First time changing strings on Fender Dual Pro advice

[John B Blair]

Hi, I'm changing strings for the first time on a new Fender Dual Pro 8 string that I've acquired and about to begin learning and wondering if there's any advice. It appears that there was C6 tuning on the front neck, and not sure what was on the back neck nearest to me. I'm thinking that I want the C6 on the back neck, and planning on E13 on the front. Was also going to look under the tuning pans for manufacture date while I have the strings off

[Jack Hanson]

Congratulations on acquiring a great-looking (and presumably awesome-sounding) old guitar! Only advice I could offer is be very careful with those old lollipop tuning machines. They can be quite fragile and it's nigh on impossible to procure replacements.

[Stephen Cowell]

Use grease on the tuning machines... just a dab of white lithium on the gear, then spin it through several times. Oil isn't strong enough.

You'll need a pair of dyke cutters, a pair of needle-nose pliers, and a string winder... I use a power screwdriver with one of those plastic winder bits, I also have the red battery-powered winder and of course a crank winder.

Set the post where the hole is horizontal, run the new string through, bend the string at a sharp right angle about 1.5" past the post, then cut it off about 1/3" (8mm) past the right angle bend. Pull the string back through the post so that the bent part lies flat against the post, turn the post 90degrees, and bend the string again, sharply, where it exits the post. Continue winding the string so that it goes over the 8mm piece when it wraps. My T8 Stringmaster came to me with what looked like factory strings on one neck, that's the way they were wound and it makes perfect sense... here's a picture:

[John B Blair]

Thanks Stephen, this is great information!! Hoping this fiddle player can figure this thing out!