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Posts: 777
Location: East Wenatchee, WA | I have discovered a new level of guitar frustration. It's only been a few years and a couple of good picture tutorials that I finally conquered stringing a "peg head" guitar. I now look forward to stringing my 1537 and 2080 as I can spend more time cleaning and primping on it, than the actual stringing.
Enter the 2008C and the beauty of the slothead. YIKES.... This is not as easy a task as I thought it would be. Got it done, but my one major concern is that the G string is less than the width of a piece of paper from touching the TRC. I do NOT want to leave any marks on the 2008.
So....how about some of the expert advice from this group on stringing a slothead so I can become proficient. |
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April 2008
Posts: 498
| on my slots I string the Es wrapping toward the center, and all others outward... never had any trouble with clearance on the trc that way, even on carved ones.
don't know if it's proper to string the e strings like that, but was told by a luthier it helps with the break angle.
hope that helps,
Glenn |
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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Back in the Day I could restring and retune my 1615 in under 20 minutes...ready for the next set...
I could sill prpbably come close...wish I had a dollar for every restring... :rolleyes: |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | They are just a pain in the ass, no two ways about it. Advice, don't restring them often. |
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Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I've found a great method... very quick, stable and easy to learn...
you'll never go back... |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | what is it, just buy a new one every time? |
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March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | The worst is my Folklore. It's nice not to have to tie the bridge end, but they still used the same tuners then as on the nylon string guitars and I have a hell of a time getting the high e to stay on there.
My Country Artist sits right now with a string that came unwound. I've got about 10 extra sets of steel strings, but no decent classicals. I just play other guitars instead.
The only bigger pain in the ass is Jeff. |
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Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Step 1.
With guitar on a table or the headstock in your lap, Position the hole in the tuning post vertically toward floor and ceiling.
Step 2.
Thread string end down through the post hole from ceiling to floor. Pull all slack out and keep the sting as tight as you can.
Step 3.
Wind the end of the string (that is facing the floor) back up over the post to the backside (or headstock side of the post)
Step 4.
From the inside out, tuck the string end under the string that goes down through the post.
Step 5.
Pull tight to "lock" it between the string and post. Wind the tuner to remove any other slack. Cut excess leaving about a 1/4 inch.
If you've kept the string fairly tight though-out the process, it will not slip and will tune to pitch in just a coupla twists of the tuner button.
After you've done it once or twice you'll get fast and can do it in any position. (Freebie) |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I'll take back what I said about you being a pain in the ass, Jeff......if you come over and restring my Country Artist. |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Jeff, you've adapted my* peghead stringing technique to slotheads! Excellent!
Mark, it'll work. When I do it on pegheads I can bring the string up to pitch with less than 1/2 turn of the post, and it never slips, as it can with a bunch of windings on the post.
*well, ok, it's not my technique, but it's how I teach people to restring... |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | With a little practice a slothead is no more difficult to string than a paddle stock. You just need to be careful to 1) double back and lock the strings, and 2) cut the ends to length so you don't accidently scratch the wood. Dave |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | ... s'ok Mark, I've learned to live with myself...
I'll draw a picture and post it so folks can see it... |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | with this method you get no slippage and there's not even a full wrap around the post, so there is very little winding of the tuner
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Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | I use a little gun-shaped cordless driver I got from lowe's (Cobalt Lithium Ion 3.6V) to do the unwinding and winding. I wind all strings toward the outside, and I wind all the string I can without it hitting the outside of the headstock. I don't really concern myself with the 2 outermost strings, but all the rest get maximum winding.
John <>[ |
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Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | The max winding addresses the issue of hitting the center of the headstock.
John <>{ |
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Location: East Tennessee | Here's a page from an old Ovation manual I got with my first Country Artist.
 |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | why not just have someone else do it? |
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July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | AH yes the reason for the guitar tech on the road crew. |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | So changing strings on slotheads is a new skill to learn. I'm buying a slothead because the guitar I want has a slothead. For those who would order a custom guitar with a slothead, what is the advantage/attraction of the slothead itself? |
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Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
Back in the Day I could restring and retune my 1615 in under 20 minutes...ready for the next set...
