I agree with this comment. I've done the lock on method for years.. as I also need to have stable tuning when I'm out on the road. My #1 , #2 and# 3 guitars (also Les Pauls) will have this method from now on..also buying nut sauce as soon as I'm done with this post! thanks for the video, appreciated!!
I did repairs for 6 months in a busy shop and we always strung them one up one down like Greg is showing and never had any complaints. It's fast and reliable and, like Greg is saying, it avoids the difficulty of removing strings that are kinked and knotted. The string stretching is something we didn't always do as thoroughly but after watching Greg, I'm definitely going to be doing that from now on. Thanks for the very helpful video!
About string breakage, I find that wrapping the string over the tailpiece helps. It reduces the angle of the strings between the tailpiece and the saddle. Mostly it reduces the pressure against the saddle so it doesn’t “knife” as much into the string. I never had issues with slippage and broke fewer strings … my $0.02!
Yeah, guitars are meant to be played, not museum pieces. This is my personal Les Paul (one my wife gave me for my 40th b-day, so not going anywhere), if I was working on a vintage/rare guitar, I’d be more careful for sure. YMMV
I use a hybrid method, the one wrap above and several wraps below works fine for the wound strings, but I feel there just isn’t enough friction to make this method work well for plain strings. The locking string method is what I use for the plain strings
I used plain old Chap Stick for years (decades). I bought a tube of Big Bends Nut Sauce. It works every bit as well as plain old Chap Stick but I'm unconvinced it works any better and it is far more expensive and you can get Chap Stick anywhere. That's my experience - your mileage may vary.
Ah, the old Chapstick method! I used that for years, Vasoline and some shaved pencil lead works well too. When touring we must adapt and improvise often.
You're probably right. So much guitar snake oil out there now. Growing up, we had what we had, and in the end the music is what mattered most. So much stuff out there now, some real deal, some outright bullshit. I remember as a kid cutting my chops on some import strat with strings probably as old as I was in the 7th grade. Time of my life, too.
It's great to see that I've been stringing my guitars the right way all along. I only change as many strings in a year as he does in a week, so I do use the tuners as a reference instead of eyeballing it.
Greg, it's nice to see this video and great to see you after all these years. I will suggest my current students check this out. This is how I have strung my guitars since 1975 and it works great. Congratulations on your success!
Excellent! Tell him I said "hello." We've been in Texas since 1996, just outside Dallas. Get in touch through my websites the next time you're in town. www.guitarmadesimpler.com and www.wrileywilson.com. Hope your hand heals fast!
I’ve used the old Boss TU-12 and several Korg tuners from the newest Pitchblack to the old CA1’s back in the 80’s. These days, I am totally sold on using the tcelectronic PolyTune 3 pedal. The clip-on version can struggle very occasionally to pick up the low E when it is very loud with multiple instruments, but the pedal version is the new rock-solid reliable gold standard for me.
I use the TC Polytube Clip for acoustics. Works great on the noisy side stage where I'm normally set up. I have the Polytune on my personal pedalboard.
Haha. Yep, I told the guitar player from Linkin Park on their first tour "Stop retuning the guitar after I hand it to you", then I realized it was just a nervous thing he did to avoid just standing there while the singer(s) talked to the crowd.
Cool! I see how this would help on a touring guitar. I do the same thing except I bring the string to the base of where the machine head flares out over the nut and washer. This provides a few extra degrees of downward preasure over the nut to prevent a string from rattling around in the nut.
@@yjmsrv If you are talking about a 3x3 headstock, my experience is that it depends on the manufacturer and when it was made. Compared to a USA made Les Paul, some have a few degrees more or less of a pitch. I've owned a few 3x3 headstocks and can tell you that my technique of wraping the string to the post's flare works better for tuning stability than if I don't. I have owned several Epiphones, a Gibson, an Ltd, a Gretsch, a DeArmond, a Charvel, a Schecter, several Danelectros, and several Ibanez Artcores. There are a few others too with a 3x3 headstock. Not to mention all my acoustic guitars. All of the pitches over the nut are different. Many people who were complaining about the stock machine heads and nuts were paying for new aftermarket tuners and nuts, had they used my advice and gone down to the flare of the post, their stock tuners would have worked fine. It was lazy maintenance of the strings that gave them the issues they had with not enough downward force past the nut. This was true for "six in a row" guitars like Fenders as well as 3x3 guitars.
Watching this video again-so many tips. Great vid- Question on that string stretcher? Looks like a piece of plastic-Doesn't that sliding action leave a deposit of whatever that device is made of (plastic) on the wound strings? I would guess that on the wound strings, it would leave some type of deposit on the strings as well as make a groove on the Stretcher.
I tune the G first. Then the D, B, A, High E, then Low E. Stretch then retune. I find there is less travel in pitch from string to string when tuning like this. I think I got it from a James Taylor interview.
