Tech Tip: How to Tie a Luthier's Knot When Changing Strings

Now I know...at my next Thanksgiving family meal, I will not discuss religion, politics, or the Luthier's Knot.

Very neat trick. On a bass it’s not suitable (the pegs are designed differently, string tip goes in vertical, push down, wrap, wind = under a minute, on most basses not all) but when i switched to electric guitar I kept doing almost the same thing just > I only push an inch or so of string through the gap out the other side > then I wrap the string round the peg as tightly as possible and switch to using the tuner to wind tight. It’s fast on and off, but I admit this method might allow for more slippage.
I have moved on to Spanish / Classical / Flamenco guitars and this might work, might not, the traditional headstock and tuners on Spanish guitars are a different kettle of fish, trickier, I haven’t got it down yet, but most luthiers use a real knot to actually tie the string to the peg, then wind.
What is done here is not a knot but a D loop, and the curious thing is that it is exactly how you set up / fix your strings on the bridge of a Spanish guitar. I have got that down, so I already do this 😂 just on the bridge. That’s how all luthiers do it. There is a new generation of Spanish Flamenco guitars that are designed with the same kind of headstock as an acoustic like the one shown here in the video, so if I ever get one, this is a neat trick easy to remember. 👌🏼✌🏼

Instead of figuring out an inch or so, just pull the string through fully, then at the nut grab the string and pull back to the first fret. Each and every time you will get a perfect wind ...

thanks for this, i always forget this bit when re-stringing my guitar, THANKS!! :)

That’s the best way to do it, because that’s the way they install strings at the Martin factory. The only thing I would change about how to do it is to keep tension on the strings as you wind them up to pitch so you don’t have any slack around the tuner post that will make your strings go flat.

broke my new strings immediately

I must be missing something. When using this method, the loops around the pegs are extremely loose, especially if i dont hold it tightly as i increase tension. Is this intended for electric wtrings as well?

this technique is a waste of time especially if the string breaks during a show.
its ok if your a bedroom musician who does not tour and its a home guitar . but big waste of time for the touring musician

best explanation i've come across thank you so much it's been year i've been struggling whith this !

Best tutorial on the subject I've been able to find. Thanks!🙏🎸

Thank you... that advice is so intuitive and so clear. But like most common sense: not so common. This is perfect

Great way to scratch your headstock up

That’s great. Thanks.

Yuck. Another great way to promote frustration in string changes, also causes some unnecessary overlap 'bind' in tuning, and increases the possibility of damaging or scratching the surface of the headstock, when removing the strings. I can't be convinced that this method is somehow superior. It's overkill imho. The strings should not slip at all if you've done a decent Z or S kink lock through the post hole. Strings should not be overlapped at all... especially on the low E. Good instructional video tho.

I have never had to knot a string and never had a problem with string slippage.

It helped. Thank you!

That bit about alternative methods causing tuning problems is just not true and in fact is misleading. I just make sure I have enough winds to pinch the string in the hole in the tuner post. Forty years of experience. Never had tuning issues. Applies to electrics and acoustics. I suspect this technique predates steel strings and modern tuners but now is just not necessary. No advantages. Some disadvantages. Don't bother.

my tar stays in tune just jam the string thru bend the end wind it up simple

Awesome!

One thing I really hate is having to change the string before the next time! I'll definitely give this a try.

Just about to change a string or six. Always nice to be an expert! Thanks.

Luthier’s knot…just say no.

It’s unnecessary.

looks neat and nice👍✨

Thanks 😊

This is just a cheap trip for lazy shop people to do a quicky stringing job, at the customer's expence. Both of my Martins came like this, and I cursed them trying to remove the freakin' strings, both times. Just wrap the first wrap over the string and the other two under. Three wraps is all you need, regardless of the guage. I've been stringing guitars for over forty years, and I've had ZERO problems with this method.

Why would anyone think this is a good idea? I guess you want to scratch your headstock, trying get a knotted string off the peg.

Do you have any tips for nylon/classical guitar strings? Just subscribed

The best no bullshit restring tutorial. Thx!

Thank you so much. You are
a great teacher!!!!!!🎉🎉👏👏👏👏👏👍👍

Absolutely brilliant 👍

In 2023 I bought a new Martin 0-18. First thing I do when I take a new guitar home is change the strings. The first sign of trouble was the strings were tied with the dreaded luthier's knot. I wondered how the Martin factory would have people employed there that would do this. Sure enough, the second sign of trouble was the intonation was incorrect above the 12th fret. Boomerang.

No no no

Nope, I’ll pass on the knot. I never wrap a string over itself. First wrap is over and the rest are under and it locks itself. There are no wraps over itself and no knots.

This isn't rocket science guys, it's not even science. Strings are dirt cheap so it's no big deal to change your strings once in while. Try some different winding techniques and see what you like. As the great Jimmy Page says: "It's just a block of wood with strings attached, what's the big deal ?" I prefer the luthier knot for now but I'm going to try the over then under scheme next.

Tech tip from a guitarist, get locking machine heads

Great tip and technique. Thanks for sharing.

Great video thanks bro!! 👍🏻👍🏻

I use the Taylor method. You still leave about 1.5 to 2 inches of free string to wrap, then without the knot, bend it and wrap the strings under as you tighten. The friction and pressure of the loops under where the string comes through the tuner, hold the strings securely in place with no slippage. It is a faster way to change strings if you do so often.

Simple, and unnecessary.

I've just started using this knot on my acoustic, and it does stay in tune better than my previous non-knot tuning method.
I like how people have become so angry about the spectrum of knots on this channel.

Thank you so very much!

wrong.

02he doesnt know what he is talking about. someone told him this is how you\-\

I think you are a Real Guitarist Jake. You need to make more Videos with your band Jake.

Never change until next

Easy fix locking tuners

A piece of my guitar string got caught in the neck? How do I get it out?

💩 technique any proper guitar shop or musican will tell you you always wind under the string wraps itself around plus you pull it back 1 full fret it will wind perfect every time plenty of videos on it dont ever do this stupid spastic way ever ❤

Unnecessary. Better method: a half winding over the string sticking thru the tuner, then all other windings underneath. This locks the string into the tuner via string tension itself.

Thanks for a straightforward video . I broke that exact string last night . Thankfully so I screwed up the first 2 strings after watching this .