"Stretch" Your Strings?

[Potts]

I normally stretch the {censored} out of my strings when I change them. Some get caught up in the term, but that's not my intent so there's no need to argue about the term. You can call it seating them, pulling them, stretching them or whatever you want. I'm simply wondering what your ritual is AFTER putting strings on the guitar.

I bring all the strings to pitch, yank the {censored} out of the string and retune.  I'll stretch and retune again,  and continue this until the string no longer goes flat after pulling on it. I then repeat the process on each string. The entire process takes about 10 minutes but I seldom have to retune the guitar until the next string change (maybe small adjustments at gigs). But I'd be a liar if I said I tunes more than once a gig.

 

Discuss

[tlbonehead]

similar to that. And for the beginners, always tune UP to pitch.

[Mutha Goose]

I put the string on, bring them up above pitch a little. I then stretch it by pushing the string down with my thumbs that are positioned in between my first fingers that are pulling up... I do this every 1/2 inch or so going up and down the string until it no longer loses pitch. I do this for each string.

All of my electric guitars have floating bridges, and I pull and dive on them a lot. I never have to make more than very minor adjustments during a show. My accoustics never need adjustments during a set.

[Potts]

 

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tlbonehead wrote:

 

similar to that. And for the beginners, always tune UP to pitch.

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Good advice!

[chemikool]

 

Hey NN (Notes_Norton) -0- I could never play a Parker because of where the strap button is on the backside of the body...it always cut into my chest!  Have they changed that?

 

Anyways...I put my strings on and stretch them like ya'll do, BUT after I stretch them out at the nut (what ya'll do) I then stretch them at EVERY FRET. 

Here is why:  A string WILL go out of tune wherever it is bent.  If you only stretch the bejezus out of them at the nut, the string will still go out of tune if you bend it at a fret.  Therefore...if you bend/stretch the string at EVERY FRET your string(s) will RARELY/NEVER go out of tune.  It adds another 5min to the string changing, but the results speak for themselves.  I have a free-floating bridge guitar that I'll sometimes bend 4 or 5 tones up while soloing, and the strings stay in tune.  

Simple physics...

[Bajazz]

 

"yank the {censored} out of the string"

 

is a bit more than I do. but I stretch them a few times, tune up and let it set a few minutes. With elixirs, locking tuners, nut sauce and a couple of tune-ups i rarely need to tune much. I remember one time when the climate was stabile, new elixirs, fresh setup etc I did 2 gigs (without tuning) and came to the 3rd and guitar was dead on tuned!

[Bobby1Note]

 

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Potts wrote:

 

 

I normally stretch the {censored} out of my strings when I change them. Some get caught up in the term, but that's not my intent so there's no need to argue about the term. You can call it seating them, pulling them, stretching them or whatever you want. I'm simply wondering what your ritual is AFTER putting strings on the guitar.

 

I bring all the strings to pitch, yank the {censored} out of the string and retune.  I'll stretch and retune again,  and continue this until the string no longer goes flat after pulling on it. I then repeat the process on each string. The entire process takes about 10 minutes but I seldom have to retune the guitar until the next string change (maybe small adjustments at gigs). But I'd be a liar if I said I tunes more than once a gig.

 

 

 

Discuss

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Same here, but I also use a "locking wrap"

[Potts]

 

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Bobby1Note wrote:

 

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Potts wrote:

 

 

I normally stretch the {censored} out of my strings when I change them. Some get caught up in the term, but that's not my intent so there's no need to argue about the term. You can call it seating them, pulling them, stretching them or whatever you want. I'm simply wondering what your ritual is AFTER putting strings on the guitar.

 

I bring all the strings to pitch, yank the {censored} out of the string and retune.  I'll stretch and retune again,  and continue this until the string no longer goes flat after pulling on it. I then repeat the process on each string. The entire process takes about 10 minutes but I seldom have to retune the guitar until the next string change (maybe small adjustments at gigs). But I'd be a liar if I said I tunes more than once a gig.

 

 

 

Discuss

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Same here, but I also use a "locking wrap"

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Me too! I seriously think that's a large part of never having to tune after I break the strings in. I've noticed it across all of my guitars that I can go a gig or two with almost never tuning. And it's not like their all high end guitars either. It kills me that I can pull it out of the case and it's the way I left it. I'd recommend the "locking rap" to anyone.

[Vito Corleone]

I do the same think up and down the neck. Just the way I've always done it. I just question whether it actually "stretches" the string any better than just doing it at one spot.

[chemikool]

 

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guido61 wrote:

 

I do the same think up and down the neck. Just the way I've always done it. I just question whether it actually "stretches" the string any better than just doing it at one spot.

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It does.  When you play, do you perform a lot of solos and/or bends?  If not, stretching out the strings at only one point (the nut) is almost all you would need.

The string bends at every fret, not just the nut.  If you bend a lot of notes across all the strings you will DEFINITELY notice.

[Vito Corleone]

I suppose they'd last the extra day or two they were left sitting in the case.

[Potts]

 

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guido61 wrote:

 

I suppose they'd last the extra day or two they were left sitting in the case.

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[facepalm]

 

if I had it...