The curved shape of Collings A headstock prohibits using my guitar string winder without risk of damage to the finish or the wood. Can anyone recommend a string winder that would work?
The curved shape of Collings A headstock prohibits using my guitar string winder without risk of damage to the finish or the wood. Can anyone recommend a string winder that would work?
Recent thread here....
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...string+winders
Charley
A bunch of stuff with four strings
Tim, glad you brought up this subject again. I just ordered the Music Nomad string winder for my self.
If you google "mandolin string winder" you will come up with other options not mentioned in the thread as well.
Charley
A bunch of stuff with four strings
Thanks!
I only use a string winder on a slotted headstock, the way I put the strings on a solid headstock I really don't need one as it is so easy.
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!
If you use Frank Fords method you won't need a string winder.
Dave H
Eastman 615 mandola
2011 Weber Bitteroot A5
2012 Weber Bitteroot F5
Eastman MD 915V
Gibson F9
2016 Capek ' Bob ' standard scale tenor banjo
Ibanez Artist 5 string
2001 Paul Shippey oval hole
Not the least expensive solution, but I'm a big fan of Frank's Cranks.
Probably the cheapest answer. Cut down a John Dunlop winder into a Jop winder. Fill the unit about half full of baking soda and drop in a few drops of CA (Superglue). Let it harden. The crank is small enough for the buttons and it won't go so far onto the button to mar the headstock. You could also grind the the part that goes over the button down and round it a bit. It would still grab the button but couldn't hit the wood on the headstock.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Could I ask what age and model is the Collings? The shafts on the tuners on my 4 year old mandola Have different lengths so thatthey follow the concave curve of the headstock. I’m not sure that they’ve always had these. Is thisyour problem?
Mike, not sure that your solution completely addresses Tim's problem. Shrinking the cavity of the winder will prevent the tuner knobs from slipping around inside it, burt won't reduce its outside dimensions, which would still possibly scratch the headstock finish. To avoid this, one would need to obtain a string winder with a smaller "business end," i.e. one made especially for mandolin.
You're right that accommodating the smaller mandolin tuner knobs more precisely, would reduce the likelihood of the winder slipping and impacting the headstock, but a guitar string winder is still oversized for manipulating the more-closely-spaced mandolin tuners.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
Wildwood String Winders
I've got one of each for Grover and Waverly tuners. They fit perfectly and no banging around the headstock. Durl is great to deal with, too.
"Keep your hat on, we may end up miles from here..." - Kurt Vonnegut
That's addressed in the post Allen.
By filling the end you can't get close enough to the headstock to scratch it. The second alternative is to grind off the end and round it side to side to also keep from scratching the headstock. I've used mine for years, no scratches on the headstock because I filled the pocket to keep it from going in.Fill the unit about half full of baking soda and drop in a few drops of CA (Superglue). Let it harden. The crank is small enough for the buttons and it won't go so far onto the button to mar the headstock. You could also grind the the part that goes over the button down and round it a bit. It would still grab the button but couldn't hit the wood on the headstock.
It's still the cheapest way to get the winder.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
What Coldbeer and Kevin said.
J.Lane Pryce
I noticed a while back that the headstock on my MT is getting beat up due to using a guitar string winder. It bugged me at first but now I think it looks kind of cool. YMMV.
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