How to Change Guitar Strings

Prepared by: Elliott Nichols

Prepared for: Terry Smith
TECM 2700 11:00 A.M.-11:50 A.M.
Friday, May 02, 2014


Table of Contents
iii
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... iii
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 5
Familiarization ................................................................................................................................ 3
When to Change Guitar Strings .................................................................................................. 3
Guitar Anatomy .......................................................................................................................... 3
1. Tuning Pegs ........................................................................................................................ 3
2. Machine Heads.................................................................................................................... 3
3. Nut...................................................................................................................................... 4
4. Bridge .................................................................................................................................. 4
5. Back panel ........................................................................................................................... 4
Required Tools and Items ........................................................................................................... 4
String Winder (Recommended) .............................................................................................. 5
Wire Cutters ............................................................................................................................ 5
String Removal ............................................................................................................................... 7
Loosen the Strings....................................................................................................................... 7
Clip the loose strings ................................................................................................................... 7
Unwind Loose Strings from the Machine Heads ........................................................................ 7
Remove Old Strings from the Bridge ......................................................................................... 7
Clean the Fret Board (recommended) ......................................................................................... 8
String Addition................................................................................................................................ 9
Place the New Strings in the Bridge ........................................................................................... 9
Identify each string ................................................................................................................. 9
Grab the Thickest String ......................................................................................................... 9
Feed the String through the Back Panel .................................................................................. 9
Tighten the String in Place .......................................................................................................... 9
Feed the String through the Machine Head ............................................................................ 9
Apply Slack ........................................................................................................................... 10
Tighten the Tension on the String ......................................................................................... 10
Prepare for Play......................................................................................................................... 10
Clip the Excess String ........................................................................................................... 10
Tune the Guitar ..................................................................................................................... 10
Index ............................................................................................................................................. 11


v
Introduction

When a guitar is in the right hands, a combination of notes can sound like a beautiful
movement. Properly strung guitars and appropriately maintained equipment will help create the
bridge from musician to masterpiece. However, any guitarists will tell you that without the
proper strings and proper tuning, that beautiful movement can turn into a musical travesty.
The purpose of this instruction manual is to provide the reader with specific steps on
how to remove, add, and ultimately change electric guitar strings. The manual will be broken
down into three sections; familiarization, string removal, and string addition. I will be using a
Canadian Vintage Godin Model SD electric guitar to demonstrate how to replace strings
Familiarization
3
Familiarization

Throughout the course of this manual, we will use
terms regarding parts of the guitar. We will also
introduce several tools needed to change guitar
strings. You must familiarize yourself with these.

When to Change Guitar Strings

Guitar strings will look dirty from overuse. Overuse
can dull the tone of the guitar strings. If you see that
your strings are dirty, use that as an opportunity to
replace them. A broken string also indicates overuse.

Guitar Anatomy

The bodies of most guitars have an average of 20 parts, but for the purposes of changing strings,
we only use 5. These 5 include the tuning pegs, the machine heads, the nut, the bridge, and the
back panel. Below are the 5 parts of the guitar, identified by their corresponding number on the
figure on the top right.

1. Tuning Pegs

The tuning pegs are found on top of the
headstock. The tuning pegs control the
tension of the string. Turning the tuning peg
clockwise will create less tension in the
string, and lower the pitch. Whereas turning
the peg counter clockwise will create more
tension in the string, and raise the pitch.

2. Machine Heads

The machine heads are located directly
underneath the tuning pegs in the figure to
the right. In essence the tuning pegs and
machine heads work together. The string is
fed through the machine head, and the
machine head is rotated by turning the tuning
pegs.


How to Change Guitar Strings
8
3. Nut

The nut on the guitar is the white band that stretches across
the top end of the fingerboard or neck. The nut has six small
crevices used to hold each string in place. The purpose of the
nut is to properly align the strings. The strings must be
aligned correctly on the nut to be tuned correctly.

4. Bridge

The bridge is located towards the base of the guitar on the
body. The bridge holds the string tight in place. The strings
are fed through the bridge and laid across the fret board.


5. Back panel

A panel can be found on the back of the guitar. In the figure to
the right, I removed the panel. The back panel is used to feed
strings through to the bridge so that they will be locked in
place.


Required Tools and Items

Strings

Changing strings require a complete new set of strings. You
must use new strings. Strings are available for purchase at an
extreme majority of music shops and most pawn shops. As
the size goes up, the strings get thicker and have a darker
tone. Size 9 and 10 strings are considered a moderate size
amongst guitarists. I will be using size ten Ernie Ball nickel
wound guitar strings to replace my old strings.






Familiarization
5
String Winder (Recommended)

Although this component isnt completely necessary
to change guitar strings, you will find that it makes
the process much more expedient. The string winder
is applied to the tuning pegs and then rotated rapidly
to decrease or increase tension quickly.

