do new strings need to be trimmed down?

[Squeegeeman]

I'm changing the strings on my mandolin for the first time and it seems the new ones are a lot longer than they need to be. It's taking forever to wind them up. Should I be cutting them shorter? If so, what's the length I should leave for the tuning pegs? If it matters, I'm putting a set of D'Addario J74 on a Epiphone MM-30.

[JeffD]

I always cut off the excess. Two winds or three winds around the capstan is enough to hold it.

[Gregory Tidwell]

Same here. I cut all but about 1/8 of an inch off.

[Squeegeeman]

Ok, thanks.

[lflngpicker]

Hi Squeegeeman, This is an informal description of the process, off the top of my head, from decades of changing strings: Make sure you put the string through the hole in the stem of the tuner and leave about 6-8" sticking out beyond the tuner. Give the string a bit of a bend against the hole to get it started and then carefully wind the string, letting it stack in a spiral. After you have 2-4 winds and it is tuned, give the string a bit of a tug and re-tune. Repeat this step and get it tuned to your electronic tuner or tuning fork another time. Play the mandolin for a half hour or so, then re-tune. This would be a good time to trim the string so that the excess is no longer than the height of the top of the post. You should be good!

[Paul Busman]

Someone here on the forum posted a way to figure out how much string to allow for the posts that was a "Well, DUH!" moment for me.
Put the string on the tailpiece, bring it up over the bridge and nut and up to the tuning post. Don't put it through the post yet. Wrap the string around the post first and then put the end through the hole. You may need to push the windings down with your fingernail so you can put the end of the string through the hole on top of them. Now, tighten up the string as usual. In this way there is no extra string to wind up so the string will come up to pitch very quickly. 2 or 3 turns for the wound strings, maybe 4 or 5 for the plain strings. I usually cut the loose ends off after the pitch of the strings has stabilized in a day or two. Changing strings in this way saves a huge amount of time and guesswork.

[Mandoplumb]

I lock my strings under the wind, so one wind or less is all it gets, never slips less "stretching" been doing that for years with no problem.

[Paul Hird]

Squeegeeman, just google replacing mandolin strings and click on the tutorial by Braid Laird. He gives a very detailed video approach to changing strings. It's very simple and you can change the strings while watching him rather than trying to interpret it from written form.

[Mickey King]

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musi...dostring1.html Make sure to keep hitting the more at the bottom to get the whole article. It kinda bugs me to see some folks leave the excess strings and wind into a circle. I guess that's a hipster thing or something, not right or wrong, just my pet peave.

[Tobin]

Someone here on the forum posted a way to figure out how much string to allow for the posts that was a "Well, DUH!" moment for me.
Put the string on the tailpiece, bring it up over the bridge and nut and up to the tuning post. Don't put it through the post yet. Wrap the string around the post first and then put the end through the hole. You may need to push the windings down with your fingernail so you can put the end of the string through the hole on top of them. Now, tighten up the string as usual. In this way there is no extra string to wind up so the string will come up to pitch very quickly. 2 or 3 turns for the wound strings, maybe 4 or 5 for the plain strings. I usually cut the loose ends off after the pitch of the strings has stabilized in a day or two. Changing strings in this way saves a huge amount of time and guesswork.

This is pretty much the way I do it. I hook it on the tailpiece, nestle it into the saddle and nut slots, and manually wrap it two or three times around the post. Then pull the free end through the hole. With one hand I keep some tension on the free end of the string to keep it from unwinding, and with the other I turn the tuner. It only takes a few twists to get it up to pitch, and it self-locks at the post due to the string kinking at the hole as it tightens. Once it's at pitch, I trim the end. As long as I've put enough wraps around the peg, it stays put. And it looks neat and tidy and clean, with equal numbers of wraps for each string gauge. I also like to orient the posts the same way for each pair in a course, and they're pretty reliable on ending up in the same orientation once they're up to pitch.

With this method there's no guessing on string length or slack, and I never have the problem of the loop slipping off the tailpiece. Some people resort to ridiculous measures like using tape, magnets, capos, etc., to keep the loops on the tailpiece or the strings in the slots, and they have to use special tools like string winders. That seems overly complicated and unnecessary. Even the locking turn at the post is unnecessary (and makes it a pain to get the string off later).

I don't want to be one of those guys who thinks that my way is the only "right" way, but I honestly don't understand why so many people insist on doing it the hard way for no good reason. As often as I change strings, I want it as quick and painless as possible, with no extra tools or doo-dads required.

[jhammond]

I'm not sure where I learned this or if anyone else uses it but I use this method often. I put the string in tailpiece and in the post. Then I put 3 or 4 fingers (whatever works depending on preference) under the string at about the 12th fret. I like and extra wind or two on the smaller strings. Then I bend it at the post and start winding. I also wrap the strings back around itself to lock it in place. Just a simple method I've used on mandolin and guitar for years. The fingers under the strings also help keep a little tension on them while winding. Of course you should move your fingers out of the way during winding or it can get a little uncomfortable.

I'm sure all the tutorials on stringing are great and probly better than me.

I agree, keep it simple.

[Timbofood]

The link Mickey posted is excellent!
I really dislike "tails" sticking out, a guy who played for kids a lot showed me the trick of just working the tail back and forth until it snaps off, the tail almost always breaks off under the winding so, no kids get poked when the get close to the peghead, saves a lot of crying!
Done it for years, don't need any extra clippers or tools at all, very convenient.

