I am can't believe this video

scsm · #1 10-05-2009, 01:42 AM

I searched and I couldn't find anything about this video and I had to share with someone. It's a guy telling you how to stretch strings...

Now I'm not a luthier by any means but I'm pretty sure this is terrible for your neck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIHTMFFKB2c

bobknowsbass · #2 10-05-2009, 01:47 AM

"Good stretching makes good bass"
Expert village strikes again!

capnsandwich · #3 10-05-2009, 01:52 AM

I've never heard of stretching your strings before you tune them until I just saw 2 threads on here recently. I've never stretched my strings before tuning them and I've never had a problem going out of tune either. If the bass is built well and your strings are quality strings, barring crazy temperature changes, your bass should never go out of tune. Just my experience mind you.

jkramer5 · #4 10-05-2009, 01:58 AM

Expert village is a big part of what is bad about the internet. 10 billion videos full of uhhhs. and ummms.. and whatnots. If anyone believes anything they see in an Expert Village video, they deserve the outcome.

blopazone · #5 10-05-2009, 02:00 AM

i wouldnt recomend stretching them at all, theres a lot of people out there and i dont no what they could do learning from this video... plus it SHOULD affect the neck's bow
i prefer just playing out of tune and getting a bit hard enough on the strings, in 10 minutes time they'll be streched.

Jack017 · #6 10-05-2009, 02:21 AM

Guitarists stretch their strings (VERY moderately)

But what he's doing is just wrong *shakes head*

JimiLL · #7 10-05-2009, 03:14 AM

Ive always stretched my strings... but he took it wayyyy to far!!!!! One to two minutes a string is a joke..... maybe 5 or 6 seconds....

Steveaux · #8 10-05-2009, 05:34 AM

It came up in this thread, too.

My luthier disagrees with stretching strings...

Nice hat.

Trapezius · #9 10-05-2009, 06:09 AM

I never felt the need to stretch them. I put on new strings, tune up, play a bit (I always dig in), tune again, and it's fine. The re-tuning is usually just a minor tweak on a couple of strings, I never experience a lot of pitch change.

202dy · #10 10-05-2009, 07:12 AM

Everyone "stretches" their strings. Yup. Even those of us who do not grab the string and shake their instruments over their laps while wearing a striped cap.

What is "stretching" the string? It is simply removing the slack that is stored between the pegs and the nut, around the peg itself, and any that might be stored between the saddle and the tailpiece.

Multiple tunings do the same thing. It just takes longer.

Does "stretching" cause the string to wear out faster? There is a lot of opinion on this one. You would think that the oils, acids, skin, and grime that is placed on the strings every time they are played do in a set of strings faster than any effects due to "stretching". Some suggest "stretching" causes metal fatigue. That kind of fatigue is usually the result of long term exposure to abuse. It would be interesting to read some scientific evidence on this.

This video shows an extreme version of the technique. A few quick tugs and retuning is all that is needed. You might have to repeat it a couple of times to lock it in.

None of this will harm a bass guitar neck. That includes using the yo-yo technique demonstrated by our intrepid expert.

klokker · #11 10-05-2009, 07:32 AM

I've never had strings that go out of tune "real fast", even when new. Put on strings. Play.

Looks like he's having fun though. 23,000 plus hits on the vid as well, so good for him.

BillyC · #12 10-05-2009, 08:17 AM

I stretch them by pulling on them...usually two or three good tugs...but I only have to do it every 6 or 7 years...I don't change strings unless they break.

**line6man** · #13 10-05-2009, 08:35 AM

I've seen this video a while back. Absolutely ridiculous.

When I put on new strings, I give them a few good tugs up and down the length of the fingerboard for a few seconds.
I would absolutely never pull on a string so hard as to support the weight of the bass.

Someone needs to flag that video to warn new bass players that that dude is giving them very bad advice.

gjbassist · #14 10-05-2009, 08:41 AM

I would have laughed my @ss off if the neck would have snapped when he started shaking the bass up and down!

I usually just tighten the strings slightly past the point of being in tune and leave them that way for a couple minutes before tuning.

Bardley · #15 10-05-2009, 08:44 AM

I always give a gentle tug to seat the string on the saddle and at the nut but NEVER anything even remotely close to that.

What an idiot.

RustyAxe · #16 10-05-2009, 09:58 AM

"I'm (whatever his name was) and I've been playin' bass for ... a while".

I'm Denny, been playing bass for more than 40 years. I never stretch my strings by swinging the bass by the strings ... never.

thehamsterman · #17 10-05-2009, 10:01 AM

i stretch my strings, but not that far! i only do it after i've put a new set on. its something i picked up from orchestra. cellos are a bear to tune, so sometimes you have to get the slack out and tune up, especially in our non-air conditioned middle of iowa orchestra room

but yeah, you don't lift it by the strings, thats nuts.

rdwoody1 · #18 10-05-2009, 10:06 AM

Yeah, that was just horrible. I started out as a guitar player and I stretched my strings every time I changed them, but I've never done it since I started playing bass. Guitar strings are way worse about stretching when they're new than bass strings are. But still, even when I stretched my guitar strings, I never did anything as stupid as dangle the guitar from the strings! I'm still in awe...

fryBASS · #19 10-05-2009, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gjbassist

I would have laughed my @ss off if the neck would have snapped when he started shaking the bass up and down!

I usually just tighten the strings slightly past the point of being in tune and leave them that way for a couple minutes before tuning.

If you think that your bass neck would snap because of that, then you have one weak bass neck. With the use of truss rods, it is VERY hard to snap a bass neck by hand, let alone by pulling on the strings. Ever heard of neck bending? Do it all the time on my basses. Both neck-through and bolt-ons. Never had a problem.

bassmodder · #20 10-05-2009, 10:09 AM

Yeah. Wow. I stretch them gently. It aint a lawn mower so no need to pull THAT hard. Wow. Now I know a bass string will support a bass when picked up like that...