Any guitar players here? Need help deciding....

T

ToneGrail

Joined
Aug 4, 2006
Messages
235
on a keychain-sized plier-based multitool for cutting the excess length off guitar strings?

Ideally I would like to keep it as small and light as possible and hang it on my keychain.

I recently bought a Gerber Bear Grylls Compact multitool but the wire cutters won't cut the strings. They just bend and get caught. It looks like the machining tolerances aren't that exact.

Does anyone have a recommendation? I was thinking about the Leatherman Style PS.

Thanks!
 
Once I found a peg winder that has a string cutter built in, I never looked back. After I dropped my Leatherman on the top of an acoustic, I decided no more.
Mine is from Planet Wave, it was only about $12.
Smaller keychain sized multi-tools may not have the power to cut through lager guage strings, maybe I just don't know.
 
I keep a small pair of wire cutters with my strings and in my guitar cases. IOW, I have several of the tools. And I've got a cheap Leatherman knock-off (thrown in for free by an online auction seller when I bought a quality item) that I keep in my gig bag. A Leatherman CS-4 or something would work, but it's got more tools than you need for guitar purposes and small wire cutters are cheaper.

Having been in gigging bands for a while, I learned to pack gig bags carefully. I had my main gig bag with everything I could need for the gig. But then I had another spares bag, which sometimes just stayed in the car. I had backups for EVERYTHING practical, not just for me but the whole band. If another band member broke or needed a strap, microphone, strings, cables, mic clips, patch cables, tape, fuses ... whatever, I had it all. I even carried a small spare mixing board.

You don't want to cancel or stop a paying gig because some minor equipment breaks.
 
foxx said:
Once I found a peg winder that has a string cutter built in, I never looked back. After I dropped my Leatherman on the top of an acoustic, I decided no more.
Mine is from Planet Wave, it was only about $12.
Smaller keychain sized multi-tools may not have the power to cut through lager guage strings, maybe I just don't know.
Click to expand...

Yeah I was considering that but then I thought that if I am going to spend $12 I might as well spend a little more and get a tool I can use for other things as well. That's why I bought the Gerber, but obviously that fell a little short of my needs. I'm hoping that the Leatherman's wire cutters are machined to more exact tolerances with better steel.

My Gerber worked like the first two times I used it but then developed divits from the strings and horizontal play, which made rendered the tool useless for my intended purpose.
 
Mud Shrimp Moe said:
I keep a small pair of wire cutters with my strings and in my guitar cases. IOW, I have several of the tools. And I've got a cheap Leatherman knock-off (thrown in for free by an online auction seller when I bought a quality item) that I keep in my gig bag. A Leatherman CS-4 or something would work, but it's got more tools than you need for guitar purposes and small wire cutters are cheaper.

Having been in gigging bands for a while, I learned to pack gig bags carefully. I had my main gig bag with everything I could need for the gig. But then I had another spares bag, which sometimes just stayed in the car. I had backups for EVERYTHING practical, not just for me but the whole band. If another band member broke or needed a strap, microphone, strings, cables, mic clips, patch cables, tape, fuses ... whatever, I had it all. I even carried a small spare mixing board.

You don't want to cancel or stop a paying gig because some minor equipment breaks.
Click to expand...

Yeah I've got a Juice CS4 but it's too big to hang off my keychain. I play in a wedding type cover band. So I'm usually wearing dress pants. So the CS4 is kind of obtrusive. When I'm wearing jeans, bringing the CS4 along is no big deal.

I'm also trying to keep my gear bag light because it can really get heavy with all those spare cables, pedals and misc items.
 
I like to use wire cutters...cuts them cleaner with no fuss. I would save the small pliers for small work like nut setters or something.
 
jeepin said:
I think the Leatherman Squirt PS4 would be a great choice.
Click to expand...


Bad idea. I did this and it bent the cutters. I ended up sending tool to leatherman and it wasn't fixable so they replaced it. Bad idea. The PS4 isn't meant for cutting wires like that. I'd recommend maybe something in the juice series. Perhaps a juice s4. Its the smallest in the juice line. :thumbup:


Sent from my Ash forum mobile
 
Since I'm a Bass player I have to cut some heavier gauges..
I use my Leatherman Super Tool 300 for the task, which of course isn't small at all. I always carry a set of tools to a gig, just to be sure.

For your case, just stuff a small but decent wire cutter next to your spare strings in the gig-bag and you should be fine.

In my experience it pays to bring a complete set of tools for your instrument. All the allen keys in the sizes you need, a small philips screwdriver for opening up covers, effect-boxes, amps etc., a wire cutter for the strings, spare strings, spare batteries, polishing oil and cloth, a small towel and your personal mascot ;).
Everything you might need for maintenance on your instrument.
 
Knife Crazied said:
Bad idea. I did this and it bent the cutters. I ended up sending tool to leatherman and it wasn't fixable so they replaced it. Bad idea. The PS4 isn't meant for cutting wires like that. I'd recommend maybe something in the juice series. Perhaps a juice s4. Its the smallest in the juice line. :thumbup:


Sent from my Ash forum mobile
Click to expand...

Thank you. This is the information I was looking for. It appears the same thing happened to your PS4 that happened to my Gerber. I would expect similar results from a Style PS.
 
Knife Crazied said:
Bad idea. I did this and it bent the cutters. I ended up sending tool to leatherman and it wasn't fixable so they replaced it. Bad idea. The PS4 isn't meant for cutting wires like that. I'd recommend maybe something in the juice series. Perhaps a juice s4. Its the smallest in the juice line. :thumbup:


Sent from my Ash forum mobile
Click to expand...








Okay. I take that back:D


I had no idea the guitar strings were that hard:confused:. Oh well.
 
jeepin said:
I had no idea the guitar strings were that hard:confused:. Oh well.
Click to expand...



Neither did I. And I've been playing guitar and bass for over thirty years.

I've cut guitar strings with scissors before. Not the best tool, but it works. Most electric strings are made of nickel or soft steel with a solid core and would thin wire around the core on the larger strings. They're not that hard to cut. Even the cheapest wire cutter will cut them easily.
 
I've used the Squirt E4 on a couple guitars to cut and strip pickup wire when upgrading or repairing. I may have cut strings, not sure how the cutters would hold up on the Squirt. I used my Spirit to cut excess string on two guitars the other day. Not playing out, so first string change in awhile. :) Let us know if you find a good small cutter.

multitools017_Sqrt1.jpg
 
I've always used a Leatherman to cut guitar strings. Just keep it in your guitar case or bag, and you'll always have it.
 
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