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String cutter recommendations?
- Thread starter Mystic Michael
- Start date
This question (more or less) was posed on the Acoustic Guitar Forum--what do you use to cut guitar strings? I think I replied, "Er...wire cutters?" and it was surprising how appalled some people were that anyone would get a tool you can buy for $10 at the hardware store anywhere near their guitars. Some were afraid of scratching their guitars. My reaction was, if you're dextrous enough to play a guitar, you're dextrous enough to snip a guitar string without gouging the headstock. But it was a losing battle.
That's what's great about bass players. A bass is an ungainly, heavy, clunky block of wood with thick tow cables for strings. It's not for the delicate or dainty musician. Only a bass player would recommend lineman's pliers to cut a string. God bless you all!
That's what's great about bass players. A bass is an ungainly, heavy, clunky block of wood with thick tow cables for strings. It's not for the delicate or dainty musician. Only a bass player would recommend lineman's pliers to cut a string. God bless you all!
BEST STRING CUTTER BAR NONE:
Bicycle Cable Cutters!
They're designed for clean cuts of cables that are about as thick as any bass string you'd want to cut. Visit your local bike shop to get a pair. I use a Shimano cutter on my strings, which work excellently; Park is a reputed brand and most bike shops use a heckuva lotta Park tools. There are other quality brands, but beware just like any industry there are shoddy cutters out there, too.
Note the shape of the cutting blades, made to cut, not crush, cables.
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Shimano ^ (Had a pair for 20 years of heavy duty maintenance whilst working in the bike industry before needing a new set. Bought a pair just for strings and only strings, should last me the rest of my lifetime.)
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Park ^ (Cold forged, heat-treated steel handles; precision ground cutting jaws)
Jagwire alternative ^ (Never tried this style of cutter)
Check how clean the cuts are...
PLASMA!
Bicycle Cable Cutters!
They're designed for clean cuts of cables that are about as thick as any bass string you'd want to cut. Visit your local bike shop to get a pair. I use a Shimano cutter on my strings, which work excellently; Park is a reputed brand and most bike shops use a heckuva lotta Park tools. There are other quality brands, but beware just like any industry there are shoddy cutters out there, too.
Note the shape of the cutting blades, made to cut, not crush, cables.
Link Removed
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Shimano ^ (Had a pair for 20 years of heavy duty maintenance whilst working in the bike industry before needing a new set. Bought a pair just for strings and only strings, should last me the rest of my lifetime.)
Invalid Link Removed
Park ^ (Cold forged, heat-treated steel handles; precision ground cutting jaws)
Jagwire alternative ^ (Never tried this style of cutter)
Check how clean the cuts are...
Finally, a thread where it actually makes sense to ask - what's the best cutter for metal?
PLASMA!
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there again, you cut bass strings before they get anywhere near the bass headstock, which means lineman's pliers and these cool cable cutters and such would do nicely.
they're useless for cutting guitar strings, where the string is cut after it's wound onto the key, right up against the post.
Which is why I grind my tools to cut a plain steel string as close to flush with the tuner shaft as possible.
However, I'll admit that my dormant tool lust has been sparked by this thread.
Hopkins
Commercial User
This question (more or less) was posed on the Acoustic Guitar Forum--what do you use to cut guitar strings? I think I replied, "Er...wire cutters?" and it was surprising how appalled some people were that anyone would get a tool you can buy for $10 at the hardware store anywhere near their guitars. Some were afraid of scratching their guitars. My reaction was, if you're dextrous enough to play a guitar, you're dextrous enough to snip a guitar string without gouging the headstock. But it was a losing battle.
That's what's great about bass players. A bass is an ungainly, heavy, clunky block of wood with thick tow cables for strings. It's not for the delicate or dainty musician. Only a bass player would recommend lineman's pliers to cut a string. God bless you all!
This post made my day, and is a very accurate description of the psyche of your average guitar player. These people would be appalled if they saw some of the techniques that I and other repair guys use to work on their instruments. Like my cordless drill mounted peg head winder, or my wire cutters.
Wow! Ya leave a thread for five days, come back and there's three pages of comments! Who knew it would touch so many nerves?
For the still-curious, still-confused, the cutter I've been using for some 18+ years is a relatively small diagonal cutter that I picked up in a hardware store. At the time, I didn't shop for anything heavy-duty enough to cut a B string, as at that time I had no serious intention of stepping up to the five-string bass.
Of all the suggestions, those bicycle cable cutters look like they're what I want. I'm doing a search on Amazon to see what they've got. Thanks for the tip, Feline. Thanks to all for playing: "What's The Best Cutter For Metal?"
MM
For the still-curious, still-confused, the cutter I've been using for some 18+ years is a relatively small diagonal cutter that I picked up in a hardware store. At the time, I didn't shop for anything heavy-duty enough to cut a B string, as at that time I had no serious intention of stepping up to the five-string bass.
Of all the suggestions, those bicycle cable cutters look like they're what I want. I'm doing a search on Amazon to see what they've got. Thanks for the tip, Feline. Thanks to all for playing: "What's The Best Cutter For Metal?"
MM
are they gold-plated? hand-sewn leather handle grips?
aha! after a quick a' googlin', i present you with $200 4" cutters (that still aren't to be used on strings):
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i say again, "
"
If bicycle cable cutters are the route you choose overall the Shimano version is probably the best of the bunch...certainly the best finished. If you're gonna go up into that price range you really should check out the non-bike specific Felco C7 set I mentioned in post #32. Same non-crushing shape cutter, impeccable Swiss quality.
aha! after a quick a' googlin', i present you with $200 4" cutters (that still aren't to be used on strings):
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i say again, "
wow, for 200 bucks, it should be able to clip Wolverine's toe nails.
Hopkins
Commercial User
For $200 I would definitely expect a insulated handle, which that one clearly doesn't have.
I like the bike repair stuff for cable cutters. Park makes a set of diagonal cutters that are fantastic for string cuts and cheaper than the housing cutters.
But yeah, the Shimano cross cutters are the shiznizzle.
That said, I really just use whatever is nearby.
But yeah, the Shimano cross cutters are the shiznizzle.
That said, I really just use whatever is nearby.
