New strings

My strings had been sounding pretty crappy for awhile, so I bit the bullet,bought a new set, and changed them out this evening. Here's what I learned:

Expect blood. I stuck myself before I even had the inside package open.

Cats love to help. I still can't find one of the old E strings.

Righty tighty, lefty loosey.

You will need wire cutters. Walgreen's did not have them, K-Mart did. (My husband has plenty no doubt, but he wasn't handy.)

One at a time, unless you are also looking to reset the bridge.

The last string went on in about a quarter of the time it took to do the first one.

The whole process took about an hour, 1:50 if you count the time to go shopping for wire cutters. Next time should be quicker. I had to tune and retune each pair about three times, but then they seemed stable, and they sound great! You don't realize just how bad the old ones have gotten.

Now, where do I fill out the forms to get the newbie string-change merit badge?

For a string nipper, I recommend the tool that was intended for the job. The problem is that a standard wire cutter is usually made for electrical wire, which is relatively soft. Musical wire strings will be harder than the wire cutter. Here is what I use, available from lots of sources, probably including your local music store. The little winder thingie on one end was more of a hindrance than a help to me, so I just broke it off. The string cutter part works great, every time.

My cats love restringing day, too. I shoo them out and close the door.

No forms necessary! For the shedding of blood in the line of duty, for overcoming all obstacles and getting the job done, may we present you with this most prestigious token of accomplishment ~

A tip, Louise, that helps me with guitar and mandolin strings -though being a stringed instrument person, you probably already know this - I like to stretch the string really well after I have them on and do the initial tuning. I gently stretch them out by hand several times before re-tuning a second time.

Now that is one fine-looking merit badge, Mark! Can't wait until it arrives.

I can't believe how much better my instrument sounds. The old strings were going downhill, but then took a nosedive midweek. I had been playing on them for a little over two months, and won't wait quite so long next time. Being steel, they were pretty well in tune today. The violin/viola strings I use are synthetic, wrapped with silver, aluminum, titanium, etc., and they take at least a week to really settle in.

Hank, I had no idea they made a specific tool for cutting strings. The wire cutters worked fine, but the strings may well chew them up. I did invest $3 in a plastic doohickey to speed up winding/unwinding the strings from the tuners. It was a bit big for the knobs—probably made for a guitar—but worth the three bucks.

Merit badges???? Whoa nellie. No one said anything about badges. Lol. Nice work Mark.

Louise it does get easier and the reward of fresh strings sounding so clean. I find that my mandolins take a day or two to really settle down after a change. One thought I would suggest. Have a spare set on hand in case you break a string during a change over. Usually for me it's the E string that snaps. I usually do a change in 1 hour also. Methodically working and cleaning as I go starting at the G and then a short break after I get the A done. When I push straight through w/o stopping I rush that E and something will go wrong.

I usually have a few extra e strings around for that very reason. You can order them from juststrings.com. I think maybe I broke an a string once but I don't remember ever breaking a d or g string. Don't let that keep you from swapping out the whole set from time to time. New strings do sound better than old ones. It's past time for me to do some major string changing - gotta practice what I preach.

Do the E strings also go bad first? As thin as they are, seems like they might.

I don't really think 'going bad' is the issue with respect to breakage unless you have sweaty, acidic hands, but they are just easy to break, especially when installing them. They are darn near the breaking point when they are up to pitch, so any extra bit of stress and there they go. Extra stress can occur if they have to rest on a sharp corner under tension (like if there is a sharp corner on the tuner where the string goes through the barrel), or if a nut slot or bridge slot is not quite smooth or too narrow, or yada yada yada ... I even had one break while loosening it once. Never figured that one out.

I assume this is the origination point for the phrase "high strung".

I usually bring a new e string up to pitch a lot more slowly than the others. Don't know if this helps, but it might.

"I usually bring a new e string up to pitch a lot more slowly than the others. Don't know if this helps, but it might."

I do this too I think, but not with your intentional logic; I just do it with fear and trepidation, lest the string snaps and pops into my eyeball.

That's never happened, but I seem to expect it every time.

