Why is it that if i cut the extra string i have on my guitar, it goes out of tune?

Question

You know when you string your guitar and at the neck you have all that extra string? Well i cut mine off (It bothers me, itches my hand at the 1-3rd fret, etc.) why does it go out of tune?

Answer 1

The best I can come up with is that in the process of cutting the string you change the tension in the relevant tuning key.  In other words, the string gets tugged on enough during the actual cutting to mess up the tuning.

Mind you, I don't play.  It's possible there's also a subtle resonance effect in the loose dangler string that a trained ear can pick up, and that this extra sound affects how in-tune the guitar sounds.