Stringing Your Guitar
General Thoughts
Time to change strings? Whatever brought you there (broken sting or stings turning green) there are some things you may
want to consider before you get started. What follows is by no means comprehensive, but hopefully you will find some useful tips. Stringing is something you can do yourself, though it is not at all expensive to have someone do it for you and you may want to consider that option.
The only really, really bad thing you can do is to put on a string that is not intended for your instrument. One of the most
common errors committed is putting high tension steel strings on a guitar meant for nylon. This was done frequently on old parlor or classical guitars when someone decided they wanted more volume or they just thought they had to play steel strings. The results include popped bridges, bowed necks, popped tops and broken braces. None of these are easy fixes.
Some newer guitars come with instructions that can be seen htrough the sound hole: “light strings only”, etc. There may be
instructions in the warranty (which might be limited if you incorrectly string it). Before you change strings, make sure they are the type and tension recommended for your instrument – if you don’t know then ask a luthier, a dealer, or check with the company. If someone says it doesn’t matter at all, ask someone else.
Changing strings is not entirely without some hazards. Strings can break when you put them on, bridge pins can pop out, and string ends are almost as sharp as the needle at the doctor’s office. If you aren’t comfortable with doing somewhat intricate manual work – pay the $10 or $15 for someone to do it for you. They can also check for other issues with the instrument in the process.
• Use the right kind of string for your instrument.
When to Change
Change strings whenever you want to. If you listen, you may hear the need. Or there will be other obvious moments like: a
string breaks, strings are hard to tune or seem not to stay in tune, or they just look really nasty! If you have a particular string that is always breaking you might have a luthier look at it. It may be caused by something that you would want fixed.
In case you’re curious, what goes on with old metal strings (similar to nylon in some ways) is difficult to see but happens nonetheless. The metal actually fatigues with age, corrosion builds up, the metal becomes distorted. The harmonics, that
are usually “in harmony” with the note being played, become impure or irregular. At that point, you are basically using a string that is no longer “in harmony” with itself. Time to change strings.
• Change strings when you decide they need to be changed.
Getting Started
I have yet to come across anything perfect in my life, and don’t believe there is a perfect or absolute way to put on strings. If what you’re doing works then there’s probably no reason to change. On the other hand, if there are problems (string doesn’t stay in tune or frequently breaks), then why not try something different.
Know your instrument and what strings are appropriate for it. Choose strings that sound good to you, and remember what they are. For me it works well to keep the empty string package label in the case or to have an extra set in the case for that emergency situation. Changing type and gauge of string may impact the playability and the sound in ways you won’t like.
At the post or spindle there are a couple of general issues (I think of the “post” as what sticks up through the headstock and the “spindle” as the piece on a slotted headstock, steel or nylon). Ideally, you will have about three complete wraps in order to secure the string. That means you will need about two inches of loose string as you begin to tighten it (find the length that
works).
When dealing with the leftover string at the post or spindle, you have several options. Some people wrap it neatly and leave the extra length, some cut the string close to the post or spindle. Some folks used to leave enough string to puncture their cigarette and leave it dangle while they played a tune – now that was cool! Regardless of the string type, I generally prefer to cut close to the post if it penetrates the headstock and within about ½ inch of the spindle if it has a slotted headstock.
The length of time for a string to “break in” varies greatly by type. Nylon seems to take forever while steel takes very
little time. If you gently tug the strings once you’ve put them on you can reduce the amount of break in time. Tug just a bit a few inches away from the bridge then continue the tugging up the fret board and relax the string. Do this a couple of times, retune, and you should be ready to go.
I’ve read some materials saying that the guitar will be harmed if you take all the strings off at once, but I have not found that to be true. If you don’t take them all off at once on occasion it’s difficult to take care of the fret board. If you do take them all off at once and you have a moveable bridge it may fall off, so be careful. Taking all the strings off and leaving an instrument may give it some opportunity to shift, so if you are simply putting it to rest for a period of time and not changing strings you may want to consider just loosening tension a step or two.
Finally, it is important that the string be secured at both ends. There seems to be lots written about tying the loose end of the string at the post or spindle, but I have a few thoughts on the anchoring side as well.
• A change in string gauge may impact the set up.
• New strings take time to break in – be prepared to exercise patience and retune.
• If you cut the leftover string at the headstock – throw it away as it can present a hazard to children and pets.
• Both ends of the string must be well secured.
Acoustic Steel strings
Anchoring strings well on a steel string guitar with a bridge and traditional bridge pins is important. As you put the string
into the hole and then the push in the bridge pin, you want to make sure that the ball end of the string rests against the bridge plate inside and that it is aligned. By aligned I mean that the ball should be towards the slot in the bridge pin towards the neck. If the ball is not resting against the bridge plate on the inside of the guitar, the string may slip, you may loose tuning, the pin could pop out, or it could eat away at the bridge plate as the string pulls taught. If the ball rests to the side of the pin, it could have similar results. Watch carefully as you insert the string, and as you put in the pin. If you don’t have a sense of how the ball is sitting, you can use a mirror to look inside.