Good thread Louise NM. I haven't faced this yet and it looks intimidating. Maybe just buy another mandolin

Don, I went into the shop one day to get a set of viola strings. They were busy, and while I was waiting I found a great new set, attached to a new viola. Sigh. I left with it, and have never regretted it for a moment.

It is kind of like trading in a car because the ashtray is full, as they used to say. My current car doesn't have an ashtray, so I'm safe there.

"Don, I went into the shop one day to get a set of viola strings. They were busy, and while I was waiting I found a great new set, attached to a new viola. Sigh. I left with it, and have never regretted it for a moment."

Wow. You're just too cool.

I usually can't buy so quickly. Next to last guitar I bought, it was at a dealer near me and I had a habit of going in and playing all the acoustics on occasion. One showed up that really surprised me because it's not a brand I would want, etc., but it sounded so good, and priced ridiculously. I saw it there on three different excursions, and each time I played it, it surprised me all over again. Then one day, I headed over there. On the way I prayed that someone else had come along and bought it already, because I had no intention of buying another guitar, but drats! It was there, and followed me home.

My last guitar I bought was sort of an impulse. I just couldn't resist a 75-year-old archtop with good action that kept flirting with me. I even walked out of the store! But had to wheel right around and rescued the dang thing

Mark, if it makes you feel any better, I dithered for months over my viola bow. Glad you gave that arch top a good home. Lord knows where the poor thing would have ended up otherwise.

Then of course, I'm the one who had no interest in the least in owning or learning to play a mandolin. Stopped to see some old friends in an antique store and get some advice on some jewelry, and, well, here we are.

Laughed out loud about that mandolin story, it's crazy, I saw this way cool looking (to me) bowl back mandolin on ebay for dirt cheap while lusting after guitars and before I knew it, the thing popped up at my house courtesy of USPS. Now look what I'm doing Can't get away from them, they're multiplying.

Thanks, Louise for starting this string thread. Great imput, everyone. I have some issues with strings and changing them and I've been searching for the right/safe place to ask my novice questions. First, this righty tighty stuff --I know it works for plumbing but if you are facing your instrument the tuners turn up and down not right and left. Do you refer to the cogs on the back of the neck?
I break my E string often I think because I tune it too high. I've purchased e's from Juststrings - plain steel loop end .010L but I think I could have done better. HonketyHank, what do you use? I have two mandos, one with a truss rod one without so I've been going light. I had previously changed out my broken e's from: a Martin M400 80/20 bronze set,a D'Addario EJ73 and a D'Addario EJ74. Don't want a collection of e less mandolin string sets but is this a viable way to go?
I know I probably should be changing out all the strings but I just can't face it right now. And Mark, I'm terrified of blinding myself with a delinquent e and my puppy loves changing strings!

Kathy-a, It gets easier! Still, best done when I'm relaxed and not in a hurry. I broke a couple e strings the first time or two and bought the spare e strings as you suggest. I like to wear my glasses for safety in case of springing wires. Are you using a tuner when you change strings? I like to go slowly when I get close to in tune.

Hi Sleet, Yes I use a tuner, a Snark. You are right about being relaxed. There is nothing less relaxing than sitting down for a pleasant practice and while tuning up break the strings. I think from now on that's time to change instruments. I'm curious what spare e strings did you purchased and from whom?

I'm pretty much useless when it comes to difficult concepts like "right" and "left." Even more so when something isn't in front of me. So, in this case the right/left means looking at the little pearly end button. It's confusing to me, as I am used to violin/viola pegs, where you turn the peg towards you to lower the pitch, and away from you to tighten the string and raise the pitch, regardless of which side of the pegbox the peg is on.

Kathy-a, I have a supply of EJ74 e-strings. I don't think there is much magic in various brands for the e and a strings as long as they are the right guage. The EJ74's are .011" and .013". For a no-truss-rod mandolin, I have used Martin light strings. I think they are .010" and .012". On my Martin style A-K, I hesitate to go any heavier than that even though I think mediums would sound better.

I get confused about the righty lefty tighty loosey when changing strings, but not when tuning. So when installing a new string, I keep my eye on the post holding the string and verify it is turning in the in the correct direction. The side of the post farthest from the nut should always turn toward the side of the peghead, not toward the center. Accidentally going a quarter tone or even a half tone sharp should not break a string while tuning. Going a full tone (2 frets) sharp is iffy. So keep the 'plink plink plink' going when you get close to pitch.

