Another guitar mod topic

[blackheartmachine]

A question to all the QC talky place sages, what is the best way to change the pickups on a guitar with a Floyd Rose bridge? Searches on the interwebs are contradictory. Searches for Floyd Rose say that if I want to change the strings, do it one at a time so as not to mess with the whole balance of the equipment. Searches for changing pickups say to remove all strings, as is the obvious way to do it. Any help, advice or tips is greatly appreciated. 

[Cernunnos]

Well, their advice for changing strings is for only that. It's best to, when you can, keep the tension put on the neck by the strings as even as possible when, say, switching old strings out for new ones. so if you are restringing, you'd do it one at a time. But to put a new pickup in, your guitar strings are going to be in the way of everything, so you'll have to remove them. It's not a big deal though, it just means you will need to check the bow of the neck after the pickup switch and re-stringing process is over to see if a truss rod adjustment is in order. If you are unsure of yourself, especially when it comes to the truss rod or wiring, it might be a good idea to consult a good luthier, at least for advice.

[blackheartmachine]

Thank you very much for your quick reply. What I'm also wondering is when I remove the strings, the bridge will fall backward, so do I have to remove the springs that pull the bridge as well?

[Lummer]

Well, their advice for changing strings is for only that. It's best to, when you can, keep the tension put on the neck by the strings as even as possible when, say, switching old strings out for new ones. so if you are restringing, you'd do it one at a time. But to put a new pickup in, your guitar strings are going to be in the way of everything, so you'll have to remove them. It's not a big deal though, it just means you will need to check the bow of the neck after the pickup switch and re-stringing process is over to see if a truss rod adjustment is in order. If you are unsure of yourself, especially when it comes to the truss rod or wiring, it might be a good idea to consult a good luthier, at least for advice.

If your guitar needs a truss rod adjustment after minor, brief surgery like that, do not fix the truss rod. Just dispose of the cheap piece of crap entirely.

That said... Learn to set up and and adjust a Floyd Rose-system. If you're changing the strings one at a time, how will you clean and oil the fretboard properly? Once you learn how to get that whole machinery to do your bidding, you can mess around with it all you like. And trust me, setting up a Floyd is by no means as bad as people say it is.

[blackheartmachine]

I don't think any truss rod adjustments are necessary, the action is quite nice right now.

As this is my first Floyd Rose, any advice on how to handle it or any resources where I can read up on it? I've changed the strings a couple of times and although time consuming not a big deal. And I love locking the strings.

Also, I want to wire the pickups Jimmy Page style, any suggestions on this last bit?