I was a touring tech in the early-mid eighties. I agree that nut sauce should be used because there was only graphite available when I was touring. Yes, string breakage is typically at the bridge, and his practice of using abrasive cord is exactly what I would recommend. BUT this winding method for a Les Paul is one I would never perform. Gibson, Epiphone, and the like all have a 7 digree pitch back angle at the headstock. This is borrowed from the lute. It provides an equally opposing downward tension to the bridge- thus no need for string trees and retainers. SO, once all 6 strings pass the nut, they should follow the same downward angle as the headstock. Otherwise, when the player performs a bend (primarily on the 2nd string), it will drop out of tune regardless of the stretching done before showtime. Therefore, the wound strings should have at least 3 downward wraps, and the plain strings should have twice as many. Check the angles of the strings past the nut. if any are higher than the others, file the nut to the matching angle. Stretch the stings, and retune until they return to pitch without variance.This is moot of course if the instrument has locking tuners. It should be noted that I even kept this winding methodology with locking nuts too! I was Lita Ford's tech from late 84 to early 88. She NEVER dropped out of tune during a show, or in the studio. In some rare instances extreme heat from open air festivals, or cold with humidity would require guitar changes since wood expands or contracts as dictated by the weather. She would tour with 13 guitars, and a double neck; so there were no shortage of instruments. The Plasmatics had bare bones instrument selection, so it kept me on my toes as far as on-spot repairs. I had to retire early since being diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmantosa. I still receive instruments via mail, UPS, or FedEx. I don't mean to besmirch this post at all. I use many of the tips he demonstrated. But I use Rene Martinez' ceramic nut lube instead of Nut Sauce. Yet if you look at the string angles once they've been installed, you'll see what I mean. Good luck to all.
Alex, that's cool you worked for Lita, she's great. As I stated in the video, the method I showed is not the only one, just one that works for me. And I rarely have tuning issues, Brad Whitford plays one guitar for half the night, no issues. Yep, Rene Martinez' nut lube is good too, need to get some of that for my workbox. Cheers, thanks for the comment.
Cool vid man thank you. Love seeing how others do things...phew! Its how I do em too lol I was wondering if you would ever consider doing a fret level vid. I know there's a lot on RUclips but looking at under standing pressure, how to better line up your hand/body when moving, tools you enjoy, what can go wrong. Do you do full neck length fall away, how you may blend different sections....maybe spots where along the neck fret buzz is more common due to the vibration nature of a string and how to deal with those areas properly I have tried so many things I get close but its not quite right and I think investigating some of these areas would be absolutely wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to share of yourself and experiences You're awesome
Thanks for the comment. I don’t do fret leveling much, I leave that to luthiers I trust who do it nearly every day. I’m just a medic out here on the road, I just patchem’ up and get them to the hospital. LOL
Thanks Greg.I bought a gretsch Malcolm young signature model and put the 12s with the wound G on it...how they played it all night I don’t know as there is no give at all and tough to play.
Ha... I have that same stretcher on the top of my tool box. I also use the Peterson Strobo Plus and a Conn ST11. I can't use needle tuners for set-ups.
For me, the only way to stretch strings in is with the guitar tuned. Stretch > check > retune, and keep going until the strings won't go flat. I mean, it obvs works for you, but how do you know it's stretched in to the max without checking a few times?
Great videos! Thanks Greg! I notice you prefer a handheld string winder rather than a drill with a string winder bit. What is your experience with drills? Do you find you're faster with the handheld crank?
Randy, I work for Brad Whitford, the other guy in Aerosmith. Could have been either Jim Survis, Trace Foster, or Marco Moir who worked for Joe that used Carmex.
Great video. I wonder what you have to say about LPs and SGs - particularly the latter - and tuning problems, given that you prefer the traditional non-locking pegs. Are those problems solvable without resorting to locking tuners? Does the String Butler have any credibility for this?
The tuning problems are solvable on some guitars without using locking tuners. Although some SG’s particularly would benefit from locking tuners, like Hipshot with say a nice pearl tulip button. I haven’t tried the String Butler, looks interesting.
I’m surprised people are thinking this is new information. No bs but no secrets to be found here either. It would seem that artists had no idea how to string their instruments until, this guy enlightened them.
I don’t understand the purpose of the multiple tuners. The Peterson StroboPLUS HD has the easiest to read and most accurate display with near infinite capacity for preset tuning offsets.
I always change strings the night before a gig and then tune high and let them stretsh over night...cool to learn new tricks though...gotta get me a stretcher!
Mahogany Les Pauls are very sensitive to temperature and humidity. When I get a Les Paul that's staying in tune well with very little neck movement, I remove just one string at a time and replacing it immediately. This goes for every guitar when it's on the road. Very important on guitars with tremolos too.
Do I remember how high Stevies action was? Must be unreasonably high if hes wackin the thing that hard. I assume his filtertrons must be pretty low output too?
