Changing broken string fast

Mitch Adelman · From: Pennsylvania, USA

I've had a recent spell of breaking strings on stage during a song. Frantic to change it while everyone is watching, the hardest part is getting the old string off due to the wraps around the peg. Would it be better to have just a couple of wraps so I can pull the string off easily without turning the tuning peg during the crisis? I know you are suppose to wrap it around the peg quite a few times for tuning stability but I need advice to get the change done as fast as possible before the next tune starts and was thinking about just one or two wraps around peg. Any ideas to shorten the pain and stress? Thanks

Roger Crawford · From: Griffin, GA USA

I keep a couple of 3rd and 5th strings already cut to length to bypass that part of the process while on stage.

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

Get a string winder or better yet, Bobbe Seymour sells a gizmo that goes on the end of an electric screw driver to wind strings. Some of these electric screw drivers are very small and inexpensive and you can change a string in a jiffy.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

There's also this unit!

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

My experience only - for a plain string, one or two wraps around the peghead means tuning instability unless the string is tie-locked to the peghead somehow. At least 3, preferably 4-5 wraps for me. It doesn't take long to get even 4-5 wraps off. If I'm in a rush, I rapidly crank it loose with the string winder and just pull it off sideways. Roger has a good idea to pre-cut some strings.

Some people do use a simple tie-lock to cut down the number of wraps needed. It takes more time for me to fool with that tie-lock than to take a few more wraps off. I also frequently slice my finger up dealing with the tie-lock on a dimly lit stage - the only time it ever happens is if someone else put a string on my guitar, usually a 6-string - some of the luthiers I know do love to tie down those strings.

Of course, YMMV - you can always try out your ideas and see what happens.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Funny you should bring this up. Saturday night, I just broke a 3rd string (first one in at least a year or two). I was able to get it changed and back in tune during the time span of one song.

To get the old string off, I don't turn the peg to unwind. I use my fingers to manually take the string off the shaft as it is much quicker.

Don't skimp on the windings on the new string, especially the thin plain strings. Not a good idea. I use a Planet Waves hand string winder with built in cutters. That Ernie Ball electric winder is a good idea too.

Try to learn when the 3rd (I am assuming that's the one that broke) and even the 5th are getting to the breaking point. I change those two 1 or 2 times in between each full string change. Some other signs are the string going dead, not staying in tune, hard to tune open and the pedal change. Learning that and changing strings often will stop most of the breakages. Of course there are times when they will break with no warning or after only a short time on the guitar. The one I broke was only on the guitar a few weeks (maybe 5 or 6 gigs).
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Dick Sexton · From: Greenville, Ohio

I'm a nobody, but breaking a string on a gig is no fun for me or anyone else. Went through a rash of breakages, 3rd and 5th. Now if I'm gigging Friday night, I change 3 and 5, maybe 6 on Thursday. Always, new and fresh strings. New isn't always fresh, if it's been in a music store in an open box for months.

Then I change each string at home like I was gonna have to sit down a play a song as soon as I was done. Plan ahead, know where your tools are, know where your strings are, become a quick change artist, you'll be glad you did and anyone watching you will be amazed. 60 seconds is a long time, if you've planed ahead.

mike nolan · From: Forest Hills, NY USA

With one of the electric string winders in reverse, you can pull a string off in a hurry. I always use at least 4 winds on the plain strings to insure tuning stability. It isn't really worth making a quick string change if it means fooling with the tuning for the rest of the set.

Does this rash of string breakage coincide with some other factor like changing brands of strings, new guitar, etc?

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Get a string winder. It's standard equipment if you are playing out. Even a manual one is good. You can get one with a string nipper at one end and a winder on the other.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

I am a firm believe in 3 or 4 wraps on your small strings. What you want is enough wraps to get you on solid shaft away from the hole the string end goes through on the tuner shaft. I shorted one to a couple wraps tuned it up and got back in playing. Things fell in line with the string pulling on the edge of the hole on the tuner shaft. I shoved down on the pedals and the string broke on the key head end. It came accross my bar hand and the end of that string went to the bone of my ring finger on my right hand. Ouch Ouch Ouch. It only took that once to say, take your time and do it right, the first time. Good Luck Happy Steelin

Clete Ritta · From: San Antonio, Texas

I know its not very popular, but I change them on steel just like I do on 6 string.
Very little winds. (All except the 3rd on E9. I use the same method, but add more slack to enable a few winds past the hole with a string winder).

Heres my quick change method:
String end thru the hole at tuner first, aligned horizontally, then attach ball to pin.
Press right thumb over changer to form the string around the changer and hold ball on pin.
With left hand, pull string tight thru hole, bend back towards changer, under the string towards the key, pull tight and bend back again. I usually clip the string end short here.
Pull the string up at the 12th fret and wind up to pitch by hand.
Its very fast and once you get the hang of it, it makes it easier to add more winds if you want by holding the string above the 12th fret as you make the first bend so theres enough slack to make a few winds.
Hardest part is keeping the ball on the pin while pulling up with the right hand, and making the bend with the left hand. This is why pulling the string tight when first bending is so much quicker.

