Why do people leave unclipped strings while playing??

[Undeadpaladin]

Ok maybe i don't know the reason, could be missing something. Though from a pure visual standpoint nothing irks me more than when i see a band and the guitar player has a new set of strings on there that are not clipped. Seriously am i missing something? Does it stay in tune better? How long does it take to cut those, maybe like 15 seconds...

 

[LG]

I think that's a "I've seen a famous guitar player do this, so I can" deal.I used to leave em' quite often. The fear of ever catching someone in the eye with that swinging loose string end has tamed me from it. The stage can get a little wild and crazy sometimes and you sure as hell don't want something like that as a gig experience.

 

[MusicManJP6]

They want to lose an eye...

 

[Elpelotero]

Some people just think it looks cool. If you're playing big stages, I don't think it would be a problem. Club venues though is a guaranteed eye out.

 

[BobL]

It's called the "VI" approach to playing guitar. As in "Village Idiot"

 

[GIG4FUN]

I hate it... can I use foul language here? I better read up in the AUP... I will hold my tongue for now. I JUST commented on this two weeks ago on a gig where we had a "jammer" play during our break... I'm still not done thinking about it...

 

[secretsoundz]

They want to lose an eye...

HA! That's exactly what I was going to say :mrgreen:

 

[Undeadpaladin]

Whew! I'm glad... i thought maybe i'd be the only one. Glad to see it bothers others as much as me. You spend $4,000 on a guitar but are too lazy to clip the strings...

 

[highwaynine]

I've found that a new string de-tunes pretty dramatically when you cut it. I'll actually tune the strings to concert, THEN cut them. They all immediately go flat, but when I re-tune, they're much better settled.

Of course all that says is that if you changed your string on stage, in an emergency, maybe not cutting it would help get you up and going faster. But Showing Up with all six strings flailing like jellyfish tentacles?

I hesitate to call anyone stupid, but... well, sometimes it's tempting. :?

 

[mikey383]

I've found that a new string de-tunes pretty dramatically when you cut it. I'll actually tune the strings to concert, THEN cut them. They all immediately go flat, but when I re-tune, they're much better settled.

Of course all that says is that if you changed your string on stage, in an emergency, maybe not cutting it would help get you up and going faster. But Showing Up with all six strings flailing like jellyfish tentacles?

I hesitate to call anyone stupid, but... well, sometimes it's tempting. :?

If your strings are going flat from cutting them, then you aren't wrapping them properly. I've never had a string go flat just from cutting it.

 

[highwaynine]

Hrrmm. Surprising...but good to know.

Not enough windings?

And maybe explains why a capo will sometimes throw the guitar out of tune?

 

[Guitarzan]

Laziness, plain and simple.

 

[phyrexia]

i did it until i realized the strings past the tuners would still make noises that you could hear in the studio.

 

[pjrake]

image, i guess. it does look pretty cool.

i used to do it years ago, but since stopped.

-PJ

 

[MusicManJP6]

I can see leaving ONE temporarily if you don't have the tools to clip it and break a string during a gig. Otherwise, I find it unacceptable and juvenile.

 

[Sustain]

I actually tie a second set of strings onto the uncut ends of my strings so I have an available spare within hands reach at any given moment.

 

[MrMason]

They say that if you cut the string, that the core could slip away from the outside of the string when you play. I prefer locking tuners, because it prevents that...and I hate having string hanging out; it's ugly and I would be afraid of the string scratching up the headstock or damaging the case when you put it in the case.

 

[domct203]

I always leave 3 - 4 wraps around the post, making sure the first wrap goes OVER the string end, with the rest going under it. I also sharply bend the end of the string against the peg, and then cut it leaving 1/4 - 3/8".

I've been doing this for over 25 years with ZERO tuning issues (Dean Markley & Ernie Ball Strings).

IMO, leaving the string ends uncut is sloppy looking.

Dom

 

[Turumbar82]

I have heard that supposedly if you cut the string it messes it up but I don't believe it. The string was already cut once when the company made it. Why would cutting it again mess things up?


I don't know too much about the string making process but I'm pretty sure they don't make each individual string. I'm betting there are long pieces of steel that are cut into smaller pieces to make the strings and then they are wrapped.

Somebody needs to do a show on how guitar strings are made.

 

[Sustain]

Somebody needs to do a show on how guitar strings are made.

its been done, they had it on "HOW ITS MADE" which is a TV show on either history channel, discovery, or something similar.

I think they were either at Dean Markley or D'addario.