How to change electric guitar strings correctly

[Dandaman]

Ok guys random question here lol

Basically I've not long started to learn guitar as I had an acoustic that lay about here for about 2 years doing nothing and decided it was time to make use of it... anyways I bought an electric a while ago and havent had time to practice etc so its hardly been used.

I took it out the case last week when I had a spare hour or so and hit the worldwide web for some tutorials.. as you do

Started to get into something, and then some strings snapped (my guess is that they were cheap junk) ....

Before I got the guitar I had seen reviews etc moaning about strings snapping in the first day or two but one of my mates who has been a player for years recommended I still buy it so I did and well now im stuck on changing the strings...

I have them all removed and have already tried replacing them today and got no luck just epic fail lol

Can anyone recommend me some good tutorials on doing this ?, every one I find is different and all the vids are either bad quality or useless lol


Dandaman

 

[Brian8bit]

Put the strings through the saddle or whatever it's called, from the back. Run them through the machine heads. Tune them up. It's really that easy.

 

[Andelusion]

Make sure you don't trim the excess off at the tuners too short, if you have some slack on the machine head then when tuning the end can go back through the hole.

If your tuners are arranged like a Strat (6 in a row), make sure they all go around the same direction (this should be anticlockwise as you look at the headstock when holding the guitar). If it's a 3 by 3 headstock (like a les paul) then string them the same as the first 3 on a strat (anticlockwise) then clockwise for the rest.

When have the string threaded through the bridge and through the tuning peg hole, leave about a fingers length of slack (if you hold the string away from the fingerboard), this will leave enough slack so that the string is wrapped around the tuning peg sufficiently.

 

[Dandaman]

People keep saying that but tbh... I fail lol

EDIT: Very informative there, im gunna give it another bash but tbh I fear the worste here but eveyrones gotta learn

 

[Andelusion]

Just take your time, don't yank the string, if you get a kink in any of the useable length of the string (from bridge to tuner) you won't be able to get rid of it and it'll feel funny/affect intonation.

Another tip; when beginning to turn the machine head, use the other hand to keep the string 'held down' against the headstock, so it doesn't flip back over the tuning peg as it reaches the first rotation, you'll 'fuuuu!' if this happens.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

I change 1 string at a time because I don't want my guitars to suddenly get stressed.
There's probably no proof of this but I always think a fully stringed/tuned piece of wood suddenly going to no resistance can't be good.

I get the thickest string, place it through the bridge and bring it up to it's peg.
I then measure about 2" and cut the excess string off.
I bring the string back so about 10mm is poking through the peg hole and then turn while holding the string to the head of the guitar so it doesn't flick over.
With that distance on the 6th string I'll get a good 4 or 5 turns around the peg which will be ample.
Of course cutting the excess from 2" on the 1st string will get a lot more turns round the peg.
When you have completed stringing, tune up and slowly pull the strings one at a time away from the guitar neck at the 12th fret.
Keep doing this until it eventually stays in tune.

My new guitars are brilliant for tuning because I can turn round the peg first and then put the bridge end in.

 

[Evilsod]

If you have a problem with strings snapping you're probably just trying to tighten them too fast. Its easier if you take plenty of time. Tighten it slowly then once it gets fairly tight, leave it for a bit and come back to it after a short break. Repeat as many times as you feel necessary.

It shouldn't matter I'd of thought dmpoole. Correct me if I'm wrong but I would've thought the only kind of failure that could arise from the tensioned strings being removed then all reapplied would be fatigue based due to the repetitive motion of applying and removing the tension over and over and since you only do it on occasion it simply wouldn't have any effect.

 

[Dandaman]

right guys, I gave it another go and i aaged to get the strings done. That doesn't mean its perfect cos I know it ain't but I think i sort of understand the how to now

I'll post pics of the end result in little bit, thanks for the info too it really helped

EDIT ... Dont laugh at my epic fail but this is the outcome on the second try... at least i got the strings on ? lol first attempt was an absolute mission and ended in too much fail