STRETCHING NEW STRINGS (or not)

[LITTLEWING]

I've just been reading on Talkbass five pages on stretching or not stretching new strings. There's a bit about not doing it as it can detach the windings from the core and instantly 'kill' the string, some people just go ahead and fit them and tune up all evening during a gig and some completely laugh at the idea. Personally I give them a few little tugs about a couple of inches off the fretboard while tuning to pitch then quickly check the intonation and lastly apply a little pressure just after each saddle to create the 'witness' point and to date have never broken a string and have had a great tone for ages. What do other good people here on BC in the UK think and apply?

[markstuk]

Never done it. Never seen or had the need.

[Grangur]

This is something I heard of guitarists doing, so when at the Herts Bass Bash and we had presentation by the guy from D'Addario I asked him. He says it's a good idea.
Do I do it?
Nahh, if anything I'd imagine it's a way to quickly age your strings a week or so.

[EliasMooseblaster]

I usually just tune them all a semitone sharp when they first go on, then put them back to concert pitch after an hour or two. Usually does the trick for bass strings - thin, slinky guitar strings are another matter, but they usually go out over the course of a gig anyway, regardless of when they went on.

[RhysP]

I do it with my bass & guitar strings & have never had any problems.

[Grangur]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1479657334' post='3178171']
I do it with my bass & guitar strings & have never had any problems.
[/quote]
But is it beneficial to do it?

Edited November 20, 2016 by Grangur

[Lozz196]

I always do it, additionally even before they`re attached to the tuning peg I give them a tug so that the ball-end-thingy is properly in place in the bridge. Does it make tuning any better, no ideas as have done it this way for so long I can`t really remember how it was before.

[Hobbayne]

Never done it. Always tuned straight to pitch and they seem to stay there.

[essexbasscat]

Surely it would noticeable pretty quickly when played If the windings become detached from the core ?

[Bolo]

Fresh strings > tuning and intonation > play a song > check tuning (it's never off by more than a notch on the tuner). All done,
I did 'stretch' the strings on a previous bass with different strings but I find no need for it currently.

[casapete]

Always done it as well, never had a problem.
Reminded me of this too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8OYeN9mAL4

[RhysP]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1479657918' post='3178180']

But is it beneficial to do it?
[/quote]

I found that they are more more stable from a tuning perspective if I stretch them when putting them on. If I don't stretch them they take a lot longer to get to the point where they settle down & don't need frequent tuning.

Edited November 20, 2016 by RhysP

[skej21]

Used to do it until I started using Superbrights which are pre-stretched. Now I don't bother!

[Coilte]

[quote name='markstuk' timestamp='1479657061' post='3178166']
Never done it. Never seen or had the need.
[/quote]

Same here.

[paul_c2]

I do it, basically it saves the first day or so of constantly retuning the bass as the strings stretch in anyway.

[quote name='LITTLEWING' timestamp='1479656912' post='3178165']
There's a bit about not doing it as it can detach the windings from the core and instantly 'kill' the string,
[/quote]

They're either doing it wrong (ie way too much), or the string is faulty. If its faulty, I'd like to know ASAP, not during a later performance - bass strings can and do break, usually because they are faulty rather than simply worn out + too aggressive a technique.

[Skybone]

Like a few others, I've always stretched new strings after putting them on. Put them on, tune to standard, give them a good stretch, tune up again, stretch again, tune up again.

Is it beneficial?

Good question. I think it is beneficial, tuning stability is achieved almost immediately, great if you're on the road or in the studio. Does it effect your "tone"? I've never noticed any detrimental effects from doing it, so no.

[LITTLEWING]

Well, so far only a handful do it, and most just install them and by the sounds of it have no problems. Maybe modern manufacturing processes and materials are miles better than yesteryear and simply don't require the old experienced guy's methods anymore?

[paul_c2]

[quote name='LITTLEWING' timestamp='1479666441' post='3178289']
Well, so far only a handful do it, and most just install them and by the sounds of it have no problems. Maybe modern manufacturing processes and [color=#ff0000]materials are miles better [/color]than yesteryear and simply don't require the old experienced guy's methods anymore?
[/quote]

I'd have thought the materials are more or less the same; and if they're different, the physical properties of the material relating to needing stretching or not, are the same. Unless strings are now "pre-stretched", but I doubt it.

[Bobthedog]

I do but only because of a couple of videos on you tube such as these two from Scott and Fodera:

[url="https://youtu.be/hJ-uXjEIz-A"]https://youtu.be/hJ-uXjEIz-A[/url]

https://youtu.be/AbU48SQwXN8

Edited November 20, 2016 by Bobthedog

[bartelby]

I've done it for about 20 years with roundwounds, but never with flatwounds.
In all that time I've never had a string go dead from stretching it.

Tune up, finger under the string at the 12th fret, few pulls up a couple of inches, retune and repeat. Then I find the tuning is totally stable from there on...

[Roger2611]

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1479657323' post='3178170']
I usually just tune them all a semitone sharp when they first go on, then put them back to concert pitch after an hour or two. Usually does the trick for bass strings -
[/quote]

+1, never broken a string and have no tuning problems, I do try and ensure I fit new strings a good few days before a gig so they can sit at concert pitch for a few days after the initial semitone higher tuning

[HowieBass]

I've always done it, never had any problem with 'killing' a string.

[Dad3353]

Basses and guitars get the same treatment from me (or rather, us, as our eldest and our youngest do the same...). Fit the new string(s...), bring up to pitch, then, holding the string in the middle, gently lift the instrument and give it a gentle 'bounce' its own weight for a second or two. This beds in the string, at the ball end, ensuring that it's well and truly in its place, and also at the tuner, ensuring that the turns are tight around the peg. It's always necessary to re-tune after this, but from then on, the tuning (electric, folk, nylon guitar, baritone, bass...) needs no further time to stabilise. This has been my (our...) procedure for decades. I've buddies that don't don't do this, and have to play and tune up for a few days before stability sets in. I say 'don't'; that should be 'didn't', as most have changed to my (our...) technique since, having witnessed its benefits. YMMV, of course.

[Cato]

I've never stretched my strings on either guitar or bass. I didn't even know it was a thing until I joined Basschat.

They generally settle down after a day.

Maybe if I ever restrung immediately before playing a gig it might be worth doing, but I've never done that.

Edited November 21, 2016 by Cato

[Twincam]

I can't see why a little stretch could guess an issue.
Really tugging on a string might though.

I don't do it but might if I needed quick tuning stability. And I wouldn't do it on a flatwound just In case, as they seem to be a bit more sensitive to stretching or twisting.