The best way to install guitar strings?

[guitarrob]

Re: The best way to install guitar strings?

People have different methods and opinions, which is why I started the thread to hear different personal methods on this procedure.

 

[constant mesh]

Re: The best way to install guitar strings?

Three fingers and an "S" bend is all you need. Anything else is a waste of time and energy.

Floyd guitars, ball end at the tuner and snip off at the back of the trem.

It just depends on the instrument, some might benefit structurally with what I described before. Sure it won't make the instrument playing any different than before if both done correctly.

 

[Kam]

Re: The best way to install guitar strings?

Three fingers and an "S" bend is all you need.

That's what I do, too. Fifteen minutes or so of heavy playing to stretch them out and my Tele will come out of the case in tune for a week.

 

[shawn7oh]

Re: The best way to install guitar strings?

This is almost correct, except all wraps go under the thread hole, though i doubt it matters that much. You will get it with practice. After threading the 1 1/2" make a 90 degree (perpendicular) bend the excess back toward (against) the direction you are winding from, at the post. Guide it around as you begin winding. Use an easy winder or comparable winder. For wound strings typically E_A_D or 6-5-4 you want 2 neat wraps under the top hole or slot, and for plain strings G-B-E or 3-2-1 you want 3 neat wraps. After winding the wrapped strings I put a 90 degree bend about 1/3" from the post on the excess and cut off at 1/4" above the bend. This leaves a neat appearance as well. After stringing tighten each string: sharp tug up about 3/4" to remove all slack, do it at the 5th, 12th, and 15th frets. tune back up and repeat if necessary.

I'll post this again with a photo tomorrow. After going nuts with this for years, i found a website of a guitar repair guru who said he often gets jobs because the strings are improperly wound, lol, this is his technique. I tried it and never looked back. The first bend locks it and prevents the winding from slipping on good sounding cheap ass strings, the second little bend thing after winding may be a fender recommendation, i don't recall, more cosmetic.

NOte: there are no "knots" or cross over or under of the strings at any time.

I normally bend a new string around 1 1/2" beyond the string post it's going in. First wrap goes over the tail, all the others go under, neatly stacked under one another. The number of wraps is largely determined by how accurately I put that first bend in and the thickness of the string (you get slightly more wraps as you go down in gauge).

 

[ExplorersRock]

Re: The best way to install guitar strings?

I think that everyone has a method and most of it will be a "this is what works for me" situation, but mostly will be preference as opposed to the right or wrong way. I'll share what I do but I'm only going to endorse it as what works for me.

Most of guitars have locking tuners which makes this easy. I'm trying to change them all to lockers; it makes restringing faster and even on a hardtail, when you bend there are no wraps to pull at and the guitar (my experience) stays in tune better. Many people believe it unnecessary but for me I like it. These are easy: unlock the tuner, pull the string through the tuning peg until it's tight, then lock the tuner. Tune up to pitch, stretch 'em out, call it a day. Oh, and grab a beer and watch the game on TV, plenty of time left to now! :banana:

On your standard tuning peg, I pull through enough slack to get two, three wraps max and wrap so that the all wraps lie on top of the string going through the post. Not sure if this is "right or wrong" but it's what my tech suggests because the increased pressure creates a deeper break angle which allows more tension as it goes over the nutt, which is important on non-angled headstocks. Then, stretch 'em out and call it a day. Not really sure if this is right or wrong but it works for me.