How To Change Strings On An Electric Guitar: 15 Steps - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Change Strings on an Electric Guitar PDF download Download Article Co-authored by Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA

Last Updated: February 24, 2025 Fact Checked

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  • Removing Old Strings
    • |
  • Restringing the Guitar
    • |
  • How Do You String a Guitar?
    • |
  • Video
    • |
  • Q&A
    • |
  • Tips
    • |
  • Warnings
    • |
  • Things You'll Need
|Show more |Show less X

This article was co-authored by Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA. Carlos Alonzo Rivera is a guitarist, composer, and educator based in San Francisco, California. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from California State University, Chico, as well as a Master of Music degree in Classical Guitar Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Carlos specializes in the following genres: classical, jazz. rock, metal and blues. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 661,019 times.

On the whole, the strings on an electric guitar will need to be changed more frequently than the strings of steel-string or classic guitars, depending on usage and bridges. While serious players will likely change their strings monthly, or sooner, most players should change strings every 3-4 months. Changing strings on your electric guitar should be a straightforward process, though it does take some practice.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 2:

Removing Old Strings

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  1. Step 1 Change your strings when they are rusty, gummy, or falling out of tune quickly. 1 Change your strings when they are rusty, gummy, or falling out of tune quickly. If you're a serious guitar player you'll be changing your strings frequently, and some musicians change weekly. If your strings feel slow and sticky, or you have to re-tune frequently, you're due for new strings. If you haven't restrung in 3-4 months, get new strings.
    • If you're about to play a big gig, change the strings that morning to prevent unexpected breaking.
  2. Step 2 Note the path of each string before removing it. 2 Note the path of each string before removing it. If you're new to tuning, you want to have a good sense of how the guitar should look. Take a picture of the strings, or simply look up a picture of your guitar online. While it isn't complicated, you want a good sense of how the guitar is strung before beginning.[1]
    • Though it is rare, some guitars have special holes or winding patterns near the strings. Don't cut the strings off without taking a quick look at everything.
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  3. Step 3 Loosen the old strings by down-tuning. 3 Loosen the old strings by down-tuning. Turn the tuning machine or peg to loosen each string enough that you can unwind the string and pull it out but hand. You'll know you're loosening if, when plucked, the string sounds deeper. While you can also cut your strings off, this method eases tension gradually and, in the worst case scenario, you can reuse an old string if one breaks while restringing.
    • If you're a beginner, just loosen one string at a time. Then replace it and repeat with the next string.
    • Once loose, you can unwind the string off the tuning peg and free it from the neck of the guitar.[2]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Change Strings on an Electric Guitar 4 Remove the strings from the bridge.[3] On a regular bridge, like a Fender Strat or any other string-through guitar, just pull the strings out of the back of the guitar's body. To make it easier, carefully push the strings through, providing some slack and making them easier to grip. Grab the string by the small, donut-shaped metal end and slowly pull it through the guitar.
    • Most guitars are strung in a simple, straightforward manner, so just follow the string through the guitar to remove it.
    • Do not yank the strings out. Protect your guitar by taking your time.
    • If you have a wrap-around bridge, you will be able to pull them out of the underside of the bridge. Wrap-arounds started out as Toms when players like ZZ Top wrapped the strings around the tailpiece to give the string height a low profile without any buzz.[4]
  5. Step 5 Clean... 5 Clean your unstrung guitar with a lint-free cloth. Use this time to remove all of the dust, grime, and dirt from the neck of your guitar. This will make the guitar look good, protect the new strings, and actually make your guitar feel a little faster. For deeper cleaning, purchase a bottle of fret-cleaner from your local music shop.
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Part 2 Part 2 of 2:

Restringing the Guitar

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  1. Step 1 Purchase the correct strings for your guitar. 1 Purchase the correct strings for your guitar. 95% of the time you should get the "regular weight," or "lite" strings. While some guitarists use heavier gauges or odd string configurations, you can't simply grab a set of strings if your guitar is not made for it. Strings that are too heavy for your guitar can warp or bend the neck without the proper adjustments, so stick to regulars until you know more about your guitar.
    • In general, you want your high E to be a ".008-.0011" thickness. This is for medium, lite, and extra lite strings.
    • If you use drop tunings, like a drop D, you might want heavier strings. Ask your music store staff for a specific recommendation.
  2. Step 2 Lay the guitar on a flat, soft surface at a comfortable height. 2 Lay the guitar on a flat, soft surface at a comfortable height. Give yourself plenty of room to work, laying the guitar down on a table so that you can adjust it comfortably. Make sure to place a towel or blanket underneath to prevent scuffing or scratching. Some people like resting the head off the edge to make tuning easier.
  3. Step 3 Turn the hole of the tuning post so that the hole faces you. 3 Turn the hole of the tuning post so that the hole faces you. This hole should point away from the string so that it is parallel to one of the frets. If you were holding the guitar and playing it, the hole would be pointing up.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Change Strings on an Electric Guitar 4 Thread your first string through the bridge and into the tuning peg.[5] Thread it from the inside of the guitar out. In general, most guitarists will begin with their heaviest string, the top E. It will often be marked as "6th string," or by the highest gauge number (usually around .050). Slide it in the opposite way you took the other strings out, then run it through the hole in the tuning peg, pulling the string away from the guitar. Make sure you leave 2-3 inches of slack, as well -- you don't want the string to be taut before you even start tightening.
    • The tuning pegs aren't marked, but you should just replace the strings in the same order you took them out. On most electric guitars, the first peg is for the top string, then each one further towards the tip of the head is for a string further down.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Change Strings on an Electric Guitar 5 Grab the string on both sides of the peg and crimp it in an "s" shape. Try not to overthink this. Simply grab both sides tightly, then turn your hands clockwise to crimp both sides of the string along the tuning post. If you pulled the string out, it would look like the "S" in the Van Halen logo.
    • Your right hand will be coming towards your body, away from the guitar.
    • Your left hand will be pushing up, in towards the other tuning pegs.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Change Strings on an Electric Guitar 6 Wrap the end of the string around the other half to lock the string in place. Take the end of the string and pull it under the other side of the string (the side being fed into the tuning post). After you go underneath the string, bring the end back over the top and pull it taut, pulling towards the very tip of the guitar. You're basically creating a loop with the end of the string around the rest of the string.
    • You'll have a small coiled bit of string right where the string meets the tuning peg.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Change Strings on an Electric Guitar 7 Lightly hold down the string as you slowly tighten it. Place your index finger on the string 1-2" before it meets the tuning peg. You don't want to pin it, just hold it down. Then you can turn your tuner slowly counter-clockwise. Make sure that your string is winding around the peg in a uniform manner.
    • Use a tuner to slowly get yourself up to the proper tension. When in doubt, try not to over-tighten -- this causes strings to break.
  8. Step 8 Repeat the process on the rest of the strings. 8 Repeat the process on the rest of the strings. Once you've got the first one done, repeat the process on the rest of the strings, working through the packet. Remember to clean the fretboard after removing a string, to leave some slack in the string before tightening, and to crimp the string in place before starting to turn.
    • If your head has a 3x3 set-up, remember that the lower set of tuning pegs must be turned in reverse. Simply repeat the proceeding instructions, replacing left with right and up with down.
  9. Watermark wikiHow to Change Strings on an Electric Guitar 9 Cut the ends of the string off. Use wire cutters to remove the excess string at the end, though you may want to leave 1/2" or so to allow deeper tunings, if you desire. Unlock your visual learning style. "As someone who learns best by seeing stuff, the videos here were a huge help for me. Just reading how to restring a guitar didn't make sense. Being able to watch the steps made everything click. Now, I can remove the old strings and put on new ones, thanks to the pictures and videos provided." - Joel J. Discover a new passion later in life. "At 70 years old, I've just started learning guitar. As a real beginner, the step-by-step instructions help me understand what to do. Even though I'm starting decades late, I love that I can pick up this new skill! This article teaches me how to string my guitar properly from square one." - Lisa H. Gain independence with DIY skills. "I never knew how to restring my guitar before, so I always had to ask for help. But the tips here taught me how to do it on my own. I can take off the old strings and put on new ones without any issues now. I like that I can take care of my own instrument instead of relying on others." - Rick S. Master maintenance without fancy tools. "I thought you needed special equipment to restring a guitar. But these instructions show me how to do it with just basic stuff. The tips for wrapping the strings prevent them from slipping out. Now I can keep my guitar sounding great without expensive gadgets or taking it to the music shop." - Nate T. Have a story our readers should hear? Share it with 1 billion+ annual wikiHow users. Tell us your story here.
  10. Watermark wikiHow to Change Strings on an Electric Guitar 10 Tune your guitar frequently once the new strings are on. As the strings get used to the tension, they slowly stretch.[6] This only occurs for the first 1-2 days, and can be avoided by regular, constant tuning as you put the strings on.
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How Do You String a Guitar?

