Music Tip #1 --- Extending the life of guitar strings

I learned this old luthier trick from my musician friend Don Wright several years ago. The purpose of this procedure is to extend the life of uncoated wound guitar strings using no cleaner products. I usually do this procedure after the strings have been played for about two-weeks. 

*****The idea is that the loop formed with the strings forces the dead skin and contaminates from the strings.

Repeat this procedure only on the wound strings (E,A,D,G) 

First get out your trusty string winding tool and loosen the tension starting with the low E sixth string.

Make sure you have enough tension off the string that you can easily move the string an inch away from the A string.

Using your string winder remove the bridge pin from the slot hole.

Take out the ball end of the string from the bridge, leaving the tuner end of the string attached.

Wrap the ball end around the string and form a loop approximately an inch across.

Insert the handle end of the string winder into the loop formed with the string.

Using the string winder, force the loop up and down the length of the neck and string. Keeping a slight tension on the string and holding the ball end with your right hand helps with the moving of the loop. 

After cleaning the string, replace the ball end into the bridge and reinsert the bridge pin.

Securing the bridge pin with the pinkie finger, tune the string back to pitch.

After cleaning all of the wound strings with this procedure enjoy the extended life you get from your favorite strings.

Photos By Charles Slate / The Sun News

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Do you have a music tip that could save time and money for other musicians? 

Please send a note, call or e-mail me at

Randall Hill 

The Sun News

914 Frontage Rd. East

Myrtle Beach, S.C. 29577

1(843) 626-0314

rhill@thesunnews.com

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