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  #16  
Old 07-11-2010, 08:25 PM
pappy27 pappy27 is offline
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I put my guitar flat on a bed. Sitting on a stool I can change out strings pretty efficiently and provides a damage free surface to work on.
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  #17  
Old 07-11-2010, 08:31 PM
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I use the same roll-up mat with hole and plastic neck rest as Wade (although mine says "Fender" instead of "Martin"!!).

I put it on an ironing board for a really good working height. No dogs or kids around so I don't have to worry about it being knocked over by anyone but me...

Plastic peg winder attachment for an electric screwdriver and string changes are quick and easy. I hated bending over the kitchen table.

rr
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  #18  
Old 07-11-2010, 09:02 PM
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I'm ultra-high tech:

Bath towel on the desktop, guitar flat on that, neck supported on kleenex box (under the towel)!

I like standing to do the work.
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  #19  
Old 07-12-2010, 12:26 AM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by riorider View Post
I use the same roll-up mat with hole and plastic neck rest as Wade (although mine says "Fender" instead of "Martin"!!).
Hey, man, mine OBVIOUSLY works better: it's made from pre-war neoprene, okay?!?

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Originally Posted by riorider View Post
I put it on an ironing board for a really good working height. No dogs or kids around so I don't have to worry about it being knocked over by anyone but me...
Hey, that's actually a great tip - thanks, I'll try that. It's never occurred me.

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Originally Posted by riorider View Post
Plastic peg winder attachment for an electric screwdriver and string changes are quick and easy. I hated bending over the kitchen table.
You know, sometimes I change strings when I'm using this setup, but it's generally only when I'm doing something else as well, like adjusting the truss rod, changing tuning gears or tuning gear buttons, or other minor set up issues like that. For regular old string changes I'll more often sit in a flat-backed chair with a small trashcan besides me for discarded string ends and string packages, holding the instrument in my lap. If I'm changing strings on more than one instrument I'll often put a DVD in and watch while I change strings.

Mandolin string changes in particular seem to pound a deep existential despair right at the heart of my being (and definitely at my fingertips - those nasty little string ends try to draw blood,) and so I try to counter that by watching movies with lots of explosions, evil space aliens, car chases, Indians attaching stagecoaches, or Calvera's bandits trying to pry the seemingly helpless Mexican village loose from the protection of the Magnificent Seven's combined firepower.

Or whatever....

It does take longer to change strings when I watch a movie, but changing mandolin strings is such a sisyphean task ANYway that I don't gain much time by switching the tube off.


Wade Hampton Miller
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  #20  
Old 07-12-2010, 06:34 AM
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I forgot to mention this - in case you didn't know, don't toss your old string sets. Send them to the "Second Strings Project" for distribution to musicians who need them.

Here's the url for the project: http://www.secondstringsproject.org/

And here's the blog with the most recent news, and a new address:
http://secondstrings.blogspot.com/

rr/Phil
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  #21  
Old 07-12-2010, 08:03 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post

Mandolin string changes in particular seem to pound a deep existential despair right at the heart of my being (and definitely at my fingertips - those nasty little string ends try to draw blood,) ...

Wade Hampton Miller
Boy, I can relate to that!
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  #22  
Old 07-12-2010, 08:06 AM
cpabolting cpabolting is offline
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I use this:

https://www.martinguitar.com/1833/ca...at=Accessories
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  #23  
Old 07-12-2010, 08:09 AM
dwalton dwalton is offline
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I use a couch.
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  #24  
Old 07-12-2010, 08:14 AM
Misty44 Misty44 is offline
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Rifle rests work very well, or you can make your own sand or bean bag.

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  #25  
Old 07-12-2010, 09:23 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Misty44 View Post
Rifle rests work very well, or you can make your own sand or bean bag.

I'd never thought of that!! Great idea...

rr
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  #26  
Old 07-12-2010, 09:37 AM
Misty44 Misty44 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Misty44 View Post
Rifle rests work very well, or you can make your own sand or bean bag.

Better example, the one I use:

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  #27  
Old 07-12-2010, 09:04 PM
Les Tension Les Tension is offline
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I'm with Antonio. I use my kitchen table for a work bench(when the wife's not home) My chair backs are slightly higher than the table top. I put a pillow there, Works fine.

Les
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  #28  
Old 07-12-2010, 09:14 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is online now
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After mentioning that he uses a rifle rest, Misty wrote:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Misty44 View Post
Better example, the one I use:

Geez - using a rifle rest - why didn't I think of that? I grew up around firearms culture. Brewster Hodgdon of The Hodgdon Powder Company was a close family friend: my sister and I called him "Uncle Brewster" and I thought he was actual blood kin until I was six or so. We sure saw more of him than of our actual relatives...

Okay, that makes two really good tips I've garnered from this thread so far: rifle rests and using an ironing board as a work surface.


whm
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  #29  
Old 07-12-2010, 09:19 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is online now
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Keith wrote:

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpabolting View Post
When I went to that link I thought it was just a different image on the same neoprene pad setup that Riorider and I were talking about.

Here's an image:



But then I read more closely and realized that it's a successor system, along the same lines but with a non-scratch felt "service" (sic) instead of neoprene and a movable neck rest (which sounds better than what RR and I have.)

How do you like it, Keith?


whm
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  #30  
Old 07-12-2010, 09:39 PM
edmidlifecrisis edmidlifecrisis is offline
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I do a LOT of string changes on my acoustics, my son's electrics, and my bass guitars. Like Misty44, I use a leather suede rifle rest filled with sand. I put it on a riser of a couple of sheets of wood to get it a little higher. i put a blanket down on my workbench as it is a multiuse bench made of wood. This works pretty well, could be improved, maybe someday I'll make one.

For now the rifle rest is great.
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