How to Change Your Guitar Strings: A Step-by-Step Guide

Whether you’re a seasoned guitarist or just starting, knowing how to change your guitar strings is an essential skill that can significantly impact your instrument’s sound and playability. Strings wear out over time, and changing them regularly ensures your guitar always sounds its best. 

Here, we will walk you through the process of changing strings on both electric and acoustic guitars, as well as provide tips on choosing the right strings and how often they should be replaced.

Why It’s Important to Change Your Guitar Strings

Guitar strings don’t last forever. Over time, they accumulate dirt, oil, and sweat from your fingers, which can dull their tone and make them harder to play. Worn-out strings can lead to tuning instability, intonation issues, and can even break during a performance.

Changing your strings regularly keeps your guitar sounding bright and vibrant. Fresh strings provide better tuning stability, a clearer tone, and a more comfortable playing experience. Whether you’re practising at home or performing on stage, fresh strings ensure your guitar performs at its peak.

Types of Guitar Strings

Before you buy your new strings, it’s important to understand the different types of guitar strings available, as this can affect your tone and playability.

Material

1. Nickel-Plated Steel Strings: These are common for electric guitars and offer a balanced tone with a bit of brightness. They’re versatile and suitable for various genres.
2. Stainless Steel Strings: Known for their bright tone and durability, stainless steel strings are resistant to corrosion, making them a good choice for players with acidic sweat or who live in humid environments.
3. Phosphor Bronze Strings: Popular for acoustic guitars, phosphor bronze strings offer a warm, rich tone with good clarity. They’re perfect for fingerstyle playing and genres like folk or blues.
4. 80/20 Bronze Strings: These strings are a mix of 80% copper and 20% zinc, providing a bright, crisp tone. They are great for strumming and cutting through in a mix.

Gauge

The gauge of the string refers to its thickness, usually measured in thousandths of an inch. Lighter gauges (like .009 for electric or .011 for acoustic) are easier to play and bend but can be more prone to breakage. Heavier gauges (like .011 or .013 for electric, .012 or .014 for acoustic) offer a fuller tone and more volume but can be harder on your fingers, especially for beginners.

How Often Should You Change Your Strings?

How often you change your strings depends on several factors, including how often you play, your playing style, and your environment. If you play daily, you might need to change your strings every month. Casual players might find changing them every 2-3 months sufficient.

Signs that it’s time to change your strings include:

• Difficulty staying in tune
• A dull or lifeless tone
• Visible corrosion or discoloration
• A rough or gritty feel under your fingers

Now that you know why and when to change your strings, let’s look at how you do it!

Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Guitar Strings

Tools You’ll Need

• A string winder (optional but helpful)
• Wire cutters
• A tuner
• A clean cloth
• New strings

1. Loosen the Old Strings

Start by loosening the tension of the old strings. You can do this by turning the tuning pegs counterclockwise. If you have a string winder, it will speed up the process. Once loose, use the wire cutters to snip the strings around the 12th fret.

2. Remove the Old Strings

For electric guitars, simply pull the strings out through the back of the bridge. For acoustic guitars, you’ll need to remove the bridge pins to release the strings. Use the notch in your string winder or a similar tool to gently lift the bridge pins out.

3. Clean Your Guitar

With the old strings removed, take the opportunity to clean your guitar’s fretboard and body. Use a clean cloth to wipe away any dirt or grime that has accumulated.

4. Install the New Strings

Start with the low E string. Insert the string through the bridge of the guitar. On an acoustic guitar, secure it by pushing the bridge pin back in place. Pull the string through and guide it towards the tuning peg.

5. Winding the Strings

Thread the string through the hole in the tuning peg, leaving some slack. Begin winding by turning the peg clockwise, ensuring the string wraps neatly around the peg. It’s best to have the first few wraps go over the string end and the remaining wraps go under, locking it in place.

6. Tune the Strings

Once all the strings are installed and wound, use a tuner to bring each string up to pitch. Stretch each string by gently pulling it away from the fretboard, then re-tune. This helps the strings settle and stay in tune better.

7. Cut the Excess String

After tuning, use your wire cutters to trim the excess string ends close to the tuning pegs.

Changing your guitar strings might seem daunting at first, but with practice, it becomes a straightforward process. Regular string changes keep your guitar in top condition, ensuring it always sounds its best. Plus, experimenting with different types and gauges of strings allows you to discover the tones and playability that suit your style.

If you are not confident in changing your own guitar strings, come down to the Music Depot, where for a small fee, we will restring your guitar for you. Or, if you think it might be time for a new instrument altogether, you can browse our range of guitars here.