Why Stretching Strings Isn't.....

[3notes]

Done at the factory.??

Why are strings not stretched at the factory.??

And how many of you feel that you have wrecked strings by stretching them.??

I hate stretching strings and when I do I feel the need to. Doesn't happen often. It seems the bottom E string and A string need it the most.

Why do people stretch strings right from the git-go.??

Before anyone replies.... Is the number one reply going to be because the strings get stuck in the nut and the saddle.?? If so, have your tech fix the problem, right.?? Then, are you still going to stretch your strings.?? Why.??

I don't believe in it, for the most part. I do it only when I think a single string needs it. Why aren't they stretched at the factory.?? They are a gauge. Why change it.??

Honestly, I just thought of this now. Meaning, I'd never questioned it before.

[Silly Moustache]

There is a sometime member called Murrmac - who is a Scottish engineer, and he maintains that we do not "stretch" strings as metal isn't entirely elastic.
I'm no metallurgist, so have no firm opinion, but when I fit new strings I do "pull" them a few times which I now regards as "settling them in"
It certainly helps the strings to stay in tune better than when I simply fitted them and tuned them, and just gave tem qa few minutes hard play, and a retune.

If you "wreck" strings from the outset - you are obviously doing something wrong.

I "settle" my strings, and get 2-3 months (or more) out of uncoated phos-bronze sets.

BTW - Wade made mention of a tool called a string stretcher, which I sought out and bought. I found it unpleasant, and impractical. I cannot recommend them.

[stokes1971]

I do it as I have found that when I do it keeps it in tune better when they are new.I'm not a matallurgist either but it seems to me the winding on the string is just like a coil or spring,as is the coil of string around the peg head so stretching them settles all that in.

[rmp]

I was always under the (perhaps misguided) impression that part of the pull up on the newly put on string, is more to tighten up the winding on the machine head, and for acoustics, snug up the ball on the bridge pin.

You can clearly notice tho, tune up a new wound string, give a tug, yep now it's flat.

I do that a few times till the "pull" on the string doesn't cause the pitch to drop.

[Bob Womack]

Hi! Some stream of consciousness:

1. I've popped a couple of Elixer acoustic "G" strings when "stretching" them. I got in touch with Elixer and they replaced them and suggested that I not stretch them.

2. I've seen videos of the Taylor and Gibson factories and at the final checkout station their workers both stretched the strings. It was cursory, but they did stretch them.

3. Remember that every motion, every action is watched, followed, measured on a production line in order to fit those actions into the cost of production. The company chooses what level of attention each model gets. People ask why guitars aren't perfectly setup from the factory. The answer is that the manufacturer comes up with a generic setup that most people won't complain about and that's the level of detail a guitar gets before it goes out the door. The cost of that is factored into the price of the instrument. By contrast, my luthier/tech spends four to six hours on a setup, including leveling the frets, dressing their ends, and carefully cutting the nut so that strings don't bind in it. If a manufacturer was to do that they'd have to tack the cost of a union technician's hours onto the price of the guitar. They simply can't offer the guitars at an attractive price point if they spend too much time on the guitar. So, what actions get done are driven by cost/yield.

I hope that helps!

Bob

[FrankHudson]

I too have read here that metal strings don't stretch. What we call "stretching" is just taking out slack in the windings around the tuning post or in other areas.

By this theory there is no way to package a set of "already stretched for you" strings.

As mentioned above, you can easily observe the change in pitch when one tunes up a newly installed string to pitch and then stretches them before checking the pitch again. It'll be flat.

I have a few guitars with locking tuners, and I'm not sure if they show the same phenomenon. Someday I should check that. There may still be some slack, even in a half-turn around the post with a locking tuner or between a bridge and tailpiece, nut and tuning post, or even around a wrap around bridge. These later things are reasons that you should tune up to pitch when routinely tuning a guitar by first tuning down before turning to correct pitch with the guitar string is found sharp.

