How to Change Guitar Strings
Changing your guitar string is a crucial part of learning and playing the guitar. It is good practice to learn how to do this early on in your guitar-playing career, so that you can learn how guitars work and then change strings when the needs come.
Professionals may even change strings every time they play live. But for those learning guitar, you will need to do it less often, or when your strings refuse to stay in tune or snap.
Why Do You Need to Change Guitar Strings?
Have you ever noticed how your guitar's intonation and tone gradually change over time? The strings begin to sound duller and become more difficult to play over time.
This results from oil, dead skin, dirt, and sweat from your fingers building up on the strings. It’s nothing to worry about; it’s just a sign that you will need to change your strings soon.
One of the main ways people realise that they need to change their guitar string is when a string finally breaks. Before this, they may have noticed distortion or reduced volume but had put it down to something else.
Equipment Required When Changing Strings
Now that you’ve established it’s time to change your guitar strings, it’s time to assemble the tools to complete the job, unless you’re handing your guitar over to a trusted local repair person to do it for you! So, what do you need?
New strings - guitar strings vary in thickness (or gauge) with a typical six-string guitar typically using six different gauge strings. There are many different gauge strings to pick from, but try and find some that suit your musical style preference.
Sting cutters - the easiest way to remove strings is to simply cut them off. You can purchase and use guitar string cutters or simply a pair of wire cutters. It doesn’t matter as long as you can remove them safely.
Cleaning cloth - a simple cloth is required to wipe away dust, debris and anything else that shouldn’t be on your fretboard
String winder - although not crucial, a string winder makes it quicker and easier to wind new strings around your tuning pegs. Some tools have a string winder and cutters built into one tool!
Step by Step Process
You’re now ready to do the deed. But did you know that the process of changing your strings can vary depending on which guitar you have?
In this article, we are going to focus on electric guitars specifically. The below process can be used on acoustic guitars too, but may need to be adapted on your guitar.
Lay out your stuff and get started!
Loosen (then cut) the strings
Using your tuning key, loosen the strings. If you have an electric guitar, you need to cut the strings - do this at the midpoint or neck.
2. Remove the ends
Make sure to remove both ends of the strings from the neck and the bridge. Be careful not to injure yourself on cut strings.
3. Clean the fretboard, headstock and body (for dust and debris)
With the strings out and the fretboard bare, why not take this opportunity to clean your guitar? Take a cloth and gently wipe the fretboard and body free of dust and debris. You may wish to take this opportunity to use specialist fretboard oil to polish your fretboard. But make sure you know what you are doing before proceeding!
4. Insert the new strings
When you’ve finished cleaning the body, it’s time to insert your new strings. Place the correct string through the correct hole on the bridge and pull the string through all the way through to the tuning peg.
5. Wind the string around the tuner peg
With the string firmly entrenched in the bridge, it’s time to take it through the tuning post and pull. Thread around 3 inches into the tuning post and tighten up the string. Tug the strings to ensure they are taut.
6. Clip off the ends
With the strings on and tightened, cut off the excess. Doing this will make it easier and safer to play your guitar.
7. Tune your guitar
Now that you’ve put all your strings into place use the string winder to tune your guitar for playing. You can use an app or tuner, or even by ear if you can manage. It may take a few attempts to tune your strings as they will initially stretch.
Replacing your guitar string is a simple process but takes a lot of experience to do it correctly and efficiently. If you are ever struggling to string a guitar, find an expert guitar maintenance person or ask your tutor for help!
Summary
Yes, learning how to restring your guitar and recognise when it's needed can be challenging at first. But learning how to change your guitar strings is a great way to pick up the basics of guitar maintenance and learn more about how your guitar works. With plenty of practice, you'll soon be a pro!
FAQs
How much does it cost to restring a guitar?
The price of restringing will vary. A standard pack of guitar strings usually costs around £5 - £10 for a pack of six strings. However, these typically only last 1-2 months before getting rusty. Therefore you might consider spending a few more bucks and buying more expensive coated strings which could last 3-6 months or longer!
If you choose to take your guitar to a professional, you can expect to pay a maintenance fee on top.
What strings should you use?
Your chosen guitar strings should be a personal choice. Different string gauges have different tones and will impact your tone. When the time comes to restring, feel free to experiment!
Do you need tools to restring a guitar?
Not strictly - you could restring your guitar just using your fingers. But tools like a string winder will definitely make the job easier!
What’s the difference between restringing an electric versus acoustic guitar?
An electric guitar has a different layout and shape compared to a traditional acoustic/classical guitar. This makes the process of restringing an electric guitar slightly different, but the principles are very similar. Feel free to contact me for any more questions on this topic.
