Restringing Your Guitar

I've noticed a problem, people (especially begginers) don't really know what to do with the most important (and occasionally most annoying) part of your guitars playablity. Don't deny it, you can't play properly with out all your strings, to*ser c'mon don't argue, I'm right. So I'm gonnna help you learn what to do with your ever more precious little nickel lines.

Part A: Chosing Your Strings

Ok very important, the strings you will need depend essentially j*ew on what you want to play and what guitar you play, or more to the point, what kind of bridge your guitar has.

For instance a c*ckshaft Floyd Rose bridge won't take strings with a 11-56 gauge, it'll break your guitar. So heres a rough guideline:

Type Of Music:

- Rock: Nickel wound 9-42
- Jazz/blues: Flat wound (more expensive) 10-52
- Country: Steel/nickel wound 10-42
- Metal: Rhytm, Nickel 9-42: Lead Nickel 8-38
- Heavy Metal: Steel 11-58
- Punk rock: Nickel 10-48
- Reggae/funk/hiphop: steel 8-38
- Classical: Flat wound 10-52
- Baritone: Steel/nickel 12-65

Type Of Bridge On Guiatar:

- Hardtail: whatever you want
- Floating tremolo: low gauge "8's" or standard "9's". no heavy
- Stop bar: whatever you want
- Floyd rose: Standard, it just wont take anything else.

Part B: Fitting preparing your guitar.

If you have a hard tail guitar, like a les paul for example. You d--khead can take off all the strings at once by loosening them and then cutting them off with wire cutters. After that clean your fret board and get-rid of any unwanted dust c--k and skin on the pick-ups and scratch plate.

But if you have a Floating Bridge, the strings must be done one at a time. Starting with the high e string (string 1) loosen the string and cut it off, following the instructions for you ji*z specific guitar (some are very different) to regular. Then clean the area where the string you have just removed was. Put in a new string (wind around 3 times) and then tune up before removing the next string, Remember to always stretch a string when you fit it. Do this once you have tuned the string in. Put the fleshy bit of your index finger underneath the string at the 12th fret and pull upwards strongly enough to meet heavy resitance but not too much. Don't be afraid, strings often work at around about 200 pounds of pressure, it takes alot to break one by stretching it! Once you have done this until you are satisfied thats as much as the string needs (it takes about 15 seconds) re-tune and then repeat the procedure with the next string down.

Once you have fitted all the strings polish them with guitar polish, this will make them last longer and it will make your fingers smell of lemon. Something you cant brag to your mates about.

Once your satisfied play your guitar for about an hour, then re-tune. Do the same about 3 times, then remeber to re-tune every day. this will keep the strings in good condition.

Part C: Knowing when to execute your old strings.

Ok so you've been playing with these strings for about a month now, it doesnt metter how often you play, or how softly, oxygen will have begun to erode them along with the oils and acids from your fingers. Time to think seriously about a new set. If your wondering if you really need to check the tone compared to a guitar with new strings (or whatever s on your CD player) and then feel the underside of your strings. If there are little bumps where the frets are or there is a kink on one of the strings change them.

Part D: Acoustics

Just like electrics, but you'll have to use more expensive strings which are harder to put on and be extremely careful not to bend the neck. I think that's long enough, I'm surprised no-body thought of doing a coulumn on this before.

POSTED: 06/28/2004 - 11:08 am

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Comments

[thestripeswhite]

1st

[thestripeswhite]

good article it helped

[kingal]

great............

[BrofUJu]

Steel strings for metal... ok...

[TheAxeAbuser]

how can u play rock music with a 9-42? your rock music must sound really 'tinny and crap. i would say at least 10's, but i use 11's.

[the_beastly_one]

Shut up and write a good article.

[nirvanafan11111]

wots with all the swearing

[Johnismint2]

What purpose does it serve to swear in this article? Does it make you feel big and grown up to say naughty words that your mummy can't see you write?