I could sill prpbably come close...wish I had a dollar for every restring... :rolleyes: I can't do a 6 string that fast |
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March 2007
Posts: 698
Location: Cork, Ireland | Originally posted by The Artist (FKA Richard):
...For those who would order a custom guitar with a slothead, what is the advantage/attraction of the slothead itself? I wondered that too. It looks more 'vintage' ? Or it's a neater way to accomodate 12 machine heads? |
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Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | You guys are PUassy's All you got to do is think at 90 degrees from what you're used to. It's easy. Just put the guitar in a herc stand, get a string winder, and get to it. Shouldn't take more than 20 min start to finish.
(man, this thread takes two screens to view) :eek: |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Jeff's Mac seems to be unable to resize images... |
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Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | He just made it really big so those with crappy PC screens could see it through the pixelated haze. |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I just didn't realize is was that big (the .ning site doesn't show them full-sized) until it was posted here. Some where between ning and here it gets a good dose of androstenedione |
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Posts: 777
Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Jeff,
I must be living right as I did what you and others suggested, just used the same technique I use on the 2080, only sideways. The locking method worked fine. My only real concern was the closeness of the string to the TRC, but I will see if I can do something about that different the next time.
Thanks for all the help. |
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March 2005
Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | Originally posted by Mauvais Beal:
why not just have someone else do it? Ooh!! Oooh!! Me!! Me!!
It'll probably take me a few days, but I'll gladly re-string anybody's #47, OFC, or 2008C. I *might* even be talked into restringing an original slothead, with one stipulation: NO COATED STRINGS!!!
All of this for free to my beloved OFC brethren.
:p :D :p :D |
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September 2004
Posts: 777
Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Originally posted by mtnbikerfred:
Originally posted by Mauvais Beal:
why not just have someone else do it? Ooh!! Oooh!! Me!! Me!!
It'll probably take me a few days, but I'll gladly re-string anybody's #47, OFC, or 2008C. I *might* even be talked into restringing an original slothead, with one stipulation: NO COATED STRINGS!!!
All of this for free to my beloved OFC brethren.
:p :D :p :D |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Damn that's big. |
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Posts: 698
Location: Cork, Ireland | What's the TRC? |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Truss Rod Cover |
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Location: Marlton, NJ | Jeff - thanks! I just tried your method on #47 and it worked like a charm! |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | What -ever works...
Vic |
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Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Isn't it handy this thread resurfaced before I had to do a search for it. The O8C is about due for it's first ever string change in time for BrissieJam08 |
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Location: Brisbane Australia | What are you going to use Richard?
AJ |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by JeffreyD:
My only real concern was the closeness of the string to the TRC 'Lock' to the inside and wrap extra to the outside. |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Originally posted by AussieJames:
What are you going to use Richard?
AJ Adamas Silk & Steels. They enhanced the sound on the W597, so I'm hoping they do a good job on the 08C. They better, I bought a stack of them. |
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September 2004
Posts: 777
Location: East Wenatchee, WA | I just finished my second change. Better than the first, but still some room for improvement. This time I didn't clip the string short enough and put a scratch on the inside of the slot as it went around during winding.
Got all of them to clear the TRC except the D, and it slightly touched, mostly because I didn't get enough wraps to move it further outboard.
NEXT TIME.....maybe I will have it down. We shall see. |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | I just did mine. The new strings sound very nice. Took the opportunity to remove the shim (only one in there). The starting action was 7/64". Taking the shim out got that down to 6/64", so I gave the truss rod a little tweak and will measure it again tomorrow. The saddle was very tight so I had to take out the preamp and box and wriggle my hand inside so I could push it out. Lucky my hands aren't any fatter.
This stringing method doesn't leave much to be wrapped, hope nothing slips:
Annoyingly you have to back of the D & G strings to get the TRC off, so it will stay off until I'm happy with the action. |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | ..this must be the huge picture thread of the week. :D
BTW, I've strung a few slot heads ;) and if you just put the string through the hole and wind it to the outside at least 2 wraps, (not overlapping) It won't slip. At least it works fine for me. The angle of the string to the nut will keep pressure against the end of the string to keep it from slipping back through the hole. Very simple and effective, plus it looks nice. |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | It's kind of a tradition on this thread to have a big picture.
Just check the previous page. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | I feel so inadequate now...
You guys are really making a big deal out of nothing, I'm proud of you!
Are Slotheads better? No, just cooler. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by MWoody:
You guys are really making a big deal out of nothing But we do it so well. It's in our DNA 'stings'! :D |
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Stringing a Slothead