STRETCHING NEW STRINGS (or not)

[jazzyvee]

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1479666336' post='3178287']
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.
[/quote]

I do this whenever changing strings or taking existing ones to clean the bass. I always restring my basses and guitars with the strings under tension. In other words I grab each string near the middle and pull it towards the bridge so that they fit round the tuning peg tightish. Then tune to pitch and pull them up away from the fretboard and retune until it stays in tune. For me it's as much about taking any slack out of the string around the post as stretching so that there is less chance of any string slippage anywhere the first time you start playing. Once i've done that the string pretty much stays in tune. As for tone affects, i've never noticed any problem with tone from stretching strings nor longevity issues.

Edited November 21, 2016 by jazzyvee

[Dad3353]

I don't think that 'stretching' is really the right term. The string isn't any longer afterwards than before, it's just more 'settled in', or 'bedded'. The pulling, extra tension and all just takes up any slack there may have been (and usually is...). Maybe for nylon strings on a classical guitar; they can stretch, but not steel strings. I may be wrong, of course, and the result is pretty much the same, I suppose.

[LewisK1975]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1479660258' post='3178216']
Used to do it until I started using Superbrights which are pre-stretched. Now I don't bother!
[/quote]

I didn't know this! I've only ever done a press down after the saddle anyway, but good to know!

[SICbass]

I stretch new strings a lot, by pulling on them several times along their length, when I put them on. I also press down just before the bridge. Maybe it's only psychological on my part, but I hardly have to re-tune after that. I change strings every 4-6 weeks, depending on how busy I am and I generally put on the new strings directly before a gig. It would be very unwise of me not to stretch them before going under stage-lighting and those kinds of temperetaure changes.

[mcnach]

[quote name='LITTLEWING' timestamp='1479656912' post='3178165']
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?
[/quote]

Talking about using fresh strings just before a gig, years ago, with a live guitar tech who would put fresh strings on his guitarist's strings every night... he told me all you had to do was wind the strings carefully to avoid any slack, not use more turns around the post than necessary (a couple are plenty, except when you need them purely to ensure the strings leave from a low point to give enough angle at the nut...), and just tune up and push the strings down at both sides of the nut/saddles to create the witness points fast.
I have used his advice ever since and the tuning has always been stable. I never stretch the strings. But I suppose that's a way to remove possible slack at the tuning posts... however that's not necessary if you do just a couple of turns and/or are careful.

Edited November 21, 2016 by mcnach

[mcnach]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1479670449' post='3178345']
When we say "stretching the strings", is that really what's happening or is it just tightening up the part of the string around the tuning peg? I would suggest that is what causes most of the initial minor tuning issues.
[/quote]

That's my take too.

[BigRedX]

Most strings need to be stretched out, because the material that they are made of has not been under tension before, and therefore still has some "give" in it that needs to be worked out before the tuning will stabilise. This is separate to any issues that you might have from strings bedding in around the machine head tuning posts.

I don't bother stretching out my strings unless I'm going to be playing the newly strung guitar or bass with other instruments in next couple of days. Instead I just tune about a semi tone sharp and let the excess elasticity in the string work itself out.

I suppose it could be possible to damage the string by excessive manual stretching, but I've never had it happen myself, and I would generally suspect that the string was faulty anyway if it occurred.

[Funky Dunky]

I always used to, but now I just make sure to keep the strings pulled taut as I'm winding them round the capstan. I use DRs and they tell you not to stretch them. I did find that doing so stopped them slipping out of tune, though, so from my experience it was worth doing.

Or is it all just hocus pocus?

[crez5150]

I've always done it.... I was introduced to this by John Giblin years back. Normally 4 or 5 good tugs (oooer) on each string then re-tune

[Coilte]

[quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1479728425' post='3178724']
Or is it all just hocus pocus?
[/quote]


I suppose it is similar to the subject of ..."[i]how often do you clean your fretboard....and what do you use..?" [/i]Everyone has their own way of doing things.

Personally, I restring, tune up, play the bass for a few minutes, and then retune. That's it. Never felt the need to stretch.

[stuckinthepod]

I've always give the string a stretch of about an inch at the twelfth fret and then fretted and bent the strings (heavy finger virato style) at three fret intervals up the length of the neck. I did this on Saturday morning with a pack of D'addario EXP and played them that night with no issues.

[FinnDave]

I lift the new strings away from the fretboard a couple of inches after restringing and tuning to pitch, then re-tune and that's it. I did that Saturday with my new-to-me Precision and it stayed in tune for th whole of that evening's gig.

Edited November 21, 2016 by FinnDave

[mcnach]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1479727365' post='3178718']
Most strings need to be stretched out, because the material that they are made of has not been under tension before, and therefore still has some "give" in it that needs to be worked out before the tuning will stabilise. This is separate to any issues that you might have from strings bedding in around the machine head tuning posts.

I don't bother stretching out my strings unless I'm going to be playing the newly strung guitar or bass with other instruments in next couple of days. Instead I just tune about a semi tone sharp and let the excess elasticity in the string work itself out.

I suppose it could be possible to damage the string by excessive manual stretching, but I've never had it happen myself, and I would generally suspect that the string was faulty anyway if it occurred.
[/quote]

Do you press on the strings at both sides of the nut and saddles to create witness points, or you don't bother with that?

