Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF

Lessons, Recordings, How Tos, Repair, Accessories => Lessons, Recordings, How Tos, Repair, Accessories => Topic started by: amy71 on January 23, 2017, 10:18:49 PM

Title: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: amy71 on January 23, 2017, 10:18:49 PM
So I was SO excited that I restrung my guitar myself last night. First time ever, and it wasn't as easy as I thought. My poor high E string probably won't last long. It sounds pretty good though!

Tonight I just happened to compare it to my mini taylor and realized something went horribly wrong. Can anyone tell me how I managed to string this backwards? Bwah ha ha! I'm so annoyed with myself! I watched several tutorials. Ugh!

It is kind of funny though. :)
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: Marco Polo on January 23, 2017, 10:25:16 PM
At least it's consistent  8)

 ;)
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: amy71 on January 23, 2017, 10:52:08 PM
I know! I did a pretty darn good job if it wasn't backwards. Lol.
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: TaylorGirl on January 24, 2017, 05:24:25 AM
Well, the best way to learn! I bet next time it will be perfect!  :D
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: Cindy on January 24, 2017, 10:12:09 AM
Ooo...after all the time you took to do this, that's gotta hurt. At least you were able to see the humor in it! ;D Congrats on giving it a try yourself. I remember how daunting it seemed when I did my first string change. It gets easier. In fact, I use the Black & Decker screwdriver method for stringing. It's a cordless screwdriver fitted with a guitar winder. Taylor has a YouTube video demonstrating it although their screwdriver is rigged to go SUPER fast! I didn't alter mine and take it nice and SLOW! ;)
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: MB on January 24, 2017, 04:57:38 PM
How'd it sound? :D
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: zeebow on January 24, 2017, 10:42:03 PM
Ooo...after all the time you took to do this, that's gotta hurt. At least you were able to see the humor in it! ;D Congrats on giving it a try yourself. I remember how daunting it seemed when I did my first string change. It gets easier. In fact, I use the Black & Decker screwdriver method for stringing. It's a cordless screwdriver fitted with a guitar winder. Taylor has a YouTube video demonstrating it although their screwdriver is rigged to go SUPER fast! I didn't alter mine and take it nice and SLOW! ;)

i'm too chicken - i manually wind, which is slightly annoying with gotohs!
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: TaylorGirl on January 25, 2017, 05:58:15 AM
Ooo...after all the time you took to do this, that's gotta hurt. At least you were able to see the humor in it! ;D Congrats on giving it a try yourself. I remember how daunting it seemed when I did my first string change. It gets easier. In fact, I use the Black & Decker screwdriver method for stringing. It's a cordless screwdriver fitted with a guitar winder. Taylor has a YouTube video demonstrating it although their screwdriver is rigged to go SUPER fast! I didn't alter mine and take it nice and SLOW! ;)

i'm too chicken - i manually wind, which is slightly annoying with gotohs!
I have the rechargeable Skil version like Cindy mentioned. You get the little adapter for the tuning knobs. It works great, like she said. There's nothing to be afraid of. I'll never go back to "manual" string changes.
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: Cindy on January 25, 2017, 10:54:32 AM
i'm too chicken - i manually wind, which is slightly annoying with gotohs!

The non-rigged ones are VERY slow. It's just a lot easier for me to use than winding manually. ;D
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: Guitars44me on January 25, 2017, 11:11:54 AM
Thankfully, it does get easier! My first attempt was a total disaster. And there were no tutorials or videos as dinosaurs roamed the earth at that point...

I had to get the guitarist in my band to sober up and give me a lesson. He laughed and laughed at my mess I had made and my bleeding finger!

At least yours is clean and consistently!


Welcome to the club! 

Cheers

Paul
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: mgap on January 25, 2017, 03:26:16 PM
Two thumbs up for consistency, and it is a nice clean job.  Just one error in the process.  :) :D ;D :o 8)
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: amy71 on January 29, 2017, 05:24:29 PM
So I got some new strings in! I watched the Taylor video and I think I will be fine. I would pay someone, it's not really the money...I just don't want to leave my guitar there!