Tying off the string is easier if you think about the end result. You want about two or three wraps around the post (most steel string acoustics and electrics will have posts) and you want the wraps going down the post not up it. Push the string through the hole, then draw back about 2 -3 inches – you’ll figure out how far as you watch and practice. Kink the string on the side of the hole towards the center line of the neck, and on the other side away from the center line of the neck.
For the treble, unwound strings, the first half wrap should be above the hole in the post and later wraps all below. This will
“lock” the string between the upper wind and lower wind. (I have read some folks suggest that locking the string by bringing the far end back and looping around itself will cause breakage, but I did it for 30 years and never broke one by using that locking method.) On the bass strings all wraps can all go below the hole on the post.
Tying off at the post is the same process for an acoustic guitar or mandolin with a trapeze or similar tailpiece.
Nylon
Anchoring a classical string can drive you nuts, and that probably explains the availability of nylon strings with ball ends. Ball ends on nylon strings make life simpler, but you probably will never see a classical guitarist use them.
I’ve seen, and struggled, with lots of different anchoring styles and systems, and the easiest and most consistent one I’ve found for me is what I describe here. The often floppy end does not go to the bridge, but the other more solidly wound end does. The string passes from the neck through the hole in the bridge and you will need about two inches for anchoring. Hold the neck side of the string towards the head and loop the other end around the treble side of the string (the side away from you), under the long part of the string, then under itself, over and under again. The very end of the string you will hold at the back of the bridge almost on the top of the guitar and then pull the long part taught.
The end that goes around the roller is much like the steel acoustic described earlier. The string goes through the hole, pull
back about two inches, but the next step is different. I always loop nylon strings around themselves to anchor it as it winds. This has always worked for me and seems pretty easy.
Electric Guitars
There is little to say here about anchoring electric guitar strings. Through the body and through the bridge makes it quick
and simple.
If you are working with a standard post with a hole in the side, see the description for the acoustic. If you are working on a model where you push the string down into the post, the only trick is figuring out how much string to allow. My standby, as you may have guessed, is about 2-3 inches. You pull the string to the post, add 2-3 inches and cut. Then push the end into the hole, bend the rest of it down and keep the string low as you wind so that the winds keep going down and not up the post.
Last Words?
Does any of this matter? I know folks who have put their own strings on in ways that others would consider “wrong”, and they have done it that way for years. I go back to an earlier comment – if it works for you it’s probably OK as long as it
is the appropriate string for the instrument. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Play and enjoy.
Ed Cunliff, MandoAiki
You are welcome to use this article on your website, blog, or in your newsletter as long as you include this complete credit line: Copyright 2008 Ed Cunliff.
Time to change strings? Whatever brought you there (broken sting or stings turning green) there are some things you may
want to consider before you get started. What follows is by no means comprehensive, but hopefully you will find some useful tips. Stringing is something you can do yourself, though it is not at all expensive to have someone do it for you and you may want to consider that option.
The only really, really bad thing you can do is to put on a string that is not intended for your instrument. One of the most
common errors committed is putting high tension steel strings on a guitar meant for nylon. This was done frequently on old parlor or classical guitars when someone decided they wanted more volume or they just thought they had to play steel strings. The results include popped bridges, bowed necks, popped tops and broken braces. None of these are easy fixes.
Some newer guitars come with instructions that can be seen htrough the sound hole: “light strings only”, etc. There may be
instructions in the warranty (which might be limited if you incorrectly string it). Before you change strings, make sure they are the type and tension recommended for your instrument – if you don’t know then ask a luthier, a dealer, or check with the company. If someone says it doesn’t matter at all, ask someone else.
Changing strings is not entirely without some hazards. Strings can break when you put them on, bridge pins can pop out, and string ends are almost as sharp as the needle at the doctor’s office. If you aren’t comfortable with doing somewhat intricate manual work – pay the $10 or $15 for someone to do it for you. They can also check for other issues with the instrument in the process.
• Use the right kind of string for your instrument.
When to Change
Change strings whenever you want to. If you listen, you may hear the need. Or there will be other obvious moments like: a
string breaks, strings are hard to tune or seem not to stay in tune, or they just look really nasty! If you have a particular string that is always breaking you might have a luthier look at it. It may be caused by something that you would want fixed.
In case you’re curious, what goes on with old metal strings (similar to nylon in some ways) is difficult to see but happens nonetheless. The metal actually fatigues with age, corrosion builds up, the metal becomes distorted. The harmonics, that
are usually “in harmony” with the note being played, become impure or irregular. At that point, you are basically using a string that is no longer “in harmony” with itself. Time to change strings.
• Change strings when you decide they need to be changed.
Getting Started
I have yet to come across anything perfect in my life, and don’t believe there is a perfect or absolute way to put on strings. If what you’re doing works then there’s probably no reason to change. On the other hand, if there are problems (string doesn’t stay in tune or frequently breaks), then why not try something different.
Know your instrument and what strings are appropriate for it. Choose strings that sound good to you, and remember what they are. For me it works well to keep the empty string package label in the case or to have an extra set in the case for that emergency situation. Changing type and gauge of string may impact the playability and the sound in ways you won’t like.
