Using a capo to make string changes easier...

[MandoGDAE]

I uploaded this video about using a capo to make changing strings on a classical guitar a bit easier, but I use the same approach when restringing my mando...

[sblock]

This, of course, depends very much on the string-changing technique you decide to use. I find it completely unnecessary. I also find it unnecessary to use a pegwinder, either. My technique, which is popular among many members of the MC, involves changing one string at a time, attaching the new string at the bridge under hand tension on the free end, and using that same hand tension to place the string into the appropriate notches on the bridge and nut, then wrapping the free end 3-4 times around the tuning post (depending in gauge), before passing it through the hole in the post. After that, it's a simple matter of a few turns of the tuner button to bring the string up to pitch, because it's already under mild tension from the outset! (You could call this the "no slack method"!) Finally, clip off the excess end. My strings never slip, never require paraphernalia to change, and are changed out just about as quickly as humanly possible. I'd encourage everyone to try it before reaching for capos or pegwinders! I changed to this technique a few years ago and have never looked back!

[FLATROCK HILL]

My technique, which is popular among many members of the MC, involves changing one string at a time, attaching the new string at the bridge under hand tension on the free end, and using that same hand tension to place the string into the appropriate notches on the bridge and nut, then wrapping the free end 3-4 times around the tuning post (depending in gauge), before passing it through the hole in the post.

sblock, That method works pretty well for me too. But for the sake of clarification (for those who might want to try it)... you meant tailpiece, not bridge right?

[HonketyHank]

MandoGDAE, that is a nice idea. I have been using blue painters' tape but that looks good, too.

On the other hand, sblock, why didn't I think of this? Gonna try it, next string change. If the E strings don't slip, it sounds like a winner.

[Tobin]

I've been using the method sblock describes for 8 years. It still amazes me that people have such troubles with string changes or have to resort to gadgetry. To each his own, though.

MandoGDAE, thanks for posting your video for those who use that method.

[sblock]

sblock, That method works pretty well for me too. But for the sake of clarification (for those who might want to try it)... you meant tailpiece, not bridge right?

Yes, thanks for that correction -- I was typing too quickly! You first fix the loop end to the pin on the TAILPIECE and take it from there.

[mugbucket]

I have no shame in "resorting to gadgetry" using a capo to change strings. A couple of surgeries for trigger finger and carpal tunnel and the recent diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis have me needing a 3rd hand occasionally.

I'd wager my string changes aren't going to break any land speed records, but then again, I'm usually not in a hurry anyway.

[Paul Busman]

I use the wrap first method too on all of my stringed instruments and wouldn't do it any other way.
The only problem with this method is that it isn't practical on slotted head instruments like the guitar in that video.

[Charlie Bernstein]

I capo my Strat and Tele when I take the neck off so I don't have to put on new strings when I put the neck back on.

[Charlie Bernstein]

This, of course, depends very much on the string-changing technique you decide to use. I find it completely unnecessary. I also find it unnecessary to use a pegwinder, either. My technique, which is popular among many members of the MC, involves changing one string at a time. . . .

One at a time? Of course! Is there another way?

I don't use a peg winder either. I put the string on, grasp the peg head firmly, and twirl the instrument around over my head. I've broken a few lamps but saved a lot of time!

[MandoGDAE]

I don't use a peg winder either. I put the string on, grasp the peg head firmly, and twirl the instrument around over my head. I've broken a few lamps but saved a lot of time!

Would LOVE to see someone video that!!

[JeffD]

You could call this the "no slack method"!

Years ago, if I remember right, there was a discussion about this method, which makes so much sense. And there were some substantive arguments against it. I have searched and searched and cannot find the thread, and can't remember what the arguments were. I just can't find it.

Failing to find it, I will try it out. Seems easier than what I am doing.

[sblock]

Years ago, if I remember right, there was a discussion about this method, which makes so much sense. And there were some substantive arguments against it. I have searched and searched and cannot find the thread, and can't remember what the arguments were. I just can't find it.

Failing to find it, I will try it out. Seems easier than what I am doing.

