Thread: String Question

Please disregard the thread i just realised the person who rethreaded the guitar before i got it didnt loop the strings around the bridge(i looked on you tube)

You are running nylon strings on this guitar arent you???? Im curious as to why the strings have ball ends on them....

On a classical the strings wouldnt usually have balls on them unless your instrument has a pin bridge. The strings should run over the saddle and then through the hole in the tie block. The string is then passed over the tie block wrapping it a few times over the previous string loop.

When i got the old girl,(never had a guitar before)I told a bloke at work who is a guitar buff He offered to restring and check it over for me and this is how i got it back
all other strings hold on ok it is only the skinny E one
I will try the loop through the bridge and twist trick to see how it holds
greg

Here's how you normally anchor non ball end strings on a classical. Looking at your bridge and the state of the holes on the bass side I think you may have trouble tying off the bottom two strings so you may have to stay with the ball end strings.

If it were my guitar Id redo the bridge but this is fairly major surgery. I certainly wouldnt attempt it if youre new to guitar repairs. You paid $5 for the instrument so paying a luthier to do the job is really out of the question...unless you love the guitar more than your wife.

A possible alternative but tricky to do would be to fill the string holes and glue a thin strip of wood on top of the tie block. You could then redrill the string holes but it would require use of a very long (aircraft style) drill bit. You could make sections of mini dowel to fill the old string holes in by passing a match stick through a hole drilled in a cabinet scraper. The problem is the string holes will have become worn through use and the diameter of the holes wont be uniform along their length.

My diagnosis......stay with the ball end strings and enjoy the "extra character" that bridge gives the guitar
Picture below shows how to terminate non ball end strings around a tie block.

great minds think a like
I tied a Knot in the little E string fed it through the hole looped the knot under the string and wound it through and pulled it tight
bingo it doesnt slip anymore just like your diagram
thanks heaps kwigeo

Originally Posted by Farm boy

great minds think a like
I tied a Knot in the little E string fed it through the hole looped the knot under the string and wound it through and pulled it tight
bingo it doesnt slip anymore just like your diagram
thanks heaps kwigeo

Be careful with the two bass strings.....knotting around the tieblock may further damage the string holes.

That bridge is a write off
I you do get one from ebay make sure it is a classical style bridge.
I can install it for you quite readily, I have a heating blanket for removal and vacuum clamping for installation

thanks jeff
that is great
i will see what i come up with on ebay and let you know

something like this
Quality Rosewood Classical Acoustic Guitar Bridge UK | eBay

Originally Posted by jeffhigh

That bridge is a write off

A bit harsh....it's just got alot of character