Electric Guitars Today

Changing Electric Guitar Strings

2007-10-22T23:40:00.000-07:00

Changing Electric Guitar Strings

GuitarString Gauges

Guitar strings come in variety of gauges. The gauge of the string identifies the thickness of the strings. The lower gauge strings have smaller diameters while higher gauge strings have larger diameters. Most manufactures display the gauge size by the size (diameter) of the high E string (the smallest string). Typical string gauges run from .008 to .0012.

Electric guitar strings and acoustic guitar strings are different. The most popular electric guitar gauge is .009 while the most popular acoustic guitar gage is .010. Novice and intermediate level guitarists should use these common gauges.

Because they offer better sustain and tone, more experienced guitarists sometimes experiment with higher gauges (.011 or .012 and up). However, higher gauged strings are much harder to play. The higher gauged strings will feel "heavy" under your fingers and take some getting used to. The higher gauged strings will also make your fingertips quite tender if you're not used to them.

Do not use heavy gauge strings until you have had a guitar technician look at your guitar because using heavy gauge strings may require adjustments to your guitar that only a qualified technician should perform.

Changing Electric Guitar Strings

Because there are thousands of types of guitars and the methods of changing strings can vary, use this guide as an example.

A string winder will help you wind and unwind your strings faster.

Take the string winder (or by hand if you do not have a string winder) and unwind the top string until it comes off the tuning machine. Throw away the old string.

Insert the new string through the bridge or the bottom of the guitar tremelo system:

Pull the string out on the other side:

Insert the string into the tuning machine:

Make sure the string is placed thru the hole in the nut:

Take the string winder and wind the string:

With your other hand pull on the string while winding the string so that there is no slack in the string:

Wind the string until it does not rattle against the neck of the guitar, then cut off the excess string:

Repeat this procedure for the other 5 guitar strings.

This completes the Changing Electric Guitar Strings Procedure.

Changing Electric Guitar Strings

2007-10-22T23:10:00.000-07:00

Changing Electric Guitar Strings

The most basic maintenance that you must be able to perform on your guitar is to change the strings. Strings will break, or just get old and dead sounding. Changing electric guitar strings is really not that hard once you get the hang of it. The first time for some people is a little nerve racking. However, by the 2nd or 3rd time you change electric guitar strings you will be an old pro.

How often should strings be changed?

It depends. It depends on how much you play, whether you use cleaner to help the strings last longer, and on the chemistry of your sweat.

Strings should be changed at least every 2 or 3 months, but this can vary so much from player to player. Some professionals will change strings for every performance. Do not change only the strings that break. All of the strings on your guitar should be changed at the same time on a regular basis.

Gauges and Types of Strings

Electric Guitar

As a starting point for electric guitars try the brands GHS, Ernie Ball or D'Addario. For the gauges (thickness) of the strings start with .009 for the 1st string, and .042 for the 6th string. If you pick a set where the gauges are .009(1st) and .042(6th), usually the gauges for the other strings will be very close from brand to brand.

If the strings are breaking frequently or are just too thin for your tastes, move up to a .010 for the 1st string and a .046 for the 6th string. Every time you change gauges of strings, you might have to adjust the neck of your guitar and possibly reset the intonation.

Steel String Acoustic Guitar

For a steel string acoustic guitar use GHS or Martin brand strings as a starting point. If you are a beginner use an extra light gauge (.010 1st string, to .047 6th string). Although these strings will not have as good of a tone as a heavier strings, they will be easier to play. Once you have been playing for a while, you might try moving to a lighter gauge (.012 1st string, to .054 6th string). Remember, the heavier the string, the better the sound and the lighter the string, the easier it is to play. This trade off between the two will be your personal choice. Generally, do not use using medium guage strings. They are too heavy for most people, and put a great deal more stress on the neck of the guitar.

Nylon String Acoustic Guitar - Classical

Changing the strings on a nylon string (classical) acoustic guitar is a little more difficult. The technique for tying the string at the bridge must be learned, although there are ball end strings made for classical guitars. However, the ball ends tend to break off and you may have to tie them anyway.

Classical strings are not sold in gauges like steel strings but are sold in various tensions. Start by using a normal tension and try GHS or D'Addario brands.

