Stretching New Strings...Your technique

[OGG]

So, what are some of the techniques you guys use to stretch out a new set of strings in order to get the best tuning stability???

 

I'm curious as to some of the different ideas that may be floating around.

 

 

OGG

[MrChitlins]

tune, stretch, tune, stretch, done.

[wmcjhi]

^Sounds about right. I put them on, stretch as they go on, retune, play real hard for a minute, stretch, retune, then I'm usually done.

[strat6866]

^^^^^^^^^

What they said. Thread over.

[flyby]

Same as most everyone else.

Did try the evh string boil thing a couple times..years ago though

[Highway_61]

When I string up my guitars, I pull on the ends until they do not slip anymore--if they are, in fact, slipping; and if my schedule allows it, I tune up a half step higher the night before a performance.

[Prages]

I pull on them with one hand while I'm winding with the other to make sure there are no loose windings on the tuners. Once I get them close to pitch, I pull up each string about 2 or 3 inches right around the end of the neck. Then tune again. Then pull on each string again, and retune. Once they are staying pretty much in tune, I'll play hard, doing a lot of bends on each string all over the fretboard. Then retune. That's usually enough to stretch them out.

[TheTones]

I fret notes up and down the neck while tugging on the string

[peavey_impact]

 

tune, stretch, tune, stretch, done.

 

 

+1

[Harry-L]

I stretch each string until they no longer go flat - probably overkill but I have only broken one string in 5 years and have no tuning problems.

[scampi]

 

tune, stretch, tune, stretch, done.

 

 

only thing I add to the above is to place a firm finger behind the first fret

 

feels like a more controlled stretch, especially on the lighter gauges

[FortePenance]

divebombs, pullups, stretches, picking real hard....

 

tune.

[Dances w/carp]

tune, stretch, tune, stretch, done.

 

 

The only thing I would add, is one more 'tune'. I like to end the string change on a good note

[JorisBlack]

I pull on them with one hand while I'm winding with the other to make sure there are no loose windings on the tuners. Once I get them close to pitch, I pull up each string about 2 or 3 inches right around the end of the neck. Then tune again. Then pull on each string again, and retune. Once they are staying pretty much in tune, I'll play hard, doing a lot of bends on each string all over the fretboard. Then retune. That's usually enough to stretch them out.

 

Ditto.

 

Although I might stretch at the end of the neck a couple of times more.

I had a rough time when I was trying to put .11s on my old Ibanez GSA and tuning it to drop B... They wouldn't stay in tune, the bitches!

 

But I haven't got a single problem with my SG with .10's. I do use a really sharp pencil to put some carbon in those nut slots each string change, it really helped a lot.

[metallica_00]

After I get all the strings on and tuned up, I grab each string at the first fret and pull it up vertically off the fretboard, moving down the fretboard to the bridge continuing to do this. After doing this to all the strings, I retune and repeat a couple times. Then I do some big bends and hard picking for a couple minutes, put it down, let the guitar sit there overnight and it's ready to go the next day.

[lndianScout]

string, beat the hell out of it, stretch, tune, beat the hell out of it, tune

 

lol

[Burgess]

I grab the string at the 12th fret, stretch it into a "z" shape parallel to the fretboard using all four fingers and my thump. I stretch them very hard, in fact I busted a few strings before learning just how hard to stretch them.

[MusicManJP6]

 

I stretch each string until they no longer go flat - probably overkill but I have only broken one string in 5 years and have no tuning problems.

 

 

+1. I too have not had any tuning problems and broken but a few strings in the past 5+ years.