It doesn't make your point any more valid by putting a swear word in, just makes your article a pain to read. Try again when you reach 12 years old

[janecoffin27]

Terrible. What an idiot.

[Blankapeeto]

10th

[)Eric(Draven]

Die.

[SRX700]

Wow the swearing makes u gay as hell.

[Burn in hell]

Worthless article

[Burn in hell]

Just like electrics, but you'll have to use more expensive strings which are harder to put on and be extremely careful not to bend the neck.

You must have stringed some really cheap ass acoustics guitars.

[WrappedInCold]

hmmm....
well.....umm...
...
to put it simply...
no

[Iam138]

Just like electrics, but you'll have to use more expensive strings which are harder to put on and be extremely careful not to bend the neck.

when i bought my accoustic strings they were the same price as electric

[Underhander]

good article

[RatiugLink]

Heavy Metal: Steel 11-58

Yes I think I'll go with those 11's so I can't do 1 1/2 step bends any more.

Bad article. The horrible innacuracy, needless swearing, opinions and poor layout brought it down.

[BigAndyW]

Yeah, bad article, laughable "string suggestions" for the types of music.

[biohazardous56]

why is this kid swearing?

[TwR]

My Floyd Rose hasn't "broken down" even though I use thicker strings.

[chinko]

why do you insist on writing swearwords when un-neccessary? your not popular because you wrote 'cock' or 'jizz', you just look like a prat

and oxygen doesnt erode, it 'oxidises'

[amotesharei]

the swearing was a touch of genious!!!
it made my day

[VoodooChild15]

You d--khead

Now was that really called for?!

[ravelg]

No no no... this article is completely inaccurate.

[Nostin]

This article was stupid. changing strings isn't brain surgery anyway you can figure it out without being told. The unnecessary swearing made this article all the more idiotic. 1 star.

[SuperSport350]

Sometimes you have to wonder what people are thinking when they write articles like this. Do you all ever think that maybe they write bad ones just to piss you all off?

[roach_head04]

i see no use for this article

[Codonah]

Thats a point we all must take into consideration SuperSprort350.

I dont like the article.

[Codonah]

And what was with all the out-of-no-were naughty language?

[Cyberknight4000]

Hey, why did this guy swear? Whats a cock?

[Burn in hell]

Cyberknight4000:
Hey, why did this guy swear? Whats a cock?

A rooster

[boxcarblink41]

lol burn in hell

[RevelationStorm]

I must say that this article was completely ruined by all the foul language and slams on beginners. Dude, you have no room to be talking when you say the word "beginner." You must be one since your string suggestions are way off. And you have a lack of vocabulary which makes you look utterly stupid. Man, learn how to write a good article and don't be so harsh on beginners. Concentrate on the subject of the article rather than swearing and using bad language to prove your ignorance.

[Corster]

a rooster yes,lol, rooster, good one man, hahaha, ok, this guy tried hard to write this, dont be such jackasses guys, be nice, say it wasnt a good article but dont dis the guy man, whats yer guyses problem?ya, the article wasnt that good, but dont diss him man, let him keep some pride....

[Corster]

i kinnda agree with revelationstorm,nice man, well said.

[DakotaFloyd182]

I agree with RevelationStorm...and I play rock music yet use 13's :|

[SingingSabre]

What's with the swearing? Moron.
Decent article.

[jeeba jaba]

bad article

[SBR]

just to say i've got a floyd rose and it is possible to switch gauges you just ajust the strigs.

[dangermouse]

The best way to find out what strings suit the type of guitar you have and music you want to play is ask the bloke who's selling it to you.

One point you should have covered is the need to adjust your set-up when you've changed string gauges.

[Rockstar_450]

the swearing makes this most crap article even worse! hahahaha sorry, but really. is this a joke?

[Rockstar_450]

your rating for your article would have been much higher if you hadn't sounded like such a try hard idiot ....

