Trimming is mostly about neatness and avoiding rattles, but timing matters more on nylon than on steel. New classical strings stretch a lot at first, and a knot can cinch down and draw in some of its tail as the string settles. If you trim too short, too early, the knot has nothing left to grip.
When and how to trim:
- Tie the string and tune it to pitch.
- Stretch it gently and retune a few times.
- Wait until the string has held its pitch reasonably well, ideally a day of playing.
- At the bridge, trim the tail to about a quarter to half an inch from the knot.
- At the roller, trim so a short end sticks out from the wraps without touching the headstock slot.
Use sharp side cutters or nail clippers on nylon, and side cutters on the wound basses. Cut cleanly rather than bending the string back and forth. Keep the tail on top of the tie block, away from the soundboard, so it can't buzz.
On a 12-hole tie block, the tail exits under the back of the bridge. Trim it short there as well.
Our tie-end Classits sets are SCM101 and SCH102, with Classits Elite ECM101 and ECH102, in Classical Strings. If you trim one too short, single strings for each position are in Specialty Singles.