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Author Topic: restringing tips and setup ideas  (Read 10214 times)

Offline nathanmanansala

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restringing tips and setup ideas
« on: March 16, 2013, 12:43:01 PM »
there was a recent question sa PM FB group asking how many times strings should wrap around the string post for Gibson type headstocks. i've seen a lot of messy restrings too so i thought i'd share how i keep it looking neat (which helps with tuning stability i think). with pics!!! :-P

1) use no more than 3 wraps areound the string post. 2 on the wound strings, 3 in the plain ones would be ideal. like this:


2) use the post further towards the head's end as reference. if you're stringing the 6th, lay out the string and mark where it goes over the 5th string post (gripping it there would do) then string it through the 6th string post only up to that point. this give you just enough slack to go around the post 2 times for the wound strings and 3 for the plain ones approximately. sa fender heads, grip it between the 5th and 4th string posts. this is to be repeated for the other strings.

3) i dont like "knotting" the strings kasi it give the strings too sharp a notch that they could later break on. instead i prefer using opposing angles and edges for the strings to catch on and grip. like when the string goes through the post, sa opposite side of the hole i bend it the opposite direction. sa entry side of the whole, it will be bend towards the body so sa exit side of the whole i bend it towards the head end. this kinks, pulls and catchesit against 2 edges to grip as tension is added to helps prevent slippage.


4) sa 1st wind go over the string entry point then under for the rest. this "pinches" the wound strings as you wind around the post helping prevent slippage (again). saw this in an erlewine article sa magazine back in the 90s. like this:

another angle:


4) tune to pitch then stretch the slack between tuner post and nut by bending it sharply sa first 3 frets


repeat 3x retuning between each stretching.

5) stretch out the string some more between the nut and bridge. i usually lift it sa 12th fret (not too much, you dont want to break it) and pull each string over the strings adjacent to it on the bass and treble side

repeat 3 to 5 times retuning after each stretching or until it doesnt go flat anymore after each stretching.

6) play the damn thing. then come back and check again a few hours later and check if the strings still stretch out of tune. it usually wont but if it does, just retune and st recth a bit more.

bridge setup ideas:
i like the stop tail studs flush to the body but sometimes that results in a beak angle so sharp it will touch the back of your bridge and this can push your abr1 forward so hard, the posts will eventually bend or come loose where it goes into the body. i've seen it happen to one les paul a few years back. so i've started top wrapping. with the strings touching just the saddles, they seem to sound out clearer (dont really know why but it sounds like that to me.

stop tail flush to body, top wrapped:


strings go over the saddles cleanly and do not touch the back edge of the bridge:


got any setup tips you'd like to share?

Offline nathanmanansala

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2013, 12:47:19 PM »
oh and i leave a little excess string past the tuning posts cuz i'm a tinkerer and it gives me more string to work with if i have to loosen them to tweak something like swapping the pickups or magnets in the pickups but if you're sure the next time you unwind the strings is when you'll be changing them, snip them closes but leave about a half inch from the post. you dont want it to slip there too.

Offline gunlak

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2013, 01:02:58 PM »
I floss the strings on the saddles and the nut to eliminate any small burrs then I lubricate them with graphite everytime I restring.
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Offline Al_Librero

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2013, 01:28:29 PM »
Don't use pencil lead as nut and saddle lubricant.
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Offline Gunslinger

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2013, 01:33:33 PM »
Don't use pencil lead as nut and saddle lubricant.

Marami pa din gumagawa nito. May magpapasetup sakin "sir lagyan mo ng pencil lead! alam mo yun?"

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Offline nathanmanansala

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2013, 01:38:31 PM »
Don't use pencil lead as nut and saddle lubricant.
what do you use instead?

Offline gunlak

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2013, 01:51:42 PM »
why not?
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Offline Gunslinger

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2013, 01:58:38 PM »
why not?

It's not pure graphite. It also contains clay (and wax too, I believe). Using pencil lead on your guitar as a lubricant will just damage it in the long run because of the clay content. I stopped using pencil lead on my bone nut years ago.
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Offline bryvincent

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2013, 03:22:53 PM »
if you have a good set-up already, its good to record all measurements( string action, relief, pickup height etc.) for future use in case you have to work on the guitar again. saves you tons of time rather than eyeballing it all over again. its also a reference if ever your guitar suddenly feels and sounds different or developed string buzz. i always re-check the measurements after restringing just in case if the saddles or bridge moved while stringing.

another tip is to change strings one at a time if you don't need all the strings off specially if you have a floating trem. it also lessens the risk of accidentally messing your set-up.

Offline iced.ink.used.ink

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2013, 03:45:05 PM »
It's not pure graphite. It also contains clay (and wax too, I believe). Using pencil lead on your guitar as a lubricant will just damage it in the long run because of the clay content. I stopped using pencil lead on my bone nut years ago.

Ngayon ko lang nalaman to -Thanks sa info.but I don't use graphite pencil.
Kakagamit naman nawawala na yung bind sa strings.
nut slot filing would help too-yung pabilog.


Offline reji05ramos

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #11 on: March 18, 2013, 05:42:20 AM »
Awesome! Do one for strats too, TS.

