The Steel Guitar Forum

Have recently purchased a year old GFI U12 Keyless PSG and am going to be changing the strings for the first time. Are there any procedures or suggestions for this type, as far as changing strings goes. Appreciate any help that you can give.

David

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Here's a few tips,

Do them one at a time. I mean don't take off all the old strings and then begin putting the new ones on. Take one off then replace it. Take another off - replace it. And so on.
To take an old string off, back off the tuning screw all the way, uncrimp the old string, take it off and toss it.
When I put a new string on I tighten it up quite a bit by hand so that I only need to turn the tuning screw a tiny bit to reach the pitch I want. However, the lowest strings can be tightened so much with just your hands that the pitch of the string is higher than you want it to be even before you begin to "tighten it up to pitch" with the tuning tool! So don't tighten the lower strings too tight with your hands when you first put the new string in place.

When you first wrap the new string around the crimping screw at the "keyless end" you only need to wrap it 1/2 time around and then crimp it down. The crimping screw only needs to grab a little of the string to hold it well. Then break off, DON'T CUT OFF!! the excess string. If you cut the strings you'll prick your fingers with those vicious little string tips.
I'm not that familiar with other types of keyless tuners but this is the way my Kline works.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Don McClellan on 07 April 2003 at 01:46 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Don McClellan on 07 April 2003 at 01:59 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Don McClellan on 07 April 2003 at 02:11 PM.]</p></FONT>

What my friend Don said.....I would only add that the only other thing I've seen someone do is try to wind the string around the hold down screw in the wrong direction(against the way the screw tightens - which is clockwise) I have a Sierra and an Excel and both have very elegantly designed though quite different keyless tuning heads although the way the strings attach are very much the same. BTW,I could never go back to a keyed guitar.Tuning keys are just so.....unnecessary. -MJ-

Changing strings on a keyless guitar can be a challenge sometimes. The major problem is trying to stretch the string initially tight enough, so one has enough threads left to tune the string over the life of that string.

This is particularly true on the 3rd string. I finally got tired of this and contrived a rube goldberg thingy that would aid me in this.

In reality I tried several things; but the best thing I came up with is to do the following: (make sure the tuning fingers are all the way towards the nut as possible)

1. Engage the ball end at the changer*.

2. While holding the string tight enough not to come loose at the ball end, wrap the free end around the set screw that holds the string on the tuning finger at the keyless end. Do not tighten the setscrew.

3. Use a pair of "hemostats" (available at most hardware stores or medical supply stores), and clamp down on the free end of the string.

4. Then twist the hemostats about 6 or 7 tunes around the string so they dont cut the string in to. Wrap so the string wraps away from the pointed end of the hemostats.

5. Hold the hemostats (with the string captured) in your right hand. IE clasp your hand around them tightly. Like you may have seen a doctor do when operating.

6. Pull all the slack out of the string.

7. Tighten the set screw barely enough so the string does not slip.

8. Pull on the hemostats quite hard and loosen the setscrew and then pull even harder as the string becomes free.

9. Tighten the setscrew.

10. Repeat steps 6 thru 9.

Continue this process until you have walked the string up to about a half a tone below desired pitch. Then tighten setscrew securely.

Then, either bend the string back and forth to break it; or cut it with a pair of (needlenose) cutters. Yes, they do make them, but they may be hard to find.

This ensures that the adjustment will never bottom out on you (as can happen on keyless guitars) before you get the string in tune.

With a little bit of practice, it makes string changing extremely fast. Several times faster than with a keyed guitar I have found.

The hemostats are great because they lock the string in their jaws preventing any chance of slipping out. Also, because of the way they are shaped, they are comfortable to hold in one's hand when pulling the string tight as you walk it up.

Try it, you will like it I believe. Finally, if you can procure a pair of hemostats that are curved, they work even better in you hand.

God bless you in your quests,

carl

* NOTE: If you purchased a keyless guitar where the ball end attaches at the nut and the free end attaches to the changer, simply reverse the above steps where appropriate.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by C Dixon on 07 April 2003 at 05:33 PM.]</p></FONT>

Here are the GFI Keyless Tuning System Instructions, verbatim...(and I'm a master at it).....

You'll need a #2 phillips screwdriver and a wire cutter.

