Why do folks cut strings?

[bpritchard]

I’m having a hard time understanding why people cut strings. I’ve literally never had a case where a string has had so much extra it wasn’t able to sit on the peg after wrapping it around. Strings for me usually wrap around 3-5 times then continue down to the nut. Never had any problem what so ever with slippage, tuning, etc. Why cut them, then when you go to re-sell your strings they’re a specific length for your specific bass. Why is this a thing, what am I missing?

Resell strings? I don’t even change them

 

[DWBass]

I'd like to see pics by you guys that don't cut strings...

 

[Krakmann]

It's the first time in my life I hear that people SELL USED STRINGS. At first, I thought it was a joke.

I cut the strings so they have 4-5 turns down the pegs.

 

[Jeanpaulgoat]

Enough turns worling down to get the correct break angle at the nut and then not so many that they stary overlapping. This angle affects tension, amd how the string and nut interact therefore affects feel and tuning. Most people wouldnt notice but it does contribute to getting the right setup.

 

[Jeanpaulgoat]

Enough turns worling down to get the correct break angle at the nut and then not so many that they stary overlapping. This angle affects tension, amd how the string and nut interact therefore affects feel and tuning. Most people wouldnt notice but it does contribute to getting the right setup.

Jeez i cant type!

 

[Matthew Morter]

There is definitely a market for some used strings. Sometimes people buy an expensive set of strings, like TI flats, and decide fairly quickly they don’t like them. It shouldn’t be hard at all to sell them and recoup some of your money.

They pop up in the classifieds here on TB from time to time.

That makes sense, but this example is for an expensive thing you haven’t tried before. Do people try to resell their normal use strings? I use DR’s, my favorite are the coated colored ones, and those can be pricey, but I just wear them out, it never occurred to me to do it any other way.

 

[SubHuman]

Pssst...hey over here. I have some used bass strings for sale.
They used to be round wounds but they have been played so much they're flat wounds...Ha!
They will fetch a pretty penny because they've been relic'd!
I trim my strings for the same reason I trim my toe-nails.

 

[Tiavarone]

I try to keep as much string on the post as possible, stopping at one layer so no overlap 41 years of playing and the strategy keeps my basses in tune for weeks and over full 3 set gigs. I have owned many basses and used a lot of string brands. They say long scale or extra long but the true length is subjective. Sometimes the string is too long and there's excess material for how you set up your ax.

BTW I've never heard of reselling strings except for uprights. I run them until they sound dead, then boil and reinstall. If the fret wear on the underside looks excessive them they get tossed.

 

[J Poncho Alonso]

I’m having a hard time understanding why people cut strings. I’ve literally never had a case where a string has had so much extra it wasn’t able to sit on the peg after wrapping it around. Strings for me usually wrap around 3-5 times then continue down to the nut. Never had any problem what so ever with slippage, tuning, etc. Why cut them, then when you go to re-sell your strings they’re a specific length for your specific bass. Why is this a thing, what am I missing?

I could maybe understand if it was a 2+2 at the headstock and the G and maybe D silk was over kill. But I see people selling standard strings saying “cut for a precision”…. That is where I am lost.

What leaves me puzzled is who would actually buy used strings? If you’re changing the strings on your instrument why would you change used strings for used strings??

 

[DECEMBER]

First of all: selling used strings?! Really? People actually do that? People actually buy them?!
It's precarious when there's uncut strings waving around sticking out of the headstock. You could poke your eye out. Or a finger, and then you won't be able to play for a minute.
Some of them you have to cut because you have to put the end of the string into the center of the tuning post.

 

[Geoff Wood]

Many people don't like scraggy loose bits of steel wire sticking out at all angles from their headstock, potentially snagging, poking, and rattling against each other.

I trim mine down to about 2" 'spare', then bend them over 180 degrees on themselves to avoid sticky-outy sharp ends. Basses and guitars.

And it's not even as if I am an inherently tidy person !

 

[Matthew Morter]

I run them until they sound dead, then boil and reinstall. If the fret wear on the underside looks excessive them they get tossed.

you can boil strings a put them back on and they sound newer? Did I read that right?
I think I also slap the crap out of my bass harder than most people, a lot of bassists never break a string, but when I was playing with my old band a lot I would break them very often.