At the post or spindle there are a couple of general issues (I think of the “post” as what sticks up through the headstock and the “spindle” as the piece on a slotted headstock, steel or nylon). Ideally, you will have about three complete wraps in order to secure the string. That means you will need about two inches of loose string as you begin to tighten it (find the length that
works).
When dealing with the leftover string at the post or spindle, you have several options. Some people wrap it neatly and leave the extra length, some cut the string close to the post or spindle. Some folks used to leave enough string to puncture their cigarette and leave it dangle while they played a tune – now that was cool! Regardless of the string type, I generally prefer to cut close to the post if it penetrates the headstock and within about ½ inch of the spindle if it has a slotted headstock.
The length of time for a string to “break in” varies greatly by type. Nylon seems to take forever while steel takes very
little time. If you gently tug the strings once you’ve put them on you can reduce the amount of break in time. Tug just a bit a few inches away from the bridge then continue the tugging up the fret board and relax the string. Do this a couple of times, retune, and you should be ready to go.
I’ve read some materials saying that the guitar will be harmed if you take all the strings off at once, but I have not found that to be true. If you don’t take them all off at once on occasion it’s difficult to take care of the fret board. If you do take them all off at once and you have a moveable bridge it may fall off, so be careful. Taking all the strings off and leaving an instrument may give it some opportunity to shift, so if you are simply putting it to rest for a period of time and not changing strings you may want to consider just loosening tension a step or two.
Finally, it is important that the string be secured at both ends. There seems to be lots written about tying the loose end of the string at the post or spindle, but I have a few thoughts on the anchoring side as well.
• A change in string gauge may impact the set up.
• New strings take time to break in – be prepared to exercise patience and retune.
• If you cut the leftover string at the headstock – throw it away as it can present a hazard to children and pets.
• Both ends of the string must be well secured.
Acoustic Steel strings
Anchoring strings well on a steel string guitar with a bridge and traditional bridge pins is important. As you put the string
into the hole and then the push in the bridge pin, you want to make sure that the ball end of the string rests against the bridge plate inside and that it is aligned. By aligned I mean that the ball should be towards the slot in the bridge pin towards the neck. If the ball is not resting against the bridge plate on the inside of the guitar, the string may slip, you may loose tuning, the pin could pop out, or it could eat away at the bridge plate as the string pulls taught. If the ball rests to the side of the pin, it could have similar results. Watch carefully as you insert the string, and as you put in the pin. If you don’t have a sense of how the ball is sitting, you can use a mirror to look inside.
Tying off the string is easier if you think about the end result. You want about two or three wraps around the post (most steel string acoustics and electrics will have posts) and you want the wraps going down the post not up it. Push the string through the hole, then draw back about 2 -3 inches – you’ll figure out how far as you watch and practice. Kink the string on the side of the hole towards the center line of the neck, and on the other side away from the center line of the neck.
For the treble, unwound strings, the first half wrap should be above the hole in the post and later wraps all below. This will
“lock” the string between the upper wind and lower wind. (I have read some folks suggest that locking the string by bringing the far end back and looping around itself will cause breakage, but I did it for 30 years and never broke one by using that locking method.) On the bass strings all wraps can all go below the hole on the post.
Tying off at the post is the same process for an acoustic guitar or mandolin with a trapeze or similar tailpiece.
Nylon
Anchoring a classical string can drive you nuts, and that probably explains the availability of nylon strings with ball ends. Ball ends on nylon strings make life simpler, but you probably will never see a classical guitarist use them.
I’ve seen, and struggled, with lots of different anchoring styles and systems, and the easiest and most consistent one I’ve found for me is what I describe here. The often floppy end does not go to the bridge, but the other more solidly wound end does. The string passes from the neck through the hole in the bridge and you will need about two inches for anchoring. Hold the neck side of the string towards the head and loop the other end around the treble side of the string (the side away from you), under the long part of the string, then under itself, over and under again. The very end of the string you will hold at the back of the bridge almost on the top of the guitar and then pull the long part taught.
The end that goes around the roller is much like the steel acoustic described earlier. The string goes through the hole, pull
back about two inches, but the next step is different. I always loop nylon strings around themselves to anchor it as it winds. This has always worked for me and seems pretty easy.
Electric Guitars
There is little to say here about anchoring electric guitar strings. Through the body and through the bridge makes it quick
and simple.
If you are working with a standard post with a hole in the side, see the description for the acoustic. If you are working on a model where you push the string down into the post, the only trick is figuring out how much string to allow. My standby, as you may have guessed, is about 2-3 inches. You pull the string to the post, add 2-3 inches and cut. Then push the end into the hole, bend the rest of it down and keep the string low as you wind so that the winds keep going down and not up the post.
Last Words?
Does any of this matter? I know folks who have put their own strings on in ways that others would consider “wrong”, and they have done it that way for years. I go back to an earlier comment – if it works for you it’s probably OK as long as it
is the appropriate string for the instrument. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Play and enjoy.
Ed Cunliff, MandoAiki
You are welcome to use this article on your website, blog, or in your newsletter as long as you include this complete credit line: Copyright 2008 Ed Cunliff.