Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Banjo String Stretcher

Has anyone used the StewMac String Stretcha ?
Reviews about it are good and looks like it really reduces the
amount of effort used in a typical stretching.
Just wondering if anyone has ever used one of these before.

I had not seen that. I used to be a dedicated string stretcher. I just use my hands, but I can see where the tool would be easier. Kenny Smith told me that he quit stretching (I think at the advice of Mr. Rice), because it speeds up the work hardening that causes strings to not play in tune. He knows better than I so I follow his advice (except when I need a string to be ready quickly).

I use my hands and grab the string and pull it a bit. I’m not a metallurgy engineer, but I don’t expect the strings themselves to be stretching (maybe the winding a bit). Rather, you’re tightening the winding at the tuner post and removing any play that works itself out later.

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