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View Full Version : The proper way to restring a guitar..



Blaze
June 26th, 2011, 07:59 AM
Ive tried it , works realy good !!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGLMy6DbpBc

Spudman
June 26th, 2011, 09:45 AM
I've been doing it exactly that way for several decades too. It does work. One exception: I usually leave about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of sting sticking out of the tuner when I cut it off. I've seen the string get sucked back into the tuner and come undone when I stretch it so now I leave some length so that it doesn't come back out of the tuner.

This is how to do it kids.

deeaa
June 26th, 2011, 11:26 AM
Oh yeah. I've done it pretty much just like that for ages as well. But I did also learn something new I'll try. First off, I don't do the kink thing, mainly because I've sometimes managed to break the string by accidentally making a kink there, and when it didn't exactly fit the tuner corner after all, it broke there.

2ndly I've never used any lube on any of my guitars. I never had any tuning issues either; can't really remember ever having to re-tune my guitar within a few hours like on a gig or anything, so I never bothered. But I might try that, maybe it'll help in the long run and give more life to strings. Can't remember breaking a string in a loooong while either, they get so gooey before that I need to change anyway. I'm afraid putting even a little lube there might make the gooeyness even worse.

Also, I don't put quite that much (3 fingers) of string there, for me it's like an inch maximum. And I always cut the string before I put it in; then I twist it around the post with my finger so that the 1st winding goes _over_ the string and the 2nd winding goes under the string, trapping it.

But with minor detail differences, which I'll try his way the next time to see if they work for me too...

Yes indeed that is the very best way to string a guitar.

player
August 13th, 2011, 09:33 PM
this is as good a place as any to put this tip RE: restringing a guitar

before you ditch your old ones run them through the bridge saddle back and forth a few times to get any burrs out that may have formed,clean up/out with a thread if needed.this makes your strings last a lot longer as well as giving up truer tone.over the years I have had sets last over year by doing this.unless you are a purist and like changing strings often.this tip really does work.have not broken any strings in a very long time unless twisting them up too fast which does happen but much less now.

Jipes
August 15th, 2011, 03:29 AM
What I usually do is that instead of putting the string downward from the hole right away, I do one turn on top and then the rest under the string hole. That way the string is tightly locked between the two winding up and down and that help a lot to avoid the string to escape while tuning it

deeaa
August 15th, 2011, 04:14 AM
What I usually do is that instead of putting the string downward from the hole right away, I do one turn on top and then the rest under the string hole. That way the string is tightly locked between the two winding up and down and that help a lot to avoid the string to escape while tuning it

Exactly. And IMO the perfect string amount is that you have just one or 1,5 coils on both sides of the string end, crimping it together...but no more. Anything over 2 under is at least too much.

progrmr
August 15th, 2011, 04:48 AM
"Strings are good for about 1-2 weeks"

lol! Really?? Man, this guy must work for a string company.

I can't imagine playing so much that my strings were beat after 1-2 weeks. Guess that's why I'm a computer programmer and not a guitarist :)

Cool video

deeaa
August 15th, 2011, 04:57 AM
Well, it certainly depends. I can relate to that. When I used to gig once or twice almost every week, I changed my strings every week. Sometimes I still broke a string on the 2nd gig of the week. Used to buy 10 sets at once when I did.

But, back then I was using an .11 to .52 or .54 sets and Jazz III picks...I played rhythm only, Les Paul with a booster to Fender DeVille, and rather heavily I guess. This was after 2 years of playing the bass (with a pick).

In recent years I not only play much less but also down to even as low as .9 to 40 sets, and I never break a string no more. Completely different style of playing, too. I have, um, six or seven guitars I play now and then, and I tend to change the strings on them roughly yearly, or before a gig.
Sometimes, however, actually quite often, I just put in a set and play it maybe twice before I throw it out in favor of something entirely different...but that's not due to string wear, just the desire to try another kind of a set. And of course that also includes adjusting the neck and intonation every time.

Jipes
August 15th, 2011, 05:07 AM
Indeed 2 weeks seems for us largely under estimate but for a professional player it might be true, As for me I changed them usually after one or two month even if I had several gigs but I also don't like too much the "brightness" of new strings: For my style of music (mainly Blues and Soul) there's no real need for "funky bright strings"

player
August 15th, 2011, 10:21 PM
Points taken guys a lot depends on the guitar,styles and projects.any one of which requires different strings and changes to same.these days I play for a party of three.Me,myself and I however projects like techniques and styles do change and then you have the 'I wanna try these out sydrome'' of which I am guilty as charged of.

not playing often enough progrnr is Not an option.at least not for me.

progrmr
August 16th, 2011, 08:17 AM
^^ That's cool - I'm sure for some people 1-2 weeks IS all they can get out of a set of strings. I wish I had enough talent that I did play enough to need new strings every one to two weeks!

player
August 16th, 2011, 10:32 PM
Talent comes with time and practice.especially time.many have like myself been playing for decades.given both time and practice the talent will come on its own hopefully.not everyone is blessed with having,getting and keeping talent on tap.like anything worth doing it is something that should be worked on with fun thrown in of course,you should be able to attain it.keep the faith in getting it down slowly but surely and you will.

bcdon
November 19th, 2011, 05:29 PM
Today was String Changing Day for three guitars and I have to say, changing strings on a Strat-style (my Hell ZeroDot) guitars is so much easier than Les Pauls. I really like having all the tuners on the same side. Now it's time to rock! :dude

poodlesrule
November 20th, 2011, 04:20 PM
I'm sure for some people 1-2 weeks IS all they can get out of a set of strings.

