How to Change Guitar Strings — Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Changing guitar strings is one of the most important maintenance skills you can develop. Fresh strings improve tone, tuning stability, and playability. Old strings lose brightness, develop corrosion that affects intonation, and can break during performance. Most players change strings every 1–3 months depending on how frequently they play.

This guide covers the complete string-changing process for electric guitars, with notes on acoustic differences where relevant.

What You Need

Essential Tools

• New strings (correct gauge for your guitar — see below)
• String winder (optional but speeds the process — around £5)
• Wire cutters / string cutters (£8–15, or any wire cutter)

Optional but Helpful

• Peg winder with built-in cutter (combo tool, around £10)
• String action gauge (for checking setup after restringing)
• Lemon oil / fretboard conditioner (useful to apply to an unfinished fretboard while strings are off)
• Cloth (wipe down the body, fretboard, and hardware while you have access)

Choosing the Right Strings

Gauge (Thickness)

String gauge refers to the diameter of the strings in thousandths of an inch. Standard gauge sets are named after the thinnest string:

For beginners: .010–.046 (Light) is the standard recommendation. It provides sufficient tone without being too physically demanding.

For players with hand issues or children: .009–.042 (Super Light) reduces hand fatigue and makes bending easier.

For heavier styles (metal, drop tuning): .010–.052 or .011–.049 gives more tension in lower tunings.

String Material

Nickel-wound: The standard electric guitar string. Nickel over steel winding is smooth, produces balanced tone, and is gentle on frets.

Stainless steel: Brighter tone, longer lasting, but harder on frets and fingers.

Pure nickel (vintage style): Warmer, softer tone; slightly lower output. Suits vintage guitars and tones.

Coated strings (Elixir, D'Addario XT): A polymer coating over the winding prevents corrosion and finger residue buildup. Last 3–5× longer than uncoated strings. More expensive (around £12–18 vs £6–10) but cost-effective per month of playing.

Recommended String Brands

• D'Addario NYXL .010s (£10): Excellent all-round. Higher tensile strength than standard strings means fewer mid-session breaks.
• Ernie Ball Regular Slinky .010s (£7): The most widely used electric guitar string. Consistent, reliable, affordable.
• Elixir Optiweb .010s (£15): Coated strings. Last significantly longer; recommended for players who don't change strings frequently.
• DR Pure Blues .010s (£10): Pure nickel for a warmer, more vintage tone.

Step-by-Step: Changing Electric Guitar Strings

Step 1: Loosen and Remove Old Strings

Start with the low E string (thickest).

1. Turn the tuning peg to loosen the string. A string winder makes this significantly faster — turn it counter-clockwise (looking at the peg head-on) to lower pitch and release tension.
2. Continue until the string is slack — no tension remaining.
3. Unwind the string from the tuning peg — most electric guitar strings are simply wound around the peg; unwind the coil and remove.
4. Remove the string from the bridge — electric guitar bridge systems vary:
   • String-through-body (Fender Strat, Tele): The string end (ball end) is at the back of the guitar; pull the string through the front
   • Tune-o-matic bridge (Les Paul, SG): String wraps around a tailpiece; unwind and remove
   • Floyd Rose or locking trem: Release the locking saddle screw (hex wrench needed) and remove string from saddle
5. Repeat for all strings, or do one at a time (recommended — see note below)

Change one at a time or all at once? Removing all strings simultaneously relieves neck tension, which is fine for most guitars. If your guitar has a floating Floyd Rose tremolo, remove strings one at a time (or block the trem) to avoid the bridge shifting dramatically. For non-trem guitars, all at once is fine and gives you better fretboard access.

Step 2: Clean the Guitar (Optional)

While the strings are off:

• Wipe down the fretboard with a dry or slightly damp cloth to remove oil and debris
• Apply fretboard conditioner (lemon oil or Dunlop 65 Fretboard Cleaner) to unfinished (rosewood or ebony) fretboards. Do not apply to maple fretboards with a lacquer finish
• Wipe the body with a soft cloth
• Clean around the bridge and nut where string contact points collect grime

Step 3: Thread the New String Through the Bridge

The method varies by bridge type:

String-through-body (Stratocaster, Telecaster): Insert the string from the back of the guitar through the ferrule hole, through the body, and up through the bridge saddle. Pull until the ball end seats against the ferrule.

Stop tailpiece (Les Paul, SG): Hook the ball end over the tailpiece pin corresponding to that string position.

Tune-o-matic only (no tailpiece): Similar to stop tailpiece — the string hooks onto the tailpiece and runs over the bridge saddle.

Floyd Rose / Locking trem: Insert the string into the saddle from the front, pull through until the ball end is against the locking block, and tighten the saddle locking screw (2mm hex key). Do not overtighten — finger-tight plus a quarter turn is sufficient.