One thing that has cut down on my string breakage is the use of painters' tape to hold the string in place on the neck while getting it started on the tuning peg's post. String changing would be a lot easier if we had three arms and hands; taping the string down after getting it hooked properly in the tailpiece helps make the task easier for those of us with only two hands.

Kathy-a are You sure something else is not causing the e strings to break.I would do a thorough inspection of bridge,nut,and end plate to make sure something is not cutting string or grabbing and causing breakage.U shouldn't be breaking strings like that bringing up to pitch.I put a lil graphite(pencil lead) on the nut sometimes when changing strings.also I never tighten e strings up to pitch when i put them on new.When I get close I stop and let everything set for 10-15 mins. Then tighten a lil more. I may do this 3-4 times before I have the e-strings in tune.I never break any this way.there's also videos that will show you proper way to turn tuners if ur unsure about those.It's good to always were glasses when changing strings. Oh also a capo will help hold strings in place when changing.I like Hanks idea also.

The graphite on nut slots/bridge slots is a good tip, Choctaw. I do that too, when I think about it. All it takes is a pencil ... and to remember to do it from time to time.

All good suggestions here. Especially to go slow. I usually take a break while working on the A strings. Get up walk around etc. Just to relax a bit before the E string work. One other tip I learned that has not been mentioned is while tuning strings I like to apply a bit of pressure onto the strings above the nut and then below it also. Just press down like I was fretting a note and release. This helps to release any tension at the nut if it's not lubed (pencil) or the slot is not real smooth.

darn it Louise. Now you made me change my strings. The were starting to really get discolored. Oh and Mark I'm going to need a medal for valiantly continuing after bloodying myself on the first A string. I get 5 or 6 months out of a set of strings. When I played guitar as much as I now play mando I was lucky to get 4 weeks out of a set.

Hi Kathy. Like Choctaw said, it sound like your strings could be binding in the nut or something. If everything is going right, they should not be breaking like that. Let us know if the graphite in the nut grooves works better.

Kathy, where do your strings break? Right by the tuners? at the nut or bridge? along the fretboard? If it's often the same place, that's a big hint as to the cause. If it's different places each time, tougher.

Any chance you are buying crummy strings? There have been some recent reports of counterfeit violin strings. Mandolin strings are so inexpensive, it doesn't seem like it would be worth it to make fakes, but then again, when talking about criminals . . . Anyway, maybe, just for the heck of it, try a different brand and see if they do any better for you.

Kevin, you are going to be singing my praises in a day or two when those new strings settle in. Until then, stay away from the hand sanitizer, and let someone else slice the lemons!

Here ya go, Kevin ~

Thanks everyone for the great advice and support. I will definitely tape the string to the neck when changing. I think that's where my problems begin. I'm so involved anchoring the string to the peg and getting it going in the right direction that I don't leave enough string on the peg for further tuning. Also glad, HanketyHank to get your opinion on the selection of e strings.
Louise, I think my right left up down problem stems from either looking at the mando while it's lying on the "changing table" or looking down at the mando in playing/tuning position.
Thanks, choctaw61, Trav'linmando and SoMorris I will definitely take changing the e string slower. I will also try putting pressure on the string above and below the nut and I'll be using a pencil on the nut and saddle grooves.
I guess I'll be intimidated by a broken string for a while but this discussion has really helped and given me confidence. I think I'll always be a little fearful of injuring my mando and being attacked by a vicious e string. I do wear my glasses but as luck would have it they're for distance. Lol.

Thanks everyone for the great advice and support.

The first time I changed strings was after a long busy day. It was dark outside. I sat down with a bottle of beer watching a movie and working under a reading lamp. What a difficult time my 58 year old eyes had. The next string change was in the AM with a cup of coffee and seated in the sunlight next to the patio door. Much easier.

I have found it better to change a pair of strings together and bring them up to pitch together. Instead of replacing G and tuning it. Replacing the next G and tuning it etc.

BJ

I have to change strings too. I fret at the task.

Brian, fretting mandolin is ok. Puncture wounds are not so much.