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By Teja Gerken
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When and how to change steel and nylon strings.
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If you play your guitar a lot, you’ll probably need to change its strings every three or four weeks. Exactly how much time you can get out of a set will depend on several things: how much your hands sweat, how aggressively you play, and what kind of tone you like. Some newly developed steel strings, such as Gore Elixirs, D’Addario EXPs, and Martin’s SP +, feature a thin coating that makes them last a lot longer than standard steel strings. You’ll also find that you can get more life out of a set if you wash your hands before playing your guitar and wipe your strings with a cloth afterward.
How do you know when it’s time to change strings? Breaking a string is a good indication that your strings are getting old. And since you’re changing one, it’s a good idea to change the whole lot. One bright, new string will sound strange among five dull, old ones. If you notice that the strings have become hard to tune and their tone is muffled, your guitar is probably asking for new strings. The string-changing process is slightly different depending on whether you’re changing strings on an acoustic steel-string, nylon-string, or electric.
Steel-String Acoustics and Electric Guitars
Unless your guitar is equipped with an under-saddle pickup or a locking tremolo system, begin by removing all the old strings. (If you do have an under-saddle pickup or a locking tremolo, it’s better to replace the strings one at a time to avoid disturbing the pickup’s balance or the tremolo’s delicate adjustment.) Use a string winder (which you can purchase for about $2 at any music store) to loosen the strings and then remove them from the tuning machines. (If you have a locking tremolo system, you’ll have to loosen the Allen-head screws that fasten the strings at the nut before you start.) On most steel-string acoustics, the strings are held in place at the bridge with wooden or plastic bridge pins. When you take the tension off the strings, you should be able to remove the pins easily. If not, use the notch in your string winder or a pair of needle-nose pliers to pull them out. For acoustic guitars with pinless bridges (such as Ovations and Lowdens) and most electric guitars, you’ll need to feed the string all the way through the bridge. On these guitars, it’s best to first cut off the ends of the strings that have been twisted around the tuning machines so that they don’t get caught in the bridge.
Once you’ve removed the strings, give the fingerboard and top of the guitar a quick wipe and check for loose parts before moving on. Next, install the sixth (thickest) string. If your guitar has bridge pins, it’s a good idea to put a little bend into the string, just above the ball end. Feed the string into its hole at the bridge and then push the bridge pin into the hole (see photo). If the pin is notched, make sure that the notch faces the saddle. Push the pin in as far as it will go, hold it in place with your finger, and gently pull on the string until you feel it catch inside the bridge. For most electric guitars and acoustics with pinless bridges, you simply push the string through a hole in the bridge, being careful not to scratch the area of the top behind the bridge with the string’s ball end. Some guitars with locking tremolos secure the string with an Allen-head screw that will need to be tightened with a special tool.
Now it’s time to attach the loose end of the string at the tuning peg. Start by turning the peg so that the hole faces the nut. Insert the string into the peg and leave about a hand’s width of slack between the string and the fingerboard. Now pull the loose end of the string back toward the nut and pass it underneath the string in the peg. Loop it around the string and pull it back toward the center of the headstock. It takes a little practice to do this while keeping some tension on the string with your other hand, but this method ensures that the string locks into place. Now start turning the peg counter-clockwise so that the string winds around the inside of the post. By the time the string is tuned up to pitch, it should have wound around the post at least three times but not enough to cross over itself. Cut off the excess string with a pair of wire clippers and bend the remaining stub back so it doesn’t poke you.
Repeat this procedure for the remaining five strings, working your way from the lowest to the highest. After you’ve installed all six strings, you need to stretch them so they’ll stay in tune. Tune the guitar to approximate pitch and then give each string a gentle tug at about the 12th fret. Be careful not to snap the thinner treble strings. Now tune the guitar to pitch and repeat the stretching routine four or five times, until the guitar stays in tune. On guitars with locking tremolos, you’ll have to tighten the screws on the locking nut.
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