@@3MonkeysSolderless thank you for the response and video Mr. Howard! Started using the string wrapping technique you taught here and it works like a charm 👌 Is there any science to pickup/pole piece height? Id imagine most artists dont care about that kind of thing, they just know when it doesn't sound right.
I have a 6-inline Fender Tele where the G string constantly slips out of tune, even after stretching it dozens of times. How should I diagnose and then fix this problem?
Niko, need to determine where it is slipping. Could be a bad tuner. How many wraps around the peg are you using? Stay tuned, I'll have a 6-in-line video up tonight or tomorrow (still editing).
@@3MonkeysSolderless Thank you-Found it on Sweetwater. heard about this & forgot about till seeing this vid. Thanks again-Especially for the response. Most people post videos and never answer any questions at all. Respect & Happy New Year to you.
For a tech I’m surprised he likes his bridge with the screws facing backwards on the Abr bridge. I thought the screws were to go forward to have better clearance for the strings breaking out of the tailpiece and not hitting the back of the abr bridge screws. I’ve always faced mine on abr bridges with screws facing forward..
It came that way from the Custom Shop. You can use the ABR either way, but since the intonation is spot on I didn’t change it. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it! Thanks for the comment.
I know my next suggestion may be heresy to some but I have locking tuners on all my guitars. Any of your famous clients use them? I know they don't need them because they have you, but just asking,
On wound strings I wrap them around the peg before I put it through the hole. It's quicker that way and you always get the exact number of wraps that you want. I'll try the over under method next time though. I have friends that do it that way. I used to do the locking style but that was a long time ago.
What should I do if my 11's won't slide very well and/or stay in tune through the nut on my 2007 Gibson SG Special? I'm already very used to playing 12's from playing an acoustic for years and so I love thicker strings but 11's are okay for me.
3MonkeysAmps Thank You Sir! So the nut is not the problem? I've heard the from 2004 onward these SG Specials have been having that problem with the nuts, I'm not sure how true this is though.
Very interesting, kudos, respect, but I still smiled when I saw that even he has to put up with the double packing of strings, where a wound string is in the same packet with an unwound one, annoys the hell out of me, I used to be able to break apart multiple sets and make up string packs with each separate string in a pack with its string brothers, great for grabbing in a hurry and great for seeing when you´re running low on maybe B-strings or D-strings...
I thought I saw you with Aerosmith! Wish I would have had time to talk. We were so busy in rehearsal. I can’t beLIEVE that he destroys picks like that (Stevie)
I was just talking about this with our bass tech. Wouldn’t it be cool if strings were precut for 3+3 or 6 in a line headstocks? But, depending on the bridge on the guitar (Hardtail vs Tremelo) wouldn’t work in all situations. We can dream...
@@3MonkeysSolderless I am truly an idiot. And you can quote me. I meant to ask why they couldn't be pre-stretched. I have a feeling that they would slowly creep back. But that would be a fantastic selling point. But then all the companies would do it and that's more work for them. Corporate thinking. As for pre-cut? I totally agree with you. It's a jungle out there. Everything is tryna kill you. Whatever that song from Monk is. Ha! Good one.
@@alext9067 No worries. Floyd Rose when they did the double ball end strings in the early 2000's were indeed pre-stretched and worked pretty well. Stretching is the key to keeping a guitar in tune IMHO.
For some players, it's unbelievable to me how light Billy Gibbons touch is and the monster tone he has. But, to get Malcolm Young's (or Stevie's) tone the playing hard really does make a difference, especially when playing through the Mal/Stevie rig.
I used the locking method, but, you're more likely to break off the end of your G-string and that's when you're most likely to poke a finger and we all know how much THAT sucks !!
Haha I’ve never seen anyone else put the ball end of the string in their mouth so the string doesn’t come in contact with any dirty floor or table. I do the same lol
Great share. Good info. It would be watchable if you could learn how to focus your camera. Seriously, just use a phone camera. That would be better than watching the whole thing out of focus.
You string guitars for Aerosmith and AC/DC. I am sold. From now on... one up, one down and nut sauce. Thanks for sharing your wisdom! Great video!
Thanks for watching!
I was just thinking the same haha
I agree with this comment. I've done the lock on method for years.. as I also need to have stable tuning when I'm out on the road. My #1 , #2 and# 3 guitars (also Les Pauls) will have this method from now on..also buying nut sauce as soon as I'm done with this post! thanks for the video, appreciated!!
You are welcome. Happy stringing!
Finally! A guy that works in the field and knows all the tricks and tips for the pros. Can't wait to try this method on my next guitar stringing.
lltb67 Thanks 👍
I did repairs for 6 months in a busy shop and we always strung them one up one down like Greg is showing and never had any complaints. It's fast and reliable and, like Greg is saying, it avoids the difficulty of removing strings that are kinked and knotted. The string stretching is something we didn't always do as thoroughly but after watching Greg, I'm definitely going to be doing that from now on. Thanks for the very helpful video!
