strings, do you tie a knot or use ball end?

CafePress Store for UMGF Memorabilia

Founded by Steve Stallings. The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum is an independent Internet forum which is not in any manner related to or affiliated with C. F. Martin & Co., (The Martin Guitar Company) Nazareth, PA. The statements and opinions expressed in the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum are solely those of the individuals posting the same and are not those of C.F. Martin & Co., The Martin Guitar Company, the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum, its administrators, moderators, agents and other voluntary staff, its supporters, financial or otherwise, or its members, guests or other contributors. The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum does not sponsor or endorse any product or service referred to, submitted or suggested by any member, guest or contributor to the Forum. The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum and its voluntary staff shall have no responsibility or liability whatsoever to any person or organization with respect to any matter posted by any individual on the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum, for the deletion of any such matter, for the content thereof, or for the banning, suspension or other sanctioning of any user from this Forum, or for the denial of an application to become a member of this Forum. The content and accuracy of any post are solely the responsibility of the member making the post. The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum shall further not be responsible for references or links to other Internet sites or links contained on other Internet sites to the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum or to the UMGF, or for the contents thereof. This specifically includes the CafePress Store for UMGF Memorabilia, which is not owned, operated or controlled by the UMGF but by Cafepress.com, an independent organization which markets, sells and ships the items contained in the CafePress Store and retains the proceeds therefrom. The sole function of the UMGF with respect thereto is to provide a link for the convenience of its members. By using, browsing or consulting this Forum, you consent to the foregoing terms as well as to the guidelines set forth in the Forum Guidelines and Feedback section and the general terms of use of Yuku. The exclusive venue for proceedings against the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum, its members, trustees, officers or Administrators is the Superior Court, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and any such proceeding shall be governed by New Jersey law. No damages or monetary awards of any nature, including attorneys fees or punitive damages may be assessed against the UMGF, its members, trustees, officers or Administrators under any circumstances whatsoever.

Author	Comment
nylonpicker	strings, do you tie a knot or use ball end?	Lead	[-]
(06/25/09 10:38 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None I got lazy and used a set of high tension ball end strings for the first time. I always tied em before. who's using what any why?
tim52160		#1	[-]
(06/25/09 11:38 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I have a several years old set of la bellas ball end with black nylon strings mostly because that is what willie nelson uses.
MikeHalloran		#2	[-]
(06/25/09 11:47 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	If you check the ones I have in the Buy and Sell, you will see the Mark III with D'Addario ball endswhile I tie all the rest. Goya was the first brand to offer ball end nylon in the US around 1960. Mike Halloran '49 00-28G, '03 000C-16SGTNE, '03 000-15S, Backpacker Mandolin, '60s Style 0 uke, '67 D12-35, '75 D-35S, Cowboy X, Cowboy II (I think that's all the Martins) Many Guilds, Gibsons and Goyas
Davids Harp		#3	[-]
(06/25/09 11:52 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I tie 'em on. That little twist loop and the tension keeps it tight. David They said, "You have a blue guitar, you do not play things as they are." The man replied, "Things as they are, are changed upon the blue guitar." -Wallace Stevens
Martin000		#4	[-]
(06/26/09 12:42 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Hmmmmm.......I picked up a set of those Muriel Anderson GHS strings and for the first time in my life I used the ball end trebles. They were little nubs at the end of the nylon and were to be tied in a certain manner so that the ball end would cinch the string tight. I followed the instructions and I am impressed. It tuned up faster and held its intonation longer than the normal ty/knot classical nylon strings. I liked it better than I expect after it took me 30 mins to tie the strings the way the instructions read. Interesting! martin 000 Martin OMC-15e Washburn CS104CSE Aria Auditorium AF-35N Fender Squier Telecaster La Patrie Hybrid Classical A/E
Andre Guitar		#5	[-]
(06/26/09 8:57 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I've always used the tie and knot method, but mostly because I found the strings without ball ends to be of better sound quality. Although, it was a long time ago that I last tried a ball end nylon string. Maybe they've gotten better. In the meantime I've gotten so used to tying a knot that I don't even think about it that much. What I find more of a pain is how much the nylon strings take to break in before they adequately keep their intonation for a sufficient length of time. One trick that I use to help that is to tune the guitar up a half or whole step after playing, right before I put it back in its case. The extra stretch helps to shorten that break-in period. Best regards, Andre
bb29slider		#6	[-]
(06/26/09 3:41 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I always use the traditional tie method which does not use a knot but does use friction of the string over the rear tuck to hold it. That's what has been done, traditionally, since before I started playing in the 60's. My first guitar a Goya G-10 came that way and so did my 2nd, a high grade Cordova WC-026 from Germany. When I ordered and finally recieved my Larrivee L-35, it came that way also. Those are the only three classicals that I ever owned and all come to me new. I also would never use "ball end" strings because classical guitars are just like all the other acoustics in that they will do their best and sound best with only certain strings. Sometimes it's a big pain to find out what those may be. The kind that sound the best on my L-35 Larrivee are LaBella professionals and that type and class of nylon is just not available from anyone in a ball end. I can't even buy them from any shop in my region. I have to order them from *Just Strings*. But since I'm used to the tie friction method, it really doesn't both me in the slightest. I recently had a chance to try some ball end strings on a folk guitar. I tried D'Angelico, D'addario, and LaBella. It was my perception that they weren't up to the kind of tone I get from my L-35 with LaBella professionals.
jscio		#7	[-]
(06/27/09 7:06 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Traditional tie method.................done very poorly, I might add.
tim52160	strings	#8	[-]
(06/27/09 1:39 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I used to do like willie and keep a cheap junk guitar and put the strings on it to stretch, then put them on my good $100.oo guitar.But since i could never tell the difference between new and old strings, i figured with my talent , just keep them till they break, lol
aadvark		#9	[-]
(07/01/09 7:56 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	traditionalist here. Very happy with the medium tension, either in Savarez or Hannabach. But every guitar and player has its best string opton.. cheers, aad
nylonpicker		#10	[-]
(07/01/09 11:13 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	my 000c-16sgtne seems to project more with a set of high tension strings rather than medium...quite noticable...I had the ball end break on a set of Martin M160's so I cut them off and tied friction knots as I've do for 50 years. I mis-ordered the 160's but if the balls would hold up, I would use them.
MikeHalloran		#11	[-]
(07/01/09 9:56 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	nylonpicker wrote: my 000c-16sgtne seems to project more with a set of high tension strings rather than medium...quite noticable...I had the ball end break on a set of Martin M160's so I cut them off and tied friction knots as I've do for 50 years. I mis-ordered the 160's but if the balls would hold up, I would use them. Mine also prefers high tension. I never had the balls break on a set of LaBella Folksinger but they did break on some D'Addario trebles so I tend to tie everything. Mike Halloran '49 00-28G, '03 000C-16SGTNE, '03 000-15S, Backpacker Mandolin, '60s Style 0 uke, '67 D12-35, '75 D-35S, Cowboy X, Cowboy II (I think that's all the Martins) Many Guilds, Gibsons and Goyas
12barz		#12	[-]
(07/02/09 6:48 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	One thing I've been doing lately is a double loop on the trebles. I don't know if the composition of the strings changed, but I had several sets that would find a way to slip out.

Yuku free message boards

CafePress Store for UMGF Memorabilia

strings, do you tie a knot or use ball end?

Quick Reply