How long before strings steeach and stay in tune?

mustache79 · #1 01-08-2013, 10:26 PM

Like the title says. I put new strings on 3 days ago. I've played about 10 times for a total of say 2 hours. The strings still fall about a 1/4 step flat overnight. Is there a way to streach them properly or do i just have to wait? Thanks

HNLim · #2 01-08-2013, 10:34 PM

From my experience, by the time it stops stretching and going out of tune, it's time to change to a new set. I always tune my guitar before I start to play. Temperature will also affect the tuning. So normally after playing a few pieces, I will check the tuning again.

Jonathon Byrd · #3 01-08-2013, 10:43 PM

Whenever I change new strings, I pull on them a couple times that day before and after playing to keep them from slipping out too much later. Obviously not too hard, you don't want to break a string. But it's normal. As long as they aren't coming out of tune like while you're practicing, stretching won't really help. You just have to tune up before you play; the longer they're on there, the steadier they will be staying in tune.

littlewing137 · #4 01-08-2013, 10:46 PM

squeeze and pinch the 1st and 4th, 2nd and 5th, 3rd and 6th strings together so they touch several times. No particular order. This will stretch them out.

joeguam · #5 01-08-2013, 11:07 PM

YouTube "Taylor Guitars Restring Guitar" and you'll find a very good video explaining how to safely "stretch" the slack out of your guitar so it'll stay in tune right when you string it up.

...
Joe

Garthman · #6 01-09-2013, 06:45 AM

Yeah - nylon strings take about a week to "settle" and I use the " " because even after that time they will require more tweaking than steel strings. I always tune up before playing my nylon string guitars and often retune during playing.

That's the way it is with nylon strings - a small price to pay for the rewards they give IMHO.

randalljazz · #7 01-10-2013, 03:35 AM

tune each string one semitone sharp when you first put them on, beginning with the treble strings. by the time you have changed the basses, the trebles will have settled back to below correct pitch. play a while. give the trebles another half turn sharp again when you put it away.

WaddyT · #8 01-10-2013, 09:51 AM

Totally depends on the strings. Every brand has different idiosyncrasies. Nylon's take longest, and sometimes it takes a week for them to settle in. You can stretch them and do all kinds of gymnastics with them, but they still won't be right for a week. Carbons are a bit better at settling down. Usually a few days to be stable. All that said, atmospheric pressure, humidity and temperature play a big role in whether or not the guitar will be in tune when you pick it up the next day.

Bern · #9 01-10-2013, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mustache79

Like the title says. I put new strings on 3 days ago. I've played about 10 times for a total of say 2 hours. The strings still fall about a 1/4 step flat overnight. Is there a way to streach them properly or do i just have to wait? Thanks

I'm not saying you did, however, it could be that you did not secure the strings properly when you put them on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGO30uYiIaY

the.ronin · #10 01-10-2013, 02:32 PM

I tend to agree that it depends on the strings (also how anal you are about getting the tuning spot on). Some need only minor adjustments if that after days. Some I notice I need to tune every day (not being anal - off by half step).

mustache79 · #11 01-10-2013, 03:16 PM

well, it's been 5 days now and today my strings we're about 15 cents flat on average. The strings are tied nice and clean to the bridge, however I did not tied them to the tuning pegs. The didn't come tied from the factory, so I didn't know about that part. Still, the strings don't appear to be slipping from the tuning machines as I still see the same amount of string sticking out from where it cut it off. I have only put aout 3 hours of playing time on it so far. We'll see in a a few more days. I'm thinking of buying some carbon strings bacause I've heard they are brighter and stay in tune better. Looking at Oasis and D'Addario carbon bass with titanium trebles.

dwalton · #12 01-10-2013, 03:24 PM

Classical strings just stretch like that - some more than others. Nothing to be done but a quick tune up when you go to play it. I wouldn't be tugging on them or pre-stressing them to try to speed it up. When stringing up, try to do the tie-offs at the headstock so that the string is taut to begin with, which will reduce the number of winds, which tends to lessen the issue. Mine generally dial in within several days to a week, but in my experience, a classical always needs retuning after it's been sitting.

joeguam · #13 01-10-2013, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeguam

YouTube "Taylor Guitars Restring Guitar" and you'll find a very good video explaining how to safely "stretch" the slack out of your guitar so it'll stay in tune right when you string it up.

Here's the link, you can "stretch" them out a bit, but I agree with everyone, the surrounding environment will always expand or condense the material in the string.
Link: Restringing Your Taylor Guitar

EDIT: Apologies, didn't realize this was for a nylon string guitar. Oh well, there's the link if any steel string players are interested.

...
Joe

dwalton · #14 01-10-2013, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeguam

Here's the link, you can "stretch" them out a bit, but I agree with everyone, the surrounding environment will always expand or condense the material in the string.
Link: Restringing Your Taylor Guitar

EDIT: Apologies, didn't realize this was for a nylon string guitar. Oh well, there's the link if any steel string players are interested.

...
Joe

1. From what I've read, stretching nylon strings can cause intonation problems with the uniformity of the diameter of the string along its length.
2. I don't even like the way the Taylor guy does the steel string change, but I don't feel like going into all the reasons why.

Bern · #15 01-10-2013, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mustache79

well, it's been 5 days now and today my strings we're about 15 cents flat on average. The strings are tied nice and clean to the bridge, however I did not tied them to the tuning pegs. The didn't come tied from the factory, so I didn't know about that part. Still, the strings don't appear to be slipping from the tuning machines as I still see the same amount of string sticking out from where it cut it off. I have only put aout 3 hours of playing time on it so far. We'll see in a a few more days. I'm thinking of buying some carbon strings bacause I've heard they are brighter and stay in tune better. Looking at Oasis and D'Addario carbon bass with titanium trebles.

Could you post a photo of the bridge and the headstock ?