OK... Perhaps we should migrate or evolve this discussion into "How do you replace a string"?!
The technique I was taught might not be the absolute best, but it has worked for me for almost 50 years:
I unwind both tuning pins one full turn each, leaving the eyes about perpendicular to the strings.
Thread the new string through any agraffes and into the pin field, often I need to make a slight bend in the string to fit it through tight spaces which I try to do at about the normal location of the string bend (Becket?).
Using a free or spare tuning pin I insert the string into the eye and form exactly two careful and closely wrapped turns on the spare pin, then go 1/2 turn past this. NEVER let the free end of the string protrude from the tuning pin!
I pry the string off of my spare pin (with a screw driver) and place it on the correct original pin, using needle nose pliers I fit the bend into the eye, then I use my pliers to crimp the string a bit more tightly onto the pin.
I thread the string through the bridge pins, over the hitch pin and through the next set of bridge pins, then out over the capo bar to over the pin field. I cut the string using 4 fingers as my guide. To do this I look at the original stringing coils and I try to get the same number and angle of the bend as the originals by experience and how tightly I cut the string against my fingers (tight or loose).
Then I thread the string past the damper and either through the agraffe or under the capo bar. At this point it is often easier to handle the string if I remove it from the hitch pin to give myself more room to manuver. Using my spare tuning pin I put another 2 + turns on the string, pry off the string and manuver it onto the original tuning pin. I restore the string to the hitch pin and bridge pins if necessary.
Since I have the same two turns on both tuning pins I now bring the string carefully up to pitch and I attempt to create the same number of turns on both tuning pins.
I typically pinch the string at the hitch pin and gently seat the string at the bridge and all other bends, though in my old age I have begun to suspect that this might not always be best and allowing more natural settling of a string might be better for tone.
My father and grandfather were taught to unwind the tuning pin three turns and wind the turns onto the original tuning pin. I feel that this over-stresses the tuning pin in the block.
On a bass string or a single-tied treble string I usually measure and cut at a tight 4 fingers.
When stringing I do something similar, but tap in the new tuning pins with the new string.
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Blaine Hebert RPT
Duarte CA
(626) 795-5170
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-18-2023 09:58
From: David Stocker
Subject: How NOT to do a string repair
When I was prepping for my RTT test in the early eighties, I was asked if I would remove a tuning pin to make a new coil. Correct answer was to back the pin out just enough, not take it out.
I was asked because, apparently, pulling the pin was common practice with some.
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David Stocker, RPT
Olympia WA
Original Message:
Sent: 03-17-2023 20:46
From: Geoff Sykes
Subject: How NOT to do a string repair
Was called in to tune a Yamaha C7 that travels with the band. In this location for tonight only. It gets tuned at every stop on their tours. The stage manager pointed out that one string needed repair because it had broken at the last show. What I found was this...
Previous tuner didn't have time to do the actual repair. Instead he removed the broken string and completely removed both pins gave them a piece of wire at what he guessed was the right size, and told them to let the tuner at the next stop complete the repair. Hoping I could splice the old string back in I asked to see it. Yes, they had saved it. It had broken at the capo bar so it did need to be replaced. Unfortunately the string the guy provided was a size 13 and what was needed was 14-1/2. Fortunately I carry a small string kit with me all the time so no big deal. Normally I would not bother sharing a string repair pic or story, but because both tuning pins were completely removed I just had to post and ponder out loud, what was he thinking?
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Geoff Sykes, RPT
Los Angeles CA
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