Benefits or Lack thereof with Cutting Strings - Let's Talk

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Because every instrument is different.

Because the distance between the ball clamp and the core clamp on the string winding machine is a fixed distance.

For example...

All La Bella strings have an OVERALL length of 47"... This is the length from Ball End to the END of the string.

Their Long Scale strings are 37" Ball to Silk, this will leave 10" of silk wrapped string or wound string for the tuners.

On a Short Scale instrument they now have ALL of their strings at an overall winding length of 47" while the silk starts or windings end at 32"... This leaves 15" of length for the tuning posts.

Now, they USED to do their D and G strings shorter on their Short and Medium scale sets... This is great for users with Hofners or other 2+2 instruments,,, but now that short scale P-Basses and Mustang basses are becoming more popular there are more inline 4 headstocks out there... This would make those 2+2 optimized sets useless and the user would be stuck having to purchase long scale D and G strings. I noticed this trend and insisted they had to change it.

 

[Baird6869]

there is a functional reason to trim the strings and keep the tuning pegs neat:
too many overlapping windings around the tuning post can increase the chance of slippage.
Conversely, too few and the string can pop out all together.
3-4 wraps around the post , with the 'long end' at the bottom of the coils, is usually optimal.

Agree.

Not sure why anyone wouldn't cut the strings.

I measure the length to about 4-5" past the peg, bend to a 90 degree angle and cut about 3/4" past the bend/crimp. That gives me enough string to go around the tuning peg 3-5 times. I haven't had a single string slip in almost 30 years. My basses stay in almost perfect tune for weeks/months also.

 

[Gorn]

Agree.

Not sure why anyone wouldn't cut the strings.

I measure the length to about 4-5" past the peg, bend to a 90 degree angle and cut about 3/4" past the bend/crimp. That gives me enough string to go around the tuning peg 3-5 times. I haven't had a single string slip in almost 30 years. My basses stay in almost perfect tune for weeks/months also.

I didn't cut the DR's I have on my bass and I don't have any overlapping on any of the strings. The D and G each have about 4 wraps. The E and A each have more, but they don't overlap and the downward angle over the nut is as acute as it can be. The E and A go nearly all the way down the post with about one loop's worth of room.


But my bass has big fat tuners which can accomodate the wraps without overlapping. If it didn't I would have cut the strings.

 

[Tony In Philly]

I always cut the strings to match the length needed to us the hole in the tuner properly. If you don't cut it then what do you do you do with the excess of the sting? Coil it up like an acoustic guitarist who doesn't own a pair of wire cutters would do? I can't imagine that on bass (and I don't even like it on a guitar but it least it looks better than just letting the full strings stick out all over the place).

 

[Zooberwerx]

There's a science to measuring / bending / cutting strings when installing. More than a handful of Repair forum "help...strings are buzzing, etc." can be traced to the omission of essential steps. Do as you please but, all-to-frequently, the results are less than optimal.

Riis

 

[marko138]

I've never not cut a string and I've never had silk come off or a string unwind. Ever. I cut them b/c they are way too long to wrap around the post properly if you don't cut them.