Changing the strings on a 360/12V64

[JakeK]

Wondering how I will need to do this, since I've never done this before. I know how to change the standard tuners, but the classical guitar-style tuners will be tough. Paul W, I know you're an expert at this, would you mind giving me some pointers on how to do it?

[jingle_jangle]

Soitenly, Jake.

This is my method; others have theirs, so maybe with a combination you can beat the eight-minute mark (trapeze) or 17 minute mark ("R"), recently clocked at SCARF.

First, I take a small square of towel or diaper or other soft cloth, and place it under the tailpiece. to minimize scratches and dents to the Rick's top. Then I tape the tailpiece to the bracket with a small piece of masking tape to hold in place.

Now I start with the low "E" (#1) string, hooking it into the tailpiece and pulling it to its full length to its tuner. I leave the bridge off for now, but I remove the bridge cover if present to simplify things. I clip this string about 1 1/2" longer than its tuner post. I rotate the tuner so its hole is parallel to the neck's long axis, and put the string end through the hole from the top, allowing it to protrude about 1/8" through the shaft. I then give the string a tug to lock it around the edge of the hole in the shaft. Holding the string in my left hand and a string winder in my right, I tension the string to take up the slack.

Next I do the high E octave (#12) string in the same way, but here I clip it at about 2" longer than its tuner post instead of 1 1/2". All strings except the low "E" and low "A" are clipped at 2" longer, those two I do at 1 1/2" longer to avoid having too much thick string wrapped around the post.

Bring that #12 string up to where the tension holds the tailpiece into place, and then life both strings (#1 and #12) and insert the bridge underneath.

To do the horizontal tuners, clip as before, about 2" longer than each string's tuner post. Rotate the post until the hole is facing upward, and insert the string from the top until 1/8" is sticking through the post, and give it a tug to lock it around the edge of the hole. Hold the string in your left hand and the winder in your right and bring the tension up. Wind from the hole towards the outside of the tuner post; this helps the string tension a tiny bit. Make sure the string is in the proper bridge slot.

I work from outside to inside, first on the bass side and then on the treble. If you don't, you won't have the proper over/under orientation of the strings as they make their way from the nut to the tuner posts.

So, here's the string order that you should work in. (Note--"O"=Octave, "U"=Unison)

Low E
High E-U
Low E-O
A
A-O
D
D-O

High E
B-U
B
G-O
G

Once they're all in place, you can tune to pitch, starting at the bass end. Be sure to stretch each string thoroughly with a couple of sharp vertical tugs as you tune it to pitch.

Last, remove the masking tape and the cloth cushion from the tailpiece area, if you haven't already.

It usually takes 2X going over the tuners to get the tuning locked in pretty good after stretching. Starting with the bass strings and their octaves, puts more tension on the neck and keeps things from drifting when you get to the treble strings and their unisons.

[JakeK]

Thanks, Paul. The Ric is my 360/12V64 with trapeze tailpiece. I took off the TRC and noticed something odd about the truss-rods. Both were bent slightly. The intonation had been sharp past the 15th fret on higher strings. If you like, I can take some pics for you to show what I mean.

I also would like to note that I've had this strange way of changing 6-strings that you might laugh or gasp at. I would take the string, wind it around the post about 2-3 times, then stick the end of the string through the hole, cut off the excess string and reel in the slack. I don't know how I could have survived doing a 12-string like that.

The strings I'll be using are Curt Mangan Nickel wound 12-string set, as I did not have enough money for TI flats or round-core Pyramids.

[jingle_jangle]

Let's see the photos.

IF the intonation is "sharp above the 15th fret", I'd venture to say that it is gradually going sharp all along as you move up the 'board, but it's only noticeably sharper to your ears from the 15th fret upward.

A good check with a strobe tuner would fill us in on this issue.

Also, sounds like someone wrenched on your V64's truss rods with more than the usual amount of enthusiasm...

[JakeK]

What is a strobe tuner?

[jingle_jangle]

Try Google, Jake!!!

[Scastles]

What is a strobe tuner?

They're neat, but kind of costly. Highly accurate though.

[jingle_jangle]

The Peterson Strobo-Flip or Strobo-Stomp are both good values at about $200.00 new. And, really, they beat the pants off those Korg ones, when it comes to sorting out with your eyes, what confuses your ears.

[sloop_john_b]

I quite like my iStroboSoft app for the iPhone. Same as the Peterson, $9.99. http://www.petersontuners.com/index.cfm?category=150

[jingle_jangle]

An App I wasn't aware of...

[Scastles]

[quote="sloop_john_b"]I quite like my iStroboSoft app for the iPhone. Same as the Peterson, $9.99. http://www.petersontuners.com/index.cfm?category=150[/quote

Same app work on the high end Ipod, John? My Ipod has everything on it, but the phone. (Long story).

[sloop_john_b]

I quite like my iStroboSoft app for the iPhone. Same as the Peterson, $9.99. http://www.petersontuners.com/index.cfm?category=150[/quote

Same app work on the high end Ipod, John? My Ipod has everything on it, but the phone. (Long story).

It'll work with the iPod touch, according to the site.

[Scastles]

I quite like my iStroboSoft app for the iPhone. Same as the Peterson, $9.99. http://www.petersontuners.com/index.cfm?category=150[/quote

Same app work on the high end Ipod, John? My Ipod has everything on it, but the phone. (Long story).

It'll work with the iPod touch, according to the site.

Nifty, mine's a touch.

[sloop_john_b]

Nice.

[JakeK]

Here's a picture of my V64's truss-rod cavity. What's the problem with it, Paul? Can it be fixed?