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Restringing: Does how much you cut the strings affect tension?

F

frankthetank727

Guest
Jul 7, 2011
59
3
#1
I haven't really experimented with this, however I have been wondering about this: does how much you cut off the end of the string before restringing it affect the tension? I have bought Rotosound 66LDs at 45 - 105 gauges the last few times I have bought strings, yet the tension in standard tuning is pretty tight. Would cutting the ends of the strings a little shorter reduce the tension at all? Because my truss rod is pretty tight right now and I don't think I want to give the neck less relief.

Also, if there any sort of "universal" amount of string that is supposed to be chopped off, or any general rules of thumb that anyone knows of, that would be helpful as well because I have been playing bass for many years and have never really put a ton of thought into how I string new strings until this issue came about.
 
#3
Not at all. Nor does stringing through the body, having a brass nut, etc. Tension, pitch, speaking length, and the average mass of the string are all interrelated. Change one and at least one of the others has to change with it. If you change the tension for the specific alloy and construction that Rotosound uses for the E string, then to get it to be an E again you'll have to change something else. So no, how much or how little string there is beyond the nut or the saddles has no impact on tension.

How much to wrap around the tuning machine depends on the tuning machine. Rule of thumb is you want at least two complete wraps around the barrel. Too many and you'll have issues with tuning stability until the string settles, plus it may wrap down the barrel onto the headstock. That would make tuning difficult. Too few wraps and you run the risk of the string slipping off the tuning machine.

Those with big barrels like a typical Fender work well if you put the 90° bend about the distance of two machines from the machine you're restringing. For example, on the E of a Fender bass, I'll pull the string taut and put a bend in the string where it crosses the D string post. Cut the string about 3/4" beyond the bend, insert the end into the hole in the barrel, and then carefully wind the string. Make sure each successive wrap goes BELOW the previous one (to keep good downward pressure at the nut) and wrap neatly without overlap.

John
 
#4
Thanks for the responses.

I noticed the G string seems to feel way tighter than the other strings, so that's why I was inquiring about that. Maybe it's just something else going on that I can't really seem to pinpoint....
 
#6
frankthetank727 said:
Thanks for the responses.

I noticed the G string seems to feel way tighter than the other strings, so that's why I was inquiring about that. Maybe it's just something else going on that I can't really seem to pinpoint....
Click to expand...

This is often the case. There are two reasons. The first is that most string sets sold have D and G-strings which have notably more tension. The second reason is: the thinner a string is, the deeper it is being pushed into your fingertips. Circle K Strings sell balanced sets. (circlekstrings.com)
 
#7
frankthetank727 said:
Also, if there any sort of "universal" amount of string that is supposed to be chopped off, or any general rules of thumb that anyone knows of, that would be helpful as well because I have been playing bass for many years and have never really put a ton of thought into how I string new strings until this issue came about.
Click to expand...

I was told one time by a fairly adept tech that he cut the strings 2-3 inches past the machine head. I've used that for several years and it seems to work just fine. Although the diameter of the heads might make a difference. I was restringing my Spector the other night and then later playing on my Squier VMJ and I was noticing how the machine heads on the Squier were about three times as big as the ones on my Spector.

I seem to recall one time I barely left enough string to go around the head, and I didn't notice any real difference. I think someone tried to tell me they wouldn't stay in tune as well, but I couldn't attest to that.
 
#8
You want enough string length to get at least 2 wraps around the post, Of course you also dont want so much string length that last wrap is over another, so 2-3 wraps as good end result. No more then 4 for D&G the thinner strings. two and half inches string length past post is good measurement amount imo.
 
#9
For vintage tuners, Fender recommends cutting the string 4" past the post for the E/A, and 4-1/2 inches for the D/G. That gets you two wraps around the tuning post. I wouldn't go any shorter than that: I installed new strings on my Fender Jazz last week and cut the E string 2 posts past its tuning post which was more like 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 inches and a little too short, as the string slipped off the nut once on me yesterday. Luckily that happened while tuning up and not playing! Don't think I'm going to take any chances, and will likely restring it and maybe the A.
 
#10
My most recent string install on my 63P... LaBella Jamerson's... I didnt cut any strings except about 1.5" off the E... The A and E strings could do with one less wrap, but it looks crazy BLUE so I am leaving it.

I should have made note as to how far past the pegs they extended... maybe next set I put on :D

pbass0760m.jpg

pbass0760m_2.jpg
 
#11
SLaPiNFuNK said:
My most recent string install on my 63P... LaBella Jamerson's... I didnt cut any strings except about 1.5" off the E... The A and E strings could do with one less wrap, but it looks crazy BLUE so I am leaving it.

I should have made note as to how far past the pegs they extended... maybe next set I put on :D
Click to expand...

Dang! That's a whole lotta strang!
 
#13
SLaPiNFuNK said:
My most recent string install on my 63P... LaBella Jamerson's... I didnt cut any strings except about 1.5" off the E... The A and E strings could do with one less wrap, but it looks crazy BLUE so I am leaving it.

I should have made note as to how far past the pegs they extended... maybe next set I put on :D
Click to expand...

Me too. My a and e are right down to the bottom of the barrels on my Squier p and j, for max break over the nut.
 
#14
96tbird said:
Me too. My a and e are right down to the bottom of the barrels on my Squier p and j, for max break over the nut.
Click to expand...

You really NEED to do this on the A and E strings so you get the maximum break over the nut.

If you dont have the A string pressed down against the face of the headstock, your open A generally rattles.
 
#15
On a guitar tuner, the long-standing recommendation for Medium gauge is to pass the string through the post and go 2 tuners past it, then cut it off. For the top two tuners, you would grip the string at the tuner for that string and slide it back until you have enough extra length. Then, without cutting the remaining excess off, start tuning and bring it to pitch (or, close to pitch) before trimming the excess off. That would leave each string with at least three wraps on the post. Three wraps is all that's needed and will lead to far less string slippage than not wrapping it at all, or wrapping it too many times. The strings shouldn't need so much break at the nut that all of the excess is left on.

Re: through-body vs stringing through the bridge- through body stringing can have more down-force at the bridge, which makes energy transfer to the body more efficient.
 
#18
SLaPiNFuNK said:
You really NEED to do this on the A and E strings so you get the maximum break over the nut.

If you dont have the A string pressed down against the face of the headstock, your open A generally rattles.
Click to expand...

That A string has caused me much frustration. I used to cut it short, until I realized that the rattling was coming from not enough angle. Now I get plenty of wraps, I am much happier. :hyper:
 

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