About string breakage, I find that wrapping the string over the tailpiece helps. It reduces the angle of the strings between the tailpiece and the saddle. Mostly it reduces the pressure against the saddle so it doesn’t “knife” as much into the string. I never had issues with slippage and broke fewer strings … my $0.02!
The amount of pliers and string on paint action in this video sends shivers down my spine.
Yeah, guitars are meant to be played, not museum pieces. This is my personal Les Paul (one my wife gave me for my 40th b-day, so not going anywhere), if I was working on a vintage/rare guitar, I’d be more careful for sure. YMMV
@@3MonkeysSolderless haha, fair one. Maybe I'm just a touch sensitive :-)
a wife that buys you a guitar for your birthday is a keeper!
Been playing for 30 years and I learned something a new method for something basic like changing strings. Great video.
Thanks Rick.
I use a hybrid method, the one wrap above and several wraps below works fine for the wound strings, but I feel there just isn’t enough friction to make this method work well for plain strings. The locking string method is what I use for the plain strings
I used plain old Chap Stick for years (decades). I bought a tube of Big Bends Nut Sauce. It works every bit as well as plain old Chap Stick but I'm unconvinced it works any better and it is far more expensive and you can get Chap Stick anywhere. That's my experience - your mileage may vary.
Ah, the old Chapstick method! I used that for years, Vasoline and some shaved pencil lead works well too. When touring we must adapt and improvise often.
Chapstick for me too since the 70's, stays in place, and not so thin that it gets squished out from under the string under full tension. Great stuff.
You're probably right. So much guitar snake oil out there now. Growing up, we had what we had, and in the end the music is what mattered most. So much stuff out there now, some real deal, some outright bullshit. I remember as a kid cutting my chops on some import strat with strings probably as old as I was in the 7th grade. Time of my life, too.
Jimmy Running Dog I've been using a soft pencil (usually a 2B) since the early 70's
Pencil lead for me since the late 70s. Shave a bit onto the nut slot with a blade.
It's great to see that I've been stringing my guitars the right way all along. I only change as many strings in a year as he does in a week, so I do use the tuners as a reference instead of eyeballing it.
Thanks for the comment.
Haha, I didn't realize how long this was until I was finished watching it. I feel like I've benefited a lot from this video.
Great video - Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences ! Makes total sense
Greg, it's nice to see this video and great to see you after all these years. I will suggest my current students check this out. This is how I have strung my guitars since 1975 and it works great. Congratulations on your success!
Awesome to hear from you Riley. I talk to hang with Pete Petty often these days.
Excellent! Tell him I said "hello." We've been in Texas since 1996, just outside Dallas. Get in touch through my websites the next time you're in town. www.guitarmadesimpler.com and www.wrileywilson.com. Hope your hand heals fast!
Great video, I’ve been stringing my guitars like that for over ten years! Never a problem, tunes quickly!
Thanks!
I’ve used the old Boss TU-12 and several Korg tuners from the newest Pitchblack to the old CA1’s back in the 80’s. These days, I am totally sold on using the tcelectronic PolyTune 3 pedal. The clip-on version can struggle very occasionally to pick up the low E when it is very loud with multiple instruments, but the pedal version is the new rock-solid reliable gold standard for me.
I use the TC Polytube Clip for acoustics. Works great on the noisy side stage where I'm normally set up. I have the Polytune on my personal pedalboard.
Same here. I have Peterson's from the 100, 200, 400 series and up. The 420 flip front being my favorite.
Haha. Yep, I told the guitar player from Linkin Park on their first tour "Stop retuning the guitar after I hand it to you", then I realized it was just a nervous thing he did to avoid just standing there while the singer(s) talked to the crowd.
Would love to see more of these vids!
Thanks Matt we are planning on doing more.
Just added one for Fender style headstocks: ruclips.net/video/YMfMWlVXc2U/видео.html
Excellent thanks very much would love to see a fender version
James Robertson Cool, we'll try to get one up soon.
Just added one for Fender style headstocks: ruclips.net/video/YMfMWlVXc2U/видео.html
@@3MonkeysSolderless thanks
definitely liking the one above one under winding, gonna try it on my next string change.and get some nut sauce!!
Thanks Simon.
Great instruction video. Wish I would have watched this before I changed my strings.
I’m gonna definitely try this on the next restring I do
Cool! I see how this would help on a touring guitar. I do the same thing except I bring the string to the base of where the machine head flares out over the nut and washer. This provides a few extra degrees of downward preasure over the nut to prevent a string from rattling around in the nut.
If it's a Les Paul style guitar- there should be enough downward pressure from the headstock angle alone to not have to do that.
