Martin vs Taylor way of restring

[jazzguy]

Originally Posted by Oldguy64

I’ve used the “Taylor method” since before it was widely called that.

The only difference is that I go one wrap over and two under the string end.

That is all the “lock” I need.

I do the exact same thing. Works well for me.

[raduray]

Originally Posted by AgentKooper

I cut the strings, leaving enough extra to reach a little beyond the next tuning machine out from the one I’m working on, crimp the string end about a quarter inch in, put the strings through the tuning machine, wind, tune, stretch, wind tune, stretch, wind, tune, stretch, and tune.
.

That's what I do with my 12 fret slotted headstock. One tip that I learned on this forum that has proven very helpful is to use the end of cut off round toothpick to hold the skinny strings in the pegs until they have been tensioned.

[JeffreyAK]

This one of those topics that just keeps coming back, over and over again, with no right answer. Motorcycle forums have something similar called the "oil thread", where someone innocently asks what the best oil is, and unwittingly starts another many-page monster thread full of different opinions, some with reasonable-sounding justifications even, that ultimately boil down to, "use what you prefer because it doesn't make any real difference".

I think the only constant is, you need to wind enough loops around the post to keep it from slipping. I'll leave 1-2 post separations at the end before cutting (yes, with dykes) off the excess. I personally use what some people call the "taylor method", and I even stretch the strings a bit after they're tuned to pitch the first time. Works fine for me on all my instruments, and has worked fine for decades. But if someone else prefers a different ritual, that's fine too.

Well, there's a second constant: It's a pain to put on new strings no matter how you do it. I just did this yesterday on my S18, which is 12 strings to change with the added bonus of very limited room on the bass side, making it impossible to use a winding tool. I only drew blood once, and then had to deal with tuning the 12 new strings, plus re-tuning the 6 bass subs that also drift around as the tension on the fretted strings changes. Fortunately this instrument doesn't need string changes very often, so it's about an annual ritual.

[Pura Vida]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi PV

Depends. If I'm restringing before a gig, they get stretched (actually within a day or two of a gig I stretch them).

Otherwise people are listening-to/watching me retune all night.

I don't have issues with people who don't stretch, as long as they don't string the guitar 30 minutes before the gig.

But stretching round-wound is definitely 'dangerous' business!

That's fair. I don't perform live, so only the cats have to listen to me re-tune all night.

[guitar george]

I watched some videos of various string changing methods and would like to make a few suggestions:

Don’t lay the guitar on it’s back – instead, put the guitar on an upright stand and change the strings while sitting down with the headstock at eye level
Don’t use a power winder to loosen and tighten the strings – for sure it will scratch the sides of the headstock – use fingers or a plastic hand winder
Don’t’ take all the strings off at once – releases all the pressure off the neck - tuning the new strings takes longer to re-bend the neck
Don’t leave the strings loose and flapping on the guitar – will scratch the guitar
Don’t take the strings off with wire cutters – will damage the pins and the bridge – use fingers or a plastic pin remover attached to a plastic hand winder
Don’t just put the ball end in the pin hole and push in the pin – pull up hard on the string after inserting the pin part way down, to seat the ball against the bridgeplate, and then push the pin in snuggly
Don’t insert all new strings in the pin holes at the same time – this will leave strings flapping and will scratch the guitar – do one string at a time from start to finish
Don’t pull the coiled strings off the tuning posts – apt to scratch the post and the headstock – unwind them instead
Don’t put any bends in the strings, at either end - will cause kinks in the wrong places – strings will automatically bend at exactly where they need to bend with no pre-bending
Don’t leave the strings full length while winding – the long ends get in the way while winding - cut the strings to the correct length first (except maybe for round core strings)
Don’t push the cut end further than necessary through the post hole – to avoid having to do a second cut when the string is on
Don’t pull the strings a random distance from the guitar to determine string length – use a more accurate method such as the 1 - 1 ½ post distance method
Don’t put all the winds under the post hole – the tuning post might be too short, particularly on the bass strings - put the first wind on top and the rest under to pinch and lock the string against itself and to allow room for 1 extra wind if needed on short posts

[sabatini]

Originally Posted by guitar george

I watched some videos of various string changing methods and would like to make a few suggestions:

Don’t lay the guitar on it’s back – instead, put the guitar on an upright stand and change the strings while sitting down with the headstock at eye level
Don’t use a power winder to loosen and tighten the strings – for sure it will scratch the sides of the headstock – use fingers or a plastic hand winder
Don’t’ take all the strings off at once – releases all the pressure off the neck - tuning the new strings takes longer to re-bend the neck
Don’t leave the strings loose and flapping on the guitar – will scratch the guitar
Don’t take the strings off with wire cutters – will damage the pins and the bridge – use fingers or a plastic pin remover attached to a plastic hand winder
Don’t just put the ball end in the pin hole and push in the pin – pull up hard on the string after inserting the pin part way down, to seat the ball against the bridgeplate, and then push the pin in snuggly
Don’t insert all new strings in the pin holes at the same time – this will leave strings flapping and will scratch the guitar – do one string at a time from start to finish
Don’t pull the coiled strings off the tuning posts – apt to scratch the post and the headstock – unwind them instead
Don’t put any bends in the strings, at either end - will cause kinks in the wrong places – strings will automatically bend at exactly where they need to bend with no pre-bending
Don’t leave the strings full length while winding – the long ends get in the way while winding - cut the strings to the correct length first (except maybe for round core strings)
Don’t push the cut end further than necessary through the post hole – to avoid having to do a second cut when the string is on
Don’t pull the strings a random distance from the guitar to determine string length – use a more accurate method such as the 1 - 1 ½ post distance method
Don’t put all the winds under the post hole – the tuning post might be too short, particularly on the bass strings - put the first wind on top and the rest under to pinch and lock the string against itself and to allow room for 1 extra wind if needed on short posts

I do most of your don'ts.

