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