Do you cut your strings? Why or why not?

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Several years ago I had some advice from Martin Petersen in the Gallery which was to not cut the strings when fitting them to the bass. Since then I have always used all of the length if possible, but if the string is too long to wind in a neat stack around the capstan without overlapping I do snip some off but as little as possible.

What is the basschat concensus on this?

[PatrickJ]

I cut mine, but always bend the string and cut just after the bend.  I seem to remember watching some video on YT that advised to do it this way to avoid the string going dead - something to do with stopping the core from slipping IIRC. 

[DoubleOhStephan]

6 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

Several years ago I had some advice from Martin Petersen in the Gallery which was to not cut the strings when fitting them to the bass

Do you happen to remember if he said why? 

I also cut and tuck, and can't think what the benefit is, unless it's to guard against cutting too short by accident? 

[chris_b]

I cut mine, about 2" beyond the tuning post. Gives 2 or 3 turns.

Maybe Martin's point was that the windings might undo a little if you cut the strings. I've seen that written, but it's never happened to me.  

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

No reason was given at the time, but I recall I had cut at least one of the strings a little short on the bass I had brought with me into the shop that day. I think there was a single wind around the capstan.

My view is that having more windings on the capstan pushes the bottom winding down so the string is forced to exit lower so it naturally sits better in the nut preventing potential buzzes & rattles.

[Woodinblack]

53 minutes ago, DoubleOhStephan said:

Do you happen to remember if he said why? 

https://newtonestrings.com/do-not-cut-newtone-strings/

 

[Woodinblack]

I always cut them after bending. Although almost had an accident the other day of putting the wrong string on the wrong place, as it was a different make which called the string the wrong thing. Luckily there was enough room to get it where it needed to be. Just

[DoubleOhStephan]

9 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

https://newtonestrings.com/do-not-cut-newtone-strings/

 

I've always fitted strings the same way, didn't know there was another way, its never occurred to me that I was doing anything wrong, but I guess this makes sense.

I'll give it a try when I next change my strings. 

[Woodinblack]

7 hours ago, DoubleOhStephan said:

I've always fitted strings the same way, didn't know there was another way, its never occurred to me that I was doing anything wrong, but I guess this makes sense.

Same here. I have never actually had any problems, but it never hurts to change.

[lowregisterhead]

Like several others, I do cut my strings to length, but put a sharp 90 degree bend in them first, then cut them leaving about a 2cm tail that goes down the centre of the tuner post. I only started putting the bend in as a precaution after reading a similar article a few years ago about slipping windings on strings causing them to go dead, even though it's never actually happened to me in 40 years of playing.

In fact I've always thought that overlapping windings are likely to cause tuning problems from the excess string moving on the tuner post, so cutting the string to a length that makes sure all the windings are in contact with the post should make tuning more stable.

On the couple of occasions that I've had a dead string in a new set (naming no names) I've simply changed manufacturer. I've been using D'Addario EXLs for many years now, and have never had any issues with them. Each to his own though.

[Bassfinger]

I cut mine.  Excess amounts of string wound around the capstan can lead to tuning problems.

[KevB]

On Fenders I find with nearly all manufacturers I have to trim the E and A strings, too long to fit all of it. Can often get all D and Gs on though. Never had any problems with trimming back a bit.

[Guest]

DR recommends precisely that - bend the string then cut, in case the outer wrap does come slightly loose. The bend will apparently anchor the outer wrap of the string in place. Unless strings are made to measure for your bass tuners I don’t see how anyone can string up the E and A on a 4 in a line headstock without cutting, especially as both Fender and Musicman use tapered string posts which force the string downward to preserve break angle. You’d end up with 7-8 overlapping windings which would increase the likelihood of the string slipping, as the individual windings may not be flush against the tuner so won’t grip consistently. I’ve actually done this once as an experiment and they did keep slipping out of tune, even after tensioning once turned to pitch.

I’ve always bent the string 90 degrees approx 3-4” past the relevant tuner (less for Gotoh-style mini tuners as the diameter is a lot smaller), then cut it a couple of cm past the bend to fit in the tuner. Anywhere between 2 and 4 complete windings round the tuner should be OK. I’ve had more issues with bridge units not allowing the string to rotate whilst tuning up causing a twist than a dead string from cutting/not cutting.

[Skybone]

I'm assuming some people cut the strings to length before winding them onto the tuners.

I've always cut them after winding them, and getting them into tune.

[CamdenRob]

I keep reading this on the Newtone website, but I’ve always cut mine to length, poked the end of the string down the middle of the tuner, bent it, then brought up to pitch. I cut them so I get about 3 winds around the post.

I understand from the article that this is wrong (also that this is compounded by using round core strings - Newtone Diamonds) but I don’t really see how else I can do it 😕

Never had a problem with strings going dead, but it sounds like this is more by luck than judgement...

[ClassicVibes]

Measure 5-6" past the capstan, bend the string with a 90 degree angle and then snip it leaving around an inch on the bend. I put that into the capstan, wind the remaining string around the capstan and tune to pitch. I always make sure the winds are tight and neat and push them down has far has I can on the capstan to get a better break angle at the nut. I tug the strings to break them in but only if they're hexcore. Tugging is not advised on roundcore. 

[neepheid]

I cut my strings to suit - about 2-3" past the post.  As I'm sure many people are painfully aware I have tended to own basses which have angled headstocks so the break angle over the nut is designed in and there's no need for many windings on the post, 2 is plenty for them to stay put.  Also with 2 + 2 headstocks, I have to throw out about half of a new G string becase they're designed to accommodate 4 in line types otherwise I think I'd end up with 10 wraps on the tuner 

I've never done this bend then cut thing - I don't see the point in pre-bending it - it goes straight down the hole in the middle then gets bent round the corner at that time and start winding.  Are all string holes in the tuners the same depth?  I don't guess or measure, I plonk them in until they don't go down any more then bend and wind.