By turning each knurled tuning knob, return each string's finger to its starting position next to the nut by loosing each string as much as possible. This allows you to get the screwdriver straight on the anchoring screws, and leaves enough room for the fingers to raise each string to pitch. Take care not to lose the nut roller bar since it is held in place by the string tension.

Loosen each string's anchoring screw and remove the old strings.

Secure the ball end of each new string in the appropriate slot in the changer finger.

While pulling as much slack out of the string as possible, wrap the other end of the string clockwise around the anchoring screw once, and tighten the anchoring screw with the screwdriver. A clockwise wrap will ensure the screw will tighten the string instead of loosening it. Cut off the excess string with the wire cutters.

After all the strings are installed, tune them to pitch by turning the knurled tuning knobs. How far you will have to turn each knob to get the string to pitch will depend on the string gauge and how much slack is pulled out of the string.

We recoomend stretching the strings a bit before playing them by holding onto each string and slightly pulling it upward several times and then retuning. Doing this a few times will work most of the slack out of the new strings and will help it stay in tune better.

Next, using your right hand, remove your wallet from your back pocket , take all those green pieces of paper and send them to HowardR #1 Broadway, NY, NY 10001

Ok, I made up the last one (duh) but all of the above is from Gene Field's literature that comes with his keyless system. So, what I'm saying is, if you don't agree with anything I've posted above, hey, don't shoot the messenger.....know what I'm sayin'?

Thanks to all for the procedures and advice. Sounds like some very good suggestions for changing the strings on this keyless. Hopefully I'll get it right the first time and not ruin any strings. HowardR, somebody must have already performed that one procedure on my wallet as I tried it and there wasn't anything there! Thanks again.

David

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Sierra has a little piece of plastic/teflon or something like that which is about 3/8 to 1/2 inch in diamiater and about 3 inches long with a hole in the middle of it. Stick the string through the hole, take a couple of wraps around the tool and pull. Works real good with all of the above instructions. You can make one real cheap.

Do you wrap the string around the anchor screw far enough to over lap? Also I have been breaking the string when I tighten the screw. Just went through six string before I got one that didn't break and would hold tension with out slipping. This was the .011, the other string are no problem.

Not to be disrespectful, but I feel the Sierra nylon dowel with the hole in it, is a joke.

First nylon is self lubricating. and it will untwist the string in your hand unless you apply so much pressure as to hurt your hand. Secondly, it takes too many wraps to keep the sring from slipping in the dowel.

Or this was my experience. I discarded that dowel after the first few attempts when I first got my Sierra.

Also, it has always been my understanding that one should not overlap the string when placing it around the set screw. But even if you don't .011's are EASILY cut by the set screw. The trick here is to only tighten it enough to keep the string from slipping. With practice you should be able to put them on without cutting them into.

UNLESS......

Burrs under the head of the setscrew AND the finger can cause breakage also. Especially if over tightening has previously been done.

carl

"I discarded that dowel after the first few attempts when I first got my Sierra."

I think you may have disregarded the Sierra pull tool prematurely.

I think it works easily, quickly, and effortlessly, and the thing it makes really easy, is replacing the 3rd string.
(And as has been said above, you have to be careful to not over tighten the wound strings, as you can easily pull them beyond the desired pitch).

But first...
If you are breaking strings with the set screw, make sure there isn't a tiny piece of broken string wrapped around the set screw (this may take a very close inspection to see), and that the seating surfaces are smooth (a fine file can be used if you feel a cutting edge).

How I use the Sierra Pulling Tool:
After putting the string on with just enough tension to hold it in place...
Put just enough of the string through the pulling tool hole such that you can use your thumb to put a right angle bend in the string (I use my right hand thumb), and the end of the string does not extend past the end of the tool (approx 1" - this ensures you don't get poked!).

Now the tool, with the right angle bend in the string, is in your right hand (your thumb is now covering the hole to hold the right angle bend).
Wrap the portion of string that is between the tool and the key head several times around the tool such that the string between the hole and the end of the tool gets several wraps over it (I start wrapping near the end of the tool and work towrds the center), thereby "locking" the string onto the tool (now there will be no slippage... unless you release the tension).

So now the string has a pulling handle, with the handle in your right fist and the string exiting the handle between your index and middle finger, a few inches from the set screw.

Release the set screw a few turns and pull the string taught (but don't get into a fight with with it, this entire procedure should be one smooth, graceful, motion, done from your normal seated position).