String ruin from stretching? Hey I play 12-string, sometimes tuned to concert pitch. I'd never stretch an octave G on a 12-string set. I always wince and look away from the guitar when tuning that string. 12-string players will know what I'm talking about! But on an electric 6 string, I don't bend the string to stretch it as much as some do. Just a few tugs, or a few runs up and down with one of the string winder handles that have string grooves in them to help stretch. I don't look like I'm practicing for an archery tournament or anything! That means that with fresh strings I'm retuning after every piece or take for awhile.

There's one more "ruin" thing to be aware of: with round-core strings (less common, most are hex core, DR Pure Blues are a round core example) you shouldn't trim the excess tail left at your tuning machine shaft until you have tuned up the strings up, and putting a right angle bend just beyond the tuning shaft hole before the place you cut them is advised. Round core strings don't have the hex ridges for the windings to grip on to, so they can unravel.

[Bob Womack]

Oh, at the STRING factory... um, duh...

Bob

[jdto]

Steel strings do stretch very minimally in the sense that pulling them would cause them to elongate, but it's a fraction of a mm and this occurs when they are on the guitar at pitch. New strings, which have never been under tension, will stretch in that sense and it usually happens quickly. Once that is out of the way, they return to form very well which is what makes them work well on guitars until they finally start to wear out, at which point we change them. Also, I would imagine it would add time and effort to the manufacturing process to stretch each individual string to the tension that matches roughly to concert pitch, never mind that the tension will vary depending on which scale length and tuning you are using. It's a step in the process best left to the end-user, I think.

Pulling on the strings (or playing and bending etc.) also settles them more tightly around the posts and at the bridge, which also helps them stay in tune.

Here's a video where a rep from Stringjoy talks about it:

[roylor4]

My understanding is that strings don't stretch, at least not in a substantial way - pulling on them simply seats the ball ends and tightens the windings on the tuner pegs.

[rmp]

of course, we've not brought up the whole topic of Nylon strings.....

If you don't stretch those babies when you first string up, you'll be chasing that around for about a week.

[Gordon Currie]

Well, clearly strings settle in some fashion. Who hasn't experienced putting on new strings, bringing everything up to pitch, and then hearing strings go flat quickly after playing for a few minutes?

I've never owned a guitar that did not exhibit this. Electric or acoustic. Bass guitars. Mandolin. And every single guitar owned by others where I change the strings.

In answer to the OP, I 'stretch' my strings because if I don't, then I'll be retuning for hours (in one minute intervals) over the next few days.

Not my idea of time well spent.

Anyone who is ruining strings by stretching them is doing it wrong.

[jseth]

I've always "stretched" my strings, from the first time I changed them myself, back in the 60's... always felt that it helped the new strings "settle in" more quickly where they'd be stable and hold pitch better...

Nowadays, I REALLY stretch them! Both electric and acoustic guitars... still for the same reasons. Has nothing to do with whether they are binding at the nut or not.

When I stretch the strings well with a new set, they seem to immediately hold tune and are quite stable... whereas with a new set, I'd be constantly uptuning for hours, if not days of playing time...

Do what you want and think what you do, but it works, and has worked for me for decades now...

[1neeto]

In my experience, tuning stability is much greater throughout the life of the strings if I stretch them. I usually tune, give it a tug, tune again, play for a few minutes and check the tuning. If it goes flat, I give it one final stretch, and it’s good after that. Strings usually completely settle after the third day or so.

[ghostnote]

I always stretch them, because it works. It worked 50 years ago, and it still works now. Whatever the reason might be scientifically, or what part of the guitar is being effected, stretching new strings has always helped stabilize tuning for me. But you can't go crazy and bend them halfway around the neck. A little stretching goes a long way.

[Mbroady]

When changing strings I do pull on them a little, both close to the nut and close to the bridge. After that if the guitar goes out of tune I will give them a slight tug and then I (always) tune up. After a a little bit of playing the strings settle in and then they stay in tune.