How to Change Your Guitar Strings For Beginners
How to Change Your Guitar Strings For Beginners
Hey guys, Brad Litton from SimpleGuitar.com. This blog post transcribes my YouTube lesson on changing strings if you've never done it. You're not going to hurt anything. It needs to happen regularly, and you can do it yourself.
I demoed this on an old acoustic. Floyd Rose / locking nut and Bigsby are a different animal — I don't have a magic Bigsby trick. What I'm showing works for pretty much any regular acoustic or electric. You just need to know how the strings go in at the bridge.
Tools
- New strings
- A string winder (the notch on the end pops acoustic bridge pins)
- Wire cutters
I like light strings. On acoustics I use .010s. On electrics I like .007s and .008s. I used to play super heavy. Lighter is easier.
Step 1: Take the Old Strings Off
Loosen all the strings with the winder (or a drill attachment if you have one). Get them off.
Taking all the strings off is not going to ruin your neck if you're not leaving it that way for a long time. Ignore that internet myth.
When you have time, condition the fretboard while it's bare: conditioner on, microfiber rag off. I'm not demoing that here — just the string change — but I highly recommend it.
Acoustic: use the winder notch under the bridge pin and pop it out. Set the pins aside.
Electric: strings usually go through the body or the bridge. Pull them.
Step 2: Put All the New Strings In First
I put all the strings in the guitar before I start winding. Faster for me.
On a 3-and-3 headstock, the string should run on the inside of each tuner, not the outside. On six-in-a-line, keep them all on the same side. Goal: as straight as you can from the nut to the tuner.
Step 3: How I Wind (No Fancy Knot)
People will tell you to tie a lock knot or measure back one fret from the nut. I don't.
- Pull the string tight.
- Wrap it around twice.
- Stick the end through the hole.
- Pull it tight. You can bend the leftover a bit.
- Wind it up. Hold the string down as you wind so the wraps look neat.
I wrap twice because I change tunings and I want a little slack. That wrap gives grip so it stays in tune. I've done it this way for 25 years.
Repeat for every string.
Step 4: Tune as You Go
Once a string is on, tune it to pitch. When you put the next one on, tune that one and retune the ones already on. They go flat as they stretch.
First string to E, second to B, check the first E again, and so on.
Aftercare
Get fast enough that this only takes a few minutes. Do it regularly. Fresh strings feel awesome and you'll actually want to pick the guitar up.
I like Dunlop Billy Gibbons / Dr. Willys Mexican Lottery strings, D'Addario, Ernie Ball, and Elixir on acoustics because they last. Find what you like. Go as light as you can.
Don't be afraid of it. Go change your strings.
If you want a simple place to start, grab my free Top 10 Things to Learn on Guitar First at http://simpleguitar.com/top10.
And hang out with other adult guitar players in the Simple Guitar Facebook group: http://facebook.com/groups/simpleguitar.
About the Author
Brad from Simple Guitar helps adult learners play the songs they love without the frustration. Visit simpleguitar.com for more free resources and lessons.
