Changing guitar strings – how do you tie them?
When people talk about changing guitar strings, the word ‘tying’ quickly comes up. But not every type of string is actually tied. On a classical or Spanish guitar, you really do tie the nylon string in place by making a knot. On an electric, acoustic or bass guitar with steel strings, you simply wind the string without knotting. Both techniques largely determine whether your guitar stays in tune – and whether your strings break prematurely.
Electric guitar – how do you fit new guitar strings?
Many electric guitars have a bridge where the string runs through the body. Feed the ball-end (the little ball at the end of the string) up through the body from underneath until it locks into the bridge. Pull the string taut, pull the other end through the hole in the tuner and then wrap it twice around the tuning machine. Bring the string up to pitch by turning the machine and cut off the excess string. Leave around half a centimetre to one centimetre of string spare.
Acoustic guitar – how do you install steel strings?
Push the ball-end (the little ball at the end of the string) into the hole in the bridge, place the bridge pin on top with the groove facing the string and gently pull the string up until you feel the ball-end resting against the underside of the bridge plate. Then wrap the other end of the string twice around the tuning machine and feed the string through the hole in the tuning machine. Turn the tuning machines until the string reaches the correct pitch and cut off the excess string. Leave around half a centimetre to one centimetre of string spare.
Classical guitar – how do you tie nylon strings to the bridge and headstock?
Feed the end of the string through the hole in the bridge, working from top to bottom. Then make a loop of around ten centimetres, wrap the short end over the loop a few times and then pass it underneath the loop, so that you end up with a neat wrap. For the three thickest strings: wrap the short end twice around the long part of the string. For the three thinnest strings: wrap the short end three times around the long part of the string. Then pull the long end of the string tight, so the wrap locks itself against the bridge. This method prevents the string from being pulled loose while playing or tuning – a common cause of a classical guitar that ‘suddenly’ sounds a semitone flat. With classical tuning machines, you feed the other end of the string through the small hole in the roller at the headstock. Make another loop and then tie a small knot. That way the winding clamps itself tight under tension and you prevent the string from slipping loose.
Bass guitar – how do you replace bass strings?
Most bass guitars have a bridge where the string runs through the body. Feed the ball-end (the little ball at the end of the string) up through the body from underneath until it locks into the bridge. Pull the string taut and lay it along the tuning machine on the headstock. At the point where the string crosses the tuning machine, add around three to four centimetres to the string length. That’s where you cut the string. Then insert the string into the tuning machine from the top and bring it up to tension until it’s perfectly in tune. Essentially, with these tuning machines, you cut off the excess string before fitting the string.
Why it works
A string that isn’t properly secured is one of the silent causes behind a guitar that won’t stay in tune. So, always make sure your strings are fitted correctly. It takes a few extra minutes with every string change, but it saves you a lot of retuning while you’re playing. Not sure which strings best suit your guitar and playing style? Have a look at our blog covering everything about guitar strings or ask one of our luthiers for advice via the contact form. We’re happy to help!