[BigRedX]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1479733006' post='3178784']

Do you press on the strings at both sides of the nut and saddles to create witness points, or you don't bother with that?
[/quote]

I do with the E and B on my Gus basses as they bend at almost 90° over the bridge and need a little help to bed down properly because of their girth. I don't bother at the nut because all my basses have angled headstocks and properly cut nuts, so the strings bend properly anyway.

[mcnach]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1479734778' post='3178807']
I do with the E and B on my Gus basses as they bend at almost 90° over the bridge and need a little help to bed down properly because of their girth. I don't bother at the nut because all my basses have angled headstocks and properly cut nuts, so the strings bend properly anyway.
[/quote]

I asked because I think part of the "going slightly flat" after tuning to pitch is the strings taking that shape. The other 2 factors I can think of are slack at tuning posts and string stretching. Slack at tuning posts can be reasonably dealt with by being careful, but pulling on the strings I guess can help too. Actual string stretching... I don't think that contributes much, based on my experience. I guess we all have our ways and I don't lose sleep on it, quite frankly.

[Dan Dare]

Good to break in new flats to get rid of the twang. I just put them on, take them up to pitch, back down to slack, back up to pitch and so on a few times. Seems to dull them nicely.

[louisthebass]

Thought this was a good video that touches on the subject:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGo3k46A39Y

[GarethFlatlands]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1479657264' post='3178167']
Nahh, if anything I'd imagine it's a way to quickly age your strings a week or so.
[/quote]

So they only last 11 1/2 months instead of 12

In all seriousness, I do it out of habit from playing guitar when at takes about 4-5 rounds of stretching and retuning to get them stable but I've found it never takes more than a couple of rounds to get bass strings in tune, and I've never done it immediately before a gig anyway.

[bazzbass]

I'm not from the UK, hopefully my opinion counts as well

I've used D'Addario nickel rounds since 1979, here's what I've discovered.

When I restring, I fret at the 1st, 5th, 9th, 12th and 19th frets and pull the string upwards about 3 inches, too much and you overdo it.

as always, set witness points.

If I don't do this, I need to retune the bass after every song for a day or two.

Stretching them gently does not lessen their lifespan, if you overdo it,they may unwind and become dead. I have not had a string go dead on me from stretching.

[Spike Vincent]

Never done it.Never had any tuning issues.

[HengistPod]

"Witness points"? Must go and google that ... been playing since 1980 and that's the first time I've ever heard that term.

Meantime, I make sure my strings are tight on the peg and give them a tug or three when they're on. If I'm not playing the same day, I'll leave the bass a semitone-tone tuned upwards overnight.

[Funky Dunky]

Yeah, what is meant by 'witness points', and what purpose do they serve? I've never heard that expression before either but if they provide any advantage, I want to start using them.

[SH73]

I treat my strings to a holistic massage with almond oil. If they go dead I take them to an osteopath or chiropractor.

[TrevorR]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1479659858' post='3178208']
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.
[/quote]
[quote name='stuckinthepod' timestamp='1479730986' post='3178756']
I've always give the string a stretch of about an inch at the twelfth fret and then fretted and bent the strings (heavy finger virato style) at three fret intervals up the length of the neck. I did this on Saturday morning with a pack of D'addario EXP and played them that night with no issues.
[/quote]
[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1479732514' post='3178773']
I lift the new strings away from the fretboard a couple of inches after restringing and tuning to pitch, then re-tune and that's it. I did that Saturday with my new-to-me Precision and it stayed in tune for th whole of that evening's gig.
[/quote]

Me too. Once at pitch just give them a few little pulls up. If I'm in a cheeky mood I might let them "splang" back down onto the fretboard. It seems to seat them in nicely and help them settle down quicker.

Surely the "detaching the windings from the core and killing the strings thing must be pure bunkum, otherwise every slapper and plucker would have to change their strings after every... well, every song, let alone after every gig. Any set of Mark King's strings get a darned sight more abuse through a single rendition of Lessons in Love than I give my strings during a string change and tuning up session. How does he ever manage to get to the end of a whole gig with strings that have completely died by the end of the intro of the first song?

Edited November 29, 2016 by TrevorR

[Ghost_Bass]

[quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1480009242' post='3181020']
Thought this was a good video that touches on the subject:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGo3k46A39Y[/media]
[/quote]

After seeing a few seconds of this video i encounter two problems (IMO).

He's stringing from G to E wich will make it harder to wrap the strings around the post of D A and E because there's a string very close to it - more noticeable in other types of headstock, 3+2, etc. I allway string my basses in the order of the tuning peg closer to the nut to the furthest.

Second thing i've oticed is that he doesn't manually bend the string that goes inside the tuning peg, this can make it slip when tightening. I bend my strings very carefully using pliers before inserting in the post, that way i can hold the string with one hand and tight the peg with the other making sure that it tights neatly and secure in the post without slipping during the process.

I don't strech the strings, i just give them a small pull just to make sure they sit in the nut and bridge and play a little and throw in some slaps and pops, retune and is good to go.

Edited November 29, 2016 by Ghost_Bass