It sounds fine even though they are backwards. Does anyone see it hurting anything if I just leave them this way for a while?? I'm lazy. I just play for fun at home, so if they break no big deal. I just don't want to screw up my guitar. :)

Amy
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: warsmokeeagle on January 29, 2017, 08:46:55 PM
The only thing I could see happening would be putting undue pressure on the sides of the nut grooves since the strings are pulling at a different angle. And the strings might be more prone to break. I doubt either one would seriously hurt anything as long as it's not done that way for too long.
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: amy71 on January 29, 2017, 09:23:49 PM
Thanks for the advice!!
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: Frettingflyer on January 30, 2017, 08:42:21 AM
Amy, I am thinking along the lines of Warsmokeagle, the break angle of the strings will be a little differn't but that should not cause too much damage over a short time as the nut usually lasts a long time before showing much wear.
Congrats on your first change, it will get better and easier.
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: zeebow on January 30, 2017, 09:06:05 AM
i've don't this before, i was able to back out the string and restring the right way. we all make mistakes, some of us just don't admit it or talk about it :)

i would redo it, more practice anyway :)
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: Orm_Embar on January 30, 2017, 07:05:11 PM
I was thinking the same thing. Just unwind them and rewind correctly. Use one hand to hold tension on the string as you unwind it.
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: mgap on January 30, 2017, 11:14:32 PM
Put a capo on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd fret, and rewind the strings.  I bet a whole bunch of us have done you did. Ha ;D :D :-[
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: Epic Audio on May 02, 2017, 10:25:33 AM
Good advice from MGap. Also, I have seen worse. Good luck.
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: Jersey tuning on May 02, 2017, 11:11:21 AM
Congratulations on mastering the Rolyat method of restringing.
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: cotten on May 03, 2017, 01:44:18 PM
I'm just glad you have such a fun outlook on it, and that you're posting in such a friendly, happy place. There are places on the internet where people would be mean spirited and ugly, as if they've completely forgotten the first time they put new strings on their guitars. I remembered seeing this picture somewhere - your job is MUCH better!

(https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQrOXJv6q7puR7KSPUE4JLNrTzVP3CUCkeP1BMgeBXZ_1qDK8tCbA)

cotten
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: TaylorGirl on May 03, 2017, 03:05:00 PM
I'm just glad you have such a fun outlook on it, and that you're posting in such a friendly, happy place. There are places on the internet where people would be mean spirited and ugly, as if they've completely forgotten the first time they put new strings on their guitars. I remembered seeing this picture somewhere - your job is MUCH better!

(https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQrOXJv6q7puR7KSPUE4JLNrTzVP3CUCkeP1BMgeBXZ_1qDK8tCbA)

cotten
Holy cow! What a horrible mess! Just happy to see it wasn't done on a Taylor!
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: cotten on May 07, 2017, 06:53:11 PM
I agree, TaylorGirl, though I have it on pretty good authority that not all Martin Brand X guitar lovers string their guitars like this. One of 'em told me that he made sure to get one with good, well tuned strings already on it. Says it's saved him a lot of time and trouble over the years!   ;D

cotten
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: tenbender on June 22, 2017, 10:27:03 AM
I think everyone has done something like this at one time
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: Epic Audio on June 23, 2017, 12:17:21 PM
I think everyone has done something like this at one time

Some have even done it two times (or more). You can sometimes tell how late into the night a sting was changed.
Title: Re: How the heck did this happen?!
Post by: Swamp Yankee on August 12, 2017, 11:27:23 PM
I picked up a tenor uke in a rather high end guitar shop the other day and they'd tuned the G and A strings to tighten by turning clockwise, and the C and E strings to tighten counterclockwise.  ???