The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    This has probably been covered before, but where should the "loosely wound" end of the wound strings go? Some say at the bridge, others say at the gear, others say to snip it off completely. I have always been confused, usually putting that end at the peg.


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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    I always understood them to be intended to be more flexible and thus help at/as the tie-end. They don't seem to serve a purpose at the peg end because the string always seems too long for that. Yet it's where I put them, because they also tend to break too easily.

  4. #3

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    I tend to put the floppy/unwound end at the head end, mainly because I don’t like the idea of having the unwound bit near the bridge saddle.

    Also it’s easier on my guitar to push the stiffer ‘wound’ end through the holes in the bridge block.

    In any case I always trim back both ends with some string cutters, so it doesn’t make much difference once they’re on.

  5. #4

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    I was taught the loose ends were weaker, and therefore you NEVER wanted to use them on the tie block.

    I think I was like 15 when I was told that, and I never questioned it. No idea if it's true.

  6. #5

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    Hi, W,
    Alan has an excellent teaching site and is a great source to download free musical scores from beginner to advanced. A couple of comments about re-stringing a CG:
    1. If you don't have a clear plastic string protector mounted aft of the bridge, you can potentially scar the wood if you're not careful. They can be found online at Stringsbymail or other CG
    sites. The plastic cling-on protector also prevents accidental string slippage with carbon trebles that are not tied properly which will
    leave a nice deep dent in your beautiful guitar. Otherwise, you can use a piece of cardboard on the surface until the string is in
    position and clipped.
    2. The theoretical reason for the "corrugated" string end is to allow more movement and
    flexibility when the string is wound around the tuning peg. Most CG's ,I know, don't use it
    but if you do-- pull a greater amount of string through the bridge so that you can use
    the flexible end of the string on the peg
    3. I change strings about every ten days and go through between 35 to 40 sets a year. I get
    about 20-23 hours of playtime before intonation problems begin as strings lose their
    ability to stay in tune. The trebles are the first to go and the basses become muddy. So,
    I use a micro tuner and continue to retune each string during the process which allows
    the strings to stretch more quickly in lieu of restringing and then tuning. It takes about 2-3
    days before the strings become stable and stay, relatively, in tune. Of course, on a CG,
    I usually tweak my tuning 4-to 5 times during a 75-minute practice session.

    Marinero

  7. #6

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    Just one more very important information (for nylon strings):
    when the strings start to stay in tune, it's time to change them !

  8. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by 339 in june
    Just one more very important information (for nylon strings):
    when the strings start to stay in tune, it's time to change them !
    That's funny.

  9. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Woody Sound
    That's funny.
    And not universally true. Otherwise it wouldn't be funny at all, in fact.

    FWIW, when I still used copper-wound basses I would be as parsimonious as possible at the bridge and, so I could shift the D (and sometimes A) string when fretwear was becoming apparent. I've kept that habit now that I'm using PB-wounds that tend to last forever (and I still don't clip my strings).