Step 4: Route the String to the Correct Tuning Peg

1. Pull the string up the neck to the headstock
2. Identify the correct tuning peg — low E (thickest) goes to the peg furthest from the nut on a Fender headstock, or to the bottom three pegs on a Gibson-style headstock
3. Measure the slack: Before inserting the string into the peg, you need to leave enough string to wind 2–4 times around the peg. The standard measurement is to pull the string to the peg and then add approximately 5–7cm (2–3 inches) of extra string. Pinch or mark this point.
4. Cut the string at your marked point if the excess is very long (some players cut first, others insert all the excess and wind — cutting first gives cleaner results and prevents long curling ends)

Step 5: Wind the String onto the Tuning Peg

1. Insert the cut end of the string into the hole in the tuning peg — most pegs have a hole through the middle; push the string end through and pull the excess through until only a short tail (1–2cm) protrudes
2. Kink the string at the peg — bend the string end downward to lock it and prevent slipping
3. Begin winding — with a string winder or your fingers, turn the tuning peg to increase tension. As you wind, guide the string with your other hand so it wraps downward on the peg (towards the headstock surface) with each wind below the previous one. This downward winding increases the break angle over the nut, which improves tuning stability.
4. Wind 3–4 times for the treble strings (G, B, high E) and 2–3 times for the bass strings (low E, A, D) — fewer winds on thicker strings; more on thinner strings
5. Ensure the winds are neat and tight — loose, overlapping winds cause tuning instability

Step 6: Tune to Pitch

1. Use a tuner (clip-on or app) to bring the string to pitch
2. Repeat for each string — if changing all strings, do them in sequence: low E, A, D, G, B, high E
3. After all strings are tuned, check all strings again — bringing one string to tension affects others slightly

Step 7: Stretch the Strings

New strings are elastic and will detune immediately without stretching:

1. Hold the string near the middle of its length and gently pull it away from the body by 2–3cm — you will feel and hear the string go slightly flat
2. Re-tune to pitch
3. Repeat 3–4 times per string — each time you stretch, the string settles closer to stable tuning

After stretching, the guitar should hold tuning. Minor drift is normal for the first hour of play.

Step 8: Trim the String Ends

If you have not already trimmed, use wire cutters to cut the string ends at the tuning pegs. Cut close to the peg, leaving only a short stub. Long string ends are sharp and can scratch hands.

How Often to Change Strings

Recommended Schedule

• Gigging musician: Every 1–2 weeks (or more frequently if you play several shows per week)
• Regular practice (1+ hours daily): Every 4–6 weeks
• Casual player (a few times a week): Every 2–3 months
• Occasional player: Every 3–6 months, or when strings visibly discolour or tone suffers

Signs That Strings Need Changing

• Dull, flat tone — fresh strings have brightness that old strings lose
• Tuning instability — old strings lose their elasticity and drift more
• Visible discolouration or grime between the windings
• Intonation problems — corroded strings intonation poorly
• Feel rough or uncomfortable under the fingertips

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mistake 1: Not enough winds on the peg Too few winds means the string end can pull through the peg hole when tension is applied. Always ensure at least 2–3 full winds.

Mistake 2: Winding upward instead of downward Winding the string up on the peg (each wind above the last) reduces the string's break angle over the nut, increasing tuning instability. Wind downward.

Mistake 3: Skipping stretching Without stretching, new strings will go significantly out of tune within minutes of playing. Stretch each string 3–4 times immediately after tuning.

Mistake 4: Too much excess string left on the peg Excessive string coiled on the peg can cause the coils to overlap and slip, causing tuning instability. Leave 5–7cm (2–3 inches) of slack before cutting.

Mistake 5: Using the wrong gauge for a guitar set up for different gauges If your guitar is set up for .009s and you fit .011s, the increased tension will push the intonation, action, and neck relief out of specification. The guitar will need a setup adjustment (truss rod, intonation, action) to accommodate the new gauge.

Acoustic Guitar Differences

Most of the above applies to acoustic guitars, with these differences:

• Bridge pins — most acoustics use bridge pins (plastic or bone pegs) to secure strings. Pull the old pin out with a string winder's bridge pin notch, remove the string, insert the ball end of the new string into the pin hole, and replace the pin, pressing until it seats firmly
• Gauges — acoustic strings are typically heavier than electric (.012–.053 is common for standard acoustic)
• Material — acoustic strings are typically bronze-wound (80/20 or phosphor bronze) rather than nickel

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I change guitar strings? Every 4–6 weeks for a regular player (1+ hours daily). Gigging musicians change more frequently. Coated strings (Elixir, D'Addario XT) last 3–5× longer and are good value for players who change strings infrequently.

What gauge strings should a beginner use? Light gauge .010–.046 (sometimes labelled "10s") is the standard recommendation for electric guitar. Super Light .009–.042 ("9s") is easier on the fingers but slightly less tone and volume. Start with .010s.

Can I change strings myself or do I need a guitar tech? You can absolutely change strings yourself. It takes 15–20 minutes with practice and no special skills, only patience. A string winder and wire cutter make it faster and neater but are not strictly required.

Do expensive strings make a significant difference? Premium strings (Elixir, D'Addario NYXL) last longer and have more consistent quality than the cheapest options. The difference in tone between mid-range and expensive strings is minor for most players. The biggest impact on tone from strings is freshness — new cheap strings beat old expensive strings.

Why do my new strings go out of tune immediately? New strings stretch. Stretching each string 3–4 times after tuning accelerates the settling process. After stretching, the strings should hold tuning adequately. If they continue to drift significantly after stretching, the string may be slipping at the tuning peg — check that it is wound correctly with enough turns.

What happens if I leave old strings on too long? Old strings corrode and collect oils from finger contact, which: reduces brightness and sustain, causes tuning instability, makes intonation worse, and increases the risk of mid-playing breakage. There is no functional benefit to leaving old strings on a guitar.