buying and fitting new strings
Hi just got my new 1st strat style electric guitar and i have of course joined this guitar site to learn all the ins and outs of playing.Straight away i realised from comments that the guitar strings surprisingly don,t last much more than a few weeks.So this is my question how do i know what strings to buy ie are there different types of steel strings and do i need anything in order to put them on.As i saw something about a capo and i don,t know what a capo is and it seems to be something to do with fitting strings? Also picks any comments on choosing picks?
# 1
Hey Sunfly, welcome to GuitarTricks.com, and congratulations on your first guitar.
Since it's electric, I'd recommend D'addario strings, they're cheap, and you'll want an electric set, I'd recommend .10 gauge. One thing you'll want to do is after you're done playing, wipe down your string with a cloth, it'll help your strings last longer. All you need to attach strings is simple dexterity. I'd ask your local music store if they could show you how, as that's probably the fastest way to learn.
A capo is essentially a clamp that shortens the guitar neck, you attach it on a fret and it raises the pitch of all your strings strummed open.
Picks are purely preference, though I'm sure most would agree that if you're going to play melodies or single lines, harder picks are better, while some find that lighter picks are easier for beginners to learn how to strum. I recommend buying several kinds, or testing out some at your local guitar store.
Good luck!
Since it's electric, I'd recommend D'addario strings, they're cheap, and you'll want an electric set, I'd recommend .10 gauge. One thing you'll want to do is after you're done playing, wipe down your string with a cloth, it'll help your strings last longer. All you need to attach strings is simple dexterity. I'd ask your local music store if they could show you how, as that's probably the fastest way to learn.
A capo is essentially a clamp that shortens the guitar neck, you attach it on a fret and it raises the pitch of all your strings strummed open.
Picks are purely preference, though I'm sure most would agree that if you're going to play melodies or single lines, harder picks are better, while some find that lighter picks are easier for beginners to learn how to strum. I recommend buying several kinds, or testing out some at your local guitar store.
Good luck!
# 2
Originally Posted by: sunflyHi just got my new 1st strat style electric guitar and i have of course joined this guitar site to learn all the ins and outs of playing.Straight away i realised from comments that the guitar strings surprisingly don,t last much more than a few weeks.So this is my question how do i know what strings to buy ie are there different types of steel strings and do i need anything in order to put them on.As i saw something about a capo and i don,t know what a capo is and it seems to be something to do with fitting strings? Also picks any comments on choosing picks?
Thanks Zak for your reply with some very helpful comments.
# 3