[jwilliams]

Stupid. Perhaps this flaming has taught you a lesson. Both condescending and stupid at the same time. Not a good combination. Could someone write a decent article on this topic, please? I'm sure most people came here looking for information and were sorely disappointed.

[Resiliance]

Metal lead.. 8 guage...

Oh come on man, come on.

Oh and by the way, you can add springs in a Floyd Rose.

[Emenius Sleepus]

TheAxeAbuser:
how can u play rock music with a 9-42? your rock music must sound really 'tinny and crap. i would say at least 10's, but i use 11's.

Jeff Hanneman from Slayer (I assume we all know who Slayer are?) uses 9's on his guitar. And makes some ***ing metal!. I use 10's on my Floyd'Rose Ibanez RG. But using 11's or 12's won't break it, you'll just have to get it set up. Heavy strings are used for slide. Especially with high action. Not a bad article, but could do with a bit more research where possible, and being more polite towards your readers will go a long way. I'll be honest, finally. This article was kinda very terrible.

[capitolimage111]

wait uhhhh....if i remember corectly thiers an intruction manual that comes with guitars and it tells how to change strings, so in other words ...usless article, lol

[Tom Martin]

Oh come on, give the man some credit, he's written the worst article so far this month, does that not deserve some credit?

Your article sucks, the string suggestions were pretty bad. The bridge information told us NOTHING. You don't need to change strings every month, and your bit on acoustics was 26 words long. Changing strings on acoustics is nothing like changing electring strings.

And as for the swearing, I was reading it, and I thought it must be part of a bet or something, because nobody would be stupid enough to just randomly swear in an article, would they? Jerk.

[Steph Bets]

SHUTUP. use whatever strings you want. you just read the back of some ghs boomers and said "ooh these have jazz blues on them they MUST be for jazz blues". different strigns have different tones. thicker strinks GENERALLY have better tone but are hard ot bend

[iliketaskate]

you didnt really tell pepl how to restring your guitar ...

What's all this crap about Floyd Roses not taking heavier guages? You just adjust the spring moron.

[lassise]

Once you have fitted all the strings polish them with guitar polish, this will make them last longer and it will make your fingers smell of lemon. Something you cant brag to your mates about.

DONT USE GUITAR POLISH ON THE NECK OF A GUITAR IT WILL RUIN IT WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!

and the random profanity wasnt funny either -- dumb article. and name one person on this site that doesnt know how to restring a guitar.

[letsgomurphys06]

dude, think this out and proofread it before you post it. Yuck.

[wasted guitarst]

never use elixer strings they suck both acoustic and electric never again will i use them

[lacey]

, oxygen will have begun to erode them

lmao, erode them
they oxidise idiot, wat a pathetic atempt of an article.the swearing didnt help either amd why would i wont to brag to my mates about my fingers smelling like lemon, and dont use polish on your guitar neck, it wrecks it.
1 star

[the fendernator]

yeah like no guitarist in the world ever knew how to restring a guitar before m8

[AcDcizzle]

Do you have Terrets or something because the vulgar language is all out of place,

PS I have no clue how to spell Terrets... Damn Education..

[Adam18Thomas]

Yeh the swearing wasnt necessary, and for the guy above me terrets is actually spelt tourettes.

[chinko]

and name one person on this site that doesnt know how to restring a guitar.

karma_carver, lol

yes this article sucked

[drevil814]

You suck!

[Preszombie]

What a waste of ***ing time.

[uragooch33]

you know what i wish i hadnt read that

[Blackened-World]

this guy has do to something about his obsession with cocks and jizz

[awesome-name]

im trying to understand why you used so much uncalled for language

[TheWalrus135]

blah blah blah blah

[Diceman42]

Bahaha. WELL. I didn't really need to know that, but I love the random and pointless swearing. Gave me a good chuckle.

[tC2oo4]

the swearing what was that all about? calling people who have les pauls dickheads and shit? how bout u fcuk off and write something useful.