@@yjmsrv
If you are talking about a 3x3 headstock, my experience is that it depends on the manufacturer and when it was made. Compared to a USA made Les Paul, some have a few degrees more or less of a pitch. I've owned a few 3x3 headstocks and can tell you that my technique of wraping the string to the post's flare works better for tuning stability than if I don't.
I have owned several Epiphones, a Gibson, an Ltd, a Gretsch, a DeArmond, a Charvel, a Schecter, several Danelectros, and several Ibanez Artcores. There are a few others too with a 3x3 headstock. Not to mention all my acoustic guitars.
All of the pitches over the nut are different. Many people who were complaining about the stock machine heads and nuts were paying for new aftermarket tuners and nuts, had they used my advice and gone down to the flare of the post, their stock tuners would have worked fine. It was lazy maintenance of the strings that gave them the issues they had with not enough downward force past the nut. This was true for "six in a row" guitars like Fenders as well as 3x3 guitars.
Watching this video again-so many tips. Great vid-
Question on that string stretcher? Looks like a piece of plastic-Doesn't that sliding action leave a deposit of whatever that device is made of (plastic) on the wound strings?
I would guess that on the wound strings, it would leave some type of deposit on the strings as well as make a groove on the Stretcher.
Mine String Stretcher has gotten a bit of a groove over the years and I was wondering the same thing recently. May need to get a new one!!
Very interesting! I see your logic to expedite a string change quickly during a gig.
Thank you.
I look forward to more videos.Keep it up!
Thanks, if folks like this one, I'll do a Fender style headstock one (as I have a different technique for that).
I work on 500 guitars a year for the last 42 years, and I still can't afford a hat that cool.
Haha, thanks man.
I tune the G first. Then the D, B, A, High E, then Low E. Stretch then retune.
I find there is less travel in pitch from string to string when tuning like this. I think I got it from a James Taylor interview.
Yeah, I think that is the way James Taylor does it, Joe Walsh has his own method as well.
I was a touring tech in the early-mid eighties. I agree that nut sauce should be used because there was only graphite available when I was touring. Yes, string breakage is typically at the bridge, and his practice of using abrasive cord is exactly what I would recommend. BUT this winding method for a Les Paul is one I would never perform. Gibson, Epiphone, and the like all have a 7 digree pitch back angle at the headstock. This is borrowed from the lute. It provides an equally opposing downward tension to the bridge- thus no need for string trees and retainers. SO, once all 6 strings pass the nut, they should follow the same downward angle as the headstock. Otherwise, when the player performs a bend (primarily on the 2nd string), it will drop out of tune regardless of the stretching done before showtime. Therefore, the wound strings should have at least 3 downward wraps, and the plain strings should have twice as many. Check the angles of the strings past the nut. if any are higher than the others, file the nut to the matching angle. Stretch the stings, and retune until they return to pitch without variance.This is moot of course if the instrument has locking tuners. It should be noted that I even kept this winding methodology with locking nuts too! I was Lita Ford's tech from late 84 to early 88. She NEVER dropped out of tune during a show, or in the studio. In some rare instances extreme heat from open air festivals, or cold with humidity would require guitar changes since wood expands or contracts as dictated by the weather. She would tour with 13 guitars, and a double neck; so there were no shortage of instruments. The Plasmatics had bare bones instrument selection, so it kept me on my toes as far as on-spot repairs. I had to retire early since being diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmantosa. I still receive instruments via mail, UPS, or FedEx. I don't mean to besmirch this post at all. I use many of the tips he demonstrated. But I use Rene Martinez' ceramic nut lube instead of Nut Sauce. Yet if you look at the string angles once they've been installed, you'll see what I mean. Good luck to all.
Alex, that's cool you worked for Lita, she's great. As I stated in the video, the method I showed is not the only one, just one that works for me. And I rarely have tuning issues, Brad Whitford plays one guitar for half the night, no issues. Yep, Rene Martinez' nut lube is good too, need to get some of that for my workbox. Cheers, thanks for the comment.
Thank you for sharing this info and your experience....awesome!
@@Mikeys_garage_mods Anytime
You guys should write a book or something, it'd be great for sure
I like the one up one down wrapping method,
Thanks.
Tricky to do at first but very god, cheers
Thanks.
Thanks for sharing this... Most people say the solution for the tuning issues with g string, and maybe b string, is to wind them up... Interesting...
Cool vid man thank you. Love seeing how others do things...phew! Its how I do em too lol
I was wondering if you would ever consider doing a fret level vid. I know there's a lot on RUclips but looking at under standing pressure, how to better line up your hand/body when moving, tools you enjoy, what can go wrong.
Do you do full neck length fall away, how you may blend different sections....maybe spots where along the neck fret buzz is more common due to the vibration nature of a string and how to deal with those areas properly
I have tried so many things I get close but its not quite right and I think investigating some of these areas would be absolutely wonderful.
