How do you wind on new strings without any twisting ?

[J Wilson]

I generally cut them to length (basically the 'two more posts past' method), insert in the peg and let the tuner wind them round the post (not me), while I'm holding the string tight about halfway down the fingerboard over the right nut groove. The ball end is hanging loose out past the bridge and is slowly drawn into its seat when the string begins to go tight.

I'm gonna duck behind the couch . . . . I've never set witness points.

 

[Hot Rats]

I hand wind the string around the post. My strings are not twisted when I am finished. Pull the string a little and make sure the ball is free man, free. Like @J Wilson, I never did witness points either. Heard about them a few years ago on Talkbass after 40 years of changing strings.

 

[Thumpin6string]

In 50+ years of playing, never had that problem.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

What good does it do to tell the thread that you never twist strings? Clearly, some people do twist them. For those who *do*, I explained why it happens (by analogy with a garden hose coiled on the ground) and how to stop doing it.

Most members wouldn't notice if they had the "'chorusy' or warbly and undefined notes" that the original poster described, just as almost no one here notices how bad their ported cab sounds below its tuning frequency, and as most, it seems, hear no difference between basswood and ash.

Those who say they never twisted strings either intuitively understood how to install strings without twisting them (and so need no explanation), or they're twisting them and they actually do sound imperfect, and they don't notice it. We'll never know which is which.

And they'll never know, which I guess is "bliss", as the old expression goes.

 

[Ggaa]

makes perfect sense! i do the same.

i don't cut strings, i wrap it all. so not getting twists is important, but fortunately, easy!

I'm lazy, I wrap the strings around the post to save a bunch of turns on the tuning key..

 

[J Wilson]

Confession:

I never set witness points because I'm adamant that I get several winds ending right at the bottom to come back to the nut. Often I cut it just a hair too long, so I have to start over after I trim it, and then my witness point would now be in the wrong place.

 

[Hot Rats]

What good does it do to tell the thread that you never twist strings? Clearly, some people do twist them. For those who *do*, I explained why it happens (by analogy with a garden hose coiled on the ground) and how to stop doing it.

Most members wouldn't notice if they had the "'chorusy' or warbly and undefined notes" that the original poster described, just as almost no one here notices how bad their ported cab sounds below its tuning frequency, and as most, it seems, hear no difference between basswood and ash.

Those who say they never twisted strings either intuitively understood how to install strings without twisting them (and so need no explanation), or they're twisting them and they actually do sound imperfect, and they don't notice it. We'll never know which is which.

And they'll never know, which I guess is "bliss", as the old expression goes.

Yep, I'm guilty, but you're right and I see your point.

 

[winston]

This is one more reason I prefer quick-release bridges, it’s super-simple to keep strings from getting twisted, or undo any twists that may occur.

 

[GTHintz]

For years I never thought about it but a twisted string sounds bad. I wondered if something was wrong with my basses when a string has a 'chorusy' or warbly and undefined note, especially on E strings. I recently took off an E string on my Pbass and tried hard not to twist it as I reinstalled. It sounded SO much better and clearer. From the tiny dents on the string from the frets, it was clear that the string had a full twist or more.
Is there a method you use to avoid twisting ?

Well if it's a bridge you feed the string through the hole I keep it loose around the ball end until as I wind it up till the end and then I feel for twisting and let the slack set the ball in the right position. If it's a Ibanez or Warwick style quick load bridge I'll wait until it's almost too short to go into the slot and then I set the ball in there. I'll keep my thumb over the string where it sits in the nut as I'm winding the string and it tends to keep everything very straight. If I feel twisting I just let the string go a little bit and it'll shift where it needs to go.

 

[GTHintz]

Confession:

I never set witness points because I'm adamant that I get several winds ending right at the bottom to come back to the nut. Often I cut it just a hair too long, so I have to start over after I trim it, and then my witness point would now be in the wrong place.

