D'Addario method for restringing

[dwasifar]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Again an over-complicated 'method' which is time-consuming and serves no real practical purpose with those unnecessary string-manipulations . There are far simpler and quicker ways. Here's what I have been doing for 50 years:

I'm with you except for this:

Originally Posted by AndrewG

An added bonus is that string breaks are reduced, because the point of greatest stress is no longer the acute bend at the tuner hole, but the gentle tangent as the string leaves the tuner on its way to the nut.

If you look carefully at a guitar strung that way, the stressed side of the string does not bend on the sharp edge of the tuner hole. Rather, it bends against the string of the locking loop, which is a softer and more gradual bend than other methods. And in any case this method still has at least one wrap, so the point of greatest stress is the same tangent you mentioned.

I'm accustomed to using the lock-loop method in the video because I use round-core strings, and it's the easiest way I know of to make sure they don't unravel when cut. I don't think it's superior in any other way. I've never been shown any evidence that one way produces less or more string breakage than the other; I think that's hearsay. I also think the claims of greater tuning stability for one or the other are hearsay. If one way was clearly superior to the other in that regard, it'd have become the industry standard by now.

A luthier friend of mine recommends one wrap over and two wraps under the post hole. I imagine your technique could be easily adapted to that. I'll try it next time I restring using something other than round cores, and report back.

[marc515]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Again an over-complicated 'method' which is time-consuming and serves no real practical purpose with those unnecessary string-manipulations . There are far simpler and quicker ways. Here's what I have been doing for 50 years:

1. Do what the guy in the video did at the bridge.
2. Keep the string taut, bring it up to the tuner.
3. Put two wraps around the post BEFORE...
4. Threading the free end through the hole ABOVE those wraps.
5. Pull that free string end tight to lock it off, snip off the excess and...
6. Job done.

Now, as you tune up to pitch you'll see that the wraps climb up the tuner post to further lock-off the string at the hole.
An added bonus is that string breaks are reduced, because the point of greatest stress is no longer the acute bend at the tuner hole, but the gentle tangent as the string leaves the tuner on its way to the nut.
Try it; it's quick, stable and neat.

I have also been using the method you describe for over 50 years!

[justonwo]

I’ve used a number of different stringing techniques and rarely have tuning issues with any of them. Locking wraps. A few wraps. A bunch of wraps. It all works just as well for me. These days I just use a very simple formula - straight in the post with no locking wrap, a few times around the post, and then tug the strings a few times to seat them.

The D’Addario locking wrap is superfluous, in my opinion, and does make it harder to remove the string. If I were to lock any strings, it’d be the highest.

[BrunoBlack]

Regarding the idea that the locking method is hard to remove: 1) I don’t usually find it hard to bend string ends & pull strings through the eye. 2) However, as an alternative, I have wire clippers right on my bench during string changes, a simple clip of the string in front of the tuning machine eye makes quick work (less than a second) of removing problematic strings.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by justonwo

I’ve used a number of different stringing techniques and rarely have tuning issues with any of them. Locking wraps. A few wraps. A bunch of wraps. It all works just as well for me. These days I just use a very simple formula - straight in the post with no locking wrap, a few times around the post, and then tug the strings a few times to seat them.

The D’Addario locking wrap is superfluous, in my opinion, and does make it harder to remove the string. If I were to lock any strings, it’d be the highest.

I've tried them all and here's the thing ... they all work!

But I'm now with justonwo.(and rokdog49)
The simplest and easiest way possible.
No pre-cutting - no over then under - no winding on post first.
Just in the hole, pull back a little, wind them all downwards, cut off the excess.
And they come off easily too.

Works brilliantly with round-core strings too.

Sometimes I over-estimate a touch and get 3 winds on the post, usually 2 - it doesn't really matter.

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

I've tried them all and here's the thing ... they all work!

But I'm now with justonwo.(and rokdog49)
The simplest and easiest way possible.
No pre-cutting - no over then under - no winding on post first.
Just in the hole, pull back a little, wind them all downwards, cut off the excess.
And they come off easily too.

Works brilliantly with round-core strings too.

Sometimes I over-estimate a touch and get 3 winds on the post, usually 2 - it doesn't really matter.

No, 3 wraps causes the guitar to explode. We all know that!

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by justonwo

No, 3 wraps causes the guitar to explode. We all know that!

You're right!
Here's my neatest job.

[diego]

I'm using the method shown in the OP as well, and I suspect it improved the tuning stability of my guitar. It was slightly complicated and time-consuming to me at first, but now it's a second nature - actually, I'm so accustomed to it and forgot the "easier" way, that it would be more time-consuming now if I reverted to the non-lock method. Never had problems removing the strings, don't know what the hassle is about.