This process can vary with different guitars and tremelos. If you have
a Fender Strat or similar type guitar this process can be fairly easy.
If you have a Floyd Rose Tremelo (Whammy Bar) on your guitar, it gets a little more
complicated. See the different ways to string these different types of guitars below.
Please take a look at how your current guitar strings and keep a
mental note of which tuner / nut indentation each string should guide through on
your guitar.
You'll need to loosen and remove the old strings by
unwinding the tuners and pulling the ball end of the strings out from the
bottom of your tremelo. You may have to take off the back plate
of the guitar. Take your pack of new strings and start with
you low E string. Guide the string through the bottom of the tremelo
so the ball end fits snug into its pocket. Take the string all the
way down make sure it's guided through the nut. Wrap the string around
the tuner post and when you don't think you can wrap anymore then take the
string through the hole in the tuner and over the strings. This should
hold the string in place. Usually two to four wraps around the
tuning post is good enough, depending on the thickness of the string. Sometimes pliers can be used to help
get a grip on the string and help pull it through the tuner hole. You
may also want to purchase a string winder for changing strings to make it
easier.
The process is the same as above,
just no tremelo is involved and you can pull the string through the
body of the guitar. Start Stinging your String Thru Body
guitar from the back of the body. Pull the string though the
ferrells (openings) at the back of your guitar. See the above
description for the remaining restringing process.
Most Gibson and PRS Guitars have a stop tail piece bridge. If
you have a similar type guitar, try this method of changing strings.
Note: when you remove your old strings, the stop tail piece may loosen
from it's posts. The string tension holds the tail piece on the
guitar (for most models). Start stringing your Stop Tail
Piece guitar from the back of the Stop Tail Piece Bridge.
Pull the string though the proper holes (openings) at the back of your
stop tail piece bridge. Right handed players, use the hole closest to
you if you were holding the guitar like you would normally play it.
Start with you low E string and guide the string over the proper nut
indentation for that particular string. Then wind the end of the
string counterclockwise around the tuner and string it through the hole
on the tuner, over top of the string wind. Continue this process
for the remaining strings. Cut any excess string with wire cutters
if so desired.
Here's the best
way to string them and its almost the opposite of a Fender. Start at
the tuners and pull the string through so the ball end of the string is up at
the tuner. Unlock the locking nut, and guide the strings through the
nut and down to the bridge. Now most Floyd Roses lock at the Trem
itself so your going to have to fit the string into its particular slot.
You may have to cut the string so that there's less to work with on your
guitar. Once
you fit the string into its slot on the trem you'll need to tighten the
locking mechanism located towards the back of the trem. Tighten the
hex adjustment for each string to lock it in place. Then tune up
your guitar at the tuners and lock the nut. You can make fine tuning
adjustments on most Floyd Roses at the tremelo.
These ideas above should help you in your efforts to
change your strings on your 6 string guitar.
Restringing Your guitar or stringing your guitar can be tricky.
Keep in mind every guitar is not the same, and that yours may
have some subtle differences. For the most part these steps should help you on
our future string changes. Please consult a guitar tech with any
questions or if you need assistance.