It's overrated anyway. Once you string up to pitch it'll set itself. Unless you have a freakish low tuning then maybe it'll become a factor but even then you have other issues like intonation at that point.

 

[rogerb]

My recent TI flat installation the E and A string were making a lot of twamgy chorusy noise, I loosened it off played around with untwisting, it didn't seem to make much difference. After a week it has pretty much gone away, string stretching seemed to help along with playing. I'm thinking it was just new string zing.

 

[blastoff]

buy a string winder!

 

[Bill the Cat]

Most members wouldn't notice if they had the "'chorusy' or warbly and undefined notes" that the original poster described, just as almost no one here notices how bad their ported cab sounds below its tuning frequency, and as most, it seems, hear no difference between basswood and ash.

Indeed I bow to your great wisdom. My favorite is hearing bands playing whole sets of warble, with the added not being in tune using a tuner sound.
Topped with bad intonation of a bass G string and guitar B string. I wish I could turn off my brain and enjoy horrible bands. Like the weird drunk girl at every show, dancing by herself in the most embarrassing way possible. I almost questioned you were a super computer from the future. Then realized the variamp schematic in your Avatar to complete the human IQ confirmation.

Will add to the OP dented strings are either very old, you slap or might have aggressive clink klank note attack. Playing with aggressive feeling noted for feeling the music. Eventually playing aggressive notes might learn a upward pull or different heavy dynamic pluck not downward KLANK for the in the moment emphasis. Or hopefully not in the moment and klank klank all the time. Had same issue being in loud bands that got louder. Real eye opener hearing my direct tracks in the studio. And can play very aggressive attacks without KLANK by erasing old bad habits over time.

 

[Zooberwerx]

As mentioned several times, let the ball-ends spin freely until finally engaging the anchor. It is a real thing. Another trick is to ignore the above and simply tune to pitch THEN de-tune, pull the wrap "coil" from the post, and allow it to spin / re-orient to the plane. Slip the coil back over the post and you should be good.

Riis

 

[Kansas]

Letting the ball end spin freely is easy while winding with a top loader bridge... thru body bridge like a Pbass is not as easy.

 

[31HZ]

Man, I oughta make a video. I use a battery-powered screwdriver with a tuning-peg attachment. Cut length varies based on the diameter of the string at the winding end, usually 5.5" (past the peg) at the C string and falls off dramatically to 3.25" (past the peg) for the B string.

Cut to length, then make two 90° bends in the string end (about 3/16" apart): one to exit the center hole, and one to start the wrap at the end of the slot.

Put the wimder on the peg and start winding, while holding the ball end tight (past the bridge saddle). Keep tension on the string while winding. When you get to where you have about a full post-wind left, switch to winding by hand. And just before the string is wound enough to hold in the slot under tension, momentarily allow it to lie flat on the board to ensure that there is no radial wrap in the string. Catch it in the bridge slot, put your non-winding hand between it and the fretboard, and finish winding with the string under tension. Tune (and intonate if needed), set witness points, done.

Sounds complicated but I can re-string a 6-string in about 7-8 minutes, iirc.

 

[Gopherbassist]

Twist the bead as you wind the string.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Personally,I have always bent the string end,put it in the hole in the peg,hold it while using a peg winder.
I make neatly stacked windings.

Years ago I bought a cordless drill peg winder adapter.
This speeds up the process.

 

[Yahboy]

For years I never thought about it but a twisted string sounds bad. I wondered if something was wrong with my basses when a string has a 'chorusy' or warbly and undefined note, especially on E strings. I recently took off an E string on my Pbass and tried hard not to twist it as I reinstalled. It sounded SO much better and clearer. From the tiny dents on the string from the frets, it was clear that the string had a full twist or more.
Is there a method you use to avoid twisting ?

I use DR method.

Proper String Installation | DR Strings

How to properly install guitar strings. Prevent dead strings and avoid loss of intonation.

www.drstrings.com