Any tips about restringing Telecasters??

[sonofsheepdog]

I recently bought a 60s Reissue Telecaster and in the process of setting it up and changing the strings I ran into something I hadn't come accross before. The tuners are (what I assume to be) the vintage style tuners with capstan holes in which one puts the strings, rather than crimping them and putting them through the hole, as on most tuners.

While I like this method, it is a problem on the lower strings because the strings are too long and need to be cut beforehand as opposed to after winding. This makes things a little more complicated when changing strings onstage because I can't just let the loose ends go.

Does anybody have any tips or know of any strings manufacturer that makes shorter strings? Or do I simply have to take the time with every new pack of strings to cut them down to size? I know this seems like a stupid problem, but I'm wondering how people have dealt with these tuners all these years.

[Scott_F]

go to www.mrgearhead.com

click on the fender logo on the left side. there's info there on how much string to cut and such.

[Snags]

I replaced the stock open tuners with Schallers. Problem solved... (I just can't leave ANYTHING alone!)

[Jim Collins]

For the wound strings, I string through the bridge, and pull the string up to the intended tuner. Then, I cut the string longer -- about 2.5 times the distance between tuners. That is, for the low E string, I string through the bridge, and pull the string up the neck, and cut it midway between the D and G tuners. That will give me a little more than two wraps after stuffing the string end down the hole.

For unwound strings, I cut it a little more than three tuner spacings long. After stuffing the string down the hole, I do a half-wrap in the wrong direction, then wrap in the correct direction. This keeps the unwound strings from slipping, and I get about three full wraps.

[GeetarGoul]

After a few times, you get the hang ot it. I find them to be easier and cleaner than the newer style tuners.

[Teleologist]

Get a small pair of tool quality needle nose/cutter pliers and a good string winder. I like to put a 90 degree bend in the wound strings before I cut - less dead strings that way. You'll get the hang of where to cut 'em - I like 2-3 turns around the post on the wound E progressing to 5-6 on the plain E. I pull back on 'em as I wind, keeping the coils pushed tightly together on the post. The winder makes the whole thing fast and easy. Compared to the inner strings on a Ric 12, Fenders are easy ;)

[kottkewannabe]

http://www.kinman.com/html/toneWorks...#stayingInTune