You love to play – maybe live to play! You think about the sound of the guitar, the music and the songs, your tone, your big amplifier – if it’s an electric … and the beautiful complex notes that project from your guitar – if it’s an acoustic. All are important – like that one great drive off the tee in golf!
But, how do you get those notes? It’s in the strings. Have you given much thought to your strings? Often overlooked – always underrated, the strings are WHAT MAKE THE SOUND! They’re the most important part of the sound chain.
The type of metal, the construction, the finish, the tension, the length, the coating -- it’s a process. Once you’ve determined by asking around, listening, trying lots of brands and types – what strings are right for you, then you change them EVERY FOUR WEEKS FOR THE REST OF YOUR GUITAR-PLAYING LIFE! No exceptions. Except one. If the strings you like have a protective coating in which case you change them when they stop sounding bright and musical – maybe as long as three months.
Changing your strings is easy – no tricks, no special knowledge – and with practice you can do it in 20- minutes or less! To do this right you’ll need an electronic tuner. (We can also do it using a guitar that’s already in tune, a nearby piano, a harmonica or a pitchfork. But, that’s another article.)
Here’s how:
1. First thing; all of the strings on your guitar wind into or toward the center of the headstock no mater which side they are on or what position they are in. It’s a constant. This principle will allow you to tune your guitar on autopilot once you get used to it. And, it will become very important when stringing your guitar.
2. Now, de-tune – or lower the pitch – of existing strings A (#5), D (#4), G (#3), B (#2) and high E (#1) by turning the tuners (or machine heads) on the guitars’ headstock. Once there is some play in the string unwind it from the peg on the headstock. Leave the low E or 6th string in place and unhook the other 5 strings. We’ll use the low E string later on for reference. Make sure you don’t stick yourself with the sharp ends of the strings.
3. Once the strings are unattached from the headstock - If you have an acoustic guitar, gently lift-out the bridge pins which anchor the strings to the guitar’s bridge. They pop right out – then completely remove the strings from the guitar. If you have an electric guitar, pull the string through-the-body or through the tailpiece. Either way, you have now removed 5 of the 6 strings.
4. Grab your new strings – take ‘em out of the box – and set them up high E (1st string) to low E (6th string) on your work surface. (A bed is great for changing strings!) This is also when people who love their guitar grab a rag and a little guitar polish and give their baby a good cleaning.
5. Because the low E string is still in place, we’ll start with the A string (#5). You’ll notice that the low E is wound to the first tuner on the headstock, closest to the fret board and the nut. Now, unwrap your B string. Always anchor your string first into the bridge. It’s just the opposite of removing the strings from the bridge. Make certain the string is properly and firmly seated into the bridge. Set the string in the appropriate bridge slot – if there is one – run it along the fret board to the neck and position it above the appropriate nut slot.
6. Pull the string tight above the nut. Put 2 fingers under the string – then extend it 2 inches beyond the appropriate post or tuner peg. Cut the string at that point with a pair of wire cutters or sharp scissors. In order to keep the string in place during tuning (winding) put a ½” 90 degree bend at the end of the string with a pair of pliers. This is what you insert into the small string hole that every post or tuner peg is made with. INSERT ONLY THE 90 DEGREE BEND until the other end comes through the other side of the hole. You’ll have quite a bit of slack still left in the string at this point.
7. Begin winding the string so that it turns into or toward the center of the headstock. Use a string-winder for this. Pluck the string as you turn the tuner to be certain it is elevating in pitch. Bring it up a few turns so that it’s taught. Also be certain that the string is in the appropriate slot at the bridge and in the nut at the headstock.
8. Proceed by anchoring, measuring carefully, cutting and bending, and inserting the remaining 4 strings into their respective posts or tuner pegs. Then wind them several turns as in the step above.
9. Pull each string gently, but firmly at the center of the string – above the pick-up or the sound hole – so that it is stretched a little. This aids in the string “holding tune.”
10. Now – just as a reference – depress the low E (6th) string at the 5th fret. Bring the A (5th) string up to that pitch. It’s time to replace the low E just as you did the other 5 strings. (Your A string should be near pitch if the E was in tune.)
Now using your electronic tuner, raise all the strings to their proper pitch. That’s it! Over the next few days you will need to retune your guitar until the strings stretch to their proper playing length.
Now, go practice -- and enjoy!
Larry Collins is an avid guitar and bass player and collector having played for more than 40 years. He is also the owner of US Strings.com For more articles on guitar, bass, banjo or mandolin tuning, cleaning and polishing, string types, etc. go to http://www.USStrings.com
Written By: Larry Collins