Somewhat related: I was talking to a fiddler yesterday, and I brought up the subject.
Violin string sets are pricey, 50 bucks minimum by mail, 70 bucks retail.
They last a while, or more exactly players make them last. The winding can unravel , and ruin a string prematurely.

player
November 20th, 2011, 11:25 PM
Today was String Changing Day for three guitars and I have to say, changing strings on a Strat-style (my Hell ZeroDot) guitars is so much easier than Les Pauls. I really like having all the tuners on the same side. Now it's time to rock! :dude
that's why lean more to my Fender semi acoustic and Fully but the acoustic's day is coming.

interesting about the fiddle poodle.

sunvalleylaw
November 20th, 2011, 11:53 PM
Grohl's Gibby has the tuners on one side. I really like that way too. I like this way of stringing though. Works a lot easier than the way I used to do it where I would kink the string back up around itself.

deeaa
November 21st, 2011, 06:44 AM
I don't mind changing strings, just something to tinker with while watching TV usually.

But there's one thing I hate about it; I use a .009 top string and those f***ers are really hard to get to stay on the post without slipping. I always end up battling with it and it's the sole reason I could seriously consider getting those quick-lok tuners some day on my main axe.

Furthermore, the zeronine breaks all too easily. The knot at the ball end just slips quite often, when I do the routine where I yank the slack out of the new string so it stays in tune. Every 3rd time or so when I've finally managed to get the slippery snake trapped in the post and tuned it, and then yank at it carefully to remove any slack---snap! It just comes off at the end, leaving the ball with a short noose around it.

Shucks. I usually buy 5-6 sets of strings at a time, but need at least 4 extra niners before they're ever even on :-)

But, when I'm done with it, and it didn't break, they stay in tune impeccably, and I can't almost ever recall breaking a niner by playing. It's almost always the D string that breaks, sometimes G, if it breaks when playing (which happens once a year or less for me.) Usually the strings get visibly mucky and uneven/black and dull/detuned sounding from sweat before they break.

player
November 21st, 2011, 11:54 PM
What I usually do is that instead of putting the string downward from the hole right away, I do one turn on top and then the rest under the string hole. That way the string is tightly locked between the two winding up and down and that help a lot to avoid the string to escape while tuning it
great tip.I gotta remember this one next change.what do you mean right away if on inline tuning machines you go through the bottom up/through,wrap once around top.the rest under there is no downward right or any way.simple concept really as long as it's trapped to be able to tune the way SVL said about bending once through.likely the way they are now.been awhile.told ya all they last me awhile now.

deeaa
November 22nd, 2011, 01:03 AM
Yep that's how I also do it, one on top and try to get two under, trapping the string between...only on nines and a slippery chromed post it's usually necessary to make an extra loop thru the post before doing it and STILL the suckers sometime slip!

player
March 9th, 2012, 11:46 PM
today later Saturday will be string changing day(instead of playing) on my three.the 67 needs it badly.I can't believe the ones on the Fully are not worn yet.it like the others gets plugged up every weekend including the acoustic that like the Fullerton still does not need changing.however I'll bet dollars to doughnuts it will when strings start breaking like happened on the 67.going with an Eric Johnson set.Fully will get when the time comes Fender bullets.acoustic the only spare set I have right now.hate to GAS over strings but might have to although I am covered with half dozen set of Daadario's along with extra E and B as well as some wound G strings.be using techniques above and would like to get some EB Colbalts on hand.heard some good things about em.

player
March 10th, 2012, 09:42 PM
Let's just say a new set is on the 67.one glitch.broke a string in the set no a spare So raided another D'AAdario set for the one that broke.D string.point is new are on.reminds me of when we had the band.any string that fits the bill when trying to finish a gig and set. one day in the not so distant future I will make it right but fer now the guitar is playable.

sixstringdrug
April 1st, 2012, 07:26 PM
Check out this site : www.stringsandbeyond.com They sell singles in just about any brand or size you want. I get all my strings there and always keep a few extra high E strings handy because those are the ones that seem to snap when I'm stretching 'em out, Really good prices too and free shipping if you spend like $35 i think. I just bought 6 months worth of strings and it cost me like $40.

player
April 1st, 2012, 09:26 PM
Great link Thanks.recently re strung guitars.have several sets out of 30 left along with extra E and B strings.wouldn't ya know it one of the GHS Eric Johnson set broke not E or B but D. guess I look at other singles to both replace the D taken from another set and get other extras.bought most of mine from Suncreek Music.sets and singles.plain and roundwound.