Amateurish string change execution - can I keep, or is it ruined?

[Heady]

Last June I did my first string change. I was very skittish and it took days, and a group peptalk from forumites.

I watched a video to refresh myself, then jumped in.

It was much easier BUT I am trying heavier strings and didn't do a good job getting the excess tight to the peg after passing through.

Can I get away with this, or do I need to try again with fresh strings?

Thanks for the help

[Don Roon]

You can probably just loosen it up and pull lightly with needle nose pliers to take out the slack. Then hold onto the string as you re-tighten. You should be fine. Good luck !!

[Cobalt]

With the wound strings (G and D) there is usually plenty of leeway for slackening off the tension, reposition or trim if required, then re-tighten the tuners. It should be ok to do this so long as you don't attempt to straighten out the sharp bends.

The others, and particularly the thinner E string is more prone to breaking if it is slackened and re-tightened - it may be ok, but repeated attempts will increase chance of a broken string.

[Timbofood]

Does it hold pitch?
If it does, don’t worry about it and do better next time, if it slips like deer guts on a door knob, make adjustments.

[addamr]

I'm with Timbofood. It's not pretty but, if it works play it.

Adam

[Doug Brock]

Hang in there. String changes get easier with just a little practice. I personally enjoy my string changes, as it gives me a half hour to admire my mandolin and give it a little extra cleaning in places I can't usually reach when the strings are on.

[BrianWilliam]

If you are only slightly OCD, this cannot stand. I feel itchy just looking at it

[MikeEdgerton]

If you are only slightly OCD, this cannot stand. I feel itchy just looking at it

Oh the humanity!

Me too. I'm with Tim though, if it holds then just play it.

[UsuallyPickin]

Don Roon is correct on how to tighten the string on the post or is it capstan..... However if it stays in tune you can leave it alone. R/

[MontanaMatt]

Is that a guitar?

[Heady]

Wow - so much help! Thanks everyone

[JeffD]

If it holds, just play it. Nobody has ever, ever ever, come up to me at a jam or performance and commented on the neatness of my string turnings on the capstan. It never happens.

I would never re-do a string change based only on aesthetics.

[Heady]

I won't go so far as to say "fixed" but I improved the worse of the 2 and left the others.

I probably didn't need to, I left it alone almost 20 hrs and both were spot on in tune.

And yes, it's a mandolin, not a guitar. You're probably just not familiar with the $50 Walmart special. I'm the limiting factor. When I'm a little better, I'll upgrade. Looking into a low-end but better than this A body oval hole Kentucky. Maybe my next birthday.

[mandroid]

Wound ones stay pretty well Without slipping, the plain ones are where you need the backwinding over itself trick..

[sblock]

This reply is pasted directly from another thread, but the OP might profit from it here. The next time you change strings, try doing it this way instead, and you won't get any of those clunky 'over-wraps,' knots, or slack loops:

My favored approach involves placing the string loop over the peg in the tailpiece, then stretching it under light hand tension, straight over the bridge and nut, and winding it several times (2-4) around the tuning post before threading the free end of the string through the hole in the post. This approach:

1) keeps the string under tension at all times (no slack!), so it never comes off the tailpiece peg, nor does it come come out of the slots in the bridge saddle and nut, and
2) it involves minimal turns of the tuning peg to bring the string up to final pitch, so you don't really need a string winder.

No capo required. No magnets required. No sticky putty. No string winder. Fewer turns. NO STRING SLIPPAGE.

Also, it's faster then any other technique I know. Say, what's not to love?! I urge everyone to try it. I can't believe I replaced strings for so many years using other, more traditional methods, and always wondering if I had just the right amount of slack before winding.

[BrianWilliam]

+1 to faster

My preference as well.