Why do folks cut strings?

[Acoop]

They used to play guitar or they don't realize that all strings are manufactured to fit Fender P-basses or J-basses.

 

[sabre79]

I’m having a hard time understanding why people cut strings.

My favorite strings are Fender 9120 Nylon Tape wounds. They only come in long scale so to get them to fit my short scale basses, I have to cut them but I have to leave some of the silk or the tape will unravel.

 

[timsgeekery]

I *never* cut my strings. Ever. I gnaw on them to bring them down to size.

My dentist loves me.

 

[2112]

Lol just LMAO at all the rustled jimmies over this... perfect example of TB gonna TB.

Me? I don't buy/sell used strings. And I'm a cutter... 3-4 times around the post is not only what I prefer, it is the ONLY CORRECT WAY TO DO IT!

Glad I could help clear that up for yas.













Srs tho... never forget the lesson of Mr. Hump... do watch like!

 

[marchone]

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

With kindness my friend, OCD is different from being anal!

LOL!
I can live with that!

 

[vvvmmm]

 

[Jeff Scott]

Does your house settle once and then never again?

It depends in its weight.

 

[BigBigGuy44]

Strings are such a personal item. I put them up there with a toothbrush and immediately replace them on every used bass I buy.

Funny story. A few years ago a seller on eBay advertised a bass with new strings. When I got it, the strings were nasty. They had a film of grease and dirt on them unlike anything I’d seen. So I asked the guy about it. His reply was simply, “They were new to me!”

 

[dragonrob1952]

I see it but who actually buys someone else’s fingered up greasy oxidized strings?

Well I never have because I can afford new strings but they are relatively expensive and I can see why some would want to. There are many people who like to try different strings and they don't leave a set on for very long. I would bet most of them for sale aren't grungy, but lightly used ;^ ) And then there are those who like a set of strings that are broken in a bit. To each their own I guess.

 

[GretschWretch]

I see people reselling used things and I really don't get it - who would pay for strings which have been mangled, possibly started to unravel, have lost their initial sparkle, and may have miscellaneous residue embedded?

The embedded residue is why I coil the strings, keeping the set intact, and soak them in denatured alcohol. Beats boiling them.

 

[GretschWretch]

Life just isn't fair. And all those greasy, rusty, clapped-out sets I just mindlessly threw away, hell, I could have had a villa on Lake Como, Clooney my next door neighbor, if I'd have thought to re-sell them. Down the road from the MV Augusta factory. Fresh giuncale, good Peccorino Romano, Fiat Dino Spyder in the driveway. The mind reels . . .

It's hard being old and regretting the road(s) not taken.

But since you don't have a Fiat Dino Spyder, you could not have taken them anyway.

 

[GretschWretch]

Obviously DB strings are a whole other subject that has nothing to do with cutting bass guitar strings. Why bring it up?

DB strings got brought up within the context of cost of replacing strings. just another example of the "continental drift" that occurs in many TB threads.

 

[okabass]

People (like me) cut the strings because they think the strings are too long.

 

[Chewy_B_i_T_s]

For the really OCD among you... I posted this a long time ago. Mostly useless, as most people have their general rule of thumb that works just fine, but as a bonus it gives estimated tension and also takes into account how much the string will stretch. (More useful for nylon strings)

Excel spreadsheet to calculate where to start winding a string. . .

 

[ToddB1963]

Why do I trim my strings? It’s all part of my OCD. View attachment 4711932

C'mon bro, no self respecting OCD sufferer is going to allow a 2-3mm gap between the windings like you've got on that *A* string. You'd better see to that immediately, if not sooner. LOL

(fellow OCD person here )

 

[Stranger Danger]

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.

String wraps are like Sith Lords. Only 2 can exist. No more, no less

 

[C Stone]

I had to think about this.
This is true.
If one is stacking windings,the outer winds will squeeze down in between the lower winds and slip.
View attachment 4711915

Lol, I almost used that as an example to illustrate why you should cut strings to a proper length when installing strings...

Nuff said...

 

[Stranger Danger]

I don't think he did.
Look at that first photo again, the headstock close up.
The amount of wraps for the low E...

that would drive me insane

Me too. Yikes on bikes

 

[icefly]

I´ve been measuring an imaginary distance of the next peg and half, so I get 2 or 2 and half wind around the peg.
But form now I´ll increase the distance, so I can get 3 winds.