How not to string your guitar

[CycleBob]

Originally Posted by ManyMartinMan

This is why I recommend sober-stringing.

Sober-stringing you say? I'll consider it

I will have a go at breaking off the string ends from the machine heads though and there was also an approach to rounding them over the machine head if that doesn't work well. Thanks for the ideas.

[Brucebubs]

It's easy.
Once you've got it right just snip off the excess strings.

[CycleBob]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

It's easy.
Once you've got it right just snip off the excess strings.

A picture says a thousand words. I can see where I went wrong now!

[pjroberts]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

You cut through your G-string!
Man that must have been close!
Makes my eyes water just thinking about it.

I've found La Bella Silk & Steels to be very good too.

Bruce, i'll bet you're a great lyricist! We got from guitar strings and a bloody finger to lingerie.

[pjroberts]

Originally Posted by HHP

Haven't done that but I have found myself turning the tuning key and wondering why the string pitch wasn't changing. Mystery solved when the adjacent string breaks violently because I was turning the wrong key.

Done this a few times, once right before a performance (rare event for me). Did not help my nerves, but probably happened because of nerves. The other times, pure space cadet.

I usually trim them short after some play, stretching .... and if necessary bend it inward so it's not a finger prick.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by pjroberts

Bruce, i'll bet you're a great lyricist! We got from guitar strings and a bloody finger to lingerie.

Can't help myself, class clown, the OP left himself wide open by mentioning his cut G-string.

Actually I like to restring 1, 6 then 2, 5 and 3 and 4 last and I snip off the excess as I go, not after all the strings are on, probably developed the habit from slot-heads.

[KarenB]

I see a great money making invention...tiny covers for guitar string ends so we don't have to bleed for our art. Any entrepreneurs out there????

[mkitman]

Originally Posted by Antaren

I see a great money making invention...tiny covers for guitar string ends so we don't have to bleed for our art. Any entrepreneurs out there????

Like little knitted koozies!

[CycleBob]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

Can't help myself, class clown, the OP left himself wide open by mentioning his cut G-string.

I consider myself lucky - pj cut his g-string just before a performance.
At least I was at home. How many people bring a spare g-string to a gig??

[jessupe]

"I tell ya man it's harder than it looks" long way to the top if you want to rock n roll, lol or even folk out

[jaybones]

Originally Posted by Arthur Blake

I think everyone has pricked their finger on a cut string end at one time...

Oh yeah! More times than I can count.

Worse is when I somehow had one go up under a nail.

YEEEOOOW! I'll tell you what you want to know!!

Now I know why that's a popular torture technique.

[51 Relic]

The worst pain known to a guitarist , apart from dinging your guitar . I've been stringing my acoustics the Taylor way for a few years , always leaving a sharp end and I know how you feel . Recently after watching a Martin stringing video I have started to use the Martin method ie wrap over lock . Great method as you can clip close to the post . Yes I have also mis counted the tuning posts not leaving enough string lenth I used to use Legacy strings as they included an extra 1st and 2nd for my electrics

[Hurricane Ramon]

Originally Posted by Dut4907

A new trick i've learned is to grab the end of the string near the post and wiggle the string until it falls off leaving no sharp ends.

Yep - that simple and it's done

EZ :

HR

[Steadfastly]

Originally Posted by CycleBob

So I restrung my Furch last night with GHS silk and steel strings (On first impression nice for accompanying vocals: a topic for another thread someday)

When I picked it up today I retuned and somehow caught the pad of my middle finger on the cut end of the B string that was sticking out from the machine head a bit, cutting my finger badly enough to bleed onto the floor.

I got a band aid and decided to cut the string ends closer to the machine heads to avoid cutting myself again (or my little girl that likes to fiddle with my guitars). Having positioned my wire cutters to cut the B string as closely as possible I inadvertently cut right through the G string. Expletive expletive expletive.

Ive decided to go take a nap instead of practicing today. Good night.

Thanks for the laugh.

[HHP]

Originally Posted by pjroberts

Done this a few times, once right before a performance (rare event for me). Did not help my nerves, but probably happened because of nerves. The other times, pure space cadet.

I usually trim them short after some play, stretching .... and if necessary bend it inward so it's not a finger prick.

In my experience, dealing with an occasional little prick is just part of guitar playing.