Consequences of NOT cutting

[Ezmar]

Originally Posted by Luckydog

So what do you do? Overlap the wraps leaving a fat wad of string on the post that can slip or pop up off the post? Or do you leave the string end sticking up away from the post ready to puncture someone's eyeball?

Um... The First, I guess? Although It's never ever ever ever budged a nanometer on me. And I don't even know how I'd go about the second option. How can the ends dangle out if you insert them into the hole in the center of the tuning post?

I'm seriously baffled by this. Unreasonably so, almost.

[NYCbassist]

Originally Posted by walterw

cut and wrap neatly, 3 or 4 wraps down the post with no overlap (or on a fender A string as many as will fit neatly, so as to increase the angle over the nut).

anything else is amateur hour.

+1. Cut just enough for the string to "wind" down as close to the headstock as possible. Maximum downward pressure and put a slight bend at the nut and saddles.

[Ezmar]

Hey, so Is it too late to cut my E string? It seems to be putting a slight sideways pressure on the nut, and I think it moved a tiny bit... Which is clearly not good. Is this something that's extremely dangerous to the bass/nut, and Is there a way I could cut an Already-wound E Round-core String?

feel kind of silly now.

[NYCbassist]

Originally Posted by Ezmar

So I just put a set of Hi Beams on, and DID notice a difference when Not cutting, although I don't think it will be enough of a problem to take the E off and cut it now. I usually use Rotos, and they have the silk wrap around the very thin core wire, while the end of the Hi Beams is much thicker, so The difference especially on the E string is pronounced, causing a slight angling of the string after the nut. It's not too bad, and I don't gig regularly or professionally enough to be bothered by something as minorly aesthetic as that, but For future reference, I might cut my strings to length.

I guess it's mostly a personal Preference/aesthetic thing.

It's not just aesthetics. You need to get the string pulled down toward the headstock, Each wrap brings it closer. As stated above it's especially important on Fender A strings.

[Ezmar]

Originally Posted by NYCbassist

It's not just aesthetics. You need to get the string pulled down toward the headstock, Each wrap brings it closer. As stated above it's especially important on Fender A strings.

But like I said, with the Rotos on my Fender, I've never had the need to cut to get the strings wrapped down to the bottom. I never had any problems with the Rotos, partially because of how they have the "Wrap" end of their wire, it's VERY thin.

[joelb79]

If you can fit it all, then why cut? Especially on the E, the more down pressure you can get over the nut is money in tone. I can fit the whole Hi-Beam or whatever string up to 39" on the E of my basses with Hipshot hardware.

[walterw]

if it all fits with no overlapping, then sure. kinda pointless when cutting to the right length gets you done faster, but as long as it's wrapped neatly, no harm either way.

[TheEmptyCell]

As the strings stretch with use, they'll go out of tune more often because of all that extra string you're bringing up to tension, and the string will be slipping against itself with all the overlap.

And you'll look like a lazy bass-tard that doesn't understand the bassics of stringing.

[charliefreak]

Originally Posted by Ezmar

Lazy? Maybe. Patient? HOLY CRAP YES. It takes so much longer to wrap. That's the price I guess I'm willing to pay to not bother trimming my strings.

Also I don't have any Wire cutters with me here at college. (More laziness)

.... Something tells me he ain't budging. I find my strings to keep up better if I cut them. Typically a string pulls and loses tension with the more length it has, and the tension gets snagged on the tuning heads. Thus, thinking you're going to be alright and getting into a different environment that un-snags the end on the string and dropping it several pitches. I mean, I'm not the one playing it, but I don't know how I'd recover from detuning that bad in the middle of a song potentially.

But then again I have a really bad ear and might not notice it soon enough. I remember when I found more than 3 or 4 uses for a wire cutter too. Definitely not something you'll regret buying... not like a computer or amp that gets outdated in a matter of years. (buy a nice one and you'll be a very popular string player).

Also, I've found that my tuning pegs last a little longer when I cut them. Several layers of overlapping string can dig into the posts and wear them out. Especially on cheaper basses. Not saying you have a cheap bass or anything.... but if you can't afford wire cutters...

[Mehve]

Originally Posted by Ezmar

Um... The First, I guess? Although It's never ever ever ever budged a nanometer on me. And I don't even know how I'd go about the second option. How can the ends dangle out if you insert them into the hole in the center of the tuning post?

I'm seriously baffled by this. Unreasonably so, almost.

Just for posterity, pretty much every set of strings I've picked up, at least one of the strings was longer than the tuning post could comfortably hold (especially on the thicker B/E strings which have the posts closer to the nut).

