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Changing Strings on an Acoustic Guitar
Part 1: A Step-by-Step Illustrated Guide
Take a look
at the strings of your acoustic guitar. What sort of shape are they in?
Are they discolored? Rusty? Are all six strings present and accounted
for? If you answered no to any of these questions, or if it's been
several months since you put new strings on your guitar, it's time for a
string change. New strings make your guitar sound brighter, and
generally make it easier to play.
How Often
Should I Change My Strings?
Just like
brake pads on a car, guitar strings wear out with use. Old guitar
strings often behave badly - they'll lose tuning more quickly, sound
less "bright", and give you problems with intonation. Old guitar strings
also break, often during the most inopportune moment. Be sure to head
into any live playing situation with new strings on your guitar, and
several more sets of strings packed in your case, should you break a
string during performance.
When I'm
playing my acoustic guitar a lot, I'll change the strings at least every
two weeks (more than that if I'm using it for gigs). It's probably not
necessary for beginners to be quite as diligent with keeping new strings
on their guitar, but changing strings a minimum of every couple months
is a very good idea.
What Sort of
Strings Should I Buy?
Everyone has
an opinion on which strings are best, but let's put aside the discussion
of guitar string manufacturers for a moment, and discuss the type of
strings needed for your guitar. If you own an acoustic guitar, you need
"acoustic guitar strings". If you own a classical guitar, you need
"classical guitar strings" or "nylon strings". An electric guitar needs
"electric guitar strings". And a bass guitar needs... wait for it...
"bass guitar strings".
You also need
to consider the gauge (thickness) of strings you'd like. This is where
personal preference comes into play, but for beginners, I recommend
starting with "medium" gauge strings, and varying from that as you
develop a personal preference. An oversimplified rule of thumb is
thicker strings provide better tone, but are harder to play.
If you're
intimidated by the thought of buying a set of strings from a guitar
store, don't be. Simply march in, and say "I'd like a set of XXXXX
(brand name - eg. D'Addario, Fender, Dean Markley) medium gauge acoustic
guitar strings please." Prices vary from store to store, but a set of
acoustic strings shouldn't set you back more than $8 (several brands,
like the excellent Elixir strings, cost more, but the merits of these
products belongs in another article).
Now, we'll
explore the process of changing the strings on your guitar...
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3, 4,
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