guitars @lemmy.world eezeebee @lemmy.ca 1y ago

Bridge is jacked after string change

I changed the strings on my Jackson Dinky JS11. Normally I use light gauge, but this time I went with medium. After tuning it and noticing the difference in thickness, the bridge is on a sharp angle, and the whammy bar couldn't even swivel past the volume knob.

I tried loosening the two bridge screws which helped a bit and raised it to be less sharp of an angle, but it also raised the action considerably. At least the whammy bar can swivel freely. But the amount I can "wham" seems less than before, too. (Pictures are after this adjustment)

Is there a way to get the back end of the bridge downward so it is more "even"? That would reduce some of the action and give me more whammy room?

27 comments

You need to rebalance your spring tension in the rear recess. Or just go back to the same gauge you had before.
- I've just tried opening it up and tightening the screws attached to the spring mechanism to get it to pull back more. I don't see a noticeable difference on the bridge angle, though.
  
  Sounds like this JS11 might not be designed to handle the higher gauge?
  
  I'd recommend going back to the previous gauge or getting it set up at a shop then. I don't feel comfortable recommending you cranking on the string retainer screws any more if you're not comfortable with it.
  
  How many turns? You'll probably have to crank them quite a bit. And don't forget to loosen the strings!
Thicker strings mean higher tension, so you actually want to tighten the claw screws on the guitar's back in order to pull the bridge back down.

What do you mean by "I tried loosening the two bridge screws"? Could you clarify?
- I figured it was the strings causing it. Here's a pic of the bridge screws I'm referring to. Thanks
  
  What gauge did you put on there? A wound G string!
  
  So.. Those are not the right screws to turn in that situation.. And that's why your action is super high.
  
  I'd recommend you screw them down as they were before, not all the way down! Else the bridge won't be able to pivot.
  
  Those aren't the screws you need to tighten! You need to flip the guitar over, take the back plate off, and adjust the screws in the cavity. You should only adjust those with the string tension off. Send us a picture before you do anything.
- I’ve just tried opening up the back panel and tightening the screws attached to the spring mechanism to get it to pull back more. I don’t see a noticeable difference on the bridge angle, though.
Just wanted to chime in since it seems like a few people miss that you put THIRTEENS on it.

Adjusting the claw in the back is what you do when you go from 9s to 10s. We've all had to do it which is why that was the advice you were given.

13s coming from 9s or 10s is EXTREME. I don't have the tension chart in front of me but that is a ton more tension Even at D standard.

Here's your fix; you need more springs. I didn't see a picture but I would guess your guitar (like most other trem equipped guitars) only has three springs. For most tunings and string combinations three springs are sufficient.

You are not most string combinations. You need five springs, that'll address your immediate concern.

However, I reckon you have a couple more issues whether you've noticed or not. Depending on how your nut is cut you can generally get away with going up a gauge in strings without too much issue. If your bridge is pulling up that much you've definitely gone up more than one string gauge. You're definitely going to need that nut cut for 13s if you even want a shot at intonation or tuning stability.

I'm sure it's also in major need of a truss rod adjustment.

Your best bet is to take it to a tech and have it set up. Especially now that you've fiddled with the bridge posts. This is the only way to ensure everything is adjusted correctly for the new string gauge. As general rule of thumb you can safely change strings up or down a gauge without too much consideration. Any more than that and the guitar is going to need a complete setup.

For what it's worth, once setup your guitar should play fine with 13s. I don't think you have any cause for concern in regards to the guitar being able to "handle" it.

However, adding a couple springs will solve your most immediate concern.
- Thanks, I'll look into more springs.
  
  After fiddling with it a bit more it is playable and stays in tune, surprisingly enough. Action is a bit high for my liking, but I was getting 1st fret buzzing before changing strings and that's fixed now.
  
  The nut for the truss rod appears to be stripped so I wasn't able to adjust that, unfortunately.

27 comments