Question On Changing Strings

Jay Hudson · From: Austin, Texas

Has anyone computed the length of each string past each tuner to allow for a proper wrap?
I keep ending up with too much or not enough wrap around the tuners.

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

Jay, Carter has a pretty informative tutorial on this subject Click Here

Jim Robbins · From: Ontario, Canada

Oddly enough, I was just thinking about that the other day, while replacing a string (I knew it needed replacing because it broke -- a dead giveaway.)

The circumference of the tuner is approximately 3.14 times the diameter (pi). So for every wrap you want, leave about 3 times the diameter of your tuner & a little extra to bend the string around itself.

Billy Murdoch · From: Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.

Jay,
I run the new string from the changer and cut it 3 fingers breadth past the peg/probably 3inches.
It works for me.
Best regards
billy

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

Jay,About 3&1/2inches seems to work for me,I've got a drill with a tip for changing strings,I changed 10 strings in about 3 minutes,and never cut myself...Soon I will be in Tejas. Rolling Eyes

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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Except for the 3rd string on the E9th, I use two tuning keys past the tuning key the string is to be wound on as a gauge. I don't know what that is in inches, but it works out good on my Franklin.

The 3rd string is 3 tuning keys past the tuning key for it.

Stephen Silver · From: Asheville, NC

I pretty much do what jack Stoner does except I do it with the 3rd as well, and shorten the length on the heavier wound bottom three strings as they do not need as many wraps to stay put. Pretty much the way I do it on 6 string guitars as well.

SS
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Phil Halton · From: Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA

On a related note, does it matter in which direction you spool the string-up the post towards the center of the keyhead, or down towards the base of the post?

I normally wrap down the post, but I notice that this causes an angled string from the roller to the post. That is, the string breaks off the roller, not in a straight line to the post, but at a slight angle. If I wrap to the center of the keyhead, then the string comes off the roller at less of an angle, and in more or less a straight line, but there's a danger of overwrapping and spilling off the end of the post if you're not careful(which I'm normally not).

I have a Carter single 10 and don't know if its peculiar to there guitars or not. I would think a straight line off the roller would be more desireable, but don't really know if its of any real consequence.
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Billy Murdoch · From: Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.

When completed all my strings leave the roller and go over the top of the tuning post.
Billy

Marc Jenkins · From: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

I try to keep the strings parallel to the nut as much as possible, winding top down. I wind the low G# and high B from the bottom up, as this seems to maximize sustain and minimize buzz at the roller nut.

Bo Legg · Posted 4 Jan 2008 2:04 pm

On a Sho-bud allow 3 extra inches and 3 extra people. One person to hold the light and one to hold the string in the changer and hold tension on the string and a nurse to take care of my bleeding finger and other trauma resulting from a predictable tantrum.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

For me, 2 to 4 wraps (less on the fatter strings) works well on the wound strings. For the plains, I like 7 to 10 wraps. This prevents slipping, and also breakage at the post.

I insert the strings from the left side, and cut them off only after they've wrapped once (this prevents slipping out of the hole). It also prevents ugly scratches on the keyhead area of the cabinet! If I ever get the capability, I'll do a short video to show my quick and fool-proof method. Smile

Doing this for almost 50 years has finally taught me what I believe is the best (and quickest) method.

YMMV

Bo Borland · From: South Jersey -

Aside from what Donny & Jack said...I try not to let the wrap overlap and I run them as straight as possible from the peg to the nut.
For changers with pins, I put a very slight bend at the wrap to help keep it on while I twist it up .
Like Donny I don't cut the wound strings until I get one wrap on and locked in. It keeps the wrap from slipping and making it a dead new string.
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Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

Phil Halton · From: Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA

Since two responses missed my point, I probably wasn't very clear. I'm not talking about whether the string should come off the roller and go under or over the post. Rather, whether the string should "wrap" or "spool" on the post downward toward the base of the post, or upward towards the top of the post. In other words, towards the outside of the keyhead (where the tuning knob is) or towards the center of the keyhead. The whole point being to keep the string in as straight a line as possible as it comes off the roller towards the post (from a perspective of standing over your guitar looking down at the keyhead).

