Post by RobertW on Aug 11, 2021 10:13:24 GMT -5
This post is rated Mature by Imgur
I decided to do a string change today. The victim was my Sigma 000M-15/Rosewood Edition. I usually use the Taylor Method (https://www.taylorguitars.com/.../changing-steel-strings) But I still end up stabbing myself and having to spend time stretching the strings.
So i did a few things different this time. After I removed all the strings, keeping the bridge pins aside in ORDER; I cleaned the fretboard (Dunlop 01 and 02) polished the body and neck (Seagull Luthier Grade polish, safe for matte finishes) I put graphite in the nut slots and cleaned the top of the nut. I tuned each string as i installed them and often retuned as i did next.
Starting with the 6th string, i was very careful with bridge pin placement. I reached in sound hole and checked that the ball end was between pin and bridge plate and NOT on the end of the pin. My hand being relatively small allowed me to do this up to the 2ed string. But the was no way i could reach in for the 1st string. I used a cheap smartphone endoscope i got from eBay to check fit of 1st string. Lo and behold, it was neither on end of pin nor between bridge plate and pin. It was about an inch (30mm?) from the pin swinging freely. I pulled pin and reseated the string. Done. At this point i would usually tune guitar, pick up guitar by strings to stretch them, tune guitar, stretch them, repeat...
This time I tuned
and played
and grinned...
what did i do different?
I took care of my balls and nuts.
I decided to do a string change today. The victim was my Sigma 000M-15/Rosewood Edition. I usually use the Taylor Method (https://www.taylorguitars.com/.../changing-steel-strings) But I still end up stabbing myself and having to spend time stretching the strings.
So i did a few things different this time. After I removed all the strings, keeping the bridge pins aside in ORDER; I cleaned the fretboard (Dunlop 01 and 02) polished the body and neck (Seagull Luthier Grade polish, safe for matte finishes) I put graphite in the nut slots and cleaned the top of the nut. I tuned each string as i installed them and often retuned as i did next.
Starting with the 6th string, i was very careful with bridge pin placement. I reached in sound hole and checked that the ball end was between pin and bridge plate and NOT on the end of the pin. My hand being relatively small allowed me to do this up to the 2ed string. But the was no way i could reach in for the 1st string. I used a cheap smartphone endoscope i got from eBay to check fit of 1st string. Lo and behold, it was neither on end of pin nor between bridge plate and pin. It was about an inch (30mm?) from the pin swinging freely. I pulled pin and reseated the string. Done. At this point i would usually tune guitar, pick up guitar by strings to stretch them, tune guitar, stretch them, repeat...
This time I tuned
and played
and grinned...
what did i do different?
I took care of my balls and nuts.
- I always graphite me nut too. I'll clean the fret board and around the bridge where it meets the body- I tune it after I get all the strings on, sometimes I'll stretch them. But then I let it set for a while and retune it- 
which is to say, often.