[*Arch Dandy*]

crap article, zero stars

[bigboi82]

well..i wasted almost 9...no 10 minutes of my life reading this ***ing crap....c'mon man you know i'm right!

[evie]

bigboi82 wasted 10 minutes of his life reading this and then he postes a comment afterwards

[skateamerica35]

so how far was your head up your ass when you wrote this article?

[skateamerica35]

so how far was your head in your ass when you wrote this article?

[skateamerica35]

my bad didnt mean to say it twice^

[gooseholla]

This article sucks.

[bc2skaterpunk]

captain obvious strikes again

[offspring_punk]

wow this article sucks. and you seem to have a strange obsession with cock and jizz and massive cursing. are you gay? apparently...

[bigboi82]

well evie i had to let em know how i feel ..just like you

[cold_heat16]

what are those numbers, 9-42 and 10-52?

[sithian476]

^ string gauges...

and I use 11's on my floating trem, and it handles them beautifully...

[playonforever]

yay! I have butterflies and flowers coming out of my bum! I love my elevens, thicker guages rule even more.

[fender rocker16]

if you have a les paul you can wrap the string around the back of the bridge first before stringing the guitar. i dont personally have one but my friend does. he got the idea from zakk wilde. apparantly it makes the strings bend a lot easier for all you metal fans out there.

OH one more thing. How stupid do you have to be to not know how to string a guitar? even if you just started playing, you go to the store where you bought it and they show you. Who looks this crap up online anyway?

[IllegalMOFO]

not really......i play death/black metal i always use 10's

[koreazz7]

damm your stupid...

[Bizza]

Err, yeah....

Pretty rubbish really, badly written, didn't even mention the finer/rarer points of restringing, which might have actually been useful.

tut tut!

[strumntheguitar]

hmmm ok, so i was searching this site for an interesting article and saw this article that caught my attention. I was expecting accurate suggestions as for what type of strings to use for different music, and i'm betting that most beginners that don't know how to string a guitar (which i know a few, but not many) would have loved to read how to string a guitar rather than how not to write an article.

you are a moron, and the next article you write should be titled "How to Prove that you are a Moron" then copy and paste this article into it. And just for kicks, i'm gonna write an article right here that is at the equivalent level of your writing capability:

you dips--t i f-ckin hate you b-tch. you love the c-ck and are just p-ssed off cuz you j-zzed up you dog's a-- and he din't return the d-mn favor. F-CK YOU!!!

[harm0n20]

wow c-cks-cker article sucked major b-lls i wish you would burn in h-ll u f-gget.

[stm]

how 'bout you re-string your balls Captain Obvious

[maxvcore]

Um... I have .09mm first string, is that 9 guage or whatever? Oh, btw, I think terrets is spelt torrettes or something.

[chinko]

i say it again, this article really blowed.

i could write a better article if i could be arsed, or heres a re-enaction of the above article
Karma_karva wrote:

i suck C-CK and i like to j-zz over my brother for haha's, then i write a sh-t article on how to w-nk up a guitar

[BibaLin]

ok, this guy obviously doesnt know how to restring a guitar, the article wasnt even about that, it was about if you have a les paul, your a D__head. Dont listen to this guy, especially if ur a begginner.

8-38 for metal? Wtf! I play metal wit .10's on my Floyd Rose with my RG Custom. And... The Floyd Rose would probly be one of the strongest bridges.

This article is 100% fictional information. ONly to waste our time. May god have mercy on you.

[Damicksta2k]

Sorry, but that was pretty useless! Totally vague, and it didn't actually tell you how to physically change the strings on a guitar! And the swearing was totally needless, sorry mate.

[Damicksta2k]

Actually, rereading that article, it looks as though someone has just gone into the article and edited it, adding swear words completely at randum, none of the sentences woith the cursing make any sense whatsoever?!?!

