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Thread: The proper way to restring a guitar..

  1. #1
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    Default The proper way to restring a guitar..

    Ive tried it , works realy good !!

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    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.

    "No Tele For you." - The Tele Nazi

    Ha! Tele-ish now inbound.

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    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.
    Dee

    "When life's a biatch, be a horny dog"

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    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.
    Life is like a camera, just focus on what’s important and capture the good times, develop from the negatives and if things don’t work out, just take another shot. ~ Anonymous


    Guitars: 1967(year they came out): Fender Coronado II Wildwood I ,Fullerton ST- 4 Fat Strat , Esteban Legacy acous/elec,99 MIA Standard Fender Strat
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    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
    Guitars:
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jipes View Post
    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.
    Dee

    "When life's a biatch, be a horny dog"

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    "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
    Dave
    Guitars: Ibanez AF-75, Schecter Solo-6 Custom, Douglas SG
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    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.
    Dee

    "When life's a biatch, be a horny dog"

    Amps: Marshall JVM 410H w/ Plexi Cap mod, Choke Mod & Negative Feedback Removal mod, 4x12", Behringer GMX110, Amplitube 3/StealthPedal

    Half a dozen custom built/bastardized guitars all with EMG's, mostly 85's, Ibanez Artwood acoustic & Yamaha SGR bass, Epiphone Prophecy SG, Vox Wah, Pitchblack tuner plus assorted pedals, rack gear etc. for home studio use.

  9. #9
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    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"
    Guitars:
    1978 Fender Telecaster Thinline Custom USA, New Nash TL-72 Thinline Telecaster, 1965 Harmony Meteor, H71, 1986 Fender Telecaster Esquire MIJ, New Martin J-41 Special, 1933 National Duolian, 1941, New Eastwood Mandocaster 12 strings

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    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.
    Life is like a camera, just focus on what’s important and capture the good times, develop from the negatives and if things don’t work out, just take another shot. ~ Anonymous


    Guitars: 1967(year they came out): Fender Coronado II Wildwood I ,Fullerton ST- 4 Fat Strat , Esteban Legacy acous/elec,99 MIA Standard Fender Strat
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    ^^ 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!
    Dave
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    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.
    Life is like a camera, just focus on what’s important and capture the good times, develop from the negatives and if things don’t work out, just take another shot. ~ Anonymous


    Guitars: 1967(year they came out): Fender Coronado II Wildwood I ,Fullerton ST- 4 Fat Strat , Esteban Legacy acous/elec,99 MIA Standard Fender Strat
    Amph's Original Roland Cube 15,Drive 30 w/spring reverb

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    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!

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    Quote Originally Posted by progrmr View Post
    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.
    Less golf, more saxophone

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by bcdon View Post
    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!
    that's why lean more to my Fender semi acoustic and Fully but the acoustic's day is coming.

    interesting about the fiddle poodle.
    Life is like a camera, just focus on what’s important and capture the good times, develop from the negatives and if things don’t work out, just take another shot. ~ Anonymous


    Guitars: 1967(year they came out): Fender Coronado II Wildwood I ,Fullerton ST- 4 Fat Strat , Esteban Legacy acous/elec,99 MIA Standard Fender Strat
    Amph's Original Roland Cube 15,Drive 30 w/spring reverb

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    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.
    Steve Thompson
    Sun Valley, Idaho


    Guitars: Fender 60th Anniversary Std. Strat, Squier CVC Tele Hagstrom Viking Semi-hollow, Joshua beach guitar, Martin SPD-16TR Dreadnought
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    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.
    Dee

    "When life's a biatch, be a horny dog"

    Amps: Marshall JVM 410H w/ Plexi Cap mod, Choke Mod & Negative Feedback Removal mod, 4x12", Behringer GMX110, Amplitube 3/StealthPedal

    Half a dozen custom built/bastardized guitars all with EMG's, mostly 85's, Ibanez Artwood acoustic & Yamaha SGR bass, Epiphone Prophecy SG, Vox Wah, Pitchblack tuner plus assorted pedals, rack gear etc. for home studio use.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jipes View Post
    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.
    Life is like a camera, just focus on what’s important and capture the good times, develop from the negatives and if things don’t work out, just take another shot. ~ Anonymous


    Guitars: 1967(year they came out): Fender Coronado II Wildwood I ,Fullerton ST- 4 Fat Strat , Esteban Legacy acous/elec,99 MIA Standard Fender Strat
    Amph's Original Roland Cube 15,Drive 30 w/spring reverb

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    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!
    Dee

    "When life's a biatch, be a horny dog"

    Amps: Marshall JVM 410H w/ Plexi Cap mod, Choke Mod & Negative Feedback Removal mod, 4x12", Behringer GMX110, Amplitube 3/StealthPedal

    Half a dozen custom built/bastardized guitars all with EMG's, mostly 85's, Ibanez Artwood acoustic & Yamaha SGR bass, Epiphone Prophecy SG, Vox Wah, Pitchblack tuner plus assorted pedals, rack gear etc. for home studio use.

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