Thank you for taking the time to share of yourself and experiences
You're awesome
Thanks for the comment. I don’t do fret leveling much, I leave that to luthiers I trust who do it nearly every day. I’m just a medic out here on the road, I just patchem’ up and get them to the hospital. LOL
Thanks Greg.I bought a gretsch Malcolm young signature model and put the 12s with the wound G on it...how they played it all night I don’t know as there is no give at all and tough to play.
All rhythm my friend, and mostly downstrokes. The Mal way!!
This is really cool. Great info! Thanks for taking the time to explain your process. This will help my strings to stay in tune.
You are welcome. Thank you.
Hey there Greg. I am still digging my original format sock monkey combo. Best wishes for the new year.
Awesome! Glad to hear it. Have a great 2019!
Awesome video. Never thought I'd say this but I'm actually looking forward to restringing my guitars so I can put some of this to use.
Hey Andrew, thanks!!
Really interesting...I'm gunna use those techniques...thankyou
Thank you.
Ha... I have that same stretcher on the top of my tool box. I also use the Peterson Strobo Plus and a Conn ST11. I can't use needle tuners for set-ups.
I use a Korg TU12 (needle tuner) as one of the three tuners in my rig, I like needle tuners for setting intonation.
For me, the only way to stretch strings in is with the guitar tuned. Stretch > check > retune, and keep going until the strings won't go flat. I mean, it obvs works for you, but how do you know it's stretched in to the max without checking a few times?
I do stretch the strings after they are tuned, just not as vigorously as I do pre-tuning with the String Stretcha.
My LP's and my SG's are top wrapped. Have been for decades.. its all in what your used to.
Yeah, I like it on a certain guitars. Thanks for the comment.
ibeen doing this since im 14, great stuff i rarely get my guitars out of tune or break issues and i use some fridge oil
please make more videos like this!
Great videos! Thanks Greg! I notice you prefer a handheld string winder rather than a drill with a string winder bit. What is your experience with drills? Do you find you're faster with the handheld crank?
I don’t dig the drill thing. I’m not in that much of a hurry ;)
What grit Mitchell's abrasive cord do you use on the bridge?
exactly how i string my tele, i use cesar diaz white grapite lube and it all works a treat.
Cesar was the man!
I can't remember if it was Greg or someone else who was Joe Perry's tech and he was using Carmex for nut sauce. I gave it a try and I really like it.
Randy, I work for Brad Whitford, the other guy in Aerosmith. Could have been either Jim Survis, Trace Foster, or Marco Moir who worked for Joe that used Carmex.
Great video. I wonder what you have to say about LPs and SGs - particularly the latter - and tuning problems, given that you prefer the traditional non-locking pegs. Are those problems solvable without resorting to locking tuners? Does the String Butler have any credibility for this?
The tuning problems are solvable on some guitars without using locking tuners. Although some SG’s particularly would benefit from locking tuners, like Hipshot with say a nice pearl tulip button. I haven’t tried the String Butler, looks interesting.
Thats exactly how I have wound strings on my guitars for the last 40 years........it just works.I even measure the same way
Thank you.
Hey, what kind of portable work station are you using? Where can I find one?
I built my work station, based on T he gold standard one made by Ultracase. Tour Supply has them.
I loved this video, thanks!
I’m surprised people are thinking this is new information. No bs but no secrets to be found here either.
It would seem that artists had no idea how to string their instruments until, this guy enlightened them.
Not new information, but not widely known either. You should see how some of the guitars I've worked on were strung. It's crazy.
I would like to know if you could tell me if putting an aged copper piece on the back of a Les Paul for a pod cover would cause a bad magnetic field?
I’d say probably not.
Very Good and Informative Greg. Thank You
Thanks Jeffrey!
I don’t understand the purpose of the multiple tuners. The Peterson StroboPLUS HD has the easiest to read and most accurate display with near infinite capacity for preset tuning offsets.
I always change strings the night before a gig and then tune high and let them stretsh over night...cool to learn new tricks though...gotta get me a stretcher!
Thanks, I have to change them day of show, thus the use of the Stretcha!
Hmmm. Nut sauce at the bridge eh? I have all trem guitars. Must try the sauce on the saddles.
Love that t-shirt
Thanks, we sell them.
I have a CS336 Gibson that won't stay in tune for longer than 1min. That's after a good set up.What do you make of String Butlers?
Never tried the String Butlers. Cool idea though. You need to eliminate any friction at the nut and bridge to get it to stay in tune.
@@3MonkeysSolderless Thanks. I might try that Nut Sauce.
I always cut the ends off immediately! Old guitar teacher told me horror story of a guy getting stuck in the eye with it.
cool video!
I've been stuck in the finger a few times, but never the eye. Ouch! Thanks for watching.
