How long does it take you to restring a guitar with a Floyd Rose?

Chainsaw Calligraphy

Connoisseur of Sound
Jul 2, 2010
170
0
16
Manchester, UK
The ordeal usually takes me the best part of an hour by the time I've stretched out the strings and rebalanced the bridge. I was wondering how long it takes you guys and if you have any time saving tips and tricks.
 
If you use the same brand and gauge, you can do string by string and other then stretching, it will stay in tune

This.

I have the Floyd "Special" (not so sure what makes it so special compared to the Original, but whatever...) and I use the same gauge and brand strings all the time. If you only change one string at a time, it usually works out pretty well.

But - I tend to leave the nut unlocked and stretch and play and basically beat the living shit out of the strings for a few hours before I lock the nut and commit. And then, it's usually fine up until the point where the strings are so dead that they are going out of tune.

Physically changing strings: 20 mins

Stretching and settling: 4-6 hours
 
Changing a set of strings, even with a locking trem does not take me long - I can do it in about 10 - 12 minutes. Getting them stretched and settled is something completely different - it all depends on how much effort I want to put into it at the time. I have my two guitars with floating systems both blocked in dive bomb only mode so stabilizing does not take quite as long it seems as when I had them completely floating, but also I fortunately mostly play fixed bridge guitars (mostly my Les Paul or Telecaster these days).
 
I go string by string as well. The restringing part isn't as bad as getting it level with the body, ime. But yeah, overall way too long.
 
10 minutes. strung stretched and tuned. Well maybe a little longer for fully stretched but with my Carvins its the quickest its ever been. Helps allot that they have sperzal locking tuners as well.