First String Change On My First Mandolin

[jasona]

Don't have anything to add, save for having a string winder is a life saving for restringing a mandolin.

I love this forum.. HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!!

I never used one before. Following the instructions at that Frets.com link I never have more than a loop and a half or so of string on the posts--just enough to lock it into position. Because of this I don't have to do a whole lot of turning the tuner. Do the winders really help that much?

Just curious. I do like accessories and Dudenbostel sells them occasionally and I've been tempted since its as close to one of his instruments I will ever get (sort of like my avatar)

[JeffD]

I find the winder a gigantic help. I find the wrist twisting on the pegs to be really awkward and tiring. Anything more than touching up the tuning and I get the wrench out.

[mandolin breeze]

Winding the string multiple times around the post -vs- locking the string on the post. I used to be a multi-winder but when I tried the "locking" method my life changed for the better! It's so much easier and faster and I've never had a string slip even if it was barely once around the post. And because there's so much less slack in the string, it's much easier to keep a little tension on it to keep the loop end from coming off the hook.

Here's a great video explaining at about the 3:40 mark.



Or, here @ 1:08

[Mandoplumb]

+1 to locking the strings as Mandolin Breeze says. I've used that method for 30+ years on anything I replace strings on, never a problem. As I've said before a lot of the strecting. Of new strings is really taking up the slack in multiple winds around the post..I don't know why everybody doesn't use this method. Many advantages and no disadvantages that I've found. One advantage you can throw away the capo, painters tape and blue tack at least with Gibson style tailpiece, run the string thru the hole in the post first, hook the loop over tang on tailpiece as you pull other end enough to keep it on the tang, run the end under string and turn tuner a few turns ( no need for string winder) and string is installed. Tune and pick. Takes lest time than it does to tell about it.

[Br1ck]

Changing strings on a mandolin is a breeze compared to a slotted headstock 12 string guitar.

[CES]

I used to use the frets.com locking method as well, and agree it eliminates any slippage, but also makes it a little bit of a pain to get the strings off at the next change. Somewhere along the way I started changing them as Paul describes above. Haven't had any issues with slippage, and no need for a capo, tape, goo, etc. And, no winder needed (though I do use one to take the little bit of slack there is just to speed up the process).

For a while I was anal enough that I'd actually pull the cut ends of the strings back through the hole and snip it off so that the end was hidden inside (eliminates bloodletting between changes, anyway), but got over that as well...

[mandobassman]

I like winding multiple times because the extra string length allows the strings to be re-used on cheap backup mandolins or to keep as spares. I have a couple of travel/work mandolins that have strings that were once on my main mandolin.

[Mark Wilson]

The wife got me one of those string winders from Lynn Dudenbostel. It's so cool I've actually changed strings just to use it

[Caleb]

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I actually enjoy changing strings. I also enjoy mowing my lawn, washing my car, etc, etc. I find doing such tasks rewarding because they remind me that I have such things as a mandolin, a lawn, a car: in other words a pretty good life. It's all in how one looks at it. YMMV.

[Jim_G]

I just changed the strings on my Collings for only the 3rd time in the 2 years I've owned it. That's an awful long time to go, especially since I do go through month long phases where I'm playing 2-3 hours a day, every day. But it's such a bright instrument I liked what older, deader strings were doing. I've decided I absolutely hate the Collings tail piece. Inserting a new string under it, and trying to catch it on the other side is a major PIA. Even removing them is harder than it should be. I have to snip the old string in half, otherwise I end up scratching the finish trying to pull the end that was wrapped around the post out back through it. I'm still a relative novice with the mandolin, do many replace that tuner with something a little more standard? I know Bill designed those things himself and is probably proud of it, but I'm not a fan.

Edit: I was looked at the video in post 28 above. That's a Collings, but I don't have that type of tail piece. Mine is a 2004 MT2, FWIW. I wonder if the owner of that replaced his tailpiece, or if Collings used different parts in different years, or if maybe a previous owner replaced mine. I'm pretty sure I'm stringing it correctly, sending the strings underneath and then back up and over the bridge. Gad, I'll have to take another look when I get home. That would be embarrassing if I've been restringing the wrong way. Embarrassing, but not necessarily unprecedented.