So if I didn't want to have to cut the string, but didn't want a second layer of wraps on the post, my only alternative was to run the string through the slot in the tuning post (without bending it downwards) and have a bunch sticking out the far side. Then I'd bend it downwards, and let the first wrap around the tuning post go overtop to hold it down, with all subsequent turns working downwards normally.

...not sure if that description made sense. Certainly not as much as a few snips with the cutters made, in my own situation.

[khutch]

Originally Posted by Ezmar

How can the ends dangle out if you insert them into the hole in the center of the tuning post?

The thing you are missing and which the others are reacting to are pictures the rest of us have seen of headstocks where the strings were neither trimmed to length NOR put into the center holes! Somehow the bassist managed to wind the string onto the post while leaving the excess coiled and/or dangling alll over the place. Most likely these were guitar players turned bassists who are familiar with the way guitar tuning posts work and clueless about how bass tuning posts work.

So there is another missing piece for you, the last thing on Earth that any of us want to do is to act like a guitarist. Oh, the humanity!

Bottom line is that if what you are doing is working for you then there is nothing wrong with it. If, however, the sideways pressure on the nut that your big wad-o-string generates is moving the nut sideways that is A Bad Thing and we can conclude that you have found a real reason to trim rather than to do what you do, however neatly.

Not carrying wire cutters to college is no excuse. You can change strings every time you go home. If you are wearing out strings between trips home then seriously, you should be spending a little more time on your studies! Also, if I were stringing the way you string I would definitely want a tuning post winder (which I have anyway) and most of them have a built in string cutter....

Ken

[danomite64]

I never cut my strings. I'm not lazy, I just want the most wraps possible on my E and A strings, so I get a better break angle at the nut. I use strings with silk on the ends, and have no problems with silk wadding up, and I've never had string ends sticking out punk style, even though I started out in a punk band.

[SBassman]

Most baffling thread ever.

How can you possibly not cut the strings to proper length?

It should go In the hole of the tuner post, with then a few winds, with winds never ever overlapping.

That can Only be achieved by cutting the strings.

[joelb79]

Originally Posted by TheEmptyCell

As the strings stretch with use, they'll go out of tune more often because of all that extra string you're bringing up to tension, and the string will be slipping against itself with all the overlap.

And you'll look like a lazy bass-tard that doesn't understand the bassics of stringing.

A local Jazz Professor with a masters in Jazz teaches players to put as much string on the E and A posts of the 4-in-line headstocks so that the break angle is harder against the nut. I would not argue with him at all to this point, that a good angle on the nut helps the string tone and pitch. So are you saying that this Master of Jazz looks like a lazy bass tard? I'm not so sure about that. his posts look neat and his finger dexterity is amazing.. he's not gonna look lazy at all.

I have never seen pitch issues with more string on the post. Perhaps when there is a temperature variance because the more mass means longer warming times (going cold to warm). But I've also never left a set on long enough to see them stretched to the bone so perhaps my string changing times have something to do with this.

[sigmafloyd]

Originally Posted by SBassman

Most baffling thread ever.

How can you possibly not cut the strings to proper length?

It should go In the hole of the tuner post, with then a few winds, with winds never ever overlapping.

That can Only be achieved by cutting the strings.

Yup

[Ezmar]

Originally Posted by SBassman

It should go In the hole of the tuner post, with then a few winds, with winds never ever overlapping.

Well it's right there. The last part of your sentence there isn't necessarily an obvious "should". That's not really an obvious thing, especially if there's no clear reason for it. The "lazy" argument could conceivably be turned around to "trimmed strings look anal", or something. My point being that it isn't necessarily apparent or logical that the strings should be cut.

[KingRazor]

Was pretty apparent to me. YMMV

[SBassman]

Originally Posted by Ezmar

The last part of your sentence there isn't necessarily an obvious "should"... My point being that it isn't necessarily apparent or logical that the strings should be cut.

It is to the other 99.99% of us.

[Solarmist]

Originally Posted by walterw

cut and wrap neatly, 3 or 4 wraps down the post with no overlap (or on a fender A string as many as will fit neatly, so as to increase the angle over the nut).

anything else is amateur hour.

Absolulely. How hard is it to place the ball-end of the string in the bridge slot, pull the string (snug) across the tuning peg, and cut it 3" to 4" past (depending on the peg diameter)? Then poke it in the hole to the bottom, and give it the 90 degree bend.

Originally Posted by Ezmar

My point being that it isn't necessarily apparent or logical that the strings should be cut.

People here are 100% correct in telling you not to overlap (stretching potential), and to wind down as close to the bottom of the tuner as you can - especially if your headstock isn't angled back (so as to give the greatest angle over the nut). Totally logical.

[deeptubes]

Who cares if people don't want to trim their strings? If he doesn't have a problem with it, why should anyone else? If the strings overlap, so what! Different strokes for different folks.