[greatone_12]

ha the comments are more enjoyable to read than the artical

[irchan]

good

[bassdrum]

fa- stop writing such sh-t articles and stop the
f-ck-ng swearing. g-yw-d.

[Hugh .G.Rection]

I saw the cussing well I guess thats what it is at first I saw it and I thaught it was some code or something I was saying to my self what the *** and I was stunned for like two hours trying to figure it out

[Hugh .G.Rection]

then I started reading the comments and it cleared it up this didnt help at all so thanks for nothing

[pickpro 14]

As been said time and time again, that swearing made you sound like an idiot. If you don't know your stuff don't waste our time by writing about stuff you clearly know nothing about

[Vinura]

good articel...especially for BEGINNERS...all you people area real pro's at tuning and restringing...good for you..but u hav to realise that there area some people new to this site...some beginners...so these article are aimed at them...so stop your bitchin and post some positive comments even if u think the article sucked...he/she is trying to help you...

[all_or_none]

ha! sucks to be you!
flamed in front of the whole of UG! - i cringe on your behalf!

[webking537]

lolol, i was sitting pissing me pants as i read this, how old is this guy...3? cuz he cant cuss worth anything, it totally ruined the article, i didnt get a thing he said around the cusses that didnt fit, and DONT INSULT YOUR READER!!!!

[NWOAHM_cain]

difference between metal and heavy metal? u cant cover a WHOLE genre under metal, and then talk bout a different sub-genre of it

[allenm]

hey, if u are aiming at beginners, u have to explain stuff. a beginner probly doesnt even know wat type of neck he has, and wat u mean by all those different string types.

[allenm]

and dont insult the people ur aiming it at. for gods sake, that doesnt take a genius to fihure out.

[mtboarder12]

you forgot the most important parts and the most tedious parts (althought its easy once you get it) is actually winding them up on the tning pegs people that are ingornate need to know how to lock them in and all that jazz. As for the swearing: like all others have said, its really dumb and inmature im probably younger then you but hardly ever swear unless its at a pecker-head like you. It just isnt cute and dosent make your article easier to read. My time has been wasted becuase of screw balls like you. Go go suck your dad while you put polishing oil on your fretboard and then whine to your rich parents to buy you another guitar cuz you dont know diddly $hit about anything

[IlIkE2plygUItAr]

if stars coyld go into the negatives...

[Joey_Jordison]

I think it is complete not needed for the use of swearing in the article

[burndttoast]

I beg to differ; acoustics are much easier to tune than electrics.

[monkey_xxx2003]

no shit for the use of swearing...

...that it for the comment board
FUCK!

[titan metal]

monkey shut the FUCK up

[LeoKhenir]

What the? I work at a music store. I change strings all day. I NEVER have seen such much BS in my life. And what's with all the swearing? It really, really made the article suck (even more). Couple things that struck me:

Guitar polish on the strings? What the?? You smoking your socks or something? You mentally ill? You NEVER EVER put GUITAR polish on your STRINGS - your strings should be treated with STRING CLEANER (hence the name STRING cleaner)

- 012-058 for barytone? Think of it, would you have put a 012 as your B-string on your normal 6-stringer? Didn't think so. But perhaps you ment a 7-stringer. Then you would go along just nicely with a 012-058 string gauge. I recommend at least 016 as 1st string on a baritone.

-Acoustics? Hard? Eh? (unless your talking nylon stringers, of course, since you have to tie the strings to the bridge on such) All there is to string a acoustic steel stringer is out with the peg, remove old string, insert new string, replace peg, attach string to tuner just as you do on your normal electric. All that's different is the bit about the peg. And acoustic steel strings does NOT cost more than electric strings (unless you're doing D'Addario EXP strings of course, they cost twice of anything else. But they rule. I have EXP on my acoustic) However nylons cost a tad more (but only a tad. But who plays nylon anyway, except the kids and newbies?)

