Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

[kramersteen]

Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

I don't and i never have but forum member greekdude seems to think its essential. So it got me thinking what do you guys do?

I am a chronic EB slinky 9-42 man btw. So pink so good.

 

[Archer250]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

Yes, I do.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

I just string them up, do the setup, play it.

Then tune it again on the next play. Never once have i had a problem even with bar abuse.

 

[Lovegun]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

I tune the strings, then stretch 'em and tune and stretch them 2 times more. Of course tune the strings one more time. Never had any major out of tune issues.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

I stretch them. I think apart from stability issues..it also makes the guitar sound more open..

 

[DreX]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

I think you have to. I think what happens is the strings get hung up on the tuning pegs due to friction when you tune it up for the first time, and pulling the strings introduces enough sudden tension to get them unstuck and truly tighten around the peg.

Danny Gatton also recommended doing in it a well known guitar lesson video he did, which is now on Youtube.

 

[greekdude]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

ibanezrules has a whole chapter on stretching. You can get away with strats, but not double action : dive/pull floyd rose guitars, IMHO.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

jesus haha i swear my slinky packets use to say pre stretched aiiiiiiiiiiiii

 

[Il_Bès]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

Definitely, at least with non-locking tuners.
This is the usual procedure that I follow:

1. string;
2. tune;
3. stretch;
4. tune;
5. stretch;
6. tune;
7. stretch;
8. tune

there you go.

I don't really grab the idea of pre-stretching, or whatever. As I see it, you could pre-stretch, say, a .09 set to fit a 25.5" scale, but if you put that in a shorter scale guitar, you would likely end up with the strings always going a wee bit sharp. Am I missing something?
Also, the only way to dispense with stretching should be to apply by hand the same tension as needed to be in tune prior to locking the machine heads, but again, I have no experience with lockers. Any elaboration would be appreciated.

Andrea

 

[blueman335]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

jesus haha i swear my slinky packets use to say pre stretched aiiiiiiiiiiiii

You need to stretch strings for the way they're wrapped around the tuner pegs, to get the slack out. How do you pre-stretch for that?

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

You need to stretch strings for the way they're wrapped around the tuner pegs, to get the slack out. How do you pre-stretch for that?

I just hold a small amount of the slack and guide it in. Like i said i only use eb slinkys and i swear they come pre-streched from the factory.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

Well at least a quick google search has revealed i am not alone. :18:

edit - i thought maybe this ''non stretching'' business has resulted in over winding the machine heads without realizing. So i went to the closest guitar near me and took a picture.

Ummmm no.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

I just hold a small amount of the slack and guide it in. Like i said i only use eb slinkys and i swear they come pre-streched from the factory.

They cannot possibly be pre-stretched for slack around the posts. No matter how hard you try, there will always be some slack there when you put on new strings. As you bring them up to pitch and play and bend, they'll slip out of tune as the slack is worked out. There's two meanings to 'stretching strings': one can be done before they're installed, the other can't be done until after they're installed and up to pitch. This concept seems to be eluding you.

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

i stretch em.
i read an ace frehely interview many many years ago where he describes how he does it, i've done it that way ever since.
and i don't even like kiss.

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

Never heard of pre-stretched strings. The again I haven't put anything on an electric but regular d'adds for twenty years.

Tune, stretch, tune strum vigorously for a few minutes, tune, done.

 

[Mathías Gabriel Rock]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

What I do is holding the strings really hard while stringing so it gets as tight as it can in the first tune. I use my right hand for that, it's hard to explain but it doesn't hurt the string at all. Then play, tune one more time after a few bends and there you go. Zero slack.

Oh, and I use EB Hybrid.

 

[greekdude]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

^^^ i do that as well, i try to press with the right hand as i turn the keys.

 

[Archer250]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

^^^ i do that as well, i try to press with the right hand as i turn the keys.

I do that AND stretch the strings afterwards.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

I think it saw some at a guitar show within the past year or so that were advertised as pre-stretch, but I took that as for what you would normally do for the business end of the string. I'd still expect normal rules to apply at the tuning pegs. Since all mine have double locking terms, I've done the stretching routine for so many years that it's part of my routine and pre-stretched sting don't really appeal.


Sent from my armored space station via iPad using Tapatalk

 

[wolf5150]

Re: Do you stretch your strings when installing a new set?

The Anderson technique works well. Once to pitch, fret the 1st fret and give each string a light tug to remove any slack at the post and block.
Then do a whole step bend on the plain strings only starting at the 3rd fret and go up 2 frets at a time.
Retune after each string.
After a few times the tuning remains stable after a bend.
Then its done.