Yes, please do give it a shot, JeffD. I think you'll like it!

Well, if there truly are any "substantive arguments" against this method, they would not seem to be very substantive to me, because I've never had a string slip, nor break, nor develop any other issues using this method. And it saves lots of time. I used to use a luthier's knot to cinch the string (which is something I first learned on a guitar with nylon strings, where this is vital), but it turned out to be superfluous. What is not superfluous is getting some good wraps around the post, which pretty much eliminates slippage through the hole. And this method absolutely guarantees that you'll get the right number of wraps every single time, and never worry about having left too much or too little slack in the string before winding. Nifty.

I used to pull the string through the hole in the tuning post first, before winding, but this older method meant judging just the right amount of slack to leave. And to get 3-4 full turns around the post to bring in all the slack (and eliminate slippage) meant turning the knob up to 100 turns or more! Work it out: you get about half a full rotation per hand twist of the knob, and with 16:1 gearing (or worse, 18:1) that means 2 x 16 x 4 twists, which comes out to be 128 twists per string. Multiply that by 8 strings are we're talking about 1,024 twists per string change! Try that without using a pegwinder and you're asking for carpal tunnel syndrome.

With the "no slack method," you reduce the number of hand twists per tuner to perhaps a dozen or thereabouts (depending on string gauge and the initial tension you achieve). That's more than a factor of 10 less! And, of course, you can also use a pegwinder with this method, if you prefer. It will save you amazing amounts of time. Time that you could spend actually playing the mandolin, instead of wandering lost in the Zen of the String Change!

[lflngpicker]

One at a time? Of course! Is there another way?

I don't use a peg winder either. I put the string on, grasp the peg head firmly, and twirl the instrument around over my head. I've broken a few lamps but saved a lot of time!

Charlie! This humor is absolutely hilarious! My wife and I are on the floor "losing our wind" laughing at those two posts, particularly the "twirling the instrument" one!

[lflngpicker]

This, of course, depends very much on the string-changing technique you decide to use. I find it completely unnecessary. I also find it unnecessary to use a pegwinder, either. My technique, which is popular among many members of the MC, involves changing one string at a time, attaching the new string at the bridge under hand tension on the free end, and using that same hand tension to place the string into the appropriate notches on the bridge and nut, then wrapping the free end 3-4 times around the tuning post (depending in gauge), before passing it through the hole in the post. After that, it's a simple matter of a few turns of the tuner button to bring the string up to pitch, because it's already under mild tension from the outset! (You could call this the "no slack method"!) Finally, clip off the excess end. My strings never slip, never require paraphernalia to change, and are changed out just about as quickly as humanly possible. I'd encourage everyone to try it before reaching for capos or pegwinders! I changed to this technique a few years ago and have never looked back!

sblock, Your winding method became mine after I read one of your posts a couple of years ago. I am amazed that I hadn't thought of it myself after changing strings for over 50 years LOL, but you can teach an old dog new tricks. Thanks for saving me all those twists of the tuning machine .

[Charlie Bernstein]

Charlie! This humor is absolutely hilarious! My wife and I are on the floor "losing our wind" laughing at those two posts, particularly the "twirling the instrument" one!

Good to know! I'm sure my wife would be happy to lend me out. . . .

[DHopkins]

One at a time? Of course! Is there another way?

Some people take more than one string at a time.

Personally, I use a capo a stringwinder and I do one at a time. That works best for me

[CrippledPidgeon]

I don't have a long history with mandolins, but I always just pull the inner 4-6 courses, wipe down the fingerboard, replace those strings, and then swap the outer two courses. Keeps pressure on the bridge so it doesn't fall off, and gives me space to wipe down the fingerboard with out using excess oil.

[Don Grieser]

Does the winding first work with Waverly tuners with their non-tapered string posts? (A really serious design flaw in really expensive tuners.) Seems like this method depends on the windings moving up to the hole in the string post to lock the string in place at the hole.