[guitar george]

Originally Posted by sabatini

I do most of your don'ts.

I thought you might be. Maybe I'm doing it wrong?

[51 Relic]

When I bought my Martin JTDB I tried the Martin way but now I've gone back to my normal one over and two under method . Much easier to remove and install

[ahtohz]

I like this forum as everyone are willing to share their thought and advice Gonna try these out at my next restring ... hehe

[Hit-em]

This is what I use on all of my guitars electric & acoustic

[Besen]

Sorry for posting to such and old thread, but I need some advice and didn't want to start another one.

I've been using the Taylor recommended stringing method for many years with no problem until recently. I have a slot head Martin guitar (00-28vs) and I just recently changed to D'Addario XS coated strings. I'm finding that they slip and I'm trying to decide if I should just add another turn or switch to the Martin recommended lock method. I should mention that I like the XS's because of the slipperiness (less finger squeak) and therein lies the problem. By the way, I don't have any problem with a standard peghead.

Does anyone use these strings on a slot head, and if so how do you string?

Thanks in advance!

[Mark Stone]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

Guitars, I've strung a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
To maintain the correct tension

I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way

O M Goodness!!

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Besen

Sorry for posting to such and old thread, but I need some advice and didn't want to start another one.

I've been using the Taylor recommended stringing method for many years with no problem until recently. I have a slot head Martin guitar (00-28vs) and I just recently changed to D'Addario XS coated strings. I'm finding that they slip and I'm trying to decide if I should just add another turn or switch to the Martin recommended lock method. I should mention that I like the XS's because of the slipperiness (less finger squeak) and therein lies the problem. By the way, I don't have any problem with a standard peghead.

Does anyone use these strings on a slot head, and if so how do you string?

Thanks in advance!

Hi Besen…
Hopefully you'll receive a proper answer quickly.

I don't use either Taylor or Martin ways of stringing. I have one slot head guitar, and I don't even anchor the string in the bridge till I have 3-4 winds around the shaft. I use coated strings, but I've never had them slip, but then I've never applied less than 3-4 wraps around a shaft. When I start the stringing process, I pull plenty of slack though the hole (I NEVER pre-cut string lengths).

I put the bare string end through the shaft and make sure I have enough slack to wind it 2-3 times around before progressing. Holding the string snug coming off the shaft with one hand, I tighten it (with an electric driver) and before it begins it's final snug-down-around-the-shaft, I stick it in the bridge and drop in the pin. Then I finish it off.

I don't 'lock' strings onto shafts EVER. There is probably a more efficient way of dealing with slot-head stringing than my method.

Good luck! I'm guessing if you stick enough of the string through the shaft and get enough wraps around it, it will hold tension just fine (and not slip). You may need extra wraps around the shaft to accomplish this.

[UncleJesse]

I'd venture to guess Martin's locking method is responsible for 90-95% of all headstock scratches that happen to Martin guitars. Hate it. And I curse whoever did it when I take them off a guitar and silently pray they get papercuts between their fingers as karmic repayment.

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by guitar george

I watched some videos of various string changing methods and would like to make a few suggestions:

Don’t lay the guitar on it’s back – instead, put the guitar on an upright stand and change the strings while sitting down with the headstock at eye level
Don’t use a power winder to loosen and tighten the strings – for sure it will scratch the sides of the headstock – use fingers or a plastic hand winder
Don’t’ take all the strings off at once – releases all the pressure off the neck - tuning the new strings takes longer to re-bend the neck
Don’t leave the strings loose and flapping on the guitar – will scratch the guitar
Don’t take the strings off with wire cutters – will damage the pins and the bridge – use fingers or a plastic pin remover attached to a plastic hand winder
Don’t just put the ball end in the pin hole and push in the pin – pull up hard on the string after inserting the pin part way down, to seat the ball against the bridgeplate, and then push the pin in snuggly
Don’t insert all new strings in the pin holes at the same time – this will leave strings flapping and will scratch the guitar – do one string at a time from start to finish
Don’t pull the coiled strings off the tuning posts – apt to scratch the post and the headstock – unwind them instead
Don’t put any bends in the strings, at either end - will cause kinks in the wrong places – strings will automatically bend at exactly where they need to bend with no pre-bending
Don’t leave the strings full length while winding – the long ends get in the way while winding - cut the strings to the correct length first (except maybe for round core strings)
Don’t push the cut end further than necessary through the post hole – to avoid having to do a second cut when the string is on
Don’t pull the strings a random distance from the guitar to determine string length – use a more accurate method such as the 1 - 1 ½ post distance method
Don’t put all the winds under the post hole – the tuning post might be too short, particularly on the bass strings - put the first wind on top and the rest under to pinch and lock the string against itself and to allow room for 1 extra wind if needed on short posts

It's so much easier on its back and taking all the strings off at once doesn't hurt the guitar. I just tune it all up then pull on each string then retune then repeat a second time and everything holds tuning fine. And no way would I ever go back to NOT using a powered winder. If you get the right attachment and learn how to do it, you won't scratch a peghead. If you ever try it I bet you wouldn't go back either