Change Classical Guitar Strings
Do your strings buzz? Are your notes starting to sound a bit blunt? Can your guitar no longer hold its tune? These can all be signs that your guitar's strings need a change. Many people who own classical guitars avoid string changes for a very long time because they don't want to mess up that pretty bow at the bridge end. Never fear, with a little effort you'll be playing your newly strung guitar in no time.
Steps
- Remove Strings from an Electric Guitar. There are a few ways to do this. Some people argue that the neck still needs tension and to only change one string at a time, while others say removing all of the strings is good to clean the neck––take your pick.
- Cut them. Grab a pair of scissors and snip all six strings (or just one). By cutting off the strings, you will still have to remove the small scrap parts such as the parts around the bridge.
- Unwind them until they fall off. Although this way is longer, it's much safer as you won't have pieces of guitar string flying everywhere and all over your room. It's best to use a string winder as this makes the process much faster. If you don't have one, just loosen the string (like you would to tune it down) until you can slide it out of the guitar.
- Get your new strings. If you've picked up a set of acoustic guitar strings, that usually means steel strings. You want classical. Never string a classical guitar with steel strings. This will put way too much pressure on the neck, eventually causing it to bend and crack, not to mention they sound awful on a classical. Only use classical strings on your classical guitar. You can pick up some cheap ones at a local music shop or off the internet.
Bridge End
- 6th string.
- Put the string through the bridge. You want it going from the inside to outside. You will probably need 4-5 inches (10-12.5cm) of string through the bridge.
- Loop the string around once. You want it going under the other half of the string.
- Tuck it under the loop once.
- Hold the string down against the soundboard. This is important because if you do not hold the string down, it will be sticking up. This will make it loose and it will probably come undone.
- Tighten it up. Do this by pulling the string from both sides.You want it as tight as you can get it.
- Repeat with the 5th and 4th strings. The 6th, 5th and 4th strings are done in the exact same way, but the last three strings are done slightly different. It's mostly the same but you wind it around a few more times.
- 3rd string.
- Put the string through the bridge. You want it going from the inside to outside. You will probably need 4-5 inches (10-12.5cm) of string through the bridge.
- Loop the string around once. You want it going under the other half of the string.
- Tuck it under the loop three times. This makes the string tighter and more secure, which means it's less likely to come loose.
- Tighten it up. Do this by pulling the string from both sides.
- Repeat with the 2nd and 1st strings.
Neck End
- Turn the tuning peg until the hole is at the front of the guitar. The string will be easier to work with if you can actually see what you're doing.
- Put the string through the hole once. There are other methods where the string goes through the hole twice, this method is harder and the first way works just as well.
- Go back through the gap above the capstan. The capstan is the white plastic part that you wind the string around.
- Pull the part of the string you want to wind underneath the string itself.
- Go back through the hole above the capstan.
- Hold the loose string and tighten it up the same way you would to tune it up. Keep winding until the string is in tune. You can let go of the string after a while.
Tips
- Using a string winder drastically speeds up the winding process. If used carelessly, however, it can increase the chances of having a string snap.
- Have someone show you how to do this first.
Warnings
- Never overtighten strings until they snap; this puts too much pressure on the bridge and it could fly off and hurt you.