Now while increasing tension on the string, simutaniously turn the set screw.
The combination of pulling the string plus turning the set screw is the trick.

Just as I am about to pull the 3rd (G#) string to pitch, I pluck the the F# string to envoke a "target pitch" so as not to over pull it (I pluck a "target pitch" for all the strings I change).

In one simutanious motion (left hand turning the screw, right hand pulling the string) you should be able to quickly bring the string to pitch.

Then just tune it up from F# to G# using the tuner.

Once the mechanics of your string changing method become fluent, you should be able to change any string in under a minute, and the whole set in about 15 minutes max.

(Release the set screw a few turns and pull the string taught (but don't get into a fight with with it, this entire procedure should be one smooth, graceful, motion, done from your normal seated position).)

I was over at Sierra in December last year and had Tom go over my steel and do a tune up on it. When it came to putting the strings on he emphasised to only loosen the screw enough to get the string under it (especially the 11g), other wise you would get the string in the threads and pinch and break the string.

Carl,
I had to chuckle when I was reading your post about the Sierra string pulling dowel...For a company that makes probably the best engineered steel on the market, I have to agree with you when you say "what were they thinking ? "....When I first got my Sierra, the 3rd string broke, and I had to replace it.
I took the dowel from the tool kit and began to pull the string, and it kept slipping..I took that dowel and thru it in the garbage !!
I would love to see a Sierra video on the use of this devise...Don't get me wrong ..I LOVE my Sierra, and this was one of the only short commings of this wonderful steel....Jim

Roy, a little indiuvidual experimentation goes a long way.
Tom is a builder who has to string an endless line of steels. When he showed me how to change a string he stood in front of the guitar!?! That's his method, I've seen him do it, I like my way much better.

I don't know what instructions come with the Sierra pull-tool, but there must have been a misunderstanding somewhere along the line.

Don Christianson showed me how to "lock" the string to the pull tool using the wrapping method I described above. Works great! No Slip!

Maybe saying "Release the set screw a few turns" was overkill on my part.
I usually do that to check the seating surface, do a general visual check and cleaning of the area, ect...
But when the string is attached, I use less than one full revolution to bring the high G# to pitch, using a T-bar type Craftsman Allen Wrench from Sears.
With my left hand on top the allen wrench T-bar, the motion takes my left wrist from full left (screw is loose) to full right (string is locked).
Also, I leave the Allen wrench in the set screw hole the whole time I'm working on any given string, allowing the set scew allen hole to hold it in place.
I encourage you to experiment with the "one graceful motion" thing, as it is a little different feel for each string, requiring less and less pressure as the strings gets larger (you don't even need the pulling too for the last 4 or 5 strings).

Oh yeah, the other thing about the Sierra Secret Decoder Tool is that the end of the tool has a knurled inner diameter that fits over the micro tuners, allowing for further flexabilty of fine tuning.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Pete Burak on 09 April 2003 at 01:28 PM.]</p></FONT>

Thanks for the tip Don on breaking off the string instead of cutting it. I've been stabbed by those string ends a number of times. I tried your method on a 6th string and it works like a charm.
FYI, I use the teflon Sierra tool on my U12 with no problems.
Ed

On my keyless tuners, I designed a "pre-tuner" device. It's simply a tuning gear with an extended shaft, with 10 holes, mounted on a bracket which slides on & off the end of my steel. Can change a string, pre-tune it and then bring it up to pitch with the keyless tuning finger, in no time flat. No cutting hands or extra tools needed.

The keyless tuners I build for Linkon Steels, all have a pre-tuner device.

Joe

Sounds very cool, Joe.
I'd like to see a picture of your Keyless design on a Linkon.
~pb

Yeah - lets see the pre-tuner.

I'll get some pics. Don't hold your breath, because I'll have to send them to someone to post them.

Joe

I would be very interested in this. Please get us some pics.

Thank you,

carl

does it mount in front or behind the "lucky 7" ?

You guys make it sound so complicated! I just pull the string with a pair of pliers and tighten down the screw. Then I cut off the end with wire cutters. Fast and easy!

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

I have some pics of the keyless tuner with the pre-tuner (string tightener)install. Email me for pics.
Joe<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Joe Delaronde on 13 April 2003 at 08:50 AM.]</p></FONT>