anyone use these nice looking Mandolin stringwinders?

[darylcrisp]

http://wildwoodstringwinders.com/Mandolin.html

I'll have to say they look very nice, and the fit of my guitar winders are sloppy on the Webers and i've wondered about finding a better fit-these look perfect.

any user opinions?

thanks
daryl

[mtucker]

yes, and i picked up one of these, too!

[Ivan Kelsall]

I have to admit that those winders do look very nice. I chose to use a DUNLOP Turbotune on both my Mandolins,primarily for the fact that the long tuner barrel keeps the winding handle well away from the adjacent tuner buttons,
Ivan

[300win]

No, I've not used those. I have one that I made out of a piece of walnut, just used a coping saw, pocket knife, drill, and sandapaper. Looks as good as any others I've seen, works good also and is holding up well, I've had it for five years. I don't know about these others, but I put some felt inside mine to keep from scatching the tuner buttons.

[Charlieshafer]

Yes, I use a really nice looking famous-maker one, but honestly, only so I can say I use a famous-maker peg winder, otherwise I'd just do it by hand like I've done it for I don't know how many years leading up to this point. It looks and works great, though!!

[mtucker]

they're nice but actually, not. i lock the string (no slippage) with the instrument across my legs and with only one full twist on the post, so they're an unnecessary tchotchke for me.The dude makes some nice ones, also. http://www.frets.com/fretspages/Musi...tringing2.html

[mandroid]

Steve (C-A) Smith made the one I got, ... its a good way to use up scrap wood bits, IMHO.

[banjer23]

I got one of the Dude's,,super quality,,works great and super to look at also,,

[Dan Margolis]

Got me a Dude. Nice. Expensive. Pretty.

[Charlieshafer]

Seems like many of us have Dudes. How many bought theirs because it was the only thing that said "Dudenbostel" on it that we could possibly afford?

[Ed Fowler]

I use an old Dunlop winder that I cut down to properly fit the mando tuners.

[wsugai]

I use a Wildwood stringwinder. Works very well and makes the job a lot easier. I thought the Wildwood was slightly overpriced when I bought it, but considering the time and effort it would take for me to make one, I think it's reasonably priced.

[JEStanek]

I also use the Dunlop Turbotune with a battery powered drill handle. Very effective.

[Brent Hutto]

I also use a famDudenous mabostelker string winder. Bought it at the same time as an armrest. Sold the armrest along with my first mandolin, kept the string winder.

[Mike Bunting]

I also use the Dunlop Turbotune with a battery powered drill handle. Very effective.

That's the rig I use, sure makes life easier.

[Cheryl Watson]

they're nice but actually, not. i lock the string (no slippage) with the instrument across my legs and with only one full twist on the post, so they're an unnecessary tchotchke for me.The dude makes some nice ones, also. http://www.frets.com/fretspages/Musi...tringing2.html

This is how I have restrung my mandos and geetars for years and one of my band members calls it "retarded" and he gets really ticked at me. He says that you do not lock the strung over onto itself-there is enough pressure to have the string cut itself in half and when you take the strings off, the bend in the string causes problems, especially on the unwound strings. Well, it is the best way for ME--I get no string slippage and I hate to do 4 to 6 winds around a post.

And, I do want one of those new Dude winders that are beveled--very cool!

[Mike Bunting]

I've always used the lock too but give the strings several wraps on the high strings. I've never had a string "cut itself" doing this.

[JEStanek]

I've have been restringing with the lock and 1/2 - 1 1/2 wraps on G, D courses and 2-3 wraps on the A and E courses for over 9 years and never had a string cut itself. I like the turbo tuner and a screwdriver as it gets the old string off in a jiffy and I can move right on into poking my finger with an e string to start the necessary bloodletting.

[Dan Margolis]

How many bought theirs because it was the only thing that said "Dudenbostel" on it that we could possibly afford?

Yes, that would be me. Plus, it is pretty, and it will pay for itself in only twelve years.

[SHORTY]

Mine were made by Skip Kelly. Great quality work on them.

[Cheryl Watson]

You guys are making me feel better. The only downside I have found to locking a string over itself is the bloodletting that sometimes happens when I try and take the plain steels off. Needle nose pliers are a must to unfold the bent strings in order to get the string back through the post hole or cut them and carefully throw the piece of string in the trash immediately. Can't let a beloved pet get a hold of those small pieces of metal.

[mandobassman]

Seems like many of us have Dudes. How many bought theirs because it was the only thing that said "Dudenbostel" on it that we could possibly afford?

That's the same reason I got a Gilchrist pick (not the real reason). I didn't like the sound on my mandolin, but at least I owned something that had "Gilchrist" on it.

[Coy Wylie]

I have the Wildwood. I bought it at a camp that the maker attended and had some in the camp store. Very nice. Like someone else said, it seems pricey but the trouble and time to make one for myself makes it worthwhile. I use the string lock method as well but find the winder most handy in unwinding the old strings.

[TheMandoKit]

I use a winder that looks similar, but I don't know who made it. Bought mine at Elderly. It's curly maple with a lined pocket for the tuner button, & works just fine.

I am not a "lock the string under the windings" guy. I have always used the "fish hook" or J-bend technique on guitars and mandolins, and it has always worked just fine with no slippage. Makes taking strings off later much easier, too.

That doesn't apply to nylon strings, where I do tie them at both the bridge and tuners.

YMMV, of course.

[liestman]

I just got 2 Wildwood string winders in the mail and am very impressed. Part of it is that he does not assume that one size fits all and I needed two different sizes. Both work great and fit really well. Simple, elegant design. And his name is Durl Jones. I don't know about you but I automatically like someone named Durl! And he gave great customer service too. Thanks, Durl.