Steel strings should never be placed on a classical guitar and nylon strings should never by placed on a steel string acoustic guitar. Each guitar was designed specifically for a certain type of string and using the wrong type of string could cause damage to your guitar.

Changing Electric Guitar Strings

To make this job much easier, you will need a some needle nose pliers and a peg winder.

Perform the following steps for changing electric guitar strings:

1. Take off the 6^th string. Using a peg winder will make the process much faster and easier. Note: Do not take off all of your strings at once take off one string at a time. When are turning the machine head (tuning peg) with the peg winder, make sure that the string is getting looser.

2. The end of the old string may need to be cut off so that it will slip easily out of the guitar.

3. Take the new string and feed the end through the back of the guitar.

4. Pull the string through the other side.

5. Line the hole of the post so that it is facing straight down towards the neck of the guitar then stick the end of the string through the hole. Pull the string tight so that there is not any slack in the string.

6. Feed approximately 1.5 inches (4 centimeters) of the string back through the hole.

7. Pull the string back through the hole about 1.5 inches (4 centimeters) so that you now have the slack that you need to wrap around the post. Make on loop around the post with that slack. Make the initial wrap clockwise for the tuning pegs that are on the left side, and counterclockwise for the tuning pegs that are on the right side if the guitar is facing you.

8. Cut off the excess string leaving about a approximately 2 inches (5 centimeters).

9. Place your right hand 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers under the string. Wrap the rest of the loops underneath the initial loop using a peg winder. Either sit in a chair with the guitar on the floor facing you braced between your legs or place the guitar on a table.

10. Pull up so that the string is tight with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers underneath the string. Make sure that there is not any slack. Guide the string with index finger. Use the peg winder to wrap the string progressively underneath the previous wraps. Turn the peg counterclockwise for the pegs that face up, and clockwise for the pegs that face down. For the pegs that face up wrap with your left hand, and hold the string with your right. Wrap with your right hand and hold the string with your left when stringing up the pegs that face down.

11. Clip off the excess string. Take your needle nose pliers and bend the excess string that is left down towards the guitar to avoid grabbing your guitar and puncturing your hand.

12. Give the new strings a slight stretch. Give the strings a tug up away from the neck of the guitar. New strings have a lot of give at first. If the strings are not stretched the guitar will not stay in tune.

Changing Electric Guitar Strings

2007-10-22T22:23:00.001-07:00

Tools Needed to for Changing Electric Guitar Strings

Small needle nose pliers to cut and bend the strings
A string winder to help wind the strings quickly

Procedure to Use for Changing Electric Guitar Strings

1. Removing the Old Strings:

a. Change each guitar string one at a time to avoid warping the guitar neck so you will be able to quickly tune the new string to the other strings.

b. Remove the 6th string first. Use the string winder and turn the tuning peg until the string becomes very slack.

c. Cut off the twisted end of the old string so that it slips easily out of the guitar. Then wind the top section of your string out of the tuning peg.

d. Remove the old string. Pay close attention to the way the old string comes off. You will be reversing the procedure when installing the new strings on the guitar.

2. Replacing the New Strings:

a. Feed the string through a hole in the body of the electric guitar, or the tail piece and seat the ball end of the string.

b. Pull the string over the bridge, over the nut of the neck, and past the tuning peg. Ensure there is no slack. The new string is very long so you will have to cut some of it off. Leave enough string for a few winds around the tuning peg. Two inches above the peg should work.

c. Pull the string through the hole of the tuning peg and begin winding the string. The string should have no slack. To keep tension on the string, place your fingers under the string. With the guitar facing you, wind the tuning pegs on the left side clockwise. Wind the tuning pegs on the right side counterclockwise.

Now that you've changed and tuned your 6th string, you can just repeat the process for all the other strings.

Note: To speed up the winding process, place your string winder over the tuning peg and wind until the string becomes tight. Then take off the peg winder and use the tuning peg to tune the string.

3. Conditioning the Newly Installed Strings:

a. Because the strings are new, they will stretch and go out of tune easily and will need to be conditioned. The conditioning process can be accelerated by stretching the string yourself. Give each of the strings a few gentle pulls and do some spirited strumming.

b. The guitar will have to be retuned several times after replacing the strings. After one or two days everything the strings should begin to remain in tune and changing electric guitar strings will have been well worth the effort.