[pops1]

Someone here on the forum posted a way to figure out how much string to allow for the posts that was a "Well, DUH!" moment for me.
Put the string on the tailpiece, bring it up over the bridge and nut and up to the tuning post. Don't put it through the post yet. Wrap the string around the post first and then put the end through the hole. You may need to push the windings down with your fingernail so you can put the end of the string through the hole on top of them. Now, tighten up the string as usual. In this way there is no extra string to wind up so the string will come up to pitch very quickly. 2 or 3 turns for the wound strings, maybe 4 or 5 for the plain strings. I usually cut the loose ends off after the pitch of the strings has stabilized in a day or two. Changing strings in this way saves a huge amount of time and guesswork.

Guess that may have been me, posted it a while ago, and have been doing it for decades because it is quicker and easier. Glad someone thought it was a good idea.

[Mark Wilson]

It kinda bugs me to see some folks leave the excess strings and wind into a circle. I guess that's a hipster thing or something, not right or wrong, just my pet peave.

If you're talking about the cute loops made from the excess - I think it's ok to just call that WRONG. On all counts.

[Jeff L]

I broke my first string the other day and used this vid to learn how to put a new one on. Similar to Mandoplumb where the first wind locks it in. Worked like a charm.

[David L]

I knew a guitar player who wound the extra length into the little circles and SWORE that it added "resonance". He was wrong about a lot of other things, too.

[lflngpicker]

I found the different methods of string changing and removing the excess strand very interesting to read and hearing the description of small differences in the process makes for more knowledge. As Tobin said, there isn't necessarily only one right method, but there are principles. When you've done something as long as many of us have done it, what works well for an individual is the important thing. I think the Squeegeeman received a lot of good advice, from which there is much to glean.

[lflngpicker]

If you're talking about the cute loops made from the excess - I think it's ok to just call that WRONG. On all counts.

I remember Jim Croce loved to leave those loops on his Martin. A good friend of mine, who is an excellent musician, does the same (I always want to break out the wire cutters). He also wears white pants whenever he performs. Personally, I am a neat freak and like to clip the excess string off. These other guys get style points, possibly?

[Lord of the Badgers]

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musi...dostring1.html Make sure to keep hitting the more at the bottom to get the whole article. It kinda bugs me to see some folks leave the excess strings and wind into a circle. I guess that's a hipster thing or something, not right or wrong, just my pet peave.

yes, this. I can't do it any other way now. Same goes for my 6 string & tenor guitars. I get really itchy if I see people winding half a string around the capstans now! ha ha

[sgrexa]

I wish all tuners were like vintage Kluson strat type with a hole on the top to put the string in and a notch to bend the string before winding. Changing strings on a strat is almost pleasurable compared to changing mando strings.

Sean

[Barry Wilson]

I did a video for a friend of mine to show her how to string up. I learned this way long ago. using the cel in hand so was hard to show the actual process but the idea comes across

[Andy Miller]

Those loops of excess string. . . I cut them off the minute I see them, but that's usually right before I have to cut them off in order to get the strings off the instrument to work on it. They're not as bad as all the varieties of knots that some people like to tie their strings into in misguided attempts to make them stay put. And they're not as bad as leaving those deadly 1/2" or longer tails sticking out so they're guaranteed to stab someone.

The principles as I see it are:
1. A bare minimum of winds around the post - say two for the plain strings, one for the wound.
2. Capture the tag ends of the plain strings under one of the winds.
3. Make sure the winds are packed together.
4. Make sure the kinks/gaps are stretched/flattened out of the winds, they need to be tight around the post throughout.
5. Trim the tag ends close to the post so they don't stick out and stab you unless you're really asking for it.

[mbruno]

This is pretty much the way I do it. I hook it on the tailpiece, nestle it into the saddle and nut slots, and manually wrap it two or three times around the post. Then pull the free end through the hole. With one hand I keep some tension on the free end of the string to keep it from unwinding, and with the other I turn the tuner. It only takes a few twists to get it up to pitch, and it self-locks at the post due to the string kinking at the hole as it tightens. Once it's at pitch, I trim the end. As long as I've put enough wraps around the peg, it stays put. And it looks neat and tidy and clean, with equal numbers of wraps for each string gauge. I also like to orient the posts the same way for each pair in a course, and they're pretty reliable on ending up in the same orientation once they're up to pitch.

With this method there's no guessing on string length or slack, and I never have the problem of the loop slipping off the tailpiece. Some people resort to ridiculous measures like using tape, magnets, capos, etc., to keep the loops on the tailpiece or the strings in the slots, and they have to use special tools like string winders. That seems overly complicated and unnecessary. Even the locking turn at the post is unnecessary (and makes it a pain to get the string off later).

I don't want to be one of those guys who thinks that my way is the only "right" way, but I honestly don't understand why so many people insist on doing it the hard way for no good reason. As often as I change strings, I want it as quick and painless as possible, with no extra tools or doo-dads required.

So basically, instead of turning the tuning peg to wind the string, you guys are manually winding the string, then threading it through the tuning peg, then bringing it up to pitch... is that correct? Neat.

[Paul Busman]

Back in the day when more people smoked, I recall more than one guitar player leaving at least one string stub long and using it to hold a lit cigarette. They'd just stick the unlit end onto the string.

[Tobin]

So basically, instead of turning the tuning peg to wind the string, you guys are manually winding the string, then threading it through the tuning peg, then bringing it up to pitch... is that correct? Neat.

Yep, that's pretty much it. There's no need to do all that twisting of the tuner to get the string wound around the peg. Once you hook the loop onto the tailpiece, just pull the string up around the post and give it a couple of wraps, then fish the tail end through the hole (it helps to pinch the wraps around the post with one hand to keep them tidy while fishing the other end into the hole with the other hand). Tug on it to get it fairly snug and hold the tension with one hand while turning the peg with the other hand. After about three twists, it will have enough tension to hold itself on the post, and only takes a few more twists to get up to pitch. Then trim off the tail, and you're done.