Mahogany Les Pauls are very sensitive to temperature and humidity. When I get a Les Paul that's staying in tune well with very little neck movement, I remove just one string at a time and replacing it immediately. This goes for every guitar when it's on the road. Very important on guitars with tremolos too.
Definitely can be done that way. I'm changing quite a few guitars every show day, so 3 and 3 is a bit faster for me.
Do I remember how high Stevies action was? Must be unreasonably high if hes wackin the thing that hard.
I assume his filtertrons must be pretty low output too?
Medium high action, and yes the Filtertrons have a lower output than most pickups.
@@3MonkeysSolderless thank you for the response and video Mr. Howard! Started using the string wrapping technique you taught here and it works like a charm 👌
Is there any science to pickup/pole piece height? Id imagine most artists dont care about that kind of thing, they just know when it doesn't sound right.
@@SgtPowerWeiner Yeah, I basically set pickup height by ear, since the magnetism of pickups vary.
Your guitar looks great with those reverse zebra pickups! What kind are they?
Thanks. They are Timbuckers made by Tim White many years ago.
3MonkeysAmps Hope you're doing well, and glad you're still enjoying them Greg! (this is Tim :)
Haha, I didn't put the initials together. I hope you are well my friend, please get in touch sometime.
T W Hey Tim, are you winding anything these days?
I have a 6-inline Fender Tele where the G string constantly slips out of tune, even after stretching it dozens of times. How should I diagnose and then fix this problem?
Niko, need to determine where it is slipping. Could be a bad tuner. How many wraps around the peg are you using? Stay tuned, I'll have a 6-in-line video up tonight or tomorrow (still editing).
Tried to go back and listen to what that tube was that he applied-Can't hear it. What is it?
Big Bends Nut Sauce?
@@3MonkeysSolderless Thank you-Found it on Sweetwater. heard about this & forgot about till seeing this vid. Thanks again-Especially for the response. Most people post videos and never answer any questions at all. Respect & Happy New Year to you.
@@michaelpal7641 Always glad to help.
For a tech I’m surprised he likes his bridge with the screws facing backwards on the Abr bridge. I thought the screws were to go forward to have better clearance for the strings breaking out of the tailpiece and not hitting the back of the abr bridge screws. I’ve always faced mine on abr bridges with screws facing forward..
It came that way from the Custom Shop. You can use the ABR either way, but since the intonation is spot on I didn’t change it. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it! Thanks for the comment.
I know my next suggestion may be heresy to some but I have locking tuners on all my guitars. Any of your famous clients use them? I know they don't need them because they have you, but just asking,
I've had artists that used PRS and a few that used Sperzel. But quite a few just like the standard tuners, so we go with those.
Just wrap it around the peg a few times and through the hole works great every time
On wound strings I wrap them around the peg before I put it through the hole. It's quicker that way and you always get the exact number of wraps that you want. I'll try the over under method next time though. I have friends that do it that way. I used to do the locking style but that was a long time ago.
What should I do if my 11's won't slide very well and/or stay in tune through the nut on my 2007 Gibson SG Special? I'm already very used to playing 12's from playing an acoustic for years and so I love thicker strings but 11's are okay for me.
Sounds like your SG nut needs the slots opened up for the thicker strings.
3MonkeysAmps Any tips on how to do that? Do I need to/should I take it to a tech somewhere?
I’d take it to a qualified luthier/repair guy. Usually cheaper than buying nut slotting files!
3MonkeysAmps Thank You Sir! So the nut is not the problem? I've heard the from 2004 onward these SG Specials have been having that problem with the nuts, I'm not sure how true this is though.
I don’t know specifically about those nuts, but most nuts from the factory are slotted to small for 11’s.
Where can i get the "stretcher" from?
I got my String Stretcha at Tour Supply www.toursupply.com/product-p/string-stretcha.htm Also available at stewmac.com and probably Amazon.
@@3MonkeysSolderless Many thanks!
Very interesting, kudos, respect, but I still smiled when I saw that even he has to put up with the double packing of strings, where a wound string is in the same packet with an unwound one, annoys the hell out of me, I used to be able to break apart multiple sets and make up string packs with each separate string in a pack with its string brothers, great for grabbing in a hurry and great for seeing when you´re running low on maybe B-strings or D-strings...
I thought I saw you with Aerosmith! Wish I would have had time to talk. We were so busy in rehearsal. I can’t beLIEVE that he destroys picks like that (Stevie)
That would have been cool, yeah that was a hectic couple of days to pull that performance off. Next time!
Thanks for the vid. What was the name of the stuff Greg is using again in the string slot and the bridge?
it's his nut sauce
You’re using a dslr for video aren’t you?
I was, not anymore, got a gimbal for my iPhone and it's much smoother now. Only use the DSLR for a long static shot.
Why can't the strings be pre-wound from the factory?
