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Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 26 2009
From: The land down under
RE: Those 12 holes are driving me cr... (in reply to Haithamflamenco)
I use a cigarette lighter to create a bubble on the end of the treble strings. Just move the end of the string into the flame. It will create a bubble as the string melts. Take it out of the flame and it will harden in a few seconds. No more slipping and no negative effects on the string. Practice on an old string first and don't touch it till it hardens and cools. Also be careful not to bring it into contact with anything until it cools and hardens either. especially the guitar.
Posts: 3497
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: Those 12 holes are driving me cr... (in reply to Haithamflamenco)
Burning the end of the trebles to create a bubble marks one as a real amateur. What in American baseball would be called "bush league." No self-respecting flamenco guitarist would do such a thing. Imagine if you were performing for an audience and one of your trebles broke. Would you sit on the stage and re-string your guitar by placing a lighter at the end of the string?
Learn to do it the correct way by looping and tying the strings on the 12-hole bridge. It's not really hard once you get the hang of it.
Cheers,
Bill
_____________________________
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 26 2009
From: The land down under
RE: Those 12 holes are driving me cr... (in reply to BarkellWH)
Leo, Keep your nose away, Lol
quote:
Burning the end of the trebles to create a bubble marks one as a real amateur. What in American baseball would be called "bush league." No self-respecting flamenco guitarist would do such a thing. Imagine if you were performing for an audience and one of your trebles broke. Would you sit on the stage and re-string your guitar by placing a lighter at the end of the string?
RE: Those 12 holes are driving me cr... (in reply to Haithamflamenco)
Putting a ball on the end of the trebles has nothing to do with the string slipping or not. It just gives you some insurance that if it does, it won’t put a big gouge in the top. It will slip to the knot and stop.
The back of the tie block is what holds the stings on. Do it like the pictures and it won’t slip.
If putting a ball on the trebles is for amateurs, than I am the biggest armature here. Do you need the ball? No but in my opinion if you don’t put it on, it’s just a matter of time before you screw up a top. I talk from experience. It takes just seconds to do it.
But hey, if you want to look like a pro….don’t put them on.
Posts: 3497
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: Those 12 holes are driving me cr... (in reply to Patrick)
quote:
If putting a ball on the trebles is for amateurs, than I am the biggest armature here. Do you need the ball? No but in my opinion if you don’t put it on, it’s just a matter of time before you screw up a top. I talk from experience. It takes just seconds to do it.
That, of course, is the purpose of learning to properly loop and tie the strings. Done correctly, they will not slip and damage the top.
Cheers,
Bill
_____________________________
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
RE: Those 12 holes are driving me cr... (in reply to Haithamflamenco)
Well now that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen in a long time. A simple knot at the back of the tie block is all you need. You don’t need (or want) all those wraps on top of the block. It just invites slippage.
RE: Those 12 holes are driving me cr... (in reply to Patrick)
quote:
Well now that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen in a long time. A simple knot at the back of the tie block is all you need. You don’t need (or want) all those wraps on top of the block. It just invites slippage
Wrong - your post is the most ridiculous thing I've seen in a long time.
Do you really think I would post that if there is slippage?
_____________________________
The universe is indeed expanding - to get away from this planet.
Posts: 3497
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: Those 12 holes are driving me cr... (in reply to Patrick)
I own three flamenco guitars, two with six-hole tie-blocks and one with a 12-hole tie-block, and I loop and tie the strings, both bass and trebles, without ever having had a string slip. I'm not doubting that you have had strings slip, and that they damaged the top of your guitar. My point is, looped and tied correctly, there is absolutely no reason to burn a ball at the end of the string because it will not slip in the first place. Correct looping and tying is key. And the loops don't have to look like hangman's nooses, as they do in Yojimbo's posted exercise.
Cheers,
Bill
_____________________________
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
RE: Those 12 holes are driving me cr... (in reply to Haithamflamenco)
Bill,
I agree one hundred percent. The ball may be overkill, but why not? It only takes a second to do and makes me happy! It’s kind of like insurance. Do you need it on your car, your house, your life, your boat? No, but I’m not willing to take the chance.
If I had a string break in a concert would I melt a ball on the end? No I would just tie on a new string and redo it on the next string change. I only change trebles every six months or so, so what’s a few seconds to melt the end?
RE: Those 12 holes are driving me cr... (in reply to Patrick)
quote:
Have a nice day.
Personally, my Anders Negra is the only 12 hole tieblock guitar I have. I just loop the string under the wrap and it doesn't slip. No looping round and round or burning balls...
(Though (in my young days) I did have an accident in bed once lighting a girl's cigarette..ouch! )
except I tie them so the tails go to the left, and I leave the bass tails just a little longer.
Then a first string slipped and gouged the top of my then fairly new 1991 Contreras doble tapa. The string was looped and tied the way I had been doing it for decades on a six-hole tie block. It's still the only mark on the guitar.
Ever since, I have been a bush leaguer on six-hole tie blocks.
Posts: 3497
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: Those 12 holes are driving me cr... (in reply to Richard Jernigan)
quote:
Ever since, I have been a bush leaguer on six-hole tie blocks.
No sweat, Richard. I have been a bush-leaguer all my life, and in my case it has nothing to do with how I tie my guitar strings!
Cheers,
Bill
_____________________________
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
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