I wont even bother to vote. The article doesnt deserve it. It's pure crap. And the sorting of "these types of strings and gauges to this kind of playing" is simply just stupid. One picks the gauge and type that one feels more comfortable with (008s and 009s are thin and nice for fingerpicking (you know, like when you gonna play "Stairway to Heaven", 010s are a nice middle way, 011s and 012s are strings for those who like to do fast picking or downtune their guitar)

PLEASE: Try to know more about the thing you're writing a column on next time.

[LeoKhenir]

Forgot to mention: Floyd Rose not taking anything except standard? Wrong. I could easily take a set of 011s and fit, but I'd have to cut away the ballend first (unless I've got some Floyd Rose specials at hand)

[LeoKhenir]

And Vinura; I know there are newbies here - but this article is so full of BS that's it not helpful at all. What is written in the article doesn't comply with reality. He's got it all wrong. He's stupid. He don't know shit. Get my point?

[scott_partyguy]

You can't simply decide which strings to use depending on your genre of music. I play lead and I prefer .013-.062, not .008's. You can still bend really heavy strings, you just have to try harder.

[PeaceSells814]

does this guy hav turrets or sumthin cursin like so randomly haha

[dirtbrown]

Thanks for the article.Did not help me on what strings to use but taught me how not to write an article.Very helpful.Thanks.

[Taoshaman]

This article sucks *ss.

[kennethdave]

What the *** is with this article ? I'm swearing to you, what the *** is up with this article ?! It's crap and shit. Using expensive strings on acoustics, that's freakin' stupid. What guitar do you use ?!

[fatfish]

ha ha u got diss big time

[fatfish]

flappy! good news im not goin to kill u

[googles49_]

fair enough the swearing was a bit ott (although when mentioning the les paul owners it was spot on) its pretty hard to find decent instructions on how to re string a floyd rose or floating bridge. I don't rate this too high though as you forgot to mention other methods liek what happens if you take all strings off at the same time like i did before i realised just how much of a bitch it is to restring and get the bridge level with the guitar.

[fingersofflame]

dude...what in the world was all of the swearing for?

You d--khead, dust c--k,to*ser,j*ew

what is all that crap? i mean really, it doesn't make you seem smarter or more mature, it just makes you look like a freaking idiot...besides that, your artcile isn't even all that accurate...i am sorry, but this article sucks...1 star...

[fingersofflame]

(only cuz i can't put zero stars)

[fingersofflame]

and what the heck are you talking about a

c*ckshaft floyd rose

? this is probably the most ****ed up thing that i have ever read...

[Trillionfelis]

Duckhead??? Did you call me duckhead???

[zachthegamer]

Honestly...i didn't need to waste my time reading this peice of crap...
negative 12 1/2 stars

[[faint]]

man i read an article a 12 yr old kid did and it is better than this. And umm why random swearing. it didnt even make sence? i hope your embarresed to have written this rubbish

[Delipwnsyourazz]

Absolute crap. What a farkin' goofball. Never trust a guy who can't even spell "GUITAR" to tell you YOU how you should care for your instrument. What an asshat...

[Dilley]

Ok, first things first, shit article too much swearing made this article make no sence. Secondly, know what your talking about before you create an article as many people will most likely use the information presented. Thirdly i rekon a beginner is now kicking himself coz he ****ed up his fretboard because he used guitar polish on his strings. Final thought your a jackass and les pauls are awsum

[Pabdala]

Wow, you diss on beginners and yet your article sounds like it was written by someone who doesn't know anything about guitars. The cursing was completely idiotic. I don't prefer a Les Paul myself, but i wouldn't diss on one of the most amazing instruments in guitar history. You're a moron. Please don't ever write an article again.

[foopeppers]

dude i couldnt get head nor tail of what you were tryin to say ! stop the swearing in real life ok but not on important websites like this which many people trust your obviously a bit of an dick head yourself
stop being a spanner and hide your face in shame!

[foopeppers]

i cant work put which is funnier or more satisfying to read the article or comments