How to change strings...Taylor style

[Terry]

The Taylor approach made it a lot easier and cleaner, so to speak, for me to change strings. Once in a while I'll not be paying attention and cut off a string too short, thinking I was at the next lower peg, but that would come under the "operator error" category of mishaps.
Terry

[spieler]

The Taylor approach made it a lot easier and cleaner, so to speak, for me to change strings. Once in a while I'll not be paying attention and cut off a string too short, thinking I was at the next lower peg, but that would come under the "operator error" category of mishaps.
Terry

I did this for the very first time a couple weeks ago, cutting the A string off at its peg.

Oh, the horror.

Fortunately, Stringsandbeyond.com (where I buy my strings) came through for me, quickly shipping out a replacement without charging me extra-bextra for postage. Whew.

~ S.

[Edward]

The only reason I do not do the over/under is it is a bit more difficult to undo when doing a string change.  With a normal "wrap and stab" (the hole, not the finger ), string changes are faster.  Not that I am in a hurry, but it is nice not to fuss over the headstock.  One real side advantage I've also found is if one breaks a string when live, it's easy to yank that flotsome off in 0.634 seconds.  And yes, this does occur, and for that I stick to just the regular wrapping method ...which BTW never slips on me.

Edward

[Cindy]

That's pretty cool, never tried cutting to length using that approach. 

What was that tool?  I have that stupid plastic peg winder.  I think I have a similar electric tool, but it would be that attachment for the tuners.....

ebick, did you order one of the Stew Mac peg winders? If not, I have a white Dean Markley Turbo Tune which was given to me free of charge from a Sam Ash employee when I was looking for it. It will also serve as a regular (manual) string winder if you are away from any power tools. Now they are made by Planet Waves and come in the glow-in-the-dark green. I'd be happy to send you the Dean Markley white one as I've since bought a couple of the glow-in-the-dark ones. Please let me know. I use mine with a Black & Decker cordless screwdriver (and the screwdriver has paid for itself for multiple purposes as it's quick and easy to grab). The nice thing about the B&D screwdriver is that it's slow enough so there's no problem having the strings get wound too tightly. I no longer abhor string changes.

[not darth]

Last week I took off some relatively new Elixirs to try some JP's, and I wasn't paying close attention and cut the D string to the low E length.     
But, since I had used the Taylor method when putting on the Elixirs, I was able to salvage that D and put it back on.  So far it is holding, I worried that it might break.
-K

[Dpoirier]

I thought I had seen a different Taylor video that showed a similar method but with one significant difference: for the B string, the guy left it a little bit longer so that it wrapped a turn or two more around the post. The idea was to get the last wrap to avoid the edge of the hole in the post, which causes the infamous B string frequent breakage issue. But I forget the details or even whether it was indeed a Taylor video...

Anyone know anything about that "special handling" of the B string?

[Guitar Rodeo]

I have not heard of it, but I habitually leave both the 1st and 2nd strings longer by about 1/2" or so just to get another wind or two on the post. OCD issues aside, maybe it really does help retain flexibility. I bought a cordless drill, not a screwdriver, for changing strings. This is not for the faint of heart, because the string winding goes REALLY fast. It requires some finesse (and I have to stay focused), but string changes here are pretty close to Indy 500 pit speed. Like in under two minutes if I have to...... And just to quell the possible responses to this outlandish claim-that is string change, not string tune. Tuning is not the same as changing.....

[Penname]

I thought I had seen a different Taylor video that showed a similar method but with one significant difference: for the B string, the guy left it a little bit longer so that it wrapped a turn or two more around the post. The idea was to get the last wrap to avoid the edge of the hole in the post, which causes the infamous B string frequent breakage issue. But I forget the details or even whether it was indeed a Taylor video...

Anyone know anything about that "special handling" of the B string?

That's in the second video of the two part series referenced earlier. Mentions slightly different procedure for G string as well as the B & high E. From roughly 2:15 to 3:20 in the video link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKwasgm1Y3g&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[SoloTaylor]

I like the taylor method of string changing.

[Cindy]

Has anyone else experienced problems winding the high E string with an automatic screwdriver like he's using in the Taylor video? I have the same screwdriver and crank but my high E string just wants to come right out of the hole before it even winds 1/2 turn. Any suggestions?

[Guitar Rodeo]

Yup. What is happening is the ball end is slipping down under the bridge pin and it pops out as the string winds. Be sure you have the ball end in it's correct position up against the bridge plate, then sort of loop the string over and above the fingers/thumb of your non-string-winder hand to keep some tension on it while you start the winding process. It is a little tricky and it would be easier with three hands, but is is do-able. I have never described this, but the string comes from the bridge, under the palm side of the little finger, over the top (non palm side) of my ring, middle, and index fingers, and under the palm side of my thumb. Simply rotate your wrist and/or spread your fingers and you can control the string tension easily while you manage the string winder (this is a lot simpler to do than describe). If you can position the guitar so it is secure then that is one less task to manage while you are concentrating on the string. My work bench is waist high and I hold the guitar still with the peg head against my tummy and the bottom end of the guitar braced against a pad on the other end. I reckon after you have done hundreds of string changes, it is distilled to the fundamentals. This is how I do it.

[S MS Picker]

Before the Zap-It(to my knowledge the first screwdriver attachment),my partner and I took a regular winder,cut off the socket,cut off a cheap short 1/4'  extension-heated it- melted a hole in the winder socket-and glued them together. Never thought of trying to patent or market it.Circa 1995. Oh well.
Steve

[roadbiker]

I use the over/under method and I never cut the stings until after I have wound them. The thing I do like about the "Taylor method" is that the strings wind up the post. when I retring, the strings usually coil down the post. However, I always get a good coil, and the strings are "locked" in place.

Do you think it makes a difference if the strings string coil up or down the post? Also, how many coils is considered about right? I try to get the string to wind around the post 3-4 times on the wound strings and 4-5 times on the unwound strings.

Jim

[S MS Picker]

The strings always wind toward the peghead.To my point of view that's down. With guitars w/little angle to the peghead, the extra wraps insure the strings break cleanly @ the nut, aka string trees on Strats.Too many wraps with a poorly made nut(slots too deep) pinching and tuning issues often arise.
Steve

[Roseadi]

I've used the Taylor method for years with hex core strings. Works great and never had a problem. With round core strings, DR Rare, Pyramid, Newtone MCs etc, You do need to modify the procedure a little.

Instead of cutting the wound strings at the next tuning peg, bend the string at a 90 degree angle where you would normaly cut. When installing the string in the post, just bring the bend flush with the hole at a 90 degree angle. BTW, I usually add one more bend to the excess part of the string. This ensures that the winding does not loosen from the core causing  problems with tuning, intonation, dead strings etc. Round cores, without the hex, does not give the winding a sharp edge to cut into to hold the winding in place. The bend holds it in place. Once the string is up to tension, it's safe to cut it.

I've only had problems with round cores once and that was early on when I started using them and forgot to do the bend. Has worked for me for the past three years using roundcores exclusively. I have never had tuning or intonation problems with rounds and believe most complaints about them arise from improper installation methods.