I was just talking about this with our bass tech. Wouldn’t it be cool if strings were precut for 3+3 or 6 in a line headstocks? But, depending on the bridge on the guitar (Hardtail vs Tremelo) wouldn’t work in all situations. We can dream...
@@3MonkeysSolderless I am truly an idiot. And you can quote me. I meant to ask why they couldn't be pre-stretched. I have a feeling that they would slowly creep back. But that would be a fantastic selling point. But then all the companies would do it and that's more work for them. Corporate thinking.
As for pre-cut? I totally agree with you. It's a jungle out there. Everything is tryna kill you. Whatever that song from Monk is. Ha! Good one.
@@alext9067 No worries. Floyd Rose when they did the double ball end strings in the early 2000's were indeed pre-stretched and worked pretty well. Stretching is the key to keeping a guitar in tune IMHO.
Would have been good in focus - the content is excellent
True, we ditched that camera right after we shot this. Next video will be more in focus, and we might even reshoot this one.
3MonkeysAmps please do!! That auto focus hunt is terrible and detracts from the video
Nice
'" ONE UP" The camera moves away every time for the "ONE DOWN" part...bit frustrating really!
Yeah, sorry. As stated before we binned that camera and shoot with an iPhone on a gimbal now. Much better.
I wish I was as confident as him just pulling, flinging and tuning all the strings 😂
Years upon years of daily string changes on the road. It’s got to be done, and in a timely manner!
I did the exact same measuring and end up with lots of wraps wtf
It happens to me, sometimes too short, sometimes too long. I wish I could give an exact measurement, but it really is just done by eye 👁
@@3MonkeysSolderless Hahaha that's okay. Usually 1 fret distance works for me. Thanks for the answer and for the tutorial!
Good Video ....
Ironically, the best tone from a guitar comes from NOT hitting the strings hard.
Super interesting video.
For some players, it's unbelievable to me how light Billy Gibbons touch is and the monster tone he has. But, to get Malcolm Young's (or Stevie's) tone the playing hard really does make a difference, especially when playing through the Mal/Stevie rig.
I used the locking method, but, you're more likely to break off the end of your G-string and that's when you're most likely to poke a finger and we all know how much THAT sucks !!
The finger poke is the worse, except the eye poke as someone else commented. Ouch!
Great video but maybe should be mic up. Can't really hear that well.
"...like the G on this one..." That's like the G on every Les Paul
Or SG... LOL
Strats a 10 for all or just the one guy
10's for Brad Whitford's (Aerosmith) Strats.
"If it doesn't work out I'll put another string on" - here speaks a man who doesn't pay for 'em
That's true for some artists. But it's more about getting it right for the gig, so I don't have to worry about a string breaking during a song.
Give that man a Dunlop Tortex pick!
I would, but Stevie likes the simulated tortoise. Can't teach an old dog new tricks.
3MonkeysAmps that’s true
and uhm..
I suppose if it’s good enough for AC/DC…
Haha I’ve never seen anyone else put the ball end of the string in their mouth so the string doesn’t come in contact with any dirty floor or table. I do the same lol
If I set it down it usually springs off never to be seen again. 😂
Am I the only one that cant take his eyes off that Marshall behind him? ( drool )
Ha, it’s a ‘71, sounds amazing.
I have a '77 JMP and an '85 JCM .. but that '71 is pretty damn cool....
Nice!
A guy who can make stevie young break a pick? Aw hell yeah
Great share. Good info. It would be watchable if you could learn how to focus your camera. Seriously, just use a phone camera. That would be better than watching the whole thing out of focus.
Thanks. Yep, next one gets shot with my iPhone, we ditched the camera we used in this video shortly thereafter.
the camera isnt that bad i didnt even notice it till i read the coments i would suggest a lapel for the interviewer though
Great info. Terrible camera.
Thanks. Yep, the handheld stuff didn't go as planned, we got a better rig after this video.
Luckily all I needed was the audio. :D Thanks again for the video.
Hahahaha! Totally just spent 25 minutes watching someone change strings... and I don't know why. Touche, sir!
Haha. Made ya look!! We released a new video today for 6-in-line headstocks, 12min. So we’re learning ;)
You had me subbed at "Haha."
I have my electric guitars have all made in to using locking tuners now and every thing ever made a restringing issue completely gone!
Locking tuners are the answer for a number of players, glad you found what works for you.
man i want to like this but get the close up in damn focus
Yeah, limitation of the camera we had, sold it right after this video.
I use 11s, don't use pedals and drink beer from the bottle, so I thought I was a real man. But Stevie Young is a monster¡
Haha, true.
Good advice, but I'm going to use my own nut sauce: doesn't make sense and is kind of gross to pay for and use someone elses.
Hey, I didn't name the stuff!!
Do not need Bens sauce..when you have an abundant supply of your own.
Ask him where he got his hat
At the hat store!! LOL Actually it's a Bailey from Del Monico Hatter.