Tying Strings...The Best Tool(s)

[Ron Nossaman]

>Since the vise grip has an edge, doesn't that make this tool slightly less
>effective than the roundnose plier?


No, it makes it considerably MORE effective. The wire isn't bent over the 
edge of the jaw, like it is with round nose pliers. The end portion the jaw 
is gripping is the lever handle you use to form the loop in free wire just 
beyond the jaw. The beauty of the Vise-Grip method is that you can make 
loops so tight there is very little slack to pull up to tighten the knot. 
In fact, if you aren't paying attention, it's possible (even easy) to turn 
a loop too tight to get the other wire through! Splicing a low bass string, 
with no room to work, no extra wire to play with, and wire the diameter of 
your big toe, this pretty quickly comes to be something you can appreciate. 
You can turn a loop left in the new wire piece, slip it over the old wire 
end, turn a loop right in the old wire, muscle the free end of the new wire 
back through it, clip to length, wind on the pin, and have it pulled up to 
pitch before the guy with the round nosed pliers even gets the bleeding 
stopped.

It seems to me it was Laroy Edwards who originated this method, but I can't 
say for sure. Whoever discovered it, I will be forever grateful.

Ron N