Les Paul ABR Bridge Question

It seems like they won't let me play any reindeer games over at the Les Paul forum, so I will try here.

I recently got an aged aluminum lightweight tailpiece and an aged ABR from a historic Les Paul on ebay. I also got some historic spec pick-up rings. This weekend I was going to change my strings so I went ahead and changed everything out at the same time. I changed the pick -up rings no problem.

The first time I strung it up I put the ABR on with the adjustment screws facing the tailpiece because thats how my bridge was set up. I got it tuned up and acoustically it sounded fantastic. It just rang. Very even response across all the strings. Then I looked at the clearance on the break angle of the strings across the bridge and it looked like a couple were a tad close to the adjustment screws. So I go online and look up some pictures of R9 historics and they all have the bridge reversed with the screws facing the neck. So I detune the strings and reverse the bridge (after reversing all the bridge saddles). Then I have to do a set up and set the intonation, so I'm loosening the strings to get the bridge height right, and tuning it up again.
So I get it all done and it's not quite right. It doesn't half ring like it did the first time I strung it up.
Sorry for the long story, but here is my question: Would the detuning and retuning of the strings a couple of times kill the life out of the new strings? Or do you think I should put the bridge back with the screws facing the tailpiece again. I know there's a lot of variables and any number of small adjustments could make a big difference here.

It shouldn't hurt you strings.

Also check out http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/

I visited that site. I tried to register, but never got any confirmation. I would ask my question there if I could.

I've found that I can only loosen and re-tighten strings three times. After that, They won't intonate for me. YMMV

I visited that site. I tried to register, but never got any confirmation. I would ask my question there if I could.

Did you check your junk folder?

Yes. I checked my spam folder and there is nothing there.

Your strings could be duller after changing the bridge around.

Your post didn't indicate whether you reversed and repositioned each saddle when you switched the orientation of the bridge. If you did not, then the saddle slots are the wrong sizes, at least if they were right before. If you didn't switch them around, swap them around so the one with the smallest groove is used for the high e string, and so on.

Also, it may be that the bridge fits tighter on the mounting posts in one direction than another, with your particular guitar. That would especially be true if your mounting posts are tilted a bit.

That's one of the reasons I tend to like ABR bridges with setscrews to lock them to the posts, like the TonePros ones, or the spectactular stainless steel Callaham one.

You know what? I din't pay attention when I reversed the saddles on the bridge, but I just checked it and the saddles are in the right place as far as the grooves go. Maybe they were wrong the first time I put the bridge on because I don't remember swapping them from High E to Low E. I just tuned them around but kept them in the same slots.