Offline nathanmanansala

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2013, 11:39:28 AM »
Awesome! Do one for strats too, TS.
i dont have any strats. teles na lang. its almost the same thing except the tuners on teles and strats are closer together BUT if you have safeti post tuners, you'll need more string to stick into that hole so i cut the string 1.5 tuners down for the wound strings and 2 tuners down for the plain ones.

for the 6th string, give it slack to reach sarea between the 5th and 4th posts. for the 3rd, enough to reach the 1st.



i do a little wrapover for the plain strings too to prevent slippage. i find that the wound strings are kinked twice from the safeti post (once where they exit the hole and again where they bend sa edge of the slit on top) and that helps prevent slipping. plus they're too thick for the wrapover.

i'll post pics of the wrapover technique when i change strings on the teles this weekend.

there's another reason i dont play strats anymore too: i like my trem to float and drive myself crazy setting it up right. :lol: then i end up worrying about breaking a string in the  middle of a set.

Offline techbp

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2013, 12:45:00 PM »
Nice share.

Thanks TS

Offline Kulas

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #14 on: March 18, 2013, 01:41:31 PM »
this is a really good thread nuts! i think i'll sticky it, hehe.

guys, feel free to post pics on how you do minor repairs, setup, etc. on your guitars. para matuto tayong lahat from each other.

Offline Poundcake

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #15 on: March 18, 2013, 03:50:31 PM »
Let's just add a link to this thread at the first post of the FAQ thread. We'll only sticky more generic and frequently accessed topics and/or admin-related threads.
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Offline ermonski

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #16 on: March 18, 2013, 09:13:38 PM »
for locking tuners, I make sure I do 2-3 wraps around the string post, at least double yung pagiging secure nung string sa post without slippage from the locking cam

Offline anoemous

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #17 on: March 18, 2013, 09:59:34 PM »
Thanks for the tip  :)

Question lang, how do you estimate the length of the string when changing it? I mean to make sure na 2-3 wraps lang ang mangyari and di sumobra?

My common experience kasi is sumosobra sa 3 wraps yung pagkabit ko ng string.  :-(
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Offline Kulas

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #18 on: March 18, 2013, 11:05:12 PM »
Thanks for the tip  :)

Question lang, how do you estimate the length of the string when changing it? I mean to make sure na 2-3 wraps lang ang mangyari and di sumobra?

My common experience kasi is sumosobra sa 3 wraps yung pagkabit ko ng string.  :-(

what kind of tuners do you have?

pag regular tuners na walang slot sa post, usually insert the string ng sagad muna then from the post, estimate ka mga 1-1.25", hawakan mo yung point na yun, then itulak mo pabalik sa post, from there i-wrap around mo na yung string.

pag slotted naman yung tuning post, like those found in vintage-type strats and teles. same procedure, i-sagad mo muna, then count mga 2" from the tuning post, hold it then cut it from there. that would give enough allowance for 2-3 wraps given na meron pang part ng string na i-insert dun sa butas sa tuning post.

Offline DiMarzSiao™

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #19 on: March 18, 2013, 11:28:02 PM »
Thanks for the tip  :)

Question lang, how do you estimate the length of the string when changing it? I mean to make sure na 2-3 wraps lang ang mangyari and di sumobra?

My common experience kasi is sumosobra sa 3 wraps yung pagkabit ko ng string.  :-(

sinusukat ko sa length ng pinky from the string post.

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Offline nathanmanansala

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #20 on: March 19, 2013, 12:48:00 AM »
Thanks for the tip  :)

Question lang, how do you estimate the length of the string when changing it? I mean to make sure na 2-3 wraps lang ang mangyari and di sumobra?

My common experience kasi is sumosobra sa 3 wraps yung pagkabit ko ng string.  :-(
i use the other string posts. i explained it in my first post but medyo magulo nga. I think I should've used pics there too.

pag Gibson 3+3 style na headstock, for example: for the 6th string, i stretch out the string past the 6th string tuning post. tapos right over where it meets the 5th string tuning post, i grip it there (and hold that spot). then i thread it through the 6th string post till my fingers gripping the string hit the post. thats where i stop. that usually gives me 2 winds around the post for the wound string and 3 winds around the post for the plain strings.

pag Fender style 6-inline headstock, for the 6th string: i grip it where the string is halfway between the 5th and 4th string posts. tas sa plain strings, i grip it 2 posts down.

for the last tuning post sa end of the headstock, you'll have to get creative. like stretch the string out over the last tuning post, grip it where it goes over the post, then hold that point over the post before it, then mark down (or move your grip to) where it goes over the last string post again.

i'll post more detailed pics ulit but its important kasi that you don't wind the string over other windings: this creates a moving base for your strings to sit on around the tuning post (not very stable and takes longer to stretch and settle). also, using fewer winds around the post results in less stretching time as there's less of the string to stretch (and settle). use as few as you can get away with (kaya 2 or 3 lang). this is why manufacturers recommend you do not wind around the post for locking tuners. fewer winds (if you can can get them to  grip) are usually more stable. plus they look cleaner too.

Offline gainsucker

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #21 on: March 19, 2013, 08:29:44 AM »
Thanks for the tips.

For my lp, i make sure that i push the strings down while turning the tuner and make sure that the string dont go over itself.

Offline Gerrit

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #22 on: March 20, 2013, 12:18:47 PM »
Minimum of 3 wraps around the tuning post

Offline dennis22opina

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #23 on: March 20, 2013, 02:51:41 PM »
Minimum of 3 wraps around the tuning post

newbie quiestion...does this also applies for locking tuners?   :eek:

Offline nathanmanansala

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Re: restringing tips and setup ideas
« Reply #24 on: March 20, 2013, 04:20:05 PM »
Minimum of 3 wraps around the tuning post
minimum? you dont find that it takes a bit longer for the strings to stretch out and settle?

newbie quiestion...does this also applies for locking tuners?   :eek:
for locking tuners, no wraps. just pull the string taut through the post, lock it, tune up. then start stretching/retuning/stretching