How To Change A Guitar String

One fact of life that all guitarists have to come to terms with, is that their guitar strings won't last forever. Even with the best of precautions, constant use, rust and decay are going to see off all strings in time.

The good news is, changing a guitar string is a fairly simple process.

Originally, strings were made from cat gut, but nowadays, most guitar strings are made out of nylon and wound steel; either regular wound or flat. They are found in a variety of thicknesses depending on the playing style and individual preference of the guitarist.

Nylon is most often used for the treble strings on a classical guitar. Because of the nylon's even vibrations and smooth surface there is little noise from the fingers when they slide along the strings. A steel guitar string, the kind that's usually found on most regular guitars, has more of a harsh sound and the noise of the guitarist's finger slides are more noticeable. Both types are subject to wear and tear.

When a guitar string is manipulated by the fingers, it will pick up perspiration and natural oils from the hand. Over time, this will cause the string to weaken and lose its tuning tension,  raising the likelihood of a break. Many guitarists will carry soft rags or chamois cloths in order to wipe the strings off after playing. This can remove much of the moisture from the strings and also off the fret board, thus slowing down the natural discoloration. Along with general deterioration, hard playing can also cause the guitar string to break.

Changing it, although easy, takes a few moments.

With the string now in two pieces, first of all unwind the section of string from the post at the tuning knob. Then, depending how your string attaches near the bridge, either feed it through the hole in the bottom of the guitar or remove the slotted pin, and then the string.

Every guitar string has a small piece of metal at the bottom resembling a small barrel to hold it firmly in place. Discard the broken string carefully so as not to hurt your fingers.

Place the barrel on the bottom of the string back into its holder and thread the upper point in to the tuner knob. Pull it through until you notice a little slack between the strings and fret board.

Then tighten the guitar string about two notes higher than your desired tuning pitch - this will help the natural tendency of the string to stretch - and then tune as normal.

Depending on how frequently and how hard you play your guitar, you should really change the full set of strings at least four times a year if not more often.