If you wanna add winds, another way is to add about two or three tuner heads distance to the string length.
Make the bends first at the tuner key, then attach the ball to pin.
Keeping tension on the changer, pull up until the string is tense with one hand, then start winding with a string winder quickly, while pulling up at the same time at the 12th fret. This is probably a common way to add winds when changing a string, though takes a bit longer.
Try to avoid any unnecessary bending or kinks. Ideally just two bends at the key is it.
Im a righty, and find it easier to wind with the right hand quickly while applying tension with the left hand.
This is the quickest way I know how to change a string before the end of the song. Laughing

I dont experience any tuning instability by using fewer winds, but do increase chance of low guage plain string breakage. The key is properly stretching them out well as they are being tuned by pulling and pushing on them and using the raise pedals.
Oddly, the 3rd is the only string I add extra winds to, and its the one I most usually break. Rolling Eyes

Clete

Mitch Adelman · From: Pennsylvania, USA

Great ideas. My downfall was having too many winds on shaft and trying to get them off in frantic state. The fingers get poked (ouch) and it seems the string knots up making for an ordeal. In fact, the other night I couldn't get that old string off the shaft even with my winder so I actually put the new string on over it just to get through the set.My old tele has a slot on the peg instead of a hole that enables the string to come off real easy. That would be nice for a steel! Thanks all.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

I'm glad I have a Kline!

Clete Ritta · From: San Antonio, Texas

Bill Terry · From: Bastrop, TX

Bill Terry · From: Bastrop, TX

oops.. double post
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Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

A very small diagonal cutter is a great tool to have on hand for clearing out that pesky 3rd string, which in my case has an extra loop through the tuning post and cannot be as easily pulled off by hand as the other strings can.

The absolutely most important thing to remember when changing strings on the bandstand is that if think you are in a hurry it will take you longer every time. Just breathe easy, approach the job one step at a time and you will get 'er done toot sweet!

Al Michalczak · From: San Antonio, Texas, USA

I just added a carpenter pencil to my seat. i use it to hold the ball end on the peg of the changer. That allows me to use both hands at the tuner end. Really speed things up both on the bandstand and when doing a complete srinng change. Plus the pencil only costs 10 cents. Works for me.

Al

Larry Bressington · From: Nebraska

Peg winder, i only change strings on stage at 5pm if possible once a month at least playing every weekend.
I haven't broke a 3rd string in years during a show set, i switch that one out every 2 weeks.

I measure the string from finger to about 3 inches past peg and then cut it, slap it into the finger and peg and wind keeping it taught once it gets a bite!
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Tim Heidner · From: Groves, TX

Why don't steel players use locking tuners?

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Tim Heidner · From: Groves, TX

[quote="Richard Sinkler?[/quote]

Call me dumb, but why?[/quote]Because they are really easy to change a string on quickly. You don't have to fool with all those wraps, just run the string through, pull it tight and lock it down. Wind it about a quarter turn and you're good to go! You also don't have all those wraps left on the post when one breaks.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

If the locking tuners in question have a knurled knob on the back like some Sperzels, it would be kinda awkward to get a good grip on the knob. And on a double-necked guitar, the first two tuners on the C6th keyhead might block access to the last two tuners on the E9th keyhead. They would work better on a single-necked guitar, but the access to the knob is still inhibited by the keyhead being mounted to the top deck, and by the way the keyhead is stepped back for each successive tuner. Not free in space like on a Tele. I've used Bob's tuners, on my 6-stringers, ever since he brought them out, and have had occasion to talk to him, as he's here in town.
A couple of years ago, while working for a steel manufacturer, I called Bob about his new design. We both thought they could work for steel guitars, as there's no moving post inside the tuner's shaft. But,,, they're kinda wild-lookin'!

Go here, and scroll down to the Sound Lok tuners, and the description of their workings;
http://www.sperzel.com/Models_Colors.asp

Edited to add; Seems to me that some company does use locking tuners.

mike nolan · From: Forest Hills, NY USA

Bill Rudolph used to add locking tuners as an option on his guitars. I don't know if he still does. He did not put them on the 1st and 3rd strings though, I don't remember the reason, but they wouldn't work there. I have them on my S-10 Williams. I never did think that they were much of an advantage though, and sometimes I have to spend a lot of time aligning the holes in the pegs.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Thanks Tim. I am now a little smarter than I was. I wasn't exactly sure what the locking tuners were all about. The description on Sperzel's site makes it sound similar in concept to the way keyless steels work. On the Kline I used to have, you had a finger behind the roller nut that the string mounted to. after running the string over the roller nut, it went through a hole in the finger and you pulled it as tight as you could. Then it wrapped over the finger and wrapped around an allen head cap screw that tightened onto the string. If these tuner would work on a steel, I can now see an advantage if they are as easy to use as the Kline system I just described.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

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