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Let's say I have a set of pliers, a steel string attached to something, and I can bring the string up to pitch by pulling 1/4 of an inch.
If I replaced the steel string with a nylon string, would I have to pull a greater distance ?

Currently, on my wing nut headless tuners, I allow 1.5 inches of travel for steel strings which is way more than I need.

About one revolution of the barrel is required to bring a classical string from no tension to pitch. The barrel of a classical tuner is 10mm diameter, so the change in length is ~32 mm (1.25"). Then it carries on stretching. So you might get away with 1.5" travel, but, then again, you might not!

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Trevor Gore, Luthier. Australian hand made acoustic guitars, classical guitars; custom guitar design and build; guitar design instruction.

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Assuming you are using some variation on Preston patent tuners, you could double your travel by anchoring the string at the lower end of the tuner and looping it over the post, rather than attaching it to the post.

Here is a very unscientific answer for you.

I restring steel string and classical guitars almost daily. I stretch the strings so that when Mr. or Mrs. Very Valued Customer picks the thing up it's in tune.

With steel strings I stretch each string for 5 seconds two times and that removes about 90% of the eventual stretch.

With classical and D-Addiario normal tension nylon strings I stretch each string for 5 seconds 10 times and this takes about 80% of the stretch out.

Which one do you think that this old guy prefers stretching....

How do you stretch them?


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Robin Hood taught me..

I tune to pitch and then pull the string out from the guitar in the sound hole area several inches with good resistance and hold. In my case I hold for about 5 seconds and then release and retune to pitch and repeat.

A friend of mine who was Nugget's on-the-road-tech for ten years and survived.... does similar but then while holding the string out he runs his hand to the nut and back spreading the stretch. I'm too lazy for that and my clients are more kind to me than Nugent was with him...

Lots of ways to do this. Some Luthiers and techs will put the guitar in the case slightly sharp anticipating some flattening as the strings stretch.

I used to do that tugging routine, but nowadays just tune them sharp, repeat as necessary until they stay sharp, and then tune down.

When first putting strings on, I go to approximately standard pitch or a bit lower and let them sit a while for the instrument to get used to the tension. Then tune a half step above standard since they'll usually stretch more than that. And if they get back below standard, I'll go maybe 50 cents sharp until they stay that way before tuning down.

I do the Robin Hood technique myself but no matter how much pull on Nylon they go flat over a good two week period it seems. I always attributed this to nylon strings actually do stretch while steel don't really stretch per se but the string tugging sets the ball ends properly and then in about an hour you tune again and you are done.

If you actually do stretch a string it's diameter would get smaller right? I'm not sure that you are actually stretching a steel string a full 1/4 inch. That seems like an awful lot to me. I guess my assumption of steel strings is that you don't really stretch them but rather just pull on them real tight till they get to pitch. I would think that if a steel string actually did start to stretch then it would just stretch to infinity like hot plastic. Nylon though sure does seem to actually stretch.

Try this after they've stretched-
On the wound strings pull the ends out of the bridge and give them one or two turns against the direction of the wind. Pin them into the bridge and tension up.


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