Whether you are a serious guitar player or play the instrument occasionally, you must learn to change strings. Also you should have the knowledge of when to change your guitar strings. Even seasonal guitarists have to change their guitar strings at least after 3 months or 4 months. Luckily, changing strings on an electric guitar involves a straightforward process, which we have discussed here.
Process 1-Removal of Old Strings
Change the Strings When They Become Gummy, Rusty, or Go out of Tone Quickly
If you are a professional guitar player, you must change the strings frequently. A few musicians of the musical band change their guitar strings weekly. If the strings become sticky or you have to re-tune the instrument frequently, you should get new guitar strings. Besides, one should change the strings before playing a big gig, as it will avoid any unexpected breaking.
Check the Path of Each Guitar String before its Removal
If you are new to tuning, you want a good sense of the guitar’s looks. For this, capture a photo of the strings or simply check a picture of the type of your electric acoustic guitar online. You only require a good sense of the attached strings before beginning the changing process. A few guitars have winding patterns or special holes across the strings. In this situation, avoid cutting the strings off without watching everything closely.
Adopt Down Tuning to Loose the Old Guitar Strings
Turn the peg or tuning machine to lose each string enough so that you may unwind and pull it out easily. When you lose the strings at the time of plucking them, they will produce deeper sounds. Even though you may cut off the strings, the method will ease the tension gradually. Loosening of the strings is recommendable, as you may reuse any old string if you accidentally break it at the time of restringing. However, you must take the following precautions-
- If you are a novice, you must lose a single string at one time and replace it properly. Repeat the same procedure with other strings as well.
- Once the string becomes loose, you may unwind the guitar string off its tuning peg and free the string from your guitar’s neck.
Remove the Guitar Strings from its Bridge
In the case of a regular guitar bridge or similar types of guitar strings, you only have to pull the strings from the back area of your guitar. To make everything easy, you must push the strings carefully by providing slack and allowing easy gripping. Later, you should grab the string with a donut-shaped and small metal and pull it from your guitar slowly. Many guitars have straightforward and simple strings. Hence, you only have to select a particular string from the guitar to unstring it.
Clean the Unstrung Guitar by Using a Cloth free from Lint
Any cloth free from lint may easily remove the grime, dirt, and dust from your guitar’s neck. In this way, your guitar looks good and safeguards its new strings. If you want deeper cleaning of your guitar, you must buy a fret-cleaner available easily from any local music shop.
Process 2-Restring Your Guitar
Buy the Right Guitar Strings
In most cases, you get guitar strings of regular weights. Even though a few guitarists use heavy gauges or odd string configurations, you cannot get a string set if your guitar is unfit for it. Heavy strings for guitars may warp or bend across the neck without adjustment. Hence, you must stick to regular ones only to make the most of your guitars.
Lay Your Guitar on a Soft and Flat Surface
You must give enough room to work on your electric guitar by laying it down on a table. Doing so will let you adjust the instrument comfortably. You must place a blanket or towel below it to avoid scratching and scuffing. A few people prefer to rest the guitar head on its edge to allow easy tuning.
Turn the Tuning Post Hole
The tuning posthole must point away from your acoustic guitar string to keep it parallel to one of your guitar frets. If you have to hold your guitar to play it, the hole must point up to produce a better sound.
Thread the Guitar Strings from the Bridge and in the Tuning Pegs
Lastly, you must thread the guitar strings from inside of your guitar to its out. Many guitarists often start with the heaviest string i.e. top E. Later, you must slide the string in its opposite direction to take out other strings and let them run via the holes present in the tuning peg. Doing so will pull the string away from the instrument.
Therefore, every guitarist must change the strings of their electric guitar frequently and the number of times depends solely on guitar bridges and their applications.