Man! Words are a pain in the $$$.
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Jay Hudson · From: Austin, Texas

Hey guys, thanks for all the replys.
I'll check em' all out.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Phil, I wind them so the strings are straight as can be when I'm finished. On some of the tuners, this means winding toward the inside of the keyhead, and on some, it's away from the keyhead.

Don Brown, Sr. · From: New Jersey

Quickest and easiest is to turn the tuner so the hole for the string is slightly off of being horizontal insert the end of the string, from "Left to Right" through the tuner, (some make the mistake of inserting it from "Right to Left", the normal way it seems that it should be) that keeps the string from slipping back out, as well as not having to put a hard bend in it, until your ready for that part.

Then take the opposite end, and place it over the pin, or wherever it has to go. Then take up the slack by holding the string in the center, using the other hand to pull as much slack through the tuning peg as desired before making a sharp bend by pulling up harder on the string. Then go ahead and crank it up to tune.

You don't need anyone to hold anything and it actually takes no more than 30 seconds from start to finish. I use a string winder till I get up near pitch.

Only way I found that you can change a string in the middle of a song, while the lead takes over and have it changed in time to get back into it, without playing around the broken string.

I also have my plain strings precut. Not the wound, or at times, the winding comes loose. I cut them after a couple of winds.

With the plain being precut, you can go ahead and thread it through the tuning peg, like I said above, and then simply wind the tuner on around until the string hole is straight up and down, then pull the string to form the sharp bend, without it slipping out.

Note: You may not want to precut before being able to get onto that precedure. Since I actually go by the feel of the string to determine exactly how far around I turn the tuner, before pulling up hard, to create the bend, or you may find it slips out on you if not use to doing it that way, and thereby ruining a string. Like anything else. Practice makes perfect.

Sounds complicated, but it's not at all. But it is super fast and easially done.

Don

Louis Vallee · From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

I use 3 tuning keys of length.

In the case of the E9th 3rd string only, I use 5 tuning keys of length.

Bill Duve · From: Limestone .New York, USA

Youre right Louis

Just for what my 2 cents worth is worth Rolling Eyes

I was taught to make it end up as straight as possible when its wound however long it needs to be make it end up there BUT,
One of the pros also showed me that making the 3rd string wind up slightly off center (longer) helped to get rid of an irritating string rattle...
A slight side load on the roller .

John Lockney · From: New Market, Maryland, USA

Every time I change strings I think of an article from years ago in a guitar magazine where they mentioned that "B.B. King uses the ENTIRE string. You ever heard B.B. King go out of tune ?" -- I wasn't using the entire string but, way too much on plain ones.

The "two posts past" guideline worked really well for me last night, saved a lot of time. And, pre-cutting spares before a gig is a brilliant idea.

What about the low "C" ? I had changed this one before reading this thread and ended-up with an ugly wad... is this a special case where two wraps will do it or, is there a special rule-of-thumb ?

John Fabian · From: Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.

Here is a string changing video taken from the Tech Stuff section of our new Smart Start Plus DVD. (It has replaced the old Smart Start Video we sent out with every Carter and Magnum. Carter Starters get the Quick Start DVD.)

http://www.cartersteelguitars.com/supportvideos/changing_strings.html

Caution: In spite of the use of Flash video, the video file is large. I would appreciate feedback on the downloading time from people using a dial up connection. (OK, not bad, took too long, the sun will probably burn out before it loads, glaciers move faster, etc.)

Ulf Edlund · From: Umeå, Sweden

John,
I don't know much about glaciers, but on a 56k modem it took almost four minutes of loading before you got past the string cut- unwound and thrown away-part.
I guess "Slow Whoa!

" would be a quite accurate rating.

Uffe
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Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

John, I clicked on your link and it took about two seconds to start playin. Of course I have a fast cable connection.

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

I tend to use the same method as is on the video. Especially with the 3rd(E9th) and 10th(C6th). I also use changing strings as a chance to check the nut rollers and get them a drop of oil.

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