How Many Use A Battery Operated String Winder?

[The Growler]

I have the red Ernie Ball power winder. Love it.

[Russell G]

Originally Posted by bufflehead

I'm still smug, arrogant and superior, and I'm still using a hand crank. (And, I'm proud to add, my pickup truck still has hand hand-cranked windows.)

Way to go bro!

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by ChrisE

Some of you mentioned the fear of having the power winder go spinning out of control and ruining your headstock.

From personal experience with my little AA powered Black and Decker I’d say you have nothing to worry about. It doesn’t spin fast enough or have enough power to damage anything if you’re even remotely careful with it.

I’d say it’s a great string winder but a pretty poor screwdriver.

Mine sounds like the batteries are almost dead even when it has brand new batteries. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever changed the batteries since I’ve had it.

Go ahead and put new batteries in, but be careful; you'll put your eye out!

I have the same B&D and have used it on a few occasions when we're having a "string changing party", but I like the peace and quiet of a hand crank. About the only place I'd consider it as a necessity is if I had a shop where I advertised and did free string changes with purchase of new strings.

[michtet]

I use a cheap cordless screwdriver with a custom attachment I designed and printed on a 3-D printer. Works like a charm.

[Slothead56]

In the mid 70’s, a couple years after learning to play and discovering the joy of new strings, I saw a manual, handheld peg winder in a local store and bought it for a couple bucks. It was a life changing experience.
When I took the plunge and started using a cheap Black and Decker battery drill with the peg attachment it was an equally life changing experience.
I buggered up the headstock on a guitar with the swirl marks you can get but learned my lesson. No going back.
I changed the strings on one of my slot heads a couple days ago and it took me about 7 minutes. Only way to go.

[Goodallboy]

These discussions always serve to reveal things I would have never believed.

We have several people including me, relating seeing the damage done to a fine guitar by a powered string winder, and now a post indicating a person damaged their own guitar using one and they still continue to use it.

While they obviously have every right to do whatever they want, and I celebrate that right, I’m no less surprised at people who take the risk when so little is gained. I guess that’s the mystery for me but I enjoy seeing how people think and rationalize.