Very unusual string slippage

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

I got my new tricone a couple of weeks back. Since I use a low C6 on it, I had to change the strings. I don't wrap the strings around the posts much, just a time or three. I leave the string intact for several days to allow for slippage. Only then do I clip the ends. But when I did it on this guitar the 1st string, a 15 E string slipped all the way off the post!!! Whoa!

I put a new string on there and repeated the process. It didn't slip all the way off again. But almost. Does anybody have any ideas about this?
_________________
Amor vincit omnia

Jude Reinhardt · From: Weaverville, NC

Clip the string before you wind it, not after. I stretch the string, stick if through the string post hole and cut it off so there's about 2" sticking through the hole and put a bend in the end of the string. Use small pliers and bend about a quarter inch of string back so it's less than 90⁰, like this, >, then pull the bend back to the post and keep the slack out of the string with your other hand and wind as usual. Won't slip, I promise.
The amount of string sticking through the string post before you cut is a trial and error process. I like to have two or three windings on the wound strings and four or five on the plain ones.

Jude
_________________
"If we live in fear of banjos, then the banjos have won".

"Man cannot live by bread alone, he must have Peanut Butter". - Kruger Bear

Randy Cordle · From: Illinois, USA

Hi Edward,
Here's a quick diagram of how I string instruments. The post shown is on the bass side, obviously it is reversed on the treble side. Hold the string with enough slack to allow 1 wrap around the post, that's all that is necessary. Extra wraps can cause tuning problems. Stretching of the string is also important in the stringing process.
Sorry if this seems too basic, but it's something that a lot of new players are unfamiliar with.
Randy

_________________
www.Bluestemstrings.com

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

You need to wind enough on the post to get the string down as close as you can to the bottom of the post. That gives you some downward pressure at the nut and will help the sound of the guitar.

All you need to do is start your string winding around the peg and then bring the string back up over one loop and then continue winding the rest of the way down. The loop winding on itself will press against that loop and lock the string against the peg and will never slip. I have never had one slip in over 40 years.

Also make sure that the post does not have any kind of lube on it at all either from lubing the gears or for unintended contact with oil from your fingers etc.

Harry Dietrich · From: Robesonia, Pennsylvania, USA, R.I.P.

I go through the hole 2 times...just like tying an improved clinch knot in fishing. Never fails. After the string is wound on the post, then I cut off the excess.

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

Thanks everybody. I've been playing quite awhile. But I don't mind going back to basics when that's what's called for. This is something I've never had a problem with before. So I have never paid ANY ateention to how it might be done. Now I have some options.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

All this discussion depends on the holes in the tuner posts. Some tuner posts have quite a chamfer on the holes, which makes it hard to keep the small gauge strings from pulling through. Others have holes without much chamfer, which seem to work OK.
When I took some lessons in the 40s, my teacher told me to put the first and second strings through the tuner posts twice, like Harry Dietrich said above. I don't usually put the second string through twice, but usually the first string.

I'm with you Harry Very Happy

Harry Dietrich · From: Robesonia, Pennsylvania, USA, R.I.P.

Bill

I put ALL the strings thru twice...even the wound ones. The holes on my Gibson EH150 are large enough to do that. Just a dumb habit I guess, but it works.

Harry Oh Well

Bill Leach · From: Cheshire, england

Hi Edward,
you've not said what type of posts are on your tuners.
I've seen all sorts of ways that guitarists re string their guitars, but I've had nearly every type of guitar tuners at some point and have never had a problem with string slippage. I just wind them round about 3 turns, keeping the tension on the string as I wind and do it as neatly as possible. The only type I do differently is with nylon strings and my 1929 tricone where I trap the loose end under the wraps as I turn the tuners, this may work for you. This site explains a good method of stringing resonators well:
http://littlebrotherblues.com/Gear/National-EN-Setup/StringingTips.html
I always cut them to length after I've tuned up, but that's just habit. Most modern tuners are very forgiving, so I'd be interested to know what type of tuners are on the tricone.

Bill

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

More good info. Well, as I said earlier, I haven't paid much attention to tuners before. Mine look very similar to the ones in the illustrations. But with enclosed gears. They are the standard tuners for Republic squareneck tricones. But I couldn't find any additional information from the website. Confused

_________________
Amor vincit omnia

Bill Leach · From: Cheshire, england

Looking at the Republic site, it looks like you are going to have to trap the string with one of the methods that people here have mentioned. I personally don't like putting the string more than once through the hole as I find it more fiddley to change the string quickly. The method shown on that web site definitely works on my tricone.

Forum Index > Steel Without Pedals		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: