| For a newbie, this may seem a little | | | | |
| intimidating. But with the right tools, a | | | | If your guitar has a locking nut tremolo |
| little knowledge and some practice, you'll be | | | | (whammy bar) system you will have to unlock |
| able to restring an electric guitar like a | | | | it. It works best if you remove the clamps |
| professional guitar tech. When I was gigging | | | | completely and work with just the nut until |
| regularly, I would restring my guitar every | | | | the restringing process is done and the |
| week. My body chemistry is acidic and the | | | | strings are stretched and tuned. Then |
| sweat and oils from my hands would tend to | | | | replace the locking clamps and fine tune |
| dull the brightness of the strings as well as | | | | using the tuners on the tremolo bridge. |
| make them feel "dirty". For me, the bright | | | | |
| sound and smooth feel of a new set of strings | | | | · Use your string winder and loosen the |
| would inspire my playing. It became a ritual | | | | string until there is enough slack that you |
| for me the night before the weekend's gigs | | | | can unwind the string from the tuning post by |
| started. I would sit in front of the TV and | | | | hand. |
| restring my electric guitar; my acoustic was | | | | |
| much less frequent. | | | | · Use your wire cutters to cut off the |
| | | | curled end of the string and discard. Do |
| OK, so you've decided you don't want to pay | | | | this to minimize the chance of scratching the |
| the guys at the music store and you want to | | | | finish of your guitar. Push/pull the string |
| know how to restring an electric guitar | | | | back through the bridge slowly making sure it |
| yourself. Here is the list of tools and | | | | does not drag across the body. You don't |
| supplies you will need: | | | | want restringing your guitar to result in |
| | | | refinishing your guitar! |
| · A new set of strings (naturally!) Click | | | | |
| here for info on string sizes | | | | · Next, unwrap the appropriate new string. |
| | | | Insert it through the bridge of the guitar, |
| · A string winder (not required but very | | | | over the saddle, up the neck, over the nut |
| handy) | | | | and into the hole in the tuning post. Again |
| | | | make sure the trailing end of the string |
| · A pair of wire cutters | | | | doesn't drag across the guitar body. |
| | | | |
| · A guitar tuner (again, not required but | | | | · Start turning the tuner by hand making |
| helpful) | | | | sure the string wraps over the top of the |
| | | | tuning post. Ideally you want to have 3-4 |
| You will need to set aside about an hour of | | | | wraps of the string around the tuner, but |
| time to do this correctly, but like I stated | | | | this in nothing to stress over. |
| earlier, with practice you will know how to | | | | |
| restring your electric guitar in about 20-30 | | | | · Turn the tuner until the slack is out |
| minutes. | | | | and the string is properly seated in the nut |
| | | | and over the bridge saddle. |
| First thing to remember, do NOT remove all | | | | |
| six strings at the same time. The guitar | | | | · Next clip the excess string off close to |
| neck is designed to withstand the tension of | | | | the tuner and use your string winder to bring |
| the strings and if all of the tension is | | | | the string up to pitch. |
| removed for any significant amount of time | | | | |
| you could damage your guitar. | | | | · Use your digital tuner and tune to |
| | | | pitch. |
| Also, there are some guitars that are | | | | |
| literally held together by the string | | | | · Next, grab the string with your picking |
| tension. I remember reading a story about a | | | | hand halfway between the bridge and the nut |
| guy who had recently gotten hired as a guitar | | | | and lightly tug the string away from the |
| tech for the Ramones. Wanting to make a good | | | | fretboard. Do not pull real hard, just hard |
| impression on Johnny Ramone he decided to | | | | enough to pull the stretch out of the string |
| restring his guitar for him right before the | | | | and tighten it around the tuner post. |
| show. He removed all six strings and | | | | |
| Johnny's Mosrite guitar literally fell apart | | | | · Tune to pitch and repeat the stretching |
| in his hands. The string tension held the | | | | process until the string stays in tune. |
| whole guitar together! What's worse, the | | | | |
| bridge of the guitar bounced across the floor | | | | Now repeat the entire process for the |
| and fell down the air conditioning duct. | | | | remaining five strings. Know that the pitch |
| | | | of the new strings may fluctuate as you work |
| If I remember the story correctly, they spent | | | | on the remaining strings. This is especially |
| quite some time using a coat hanger and | | | | true with a Floyd Rose or similar type |
| chewing gum trying to rescue the bridge from | | | | floating bridge. When you have replaced and |
| the duct. He retrieved it and managed to | | | | stretched the last string make sure all six |
| keep his job, living to restring the guitar | | | | strings are still in tune. If you have a |
| another day. But not all six strings at | | | | locking tremolo system, replace the clamps |
| once! | | | | for the locking nut, tighten, and use the |
| | | | bridge fine tuners to get the proper pitch. |
| But I digress. Some people work in pairs of | | | | |
| strings at a time, I prefer to work on | | | | The final step is the best one; sit back, |
| individual strings. You will quickly decide | | | | crank up your amp and enjoy. Make sure you |
| what works best for you. Use this article as | | | | play something with lots of note bending in |
| a guideline to get you up to speed quickly. | | | | it and make sure the stretch is all played. |
| | | | |
| OK, let's get down to it. I always start | | | | Take satisfaction in knowing that you now |
| with the high E string (personal preference); | | | | know how to restring an electric guitar. |
| it helps keep me organized. | | | | |