String changing tip.... if you don't do it, try it!

[red5]

Hey all, I was just restringing my Les Paul and realised how well my little trick to make new strings stay in tune works, so I thought that I would share. If you don't do this already, you should!

I put the string on and tune it to pitch, and then put a finger or two beneath the string and pull the string up (outwards, not like bending up) pretty hard, tune it up to pitch and viola, the string will stay in tune. May not be the best idea if your guitar is a string breaker, but none of mine are and it works beautifully!

Just thought I'd share

[Shredder87]

I do that too... I think that's what you're meant to do when you change your strings.

DEFINATELY do this if you have a double-locking, will save you a lot of hassle tuning up all the time.

[RSVampire]

yeah that's just called stretching the string. Planetwaves/D'Addario have a string winder that has a string stretcher and acoustic bridge pin puller and string cutter all on the tool.

[brothersnowgone]

Yeah it pretty stupid not to do it, becuase everyday you wake up and wanna play you'll have to retune untill they're fully stretched which could last a week or two. It's a better idea to do this several times until you can stretch them 2 times significantly and it not affect tuning...

[red5]

Originally Posted by RSVampire

yeah that's just called stretching the string. Planetwaves/D'Addario have a string winder that has a string stretcher and acoustic bridge pin puller and string cutter all on the tool.

Like I need a tool to do what I can do with my bare hands... come on, the next thing they will invent is a robot that plays for you.

[JESTER700]

Originally Posted by red5

Like I need a tool to do what I can do with my bare hands... come on, the next thing they will invent is a robot that plays for you.

Yeah, but if (like me) you string a few guitars at once, it can get annoying on your hands. Well, on MY pretty, manicured hands, anyway...

I don't have such a tool, but I might get one next time I order something.

[gu1tar]

Originally Posted by red5

Like I need a tool to do what I can do with my bare hands... come on, the next thing they will invent is a robot that plays for you.

I would buy a robot that plays for you because I'm not that good at tabbing and I could watch him and tab from there.

[Lefty Robb]

Originally Posted by red5

the next thing they will invent is a robot that plays for you.

what now?

http://www.me.gatech.edu/mechatronic...3/mechanic.htm

[lyconxero]

Yeah, it's just called stretching the strings and I would hope that most everyone is doing this now but I've noticed that everyone ISN'T. Even the guys from my band had never seen it done and when I was doing it to a guitar that I re-strung in front of them they simply asked me why I was doing that and why weren't the strings breaking even though I was applying considerable force.

I told them that stretching the strings right from the beginning takes out a lot of the initial slack in the strings that causes them to go out of tune so you won't have to play them for weeks before they finally settle in tune (and by that time have totally lost that new string greatness). Also, I have definitely broken my fair share of strings while stretching but the trick is simply to learn the limitations of each gauge of string so that you can apply the max amount of tension without breaking the string. On guitars with floating bridges, I'll actually stretch each string atleast 3 times before I lock down the neck to insure that all of the extra stretch is out of the strings.

[King Nothing]

I do this too! My only wish is that it came written on paper with every guitar and every pack of strings. More people need to do this. My friend could never figure out why is guitar went out of tune (floyd rose trem) so he finally gave up and stopped locking it down at the nut at all. COME ON!

[brothersnowgone]

Yeah they should stretch strings at the factory so that you just need a quick restretch when you get them and they're ready for whammy work.

[hall]

I've seen some suggest pulling *up* on the tremolo as another method of stretching strings. You never really know if you're pulling too much though and where the threshold is for breaking a string or two or three. At least with using the one-at-a-time method, i.e. using your fingers, you can't pull too hard 'cause the unwound strings can HURT !!

[Racerx2k]

When guys DON'T do this, this is when you pretty much hear them bitchin about their guitars. It's not the guitar that's the problem: It's the inexperienced owner. ALWAYS stretch your strings after installment. Trust me, if MY guitar can stay in tune (provided there aren't any real issues with the guitar), so can yours.

[Bzz]

Mmm my speedloader strings come pre-stretched It's delicious!

[Dee]

String stretching is something I've pretty much always done. When I first saw a guy in a music store doing it, I asked what the hell he was doing!