String stretchin automation?

B

Bellzemos

New member
Hello!

Today a girl I know asked me if there exists (and if not, why not) a machine/device/tool with which one could stretch the string on a guitar, instead of doing it manually. It takes a long time, esp. if one uses Floyd Rose system or similar.

PS: I am talking about stretching strings after mounting them on the guitar, a new set.

So?
 
Re: String stretchin automation?

Excuse me
But what method are you using to stretch strings?
It is not that difficult at all

I slip a finger under the string at the 12th fret
When stringing up
Lift up till guitar.dangles gently underneath
Tune to pitch repeat once.or twice

Done an.done

Never return . Strings stretched
 
Re: String stretchin automation?

Its amazing how many people seem to want to find a machine to do simple tasks that they can easily do themselves.
Maybe the Frank Zappa quote should be changed a bit.....to 'the most common element in the universe is now laziness'
 
Re: String stretchin automation?

Eddie Van Halen used to boil his strings to reduce the stretchiness before he strung up his axe.
Just stretch the heck out of them when restringing before tuning.

Let's face it, the cheapest material on your guitar is the quarter's worth of steel in the string..... and you beat the hell out of it, and wonder why it's going out of tune.

You remind me of my days as a guitar tech at a big local music store. A parent came in and seriously asked why the factory didn't tune these damn guitars so they'd stay. I looked at him like he had 2 heads, and then asked, "Do you change the tires on your car?" He got the message.
 
Re: String stretchin automation?

I just play the dam things for awhile before locking the nut down. Lots of vibrato and bends.
I set the fine-tuners a bit to the lower-end on the plains and a bit closer to the top on the larger wounds, then lock it down.
Over time from re-tuning the fine-tuners will basically all end up at the middle of their range.
Once it's been tuned and locked I then slap that bar on and have some modest fun.
 
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Re: String stretchin automation?

I do have a plastic tool designed for that purpose that I use every so often - a few swipes with that lil' guy and it's a done deal. Another trick(?) I do is tune it up then play it emphatically (huge bends & vibrato) with it going out of tune but still playing it while it's out of tune (sounds like garbage but it's stretching them at that time), then tune up and do it again. A few of those rounds and it calms down.
 
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Re: String stretchin automation?

That sounds a lot like my technique
Just without the ear torture

So the answer to the OP is

Yes
 
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Re: String stretchin automation?

Another trick if you have a floyd rose is to tune it, pull up really far on the whammy bar, and then retune. Also another tip is to stretch the strings every time you detune as well. A lot of the times when you stretch the strings, it's also picking up the slack that might have gotten caught in the nut or saddles.
 
Re: String stretchin automation?

DankStar said:
I do have a plastic tool designed for that purpose that I use every so often - a few swipes with that lil' guy and it's a done deal. Another trick(?) I do is tune it up then play it emphatically (huge bends & vibrato) with it going out of tune but still playing it while it's out of tune (sounds like garbage but it's stretching them at that time), then tune up and do it again. A few of those rounds and it calms down.
Click to expand...

Yep....
 
Re: String stretchin automation?

I think the girl asking this Q had broken a fingernail or ruined her nail polish on the strings. Could also just be lazy too but I feel its the former.
 
Re: String stretchin automation?

Hehe, thanx for the asumption but she doesn't even play the guitar. I was telling her what a long procedure is to really fully stretch out strings when setting on new ones on a FR system and she asked if there's no tool in existence to make it easier. So I asked here and found String Stretcha. Maybe it's not too sophisticated but for the price, I'll give it a try.
 
Re: String stretchin automation?

I don't use a Floyd, but I was told that you should string the guitar, then lightly stretch the strings for a few pulls on each string and THEN lock down the nut. Letting it sit for a bit before locking it down is a good idea. In fact...

On my guitars, be it a Paul, 335, G&L with DF Vibrato or dreadnought...I try to string the guitar, lightly stretch the strings and then I like to let it sit for 24 hours before I play it, if at all possible.

I find that I have minimal tuning issues, and strings seem to last longer when using this technique.

Bill
 
Re: String stretchin automation?

John Suhr was on Guitar Wank podcast semi-recently. He briefly mentioned that Scott Henderson shouldn't stretch his strings, then they got sidetracked and went onto something else. I'm going to try to find out why he said that, and in the meantime, I'm trying not stretching them. Zero stretching on the NYXL 10s I just put on my Gibson, and they held tune very quickly.
 
Re: String stretchin automation?

I've never stretched strings. That's what playing them does.
You can lock nuts down without having stretched the strings at all,,,,you just want o set the fine-tuners a little lower than halfway on the plains,,,,,,,about halfway on the middle strings,,,,,,,and a little more than halfway up on the larger wounds.

Play them in and after you've re-fine-tuned a few times the fine-tuners end up all near their middle.

Still though, I usually wait until the next day to re-tune and lock the nut, unless I'm in a big hurry for some reason.
 
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Re: String stretchin automation?

Do strings really need to be "stretched"? I know that's what we call it but I thought it was the string settling into the tuner wraps, bridge saddles and tailpiece/sustain block. The strings themselves aren't actually stretching, right?
 
Re: String stretchin automation?

Well to be honest
I have locking tuners on all my guitars
I haven't tried not stretching

The next string change I will see what happens

On my acoustics
The tug seats the ball end in the bridge peg
 
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