[sblock]

I don't have a long history with mandolins, but I always just pull the inner 4-6 courses, wipe down the fingerboard, replace those strings, and then swap the outer two courses. Keeps pressure on the bridge so it doesn't fall off, and gives me space to wipe down the fingerboard with out using excess oil.

OK, but this approach will tend to cause the bridge saddle to gradually lean in, towards the headstock, more quickly than the approach of changing just one string at at time. The new, inner 4-6 strings (by the way, a "course" refers to two strings, not one) will all tend to pull the saddle in this direction as they are tuned up to pitch, as they experience a small amount of friction at the saddle notch when tensioned. This strong pull, by 4-6 strings, is only resisted by the 2 remaining strings. In contrast, when you change just one string, you have 7 other strings to resist the development of lean. A better solution.

Of course, you can occasionally just right the bridge saddle (some call this "burping" the saddle), eliminating any residual lean, and you can also takes steps to minimize saddle friction at the notches. But I would not advise anyone to change strings other than one at a time.

As for cleaning down the fretboard from time to time, I find that I can easily fit my microfiber cleaning cloth under all 8 strings and work it up the fretboard from the bridge end towards the nut, and finally sliding it out (sideways, perpendicular to the string direction) to remove all dust, dirt, loose callous flakes, and so on. There is no need whatsoever to remove the strings from the mandolin to wipe down the fretboard.

It should not be necessary to apply oil to the fretboard, if it's made from ebony or rosewood. These woods have natural oils to protect them. This has been discussed elsewhere on the Mandolin Cafe. You can, however, apply a tiny bit of pure mineral oil to a rag and use this to wipe down the strings, which will resist corrosion and reduce sliding noise while playing.

[Larry Simonson]

Years ago I tried the pre-winding method but quickly gave it up when the windings would seek (and find) freedom thus making an assortment of randomly oriented curls. Obviously I hadn't developed the skill of keeping them tight while fishing the string end thru the hole and making sure nothing got loose in the operation. I am however sblock has convinced me that his method is worth learning and will appreciate any hints that do not require grafting on a third hand or the use of vice grips.

[Bertram Henze]

And there were some substantive arguments against it. I have searched and searched and cannot find the thread, and can't remember what the arguments were.

Here's a potential one, feel free to debunk it: I am reluctant to fumble around a tuning peg more than absolutely necessary, what with all the sharp prongs of cut-off strings on the neighboring pegs. I have never shed a drop of blood ever since using a string winder. Things could be different if I had a butcher glove.

When I start winding, the piece between nut and peg remains tight (held down with my thumb) while the rest is slack at first (I have ball-end strings on my OM, so there is no problem with hooked-off loops).

[Tobin]

Does the winding first work with Waverly tuners with their non-tapered string posts? (A really serious design flaw in really expensive tuners.) Seems like this method depends on the windings moving up to the hole in the string post to lock the string in place at the hole.

I'll be honest: the non-tapered Waverly tuners on my Ellis F5 are the most difficult to do the pre-wrap method on. On normal tapered posts, I can do my pre-wraps below the hole without much care, and then fish the free end through the hole, pinching it with one hand while giving one or two cranks to the tuner button with the other hand. The tapering of the post will pull the wraps up below the end of the string in the hole and it's all nice and tidy. But with the straight shafts of the Waverly tuners (one of my banjos has similar straight shafts too, now that I think about it), I have to be a bit more careful in my pre-wrapping procedure. I will make my wraps - usually 3 turns around the post - fish the end through the hole, and pull the windings up with a fingernail so that they're somewhat neat and tidy before tightening the tuner. It's one of those tasks that would be easier if I had three hands instead of just the two.

[Paul Busman]

One at a time? Of course! Is there another way?

I don't use a peg winder either. I put the string on, grasp the peg head firmly, and twirl the instrument around over my head. I've broken a few lamps but saved a lot of time!

Did you learn that technique from ZZ Top?

[MontanaMatt]

I use the lock down method on the Martin website, minimal wraps on post, zero slip, fast, winder optional.
Less string on the post seems to result in maximum tuning stability for me.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLb...&v=BwgrukU7jPU

Detail of lock back wrap at approximately 9 min mark.