Changing guitar strings -- do you cut or not?

[Opa John]

Originally Posted by LindaW

OK, so I'm watching some youtube covers and I can't believe how many people don't trim their guitar strings after restringing. How does one play with those long loose ends flapping in the breeze?? Am I just too compulsively neat to cope?

You're doing it right, Linda. Myself....I'm one of those guys who loops the strings one time through the tuning peg, except for those two big fat ones,then I bend the end of it (about an 1/8") with a pair of long nosed pliers....then, cut it. Makes for a nice, clean, neat look. I think anyone who doesn't do it like this should have his guitar taken away from him for a full day and have to listen to Lawrence Welk music.......ALL DAY LONG!! He'd think twice the next time! (A one an' a two.....Tanga You, Janet!)

[valleyguy]

I saw Lyle Lovett last night in concert. His Collings had their strings coiled. Looked kinda cool.... With guitar techs I'm sure he could have his cut, so he must like it like that.

Hmm, old school??

[missouri.picker]

i stretch my neck.........ummm....no that is something else,,,i cut 'em

[darylcrisp]

some of this coiling, aside from just being "cool looking" at some point of ones life, may have trailed down from Nylon players.

In Flamenco, many players keep the loose ends coiled, and when necessary will untie at the bridge and slide the string down for more use. Flamenco stresses the strings pretty hard in the attacks and one generally tries to get all one can out of a set of strings-rather than changing them so quickly. Classical players may have did/do the same thing but I have no idea with that group.

Daryl