Good string winder / cutter?

PonchoGreg

I've had the d'addario one for some time. It's awesome but the plastic joint of the winder bit is on its last legs I think...

Any recommendations for a nice, sturdy alternative?

Otherwise I'll just get another d'addario I guess

Cheers

Kittyfrisk

The Planet Waves winder cutter does the job fine for me. Think it was a freebie with some string sets a good while ago.
I like that the plastic tuner winder button cup is screw mounted so is adjustable for looseness/wobble tweaking, for better winding feel.

PonchoGreg

Kittyfrisk said:

The Planet Waves winder cutter does the job fine for me. Think it was a freebie with some string sets a good while ago.
I like that the plastic tuner winder button cup is screw mounted so is adjustable for looseness/wobble tweaking, for better winding 'feel'.

Well, that's a bit embarrassing... I thought "oh cool, seems like a clever design". Then looked at mine to check and lo and behold, there is a screw there too. Never noticed that. Took it apart and basically there's no need to worry as the winder pivots around the screw, where I assumed it was some sort of plastic joint that was becoming ever more pliable.

No need to worry I guess. Thanks man!

Although that means I need to find other ideas for the bday list...

guitars4you

agree the PW version is good - had mine on my bench for over 10 years now and goes to work everyday

PrecisionGuided

Best string winder ever, fits bass and guitar, is the MusicNomad blue GRIP winder...
https://www.musicnomadcare.com/Products/Guitar-Tools/GRIP-Peg-Winder/

Best string cutters (for both bass and guitar strings) are Facom 192.16CPE hard wire cutters
https://www.duotool.co.uk/facom-192-16cpe-side-cutting-pliers-160mm/

RaymondLin

Am I the only one that likes to wind without a winder, I find when I use the winder it just goes wrong and the string slips out but when I am winding by hand I do it slower and more carefully and it doesn’t slip out.. I just a general B&Q wire cutter for the wires. I actually put new strings on last night and took a photo, you can see the wire cutter there.

digitalkettle

MusicNomad winder seconded!

lincolnblue

RaymondLin said:

Am I the only one that likes to wind without a winder, I find when I use the winder it just goes wrong and the string slips out but when I am winding by hand I do it slower and more carefully and it doesn’t slip out.. I just a general B&Q wire cutter for the wires. I actually put new strings on last night and took a photo, you can see the wire cutter there.

I don't like to do it without a winder but agree that if you turn it too quickly the wraps don't go on properly and you end up winding up the post rather than down

Switch625

digitalkettle said:

MusicNomad winder seconded!

Does it pull bridge pins on acoustics too? 

merlin

lincolnblue said:

RaymondLin said:

Am I the only one that likes to wind without a winder, I find when I use the winder it just goes wrong and the string slips out but when I am winding by hand I do it slower and more carefully and it doesn’t slip out.. I just a general B&Q wire cutter for the wires. I actually put new strings on last night and took a photo, you can see the wire cutter there.

I don't like to do it without a winder but agree that if you turn it too quickly the wraps don't go on properly and you end up winding up the post rather than down

I hold the string down right by the bottom of the post and take up the slack with my thumb. Then I use a winder reasonable quickly and the string winds down the post perfectly every time.

PonchoGreg

I do like the look of the music nomad one... Although I'm a lazy bugger so like the convenience of a built-in cutter

digitalkettle

switch625 said:

digitalkettle said:

MusicNomad winder seconded!

Does it pull bridge pins on acoustics too? 

Nope.

RaymondLin

merlin said:

lincolnblue said:

RaymondLin said:

Am I the only one that likes to wind without a winder, I find when I use the winder it just goes wrong and the string slips out but when I am winding by hand I do it slower and more carefully and it doesn’t slip out.. I just a general B&Q wire cutter for the wires. I actually put new strings on last night and took a photo, you can see the wire cutter there.

I don't like to do it without a winder but agree that if you turn it too quickly the wraps don't go on properly and you end up winding up the post rather than down

I hold the string down right by the bottom of the post and take up the slack with my thumb. Then I use a winder reasonable quickly and the string winds down the post perfectly every time.

I have a planet waves winder but I everytime i tried it I just end up slipping.

Grumpyrocker

I use a string winder adaptor for my electric screwdriver. Lazy bugger that I am.

DLM

I've had two D'Addario/Planet Waves ones free with ten packs of strings which are decent and mean only carrying one light tool in my gig kitbag, but my favourite hand string winder is still my first old, knackered Heriba (still available on Thomann for the princely sum of €2.83ct!). For home use, or if I could take a heavier load to gigs, I'll use a Bosch IXO mini cordless screwdriver with the Planet Waves drill bit adapter, which saves preposterous amounts of time. After wrecking a fair few common-or-garden tools cutting strings on my first couple of guitars I bought a pair of proper cutters (Maun brand, I think), which are still excellent. You need hardened steel ones.

JezWynd

merlin said:

lincolnblue said:

RaymondLin said:

Am I the only one that likes to wind without a winder, I find when I use the winder it just goes wrong and the string slips out but when I am winding by hand I do it slower and more carefully and it doesn’t slip out.. I just a general B&Q wire cutter for the wires. I actually put new strings on last night and took a photo, you can see the wire cutter there.

I don't like to do it without a winder but agree that if you turn it too quickly the wraps don't go on properly and you end up winding up the post rather than down

I hold the string down right by the bottom of the post and take up the slack with my thumb. Then I use a winder reasonable quickly and the string winds down the post perfectly every time.

Yup, this is the way to do it ime. Using a winder gives me a smooth even wind around the post, better than hand winding for me.

fretmeister

Adey

/\ now that really is lazy

Rocker

fretmeister said:

I have promised myself one of these but Heaven only knows when I will get to the music shops in Dublin again.  But get one I most certainly will.

A decent wire cutters, available from any electrical wholesaler, is more than good enough to cut excess strings to length.  A big thumbs down for those too lazy to tidy up their guitar headstocks.

fretmeister

Adey said:

/\ now that really is lazy

I got one as a gift.

As I tend to do all instruments at once (8) it's very handy. Copes with basses too.

Blueingreen

I'm currently in the final process of putting locking tuners on my guitars that don't have them as standard, so the winder bit of my winder/cutter is about to become redundant.  I will no longer be using the cutter element to tweak out little knots of string that have got trapped  in the tuning pegs using the locking method either.  Happy days.