The Steel Guitar Forum

Anyone come up with something to temporarily hold the ball end in the changer when changing strings?

Last time my wife was the "holder". I curse every time I have to change strings on a GFI. I like GFI's but its taking me longer to change strings on my SD-10 than it did to change strings on both necks on the Franklin I had (has pins for ball end).

The strings I have on the guitar now are 8 months old and dead. Just playing at home but dead strings tone sucks.

Jack, I use a stick on pencil eraser like this:


I see some others here suggest a rubber piano tuner mute. I think these are about 3/16 of an inch wide. Your GFI doesn't appear like there's a lot of room between the roller finger and the housing though.

Also consider a plastic mini paint brush handle of the correct size, plastic chop stick etc.

I use a plastic straw . The one I have now is a little large so I put a crease in it .
I used to just tear a string envelope in half , roll it up and use it like a straw.

Jerry, wrong changer type. That is a pin type, like my Franklin.

Patrick, thanks, I had considered something like what you show.

Yes it is, but I use that for both designs. It depends on the gap you have between the housing and the finger. YMMV.

I just use a little wedge of wood.

I don't think anyone actually enjoys changing a full set of strings, it always takes a little time. The way I do it doesn't require any tool to hold the ball ends in place.

After the old strings are gone, I just grab a string, lay it on the guitar, estimate how much extra I need for winding on the key. Make a 90 degree bend at the correct location, then cut off the extra, leaving about 3/8” to go thru the key. Put it thru the key hole, then wind abut one turn on the key. Keep tension on the string with my left hand, while attaching the ball end with the right hand. Slide the right hand up the string so that I have tension on both ends of the string. Reach over with the left hand and wind the key as needed. On the heavier strings, I usually put a slight bend near the ball end to help keep it in place. The plain strings get a little extra length so they can have more windings on the key.

The eraser and even cut down piano mute don’t work

I was in love with the Williams hole-through-the-finger method. An excellent solution.

I've never had a keyless guitar or even studied on one until Stu Schulman had his keyless Desert Rose (I think one of only two in existence?....not sure about that) here for setup work and new strings.
In one motion you hook the string on the changer (I don't recall if it was a fork or a pin), run it through a hole, in the keyless piece, pull out the slack and wrap & tighten/lock. With that hole, it is easy to maintain hand tension. I changed out a set in about one third the time of my Williams.
I was sold! I'm not sure who designed this ....Stu was a bit confused but said he thought maybe Lamar? I was disappointed to learn that not all keyless rigs are the same.

Jack Stoner wrote:Anyone come up with something to temporarily hold the ball end in the changer when changing strings?

Last time my wife was the "holder". I curse every time I have to change strings on a GFI. I like GFI's but its taking me longer to change strings on my SD-10 than it did to change strings on both necks on the Franklin I had (has pins for ball end).

The strings I have on the guitar now are 8 months old and dead. Just playing at home but dead strings tone sucks.

Jack, I agree! I have changed strings three times on mine. I changed pickups twice. Changing strings on my GFI takes three hands. The slot is low and I also have a hard time getting the ball end in and then it jumps out.


A great guitar, but a true pain to change strings.

Up to now I thought it was just me. Misery loves company. Will try the straw, eraser, and wedge tricks next time!

GFI in an effort to make things simple has complicated the ham sandwich
A straw will be my next attempt

After 2 hours my GFI has new strings. I used a round plastic piece I had similar to the straw.

There were a "few" ##$$%# words. I hope the Lord and Mother's forgive me.

FWIW I'm using SIT Sho-Bud gauges nickel. I like the nickel better than the SIT (Buddy Emmons) stainless strings that GFI uses.

Along with the string project, I had Spectrum here for several hours. Had lightning hit last evening and it took out the Internet modem and router, DVR, a splitter in the attic and one cable in the wall. Nothing else, just the cable equipment.

I am curious Jack , did you find changing strings easier on the keyless GFI ?
Patrick

A small wood wedge

Patrick Edwards wrote:I am curious Jack , did you find changing strings easier on the keyless GFI ?
Patrick

NO!

I had a "keyed" D-10 GFI and other than the ball end issue it was much easier and faster.

I read so many positives about keyless mechanisms (on all brands) so I bought one. Maybe other keyless designs are easier/better?

Tony Prior wrote:A small wood wedge

Tony, I've had three GFI's and the straw or something similar (that won't scratch) is the best I've found. Beats the wife holding the ball end (and complaining).

Charlie Hansen wrote:I just use a little wedge of wood.

That’s what I use.

I always had some foam ear plugs around. Squeeze em but in the slot and they expand. Ane colorful, I tell ya !

In my experience the GFI slots were always easier to negotiate than the pins, but I do keep a foam paint brushing tool in the strings box. The painting tool cost $1.25 and works the same as the pencil eraser and forms a wedge, its a thick stick handle with an inch and a half long tapered foam block at the end, bigger and twice as wide as the eraser tip, but does the same job. Most larger gauge strings I can do with 2 hands. Its those .10 and .11 and .12 that need help sometimes. But for me the GFI slots have mainly been a two handed operation while the pins were impossible without that third hand. What really sounds painful however is 8 months with the same strings ! What would Paul Franklin say ?

I have never found changing strings on my GFI Ultra keyless particularly difficult but I think I'll try the foam paint brush idea next time. Thanks for the tip.

I have keyed and keyless steels and I find changing strings on any of the keyless ones easier and faster than on any of the keyed ones.

Just to clarify, I LIKE GFI's. If I didn't, I wouldn't have bought another. Just some issues I have, some also have them and from comments others do not.

i use half of a spring close pin,the wood end are shaped just right.

From now on I'm having Jack Stoner change my strings. Haha. I'm looking at this for tips because I have several different brand steels and some are a challenge. I also manage to poke my finger with a string now and then.

Jack Stoner wrote:Just to clarify, I LIKE GFI's. If I didn't, I wouldn't have bought another. Just some issues I have, some also have them and from comments others do not.

I feel the same as Jack.

I like my GFI, but I bought and paid for it, so I can point out some details if I want to