Wire Cutters

Both the removal and addition guitar strings
involves clipping. In order to cut the guitar strings
you must use a wire cutter. Scissors will strip and
shave the strings, but not cut. Therefore a wire
cutter is the best tool for this job.
String Removal
7
String Removal

Once you have gathered all of your materials you will be able to change your strings. Before you
are able to put new strings on, however, you must first take your old strings off.

Loosen the Strings

Loosen the tension of your strings by rotating the tuning peg.
Check if you are loosening or tightening the strings by plucking
the string as you rotate the tuning peg. If the pitch gets lower as
you rotate, you are loosening the tension.

The tuning pegs take many rotations to loosen the strings. To
check if the strings are loose enough, grab the string you are
loosening where the guitar neck meets the body. Then, pull the
string away from the body. You should have at least 2 inches of
space between the string and the body for the string to be loose
enough to remove.

Clip the loose strings

Hold the loose strings above the fret board in one hand and clip
the same string above the pickup with the other hand. Holding the
strings while clipping makes cutting easier and prevents strings
from flinging dangerously.

Unwind Loose Strings from the Machine Heads

After you clip all of the strings, use your fingers and unwind the
string from each machine head. Pull the string through the hole in the machine head to remove it
from the guitar. Once you have removed all strings from the machine heads, dispose of the
strings by throwing them in the trash.

Remove Old Strings from the Bridge

Once you have removed the strings from the machine heads.
Push the remaining strings towards the bridge and through
the back panel. Once you see the end of the string
protruding from the back panel, grab the string and pull it
through the back of the guitar. After you have removed all
strings from the bridge, dispose of the strings by throwing
them in the trash.
How to Change Guitar Strings
8
Clean the Fret Board (recommended)

Now that there are literally no strings attached, you have an
opportunity to safely clean the fret or fingerboard. You need a
damp cloth and a dry cloth. Clean the fret board by gently wiping
the grime and dirt off of each fret with the wet cloth. Then wipe
excess water away with the dry cloth.
String Addition
9
String Addition

Place the New Strings in the Bridge
Identify each string

Once you have a new package of strings, open it and take the
individually packaged strings out. The number on the package
represents the diameter in thousandths of an inch of each string.
When the number is higher on the package, the string is thicker
and has a lower pitch.
Grab the Thickest String

Open the package with the thickest string inside. In this case, the thickest string is size 46. The
thickest string is the E string. The E string is the top string on the guitar, or the furthest string
from the volume knobs. Grab the E string indicated by the highest numbered package. Then turn
the guitar over and find the back panel.
Feed the String through the Back Panel

On each guitar string you will find one end has a knob, and the
other side has the open string at the end. After you find the back
panel, feed the open end of the guitar string through the same
hole that you removed the broken E string from earlier.
Push it through until you can see the open end coming out of the
bridge. Pull the string away from the bridge on the other side of
the guitar until the knob of the string goes through the hole in
the back panel, and locks in place under the bridge.
Then use the next thickest string, the A string, and feed it
through the hole adjacent to the E string. Repeat this process
until all strings are locked in place in the bridge.

Tighten the String in Place
Feed the String through the Machine Head

Grab the open end of the E string string and feed it through the
machine head closest to the neck and body of the guitar. Align
the string so that it falls into proper the slot in the nut. Pull the
string through as much as you can.

How to Change Guitar Strings
10

Apply Slack

Place your hand on the string in-between the nut and the machine
head on the guitar. Press the string towards the headstock of the
guitar to create space in between the string and the neck. This allows
room for the string to coil around the machine head.
Tighten the Tension on the String

While still applying slack with one hand, rotate the tuning peg
counter clockwise with the other hand. As you rotate the tuning peg,
make sure that each time the string wraps around the machine
head, the string it is coiling downward toward the bottom of the
machine head. Also consistently check that the string is in place
on the nut.
Once the string starts resisting the slack from your hand, rotate
the tuning peg slowly to avoid breaking the string. As you
rotate the tuning peg, pluck the string over the bridge and listen
for a pitch. If you can hear a pitch, then that string is secure and
in place. You can repeat the previous three steps for the next
thickest string until all strings are in place.

Prepare for Play
Clip the Excess String

After each string is secure and in place, you must cut the
excess string off of the machine head. Place the wire cutters
on the string flush up against the machine head. Clip the
string as close as possible to the machine head. Clip as much
excess string as you can.
Tune the Guitar

Lastly, to prepare you guitar, you must properly tune it. You can
use a tuner, a friend, or the harmonic method to tune your guitar.
Once all of the strings are in tune, you have successfully replaced
the strings on an electric guitar.



Index
11
Index
A string, 9
back panel, 4, 7, 9
body, 4, 7, 9
bridge, 5, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10
E string, 9
fret, 4, 7, 8
Fret Board, iii, 8
headstock, 3, 10
machine head, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10
machine heads, 3, 7
neck, 4, 7, 9, 10
nut, 3, 4, 10
pitch, 3, 7, 9, 10
slack, 10
String Winder, iii, 5
tuning pegs, 3, 5, 7
volume knobs, 9
wire cutter, 5