Putting new strings on my guitar i need help

I have had my guitar for awile and i thought i would get new strings i can play pretty good but i have never put strings on my self i tried before when i was younger but i couldnt do it and i just eneded up damaging and bending the string into a pile of crap :eek:

Last time i got my strings put on at the nearest music place and he did it for free this time the people asked for $15 to put them and i have to wait 3 days for them to do it can you belive that? and they said there so busy and theres 3 of them just mopping around walking around :mad: so i said forget it ill do it myself.

But im having a problem I forget how the strings looked on my guitar so i dont know how to do it properly i looked on the web and found one site with pictures but it didnt make any sence it looked wierd.

Can any one try to explain to me (in easy words :P) how to put them on? or have a good site with pics and steps on how too? This is the one thing i hate about guitars is putting strings on them

I have a eletric guitar btw and the brand of the strings are D'addario XL eletric guitar strings nickel wound super light gauge.

Please Help

Okay, first off we need to know what we're dealing with: What brand/model of guitar is it, and what sort of tremolo, if any, does it have?

The guitar is always strung with the smallest/lowest gauge string on the bottom of the neck, and the largest/ highest gauge on top.

its a Yamaha Pacifica i remember before you put the string threw the back then pull it threw then pull it threw the hole and then wrap it around 3 times i think then put it under or something? i cant remember what to do

Never heard of the whole wrap it around three times thing... it should be as simple as string it through the back and up the neck into whichever tuner its supposed to go into. And from what I can tell its got classic tremolo, which is pretty basic. If you're having a hard time with this, don't touch Floyd Rose.

http://www.guitartricks.com/trick.php?trick_id=1752

that doesnt make any sence and the pictures are really crappy its impossible to know what ur doing :(

do you got real pictures?

Depends on what sort of "real pictures" you're looking for.... :D


Now... back on topic: First time I had to string my own guitar it was nearly identical to yours, except an Epiphone. It really wasn't that hard to figure out. And I don't mean to be blunt or rude or anything of the sort but... maybe you should just have the shop guys do it?

As impossible as it may indeed seem, other websites exist beyond www.guitartricks.com/forum!!!! I know that might sound wacky, but, trust me, they do!!!

e.g. www.straightdope.com, www.3eb.co.uk, www.stanthecaddy.com

or even

http://www.stringthis.com/howtostringu.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_4600_string-guitar.html
http://www.google.ca

After the first few times, you'll soon get the hang of it, and it won't be such a terrible ordeal. Although, even now when it's time to string a guitar I need to double check how everything goes (but I did ride the short bus to school). Even if the first few times are rough, you'll learn from your mistakes, and probably won't permanently ruin your guitar by stringing slightly wrong (e.g. turning the pegs the wrong way).

Ok well i tried and i got the strings on fine im not sure i did it properly but i got them on and then i tightend it and then i tried tuning them and the eletric tuner wouldnt pick up anything and when i strummed them they sounded really weird plus there virbrating and the bridge those metal holding things are lose now DAMNIT there goes 7 dollars :mad:

Ill just take it into the shop tomorow and ill tell him to show me how

Also, when you change them next time, change only one string at a time and string it like the rest of the strings which are still on the guitar.

Sorry we can't be more helpful, but this sort of thing is extremely difficult to explain in words. The best idea is probably to do just what you are going to do; that is, get someone to show you.

Originally Posted by: "Paul_20"Ok well i tried and i got the strings on fine im not sure i did it properly but i got them on and then i tightend it and then i tried tuning them and the eletric tuner wouldnt pick up anything and when i strummed them they sounded really weird plus there virbrating and the bridge those metal holding things are lose now DAMNIT there goes 7 dollars :@

I have no idea what you are talking about here... "sounded really weird"? "there virbrating"? That's a good thing!!! Unless you mean that they're buzzing, which is bad.

"the bridge those metal holding things are lose now" - (I won't comment on your parsing...) those metal holding things are called "string saddles". You'll want to make sure that the string is sitting in the little groove on the saddle. It'll hold it down and then they won't be loose anymore.

If the electric tuner isn't picking anything up, it isn't because the strings are defective or that you strung it wrong. Is the volume on your guitar all the way up? Is the tuner set to "Auto"?

BTW, how old are you?

This has to be a joke.

But I'll play along. After you put the strings on, you have to TUNE the guitar.

Use a tuning fork or a piano to get close, then tune as normal.

Originally Posted by: VintageReaperIf you're having a hard time with this, don't touch Floyd Rose.

yeah my first electric had a floyd rose...well it still does...wow was i gobsmacked when it came to changing strings...

thankfully the store i went to showed me how for free, of course i fumbled the proceedure a lot of times...i have to remember diff ways of stringing for the elec and the acoustics. :)

Haha, you're lucky man. No guitar shops near here, so I found out how to work the damn thing the hard way: trial and error. Best way to learn I guess, no? Next one I get is going to be a fixed bridge Les Paul for sure...

Originally Posted by: fast-fishThis has to be a joke.

But I'll play along. After you put the strings on, you have to TUNE the guitar.

Use a tuning fork or a piano to get close, then tune as normal.

i didnt go to the shop my mom took it for me when i was sleeping the strings were $7 i think and he charged 13 dollars to put them on he said next time i need to put them on to come in and he will show me :)

I've always changed my own strings. I've never even watched someone else change theirs. But I did okay... I think. It sounds right and in tune...

Some people just learn guitar on there own but im the type of person that has to be shown everything to understand it properly , like i know how to do almost all basic and well known chords and can play alot of cool riffs and stuff i did that all on my own.

I think i might take lessons again but im not sure cause its alot of money

Lessons are a good way to get around a musical rut. Another good way is to study another music type. Even though you're (Not neccisarily saying you are but figuratively here) a rock guitarist or metal guitarist you could study Jazz or Classical. I stick mainly to speed/thrash metal and I've taken up quite a liking for Classical, and its also helped me expand to new playing abilities I hadn't thought of before.