Even with the vast differences in playing styles, musical tastes, and guitar gear, every guitarist shares a common necessity: the regular task of restringing their guitars. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting your musical journey, knowing how to restring your acoustic guitar correctly is a fundamental skill. As a guitar technician and luthier, I’ve witnessed countless approaches to this essential maintenance task, ranging from efficient methods to some truly baffling techniques. I’ve also experienced my fair share of finger pricks from sharp, old string ends!
Many guitarists, even those with years of playing experience, often feel hesitant to restring their acoustic guitars themselves. This reluctance often stems from a fear of damaging their instrument or simply not knowing the correct procedure. This guide aims to demystify the process, providing you with the knowledge and confidence to restring your acoustic guitar like a pro. We’ll cover everything from knowing when to change your strings to a foolproof method for winding them onto the tuning pegs, ensuring optimal tuning stability and tone.
When Should You Restring Your Acoustic Guitar?
One of the most common questions from new guitarists is, “How often should I change my strings?”. Unfortunately, there’s no single answer that fits every player. The lifespan of your guitar strings depends on several factors, including your playing style, how frequently you play, and even your body chemistry, specifically the acidity of your sweat. Some players with highly acidic sweat can corrode a new set of strings in a matter of hours, while others can play for months on the same set without significant degradation.
As a practical guideline, in my repair shop, I recommend changing strings when they exhibit visible signs of wear and tear. This includes:
- Visible Grime and Buildup: Check the underside of the strings, facing the fretboard, for any accumulated dirt, oil, or grime.
- Dents and Wear Spots: Inspect the wound strings for flat spots or dents, particularly over the frets. These are indicators that the string’s core is compromised and affecting intonation and tone.
Beyond physical signs of wear, your ears are also a crucial indicator. Fresh strings offer a bright, resonant tone, while older strings tend to sound warmer and mellower. Some guitarists prefer the initial brilliance of new strings, while others enjoy the “broken-in” sound of slightly older strings. Experiment to find your personal preference and the tonal sweet spot for your playing style. Learning to recognize when your strings have lost their optimal tone is key to maintaining your guitar’s sound and playability.
Avoiding Common Mistakes When Restringing
Restringing an acoustic guitar is generally straightforward, but certain pitfalls can lead to frustration or even minor guitar damage. One common issue is losing small, crucial parts. Many components on an acoustic guitar, particularly on older instruments, are held in place primarily by string tension. Bridge pins, the saddle, the nut, and tuner bushings (the small metal sleeves around the tuner posts) can easily fall off when the strings are removed. These tiny parts can be incredibly difficult to locate if dropped, especially if they roll under furniture. To prevent this, always work on a clean, uncluttered surface, like a table. Consider placing a soft cloth underneath your guitar to protect its finish and catch any dropped parts.
For archtop guitars, the bridge is notoriously kept in position solely by string tension. Before removing the strings from an archtop, carefully mark the bridge’s exact location. A simple and effective method is to use painter’s tape (masking tape). To reduce the tape’s stickiness and avoid damaging the guitar’s finish, lightly de-tack it by sticking it to your clothing first. Apply a small piece of tape on either side of the bridge, making a pencil mark on the tape aligned with the bridge’s edge. This ensures you can reposition the bridge in precisely the correct spot during restringing, maintaining proper intonation and playability.
Another tip for easier restringing is to anchor all the strings at the bridge (or tailpiece for some models) before attaching them to the tuning pegs. This approach helps prevent losing bridge pins and simplifies the process. When inserting the string’s ball end into a pin-style bridge, ensure it’s properly seated against the bridge plate (the underside of the guitar top). Sometimes, the ball end can dangle below the plate, causing unwanted buzzing or rattling. Insert the ball end into its designated hole, then loosely insert the bridge pin. Gently pull up on the string until you feel the ball end firmly seat against the bridge plate. Once seated, firmly push the bridge pin into place. For guitars with tailpieces, double-check that each string’s ball end is securely anchored before increasing string tension, as these can sometimes slip out during the initial stages of installation.
The Foolproof Z-Bend Stringing Technique
Early in my career, I was taught a somewhat intricate method for stringing guitars. This technique involved tucking the string’s free end under the initial winding on the tuning peg, aiming to lock it in place and prevent slippage. Mastering this method took considerable practice, and even then, I often struggled with inconsistent slack, resulting in uneven windings. Removing old strings was equally challenging, as they often broke at the tuning peg, leaving sharp, stubborn rings of string in the post holes that required pliers to remove. It was a tedious and sometimes painful process.
Fortunately, at Veillette Guitars, I discovered a much simpler and more reliable technique – the Z-bend method. This has become my go-to stringing approach for all types of guitars, from those strung with incredibly light gauge strings (.007) at high tension to those using heavy gauge sub-bass strings (.095). The Z-bend technique has consistently provided exceptional tuning stability and string security. In fact, strings wound using this method will invariably break before the windings ever slip, even under extreme tension.
The Z-bend method is based on creating opposing kinks in the string on either side of the tuning post. Here’s how to do it:
- Insert the String: Feed the string through the hole in the tuning post.
- Leave Slack: Pull the string through, leaving a small amount of slack between the nut and the bridge. A good gauge is roughly the width of four fingers placed between the string and the fretboard when the string is stretched upwards. This slack allowance is crucial for creating the correct number of windings on the tuning post.
- Create the Z-Bend: Simultaneously bend the string on both sides of the tuning post in opposite directions to form a “Z” shape through the post hole. For bass-side strings (typically thicker strings), bend both sides clockwise.
- Clip Excess String: Cut off the excess portion of the string extending beyond the tuning post. Leave just enough to wrap around the post.
- Wind the String: Turn the tuning peg to wind the string, ensuring each new wrap goes below the previous one. This directs the string downwards on the tuning post, increasing the break angle at the nut and improving tuning stability.
With the correct amount of slack, you should achieve approximately two to three windings for heavier gauge strings and a maximum of three to five windings for thinner strings. Excessive windings can lead to tuning instability as the wraps can pile up unevenly on the post. Conversely, too few windings may cause slippage, regardless of the winding technique.
The Z-bend stringing method is remarkably fast and, in my extensive experience of restringing thousands of guitars, exceptionally reliable. Strings are also incredibly easy to remove when it’s time for a change; even if a string breaks at the tuning post, the remaining piece simply falls out of the hole – no tools required! Over the years, I’ve encountered strings that have been double-threaded, knotted, twisted, and even glued onto tuning posts. The simplicity and effectiveness of the Z-bend method offers a refreshing contrast. Whether you prefer to restring your acoustic guitar yourself or entrust it to a technician, adopting this foolproof technique will make the process more efficient, reliable, and enjoyable, ensuring your guitar is always ready to play its best.
This article is adapted from content originally published in Acoustic Guitar magazine.