I've never had a problem so until it becomes a problem I won't be changing how I do things.

Edited February 24, 2020 by neepheid

[JellyKnees]

11 minutes ago, CamdenRob said:

I keep reading this on the Newtone website, but I’ve always cut mine to length, poked the end of the string down the middle of the tuner, bent it, then brought up to pitch. I cut them so I get about 3 winds around the post.

I understand from the article that this is wrong (also that this is compounded by using round core strings - Newtone Diamonds) but I don’t really see how else I can do it 😕

Never had a problem with strings going dead, but it sounds like this is more by luck than judgement...

I've done exactly the same thing for the last 40 years and I've never had a problem. I mainly use Newtones too, although hex core, so perhaps that's why I've never had any issues. Aren't the vast majority of bass strings hex core anyway these days?

[gary mac]

The only time that I don't cut is when installing the G & D in a flat wound set. Other than that I install the same way that others have detailed.

[dmccombe7]

49 minutes ago, Skybone said:

I'm assuming some people cut the strings to length before winding them onto the tuners.

I've always cut them after winding them, and getting them into tune.

Cant imagine how you manage to do that. ?

I always put a 90 degree bend then cut about an inch from the bend. Push the end down the post centre hole and then wind the string round the post.

 

[neepheid]

6 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Cant imagine how you manage to do that. ?

I always put a 90 degree bend then cut about an inch from the bend. Push the end down the post centre hole and then wind the string round the post.

 

Perhaps it's an old skool bass which has solid tuner posts with the hole through them?

[BigRedX]

As a long-time user of Newtone strings, and having had several conversations with them on this subject, I can tell you that the information on the Newtone website and their string packaging is incomplete and only designed for use with instruments fitted with guitar-style machine heads with holes rather than slots for the string.

1. So if you have an instrument with machine heads where the string passes through a hole in the post, it's not a problem. You pull through as much string as you require, tune to pitch and once the string tuning has settled you can safely cut off the excess where it pokes out of the hole. This is the best way to deal with strings with this design of machine head.

2. Even so, for machine heads with slotted posts (most bass guitar designs and some "vintage" guitar machine heads) the windings slippage problem should only happen on strings with round cores that extend the full length of the string. Therefore if you are using strings with a hex core or square profile ends to the core (so long as you don't cut the strings so short that you are cutting through the round portion of the core) then cutting to length first will be fine. This is the advice that Newtone will give you if you specifically ask them about cutting their hex-core strings first before fitting.

3. With round core strings and slotted posts, the way around this problem is to bend the string at 90° first and them cut off the excess. If you are really paranoid about the windings unravelling you could do this on all your strings, but IME even if you cut first and bend afterwards the time between cutting a bending is only a few seconds and it's unlikely that the windings will de-tension all the way down to the speaking length of the string in that time, unless there is something fundamentally wrong with the construction.

4. Ideally the fewer turns of string you have around the machine head post the better tuning stability will be. The ideal amount is 2 complete turns which is enough to prevent the string slipping when tensioned to tune. I've found that 80 or 90mm past the centre of the post (depending on its diameter) is exactly right. The more string you wind around the post the longer it will take for the string to achieve tuning stability.

5. Unfortunately if you have a bass with a non-angled headstock, for those strings that don't pass under string retainers/trees, you will need more string length to get the correct break angle over the nut. This why I don't like non-angled headstocks, not only do some of the strings take longer to settle into tune, but every string that doesn't pass under a retainer requires a different amount moving to get the correct break angle. If you cut a different amount when you fit your next set of strings then you change the compliance and therefore the feel of the string. Of course string retainers add their own tuning problems.

Edited February 24, 2020 by BigRedX

[DoubleOhStephan]

1 hour ago, Skybone said:

I'm assuming some people cut the strings to length before winding them onto the tuners.

I've always cut them after winding them, and getting them into tune.

See, this is what I think I need to change. 

I always measure, have about 2" of play, cut, insert and wind. It's the cut and insert bit I'm going to change I thing. 

I'm going to try lying the string in the slot, give a little less play, tune then cut the excess. 

[Skybone]

2 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Cant imagine how you manage to do that. ?

I always put a 90 degree bend then cut about an inch from the bend. Push the end down the post centre hole and then wind the string round the post.

 

Put the string in the capstan, bend it, wind it on to tune (or thereabouts), trim the string between 5 & 10mm from capstan.

Never had any problems with it, always make sure I have enough string for a "lock-wind" (string above & below the exposed, trimmed string end). Importantly, if you make a mess of the initial wind, you have enough string available to make a correction to enable you to have a lock-wind.

1 hour ago, DoubleOhStephan said:

See, this is what I think I need to change. 

I always measure, have about 2" of play, cut, insert and wind. It's the cut and insert bit I'm going to change I thing. 

I'm going to try lying the string in the slot, give a little less play, tune then cut the excess. 

As above. I always make sure I leave about 25-50mm (1-2") string (depending on which string) at the end, bend, then wind. Always try to make sure I get at least 1 wind above & 1 wind below the end of the string. There was a school of thought in the guitarist world that you should have minimal "excess" string on the capstan. Whether this is guitarists "cork sniffing" or what, I don't know.

A lot also depends on what type of headstock you have (4 in line or 2x2, 3x1, etc.), and whether the headstock is back angled or straight. If it's back angled, then you already have a decent string break angle over the nut, whereas if your headstock is "straight", then you need to try and induce a better string break angle.

Horses for courses.

Do what thou wilt, etc.

[Lozz196]

Unless the strings come with instructions to not cut I always trim them down to about 13cm,, which allows for approx 3 winds.