and intonation drifts. Second, the saddles clamp the string directly with a small allen-key bolt instead of using ball-ends, so you have to cut the ball-end off every new string. Third, the locking nut at the headstock end clamps the strings down so you can't just turn the tuning peg to change pitch — you have to unlock the nut, change pitch, re-lock the nut, then use the bridge's fine-tuners for any small adjustment. Each of these is solvable; the procedure below covers all three.

    Do I need to remove all the strings at once?

    No, and you shouldn't. Change one string at a time. The bridge stays in plane because the other five strings hold tension. If you remove all six at once, the bridge tilts back, the string break-angle changes, and re-tuning takes 5x longer. Single-string-at-a-time also keeps you within reach of the fine-tuners on the bridge so you don't need to make as many trips between the headstock locking nut and the bridge.

    What's a tremolo block? Do I need one?

    A tremolo block is a small wedge of wood, plastic, or rubber that you put under the bridge baseplate to hold the bridge level while you change strings. You don't strictly need one if you change strings one at a time (the other strings hold tension), but it makes the procedure easier and forgiving. A folded business card or two works in a pinch. Stewmac and Hipshot both sell purpose-built blocks; the one you have lying around is fine for most purposes.

    Why do I have to cut the ball-end off the new string?

    Floyd Rose saddles use a clamp instead of a ball-end retainer. The string passes through the saddle and gets pinched by an allen-key bolt that presses down on the wound section. The ball-end is in the way of the clamp's contact zone, so you cut it off about an inch from the end with side-cutters. The exposed core wire is what gets clamped. Some players cut a half-inch back into the wound section to expose more core; either method works as long as the clamp is contacting metal.

    How tight do I tighten the saddle clamp bolt?

    Snug, not torqued. The bolt is small (typically 3 mm allen) and over-tightening strips the threads or crushes the saddle. Tighten until the string can't be pulled out by hand, then a quarter turn more. If the string slips during tuning, snug a tiny bit more; don't crank it.

    Why is the bridge not sitting parallel to the body anymore?

    Floyd Rose bridges are balanced between string tension forward and spring tension back. If the bridge is tilted forward (toward the neck), the spring tension is too low — tighten the claw screws in the back of the guitar a half-turn each side. If the bridge is tilted backward (toward the bridge end of the body), spring tension is too high — loosen the claw screws. Adjust in small increments; the bridge moves a lot per turn. The target: bridge baseplate parallel to the body.

    How long does the whole procedure take?

    First time: 30 to 45 minutes. Once you've done it 3-5 times: 15-20 minutes. The variable is the stretching pass, which catches new players because Floyd Rose-mounted strings need more stretching than a hardtail. Plan extra time on your first change.