Changing electric guitar strings is simple once you have a clear routine. This post walks through the whole process, plus a few practical tips to keep the guitar playing and tuning well. This guide is for guitars without a locking tremolo system which are a bit different. Please see this post for a guide to locking tremolo systems.
What you need
Before starting, gather:
- New set of electric guitar strings in your preferred gauge.
- String winder (optional but makes life easier).
- Wire cutters.
- Tuner (clip‑on, pedal, app – anything accurate).
- Soft cloth and, if you want, fretboard cleaner/conditioner.
Having everything to hand stops you leaving the guitar half‑done on the bench. Please see my recommended gear page for any of these items if you do not have them.
Step 1: Prepare and loosen the old strings
Start by placing the guitar on a stable surface, ideally on a table with a towel or mat and some support under the neck, usually a thick book or two will work just fine for this. Then:
- Turn each tuner to slacken the strings until they have no real tension and flop loosely.
- Once slack, either unwind them fully from the tuners or cut them around the 12th fret and remove both halves.
Be careful cutting – only cut once the strings are fully slack to avoid any sharp recoil.
Step 2: Remove and clean
With the strings off:
- Pull the ball ends out of the bridge or tailpiece (through‑body on a Strat/Tele, through the tailpiece on a Tune-o-matic style, etc.).
- Take a minute to wipe the fretboard, frets and body area that’s usually hidden by the strings.
If the fretboard is very dry or grimy, use a small amount of fretboard cleaner or conditioner.
Step 3: Fit the new strings at the bridge
Open your new string set and lay them out from thickest (low E) to thinnest (high e).
Then:
- Feed each string’s ball end through its correct hole in the bridge or tailpiece
- Pull the string through until the ball seats firmly in place
Check they sit properly and are not snagged or half‑seated, especially on through‑body designs.
Step 4: Attach at the tuners
Good stringing at the tuners is the key to tuning stability. A simple, reliable method:
- Pull the string up to its tuner, all the strings should be on inner side of the guitar.
- Wrap the string round once below the hole in the tuner peg.
- Wrap the string round again above the hole in the tuner peg.
- Stick the end of the string through the hole and pull tight. This locks the string in place and increases tuning stability.
Step 5: Wind up to tension
Using your hand or a string winder:
- Keep gentle tension on the string with your free hand while turning the tuner.
- Make sure each new wrap coils neatly below the previous one, not crossing over itself.
- Confirm the string is sitting correctly in the nut slot and over the bridge saddle.
Repeat for all six strings, working methodically (for example low E to high E).
Step 6: Stretch and tune
Fresh strings always go out of tune until they settle. To speed that up:
- Bring each string roughly up to pitch with your tuner.
- Gently stretch it by pulling it away from the fretboard around the middle (7th–12th frets), a few times along its length.
- Re‑tune and repeat stretch/tune cycles until the pitch stabilises.
Do this for all strings; it makes the guitar far more stable when you start playing.
Step 7: Trim and final checks
Once everything holds pitch:
- Use wire cutters to trim any excess string sticking out from the tuner posts, leaving a few millimetres if you like.
- Run a final tuning check across all six strings.
- Play some chords and bends to confirm tuning stability and that each string rings clearly.
If anything buzzes or sounds muted, check the string is properly seated in the nut and bridge, and that the wraps at the tuner are neat. if there is nothing obvious, please check my guitar setup post for further ideas.
Final Thoughts
With this routine, changing strings becomes a quick, regular part of maintaining your guitar. Over time you’ll get faster, and you can refine details (like string gauge or brand) to suit your own feel and tone.
I hope this guide is useful, if you have any ideas about subjects for beginners you would like to see me writing about, please leave a comment below or send me an email via the contacts page.