<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <meta content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type"> <title></title> </head> <body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000"> Steve,<br> You can "crimp" the winding so it won't be loose (Squeeze with the smooth part of the needle-nose pliers just above the cutter.) Yeah, the large windings take more time, and universals are a pain.<br> <br> I think universals have a place, and I only use them when necessary or on a piano where it literally will not matter. Spinets, cheap consoles or grands - when the bass strings don't sound good to begin with, who really cares if you get a custom-made exact replacement?  Most of these customers, when given a choice, choose the el cheapo universal rather than the exact replacement plus a service call. Also, when you must have a string on that day, the universal is sometimes the only way to go. Unless your splicing is good (mine usually works.)  But, then you often run into the situation where the old string has been discarded.<br> <br> Thankfully, I don't do that many universals, but I do carry a pretty full set (37 string set).<br> <br> JF<br> <br> <br> Steve Blasyak wrote: <blockquote cite="mid380-220061131163121921@earthlink.net" type="cite"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; "> <meta content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2963" name="GENERATOR"> <style> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </style> <o:SmartTagType name="State" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="PersonName" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } </style> <style> </style> <div> <div><font size="4">And to John or anybody in the mix. If you are holding the string loosely in one hand and pulling the cooper winding with the other, it has been my experience that you risk a buzz or rattle as a result. The winding becomes loose past the point were you wish to terminate. Any thoughts on how to, or what I may be doing wrong?</font></div> <div> </div> <div><font size="4">Further especially on the larger strings... getting started is the hard part. I use my wire cutters to carefully separate the winding, once I get a little gap I try to start the pull holding the string with the soft jaw plyers. Again this to me is very difficult and time consuming. The larger the winding the harder it is to get it started.</font></div> <div> </div> <div><font size="4">My current strategy is avoid these universal disasters like the plague. Especially in the low bass (single string notes). Tie a knot if possible, order a new string anything but the universal nightmare. As you can tell my ego and pride clearly has not been damaged by past experiences with the universals. The minute I start to think about using them I just run.</font></div> </div> </blockquote> </body> </html>