The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi all- I was wondering how many players wind their strings so that they're pulling straight thru the rollers, as opposed to winding the strings towards the bottom of the tuning peg- it seems the rollers would be less restricted this way, even though there is more strain on the tuning peg - I'll try to attach a picture- wish me luck
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While I wouldn't call straight lines absolutely essential, I would call them absolutely optimal. It is not always possible (and in fact is impossible on some strings, some guitars), but it is what I shoot for.

I aim to keep the strings straight from changer to peghead.

There is a straight line from the point where the string leaves the changer end to the roller bridge and then it is one angle to the key where it is anchored so when looking straight down directly if it is straight from that view it still from a side view is angled after passing over the roller.
If looking straight down it is angled left or right the string is still only one angle. IMHO it does not matter either way as both methods have a single angle.

That's true, but if it's straight from above, there's no side load on the roller nuts, and maybe they'd spin better. We're splitting hairs now.

I have heard that is okay to overlap the string on the pole in order to keep it in line from bridge to peg. I haven't tried that, but on my Stage One, I wind strings 5 and 6 away from the key to keep them straight. All the others can be wound toward the key, which I consider more normal.

I put more wraps on the 1st and 10th string on the E9th neck to help having a straighter line. May not make a difference but what I do. I've been doing it that way since 1971, first with a D-10 PP Emmons and then 81 with my current Franklin D-10. Never had a problem with the way I string it.

And of course, I'm in the camp where it doesn't much matter and never did. Sho Buds, Carters, Emmons etc...since the 70's, I just put the strings on, make them as straight as I can without worry, wrap them probably 5 times and then off to the races. Perhaps it's wrong and not in the book of Hoyle, but over the last many decades, nothing bad ever happened ! I do change 3 and 5 ( E9th) on a very regular basis and have not broke a 3rd or 5th string on a gig in years !

I'm neither this or this

And I'm not this

I used to slap a set on and just make sure there were maybe 5 windings that didn't overlap. In recent years I've tried for the "straight shot" method from the the roller to the keypost. Anything to reduce friction. I think, "What the heck, couldn't hurt. Might even help."

Tony Prior wrote:I'm neither this or this

And I'm not this

Thanks Tony, you're an inspiration - we should all aim for that.

I can't even figure out how this is possible to do, considering the taper of the peg.

Ian Rae wrote:

Tony Prior wrote:I'm neither this or this

And I'm not this

Thanks Tony, you're an inspiration - we should all aim for that.

Thx Ian, thats why I'm here !