Restringing your nylon string guitar might seem daunting at first, but with a little guidance, it’s a straightforward process. This guide will walk you through how to String A Nylon String Guitar effectively, ensuring your instrument is ready to play.
To start, let’s focus on the first string, typically the high E string. Insert the string into the corresponding hole on the tuning peg. As you wind the string, generally, you’ll want to wind it towards the outside of the tuning post. However, be observant! Depending on the hole’s position and the headstock design, winding towards the inside might be more suitable. Trust your instincts here. The goal is to achieve a clean and functional string winding.
Maintain some tension on the string as you wind it around the tuning peg. Aim for neat coils to ensure stable tuning and prevent slippage. Once you’ve wound the string adequately, snip off the excess string end. Be careful not to cut too close to the hole – leave a little bit of extra string to prevent it from unraveling.
Repeat this process for all the remaining strings, methodically working your way through each one.
Key Considerations When Restringing Nylon-String Guitars
While the basic process is simple, there are a couple of important considerations to keep in mind when you string a nylon string guitar.
Headstock and String Contact
The path a string takes from the nut to the tuning post is crucial. Ideally, the string should have a clear path without kinking or bending sharply against the wood of the headstock. Whenever possible, try to prevent the strings from making contact with the headstock itself.
As mentioned earlier, while winding outwards is typical, if winding in the opposite direction helps avoid string contact with the headstock, it’s perfectly acceptable, and often preferable, to wind inwards.
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, string contact with the headstock is unavoidable due to the guitar’s design. In these situations, don’t worry excessively. Aim to minimize contact when you can, but don’t stress if it’s not entirely preventable. The impact is usually minimal.
Tuning Stability and Stretching New Nylon Strings
Nylon strings are known for needing a break-in period. New nylon strings will stretch considerably after installation, causing your guitar to go flat frequently. This is normal.
To expedite this stretching process and improve tuning stability, manually stretch the strings after stringing. Use your thumb and fingers to gently stretch each string along its length. You can also give each string a firm but gentle pull to remove any slack at the bridge tie-block and around the tuning post windings.
Avoid excessive force, but a good stretch (or two, or even three) will significantly help the strings settle in faster and hold their tuning better. Regular stretching during the first few days after restringing is key to achieving stable tuning with nylon strings.