 

[John Neuenburg]

I don’t cut my strings and also have nice, neat wraps. Also, who the heck is buying used strings?

Cheapskates.

 

[FunkHead]

What leaves me puzzled is who would actually buy used strings? If you’re changing the strings on your instrument why would you change used strings for used strings??

I have posted the reason for this over and over again but it seems to be going over peoples heads.
Lightly used Flat wound strings sell very quickly here on Talkbass for a couple of reasons.

1: They are often used only for an hour or two but last for a decade or more.
2: They can cost $100 for a 5 string set and can be bought used for $40-$75.

Lightly used & Expensive rounds also sell because they also can last a very long time and/or Some people like worn in rounds. Not everyone prefers new strings and all that Zing that lasts for a few hours. Of course some people do!

It's really not hard to understand(at least to me) why there's a market for high quality lightly used strings.
Worn out crappy strings not so much.

Edit: I'll also add that there's ton of TI JF344 lovers that will buy lightly used ones quite often. I have sold at least 6 sets here on TB.

 

[Rich Fiscus]

I have posted the reason for this over and over again but it seems to be going over peoples heads.
Lightly used Flat wound strings sell very quickly here on Talkbass for a couple of reasons.

1: They are often used only for an hour or two but last for a decade or more.
2: They can cost $100 for a 5 string set and can be bought used for $40-$75.

Lightly used & Expensive rounds also sell because they also can last a very long time and/or Some people like worn in rounds. Not everyone prefers new strings and all that Zing that lasts for a few hours. Of course some people do!

It's really not hard to understand(at least to me) why there's a market for high quality lightly used strings.
Worn out crappy strings not so much.

Edit: I'll also add that there's ton of TI JF344 lovers that will buy lightly used ones quite often. I have sold at least 6 sets here on TB.

There’s unquestionably a market for used flats, and especially TIs. They appear with some regularity in the classifieds here, and seem to sell with no problem.

 

[Rich Fiscus]

26520791[/URL], member: 389148"]That makes sense, but this example is for an expensive thing you haven’t tried before. Do people try to resell their normal use strings? I use DR’s, my favorite are the coated colored ones, and those can be pricey, but I just wear them out, it never occurred to me to do it any other way.

I doubt there’s a market for used roundwounds generally, but I’ve seen people here selling less expensive sets of flats than I would bother with. Some people buy them to save money, particularly with the TIs. However, some people seem to like the instant gratification of trying out flats that are already broken in.

 

[vvvmmm]

I trim my strings for the same reason I trim my toe-nails.

So ... string cheese?

 

[MLtheInfidel]

Who in hell sells or buys used strings

people who don’t contemplate just how many people don’t wash their hands after slapping the salami or dropping the kids off at the lake. amongst other unmentionables. if you don’t think about what is in the hot dog then it doesn’t exist….. right?

i mean sure you could boil them (what is the right temperature to kill std’s anyway?) but man you gotta be in pretty dire straits to save a couple bucks for a set of strings. is this for people who can’t afford the electricity to run an amp?

I have posted the reason for this over and over again but it seems to be going over peoples heads.
Lightly used Flat wound strings sell very quickly here on Talkbass for a couple of reasons.

1: They are often used only for an hour or two but last for a decade or more.
2: They can cost $100 for a 5 string set and can be bought used for $40-$75.

Lightly used & Expensive rounds also sell because they also can last a very long time and/or Some people like worn in rounds. Not everyone prefers new strings and all that Zing that lasts for a few hours. Of course some people do!

It's really not hard to understand(at least to me) why there's a market for high quality lightly used strings.
Worn out crappy strings not so much.

Edit: I'll also add that there's ton of TI JF344 lovers that will buy lightly used ones quite often. I have sold at least 6 sets here on TB.

dang thats a lot of sets. good points. why did u sell them?

saving $50 over 10 years……
$5/yr
$0.47/mo
$0.01/day

how much could i save on used underwear? condoms?

as they say, to each their own. no judgement ‍

obv im being dramatic, its just the gross factor in general.

 

[SubHuman]

So ... string cheese?

To each their own when it comes trimming!

 

[Geoff Wood]

Yes, trimming strings is one thing, but the decision as to fingerstyle, finger-picking, plectrum, slapping, fretted, or fretless can be tricky ...