Loopy String Question

[Roselynne]

Aloha Roselynne,
Look at my nunes....View attachment 67137 slip string inbetween peg slot of wooden tuning peg and just tie a knot from slipping and tighten as usual...after the knot you can cut or no cut the string. Hope it helps, good luck

Thanks! This does help! I don't do tuner knots on my other instruments (not even nylons), so that truly simple thought didn't even cross my mind.

My little nameless darlin' came from an excellent luthier who strongly recommended that I keep the loops but ... uhhh ... I forgot to ask him how to make 'em, and keep 'em looking good. Over time, they've gone straggly.

If the new strings can be trimmed, so much the better!

I would NEVER consider leaving a 6-string, or even a tenor ukulele, untrimmed. All steel strings, and wound nylon bass strings, are too sharp, heavy and pointy for my peace of mind. That, plus I can't even imagine leaving a classical guitar headstock shaggy.

Thanks again!

 

[iamesperambient]

Do any of you leave string ends uncut when re-stringing? If so, how do you make those loopy hoops at the tuners look so neat?

I ask because I've always trimmed my strings at the tuners. Now, however, I have one very old ukulele with violin pegs (just wooden pegs with slots in the top), and I'd like to change out its current gCEA strings and replace them with period-correct ADF#B strings.

Up 'til now I've been putting this off, because cowardice ... but I digress. Point is ... if ever there were a need to leave strings untrimmed, this is it!

Any wisdom would be warmly accepted. The only thing I don't want to do, at this point, is to modernize the tuners. I've got friction- and gear-tuned ukuleles, too, but I'm tryin' to keep this one authentic.

Many thanks in advance!

I wish i could pay someone to string for me mine always look crappy but of course they sound/work fine just not a very neat string installer :/

 

[mm stan]

Thanks! This does help! I don't do tuner knots on my other instruments (not even nylons), so that truly simple thought didn't even cross my mind.

My little nameless darlin' came from an excellent luthier who strongly recommended that I keep the loops but ... uhhh ... I forgot to ask him how to make 'em, and keep 'em looking good. Over time, they've gone straggly.

If the new strings can be trimmed, so much the better!

I would NEVER consider leaving a 6-string, or even a tenor ukulele, untrimmed. All steel strings, and wound nylon bass strings, are too sharp, heavy and pointy for my peace of mind. That, plus I can't even imagine leaving a classical guitar headstock shaggy.

Thanks again!

Aloha Roselynn...Usually guitar wound strings are so stiff the you just have to bend them to one side and they hold...as for length, yes they do scratch the head stock, cut them ..what I do on ukes and guitars with gloss finishes is use Blue paniter tape surrounding the tuning pegs and bridge to protect from scratches when installing wounded strings...an extra step but well worth the chance of scratching an very expensive finish and regretting it.... glad I could help you...Happy strummings..

 

[Roselynne]

I wish i could pay someone to string for me mine always look crappy but of course they sound/work fine just not a very neat string installer :/

Hey, if the strings play well ... No Harm, No Foul!

I do know some folks take their guitars down to the nearest music store and pay 'em to do the job. Others rely on friends, teachers and/or significant others. If you know a good restringer, for pay or for free, they may be able to show you some tricks. Then again .... take a good look at some pro players' headstocks. Not always pretty!

Restringing is one of the few skills I retained from my adolescent guitar fumbles, and I had (still have) a lot to relearn. On top of that, I added slotted headstocks to my crew. Some of my work looks pretty good; some of it, not so much. The worst job I saw on one of mine was performed by a guitar tech as part of a repair job.

Now, if I could only get the courage to learn to do my own setups ...

MMStan ... gotta get some painter's tape! Just changed a slotted head steel-stringed guitar for the first time. Thrills and chills, but both of us survived without scars. Satin finish, but scratches still show.

 

[mm stan]

Hey, if the strings play well ... No Harm, No Foul!

I do know some folks take their guitars down to the nearest music store and pay 'em to do the job. Others rely on friends, teachers and/or significant others. If you know a good restringer, for pay or for free, they may be able to show you some tricks. Then again .... take a good look at some pro players' headstocks. Not always pretty!

Restringing is one of the few skills I retained from my adolescent guitar fumbles, and I had (still have) a lot to relearn. On top of that, I added slotted headstocks to my crew. Some of my work looks pretty good; some of it, not so much. The worst job I saw on one of mine was performed by a guitar tech as part of a repair job.

Now, if I could only get the courage to learn to do my own setups ...

MMStan ... gotta get some painter's tape! Just changed a slotted head steel-stringed guitar for the first time. Thrills and chills, but both of us survived without scars. Satin finish, but scratches still show.

Roselynn.. you can use a thick card stock or business card and tape the sides...mo cheap...LOL painters tape is not as sticky but thinner... then there is green tape less sticker...ha ha
Buy me a couple in and out burgers and we can make a deal changing strings..LOL >>>>