Community Q&A

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  • Question How do I tune an electric guitar? Community Answer Community Answer If you are very experienced, you can use your hearing. You can also use a tuning device purchased at a music store or online. You can also use an app called GuitarTuna. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 7 Helpful 36
  • Question My string snapped down the middle, so I cant unwind it and can't get it out of the back of the guitar. What do I do? Community Answer Community Answer You may want to take it to the shop if you can't do it yourself. You definitely don't want to break the guitar by messing with it. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 10 Helpful 15
  • Question My guitar has little things at the bottom, attached by a screw with a spring on it, and the string comes out of a channel in the middle of each piece. What are they for? Community Answer Community Answer These are the bridge saddles, they're usually adjustable - they can be adjusted forwards and backwards along the length of the string to set intonation, and up and down to set the string height/action. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 6 Helpful 22
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Video

Tips

  • When the strings are off of your guitar, that's the perfect time to clean your beast. Just wipe it down, if anything, and get the dust away from the pickups. That's a very hard place to clean with strings on the guitar. Thanks Helpful 67 Not Helpful 14
  • Down-tuners may need to tune up to standard E and stretch your strings so your notes are always in tune, and it always happens with a heavier string set. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 5
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

  • Strings will break, and they can be pretty sharp when they do. Keep your face up and away from the guitar while turning pegs to prevent any eye damage. Thanks Helpful 16 Not Helpful 6
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Things You'll Need

  • Guitar
  • Guitar tuner (optional)
  • Strings designed for electric guitar. These are available from a great variety of manufacturers in a variety of gauges.
  • Something to cut the strings (wire cutters)
  • Something to clean the guitar with (optional)
  • String winder (optional)

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References

  1. ↑ www.dummies.com/how-to/content/removing-old-guitar-strings.html
  2. ↑ Guitar All-in-One for Dummies, Off with the Old: Removing Stressed Strings, p. 48, (2009), ISBN 978-0-470-48133-2
  3. ↑ Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA. Professional Guitarist. Expert Interview
  4. ↑ www.dummies.com/how-to/content/removing-old-guitar-strings.html
  5. ↑ Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA. Professional Guitarist. Expert Interview
  6. ↑ Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA. Professional Guitarist. Expert Interview
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CtqfHmssx8

About This Article

Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA Co-authored by: Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA Professional Guitarist This article was co-authored by Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA. Carlos Alonzo Rivera is a guitarist, composer, and educator based in San Francisco, California. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from California State University, Chico, as well as a Master of Music degree in Classical Guitar Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Carlos specializes in the following genres: classical, jazz. rock, metal and blues. This article has been viewed 661,019 times. 14 votes - 70% Co-authors: 35 Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 661,019 Categories: Guitar Maintenance | Electric Guitar Article SummaryX

To change the strings on an electric guitar, loosen the old ones, unwind them from the tuning pegs, and pull them away from the bridge. Next, turn the hole of the tuning post to face you, thread the top E string through the bridge, and run it through the hole in the tuning peg. Then, grab the string on both sides of the peg and crimp it in an "s" shape before locking it in place. Tighten the string slowly, then repeat the process for the rest of the strings! For tips on purchasing the right strings for your guitar, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

  • Joel J.

    Joel J.

    Jan 30, 2017

    "As someone who learns best by seeing stuff, the videos here were a huge help for me. Just reading how to restring a..." more
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Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA Co-authored by: Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA Professional Guitarist 14 votes - 70% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 35 Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 661,019 Joel J.

Joel J.

Jan 30, 2017

"As someone who learns best by seeing stuff, the videos here were a huge help for me. Just reading how to restring a..." more Nate T.

Nate T.

Apr 15, 2017

"I thought you needed special equipment to restring a guitar. But these instructions show me how to do it with just..." more Rated this article: Lisa H.

Lisa H.

Feb 11, 2017

"At 70 years old, I've just started learning guitar. As a real beginner, the step-by-step instructions help me..." more Rick S.

Rick S.

Mar 17, 2017

"I never knew how to restring my guitar before, so I always had to ask for help. But the tips here taught me how to..." more Rated this article: Anonymous

Anonymous

Apr 17, 2017

"Very good. I was paranoid about the strings breaking and slicing my face, but now i'm a little less paranoid." Rated this article: Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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Tag » How To Restring An Electric Guitar