Changing a Guitar String Takes 5 to 10 Minutes Per String

You can change a guitar string yourself in minutes without any special tools beyond what came with your guitar. The process is the same whether you play acoustic or electric: loosen the tuning peg until the string goes slack, remove the old string, thread the new one through the bridge or bridge pin, pull it tight at the headstock, and tune it back up. Most people get faster after the second or third string.

You will need the new string (buy them one at a time or in a full set), a wire cutter if your string came with excess length, and your tuner. A string winder speeds up the process but is not required. Have a trash can nearby because old strings are sharp.

Key Takeaways

  • Loosen the tuning peg on the headstock until the string is completely slack before you try to remove it.
  • On acoustic guitars, remove the bridge pin first; on electric guitars, pull the string straight out of the bridge.
  • Thread the new string through the bridge or bridge pin hole, then wrap it around the tuning peg post in a downward spiral.
  • Tune the string up gradually using your tuner, then stretch it gently by pulling it away from the fretboard to help it hold pitch.
  • New strings take 24 to 48 hours to fully settle, so expect to retune several times before the string stays in pitch.

Loosen and Remove the Old String

Turn the tuning peg counterclockwise (the direction depends on which side of the headstock it sits on, but turning it away from you usually works). Keep turning until the string is completely slack—you should be able to wiggle it freely without tension. This takes about 30 seconds per string.

Once the string is slack, pull it out of the tuning peg hole at the headstock. On an acoustic guitar, you will also need to remove the bridge pin—the small wooden or plastic peg that holds the string in place at the bridge. Push it up and out with your finger or the back of a tuning peg. On an electric guitar, straightforward pull the string straight out of the bridge slot. Coil the old string and throw it away; the ends are sharp.

Insert the New String at the Bridge

On an acoustic guitar, insert the ball end of the new string into the bridge hole (the hole closest to the bridge saddle). Push the bridge pin back in on top of it, making sure the groove in the pin lines up with the string. The pin should sit flush with the bridge surface.

On an electric guitar, thread the string through the bridge slot or bridge pin hole, depending on your guitar's design. Pull the string up toward the headstock with moderate tension—not tight, just enough to keep it from falling out. The string should run straight up the neck without kinks.

Wrap the String Around the Tuning Peg

Pull the string up to the tuning peg hole on the headstock. Leave about 2 to 3 inches of slack—this is the amount you will wrap around the peg post. Insert the string through the hole, then bend it back toward the center of the headstock at a 90-degree angle.

Turn the tuning peg so the post rotates downward (away from the edge of the headstock). As it turns, the string will wrap around the post in a spiral. Keep tension on the string with your other hand so the wraps stay neat and do not overlap. Aim for 2 to 3 wraps around the post before the string reaches pitch. If you wrapped too much, loosen the peg, unwind the extra, and start again.

Tune the String to Pitch

Use your tuner to bring the string up to the correct pitch. Turn the tuning peg slowly at first—new strings go out of tune easily if you turn too fast. Stop when your tuner shows the right note. The string will be close to pitch but not perfect yet.

Gently pull the string away from the fretboard (toward you) with moderate force, stretching it slightly. This helps the string settle faster. Retune it. Repeat the stretch and retune two or three times. New strings lose pitch as they settle, so you will need to retune again in a few minutes, and again before you play tomorrow.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistake is wrapping the string too many times around the tuning peg post. More than 3 wraps makes the string harder to tune and more likely to slip. If you wrapped too much, loosen the peg completely, unwind the extra string, and start the wrapping step over.

Another mistake is tuning too fast. New strings are stretchy and will jump out of tune if you crank the tuning peg quickly. Turn slowly and use your tuner to watch the pitch climb. If the string goes sharp (too high), back off and approach the pitch from below instead of overshooting.

On acoustic guitars, forgetting to remove the bridge pin before pulling the string will jam the pin and make removal harder. Always remove the pin first. On electric guitars, make sure the string is threaded all the way through the bridge—a string that is only halfway in will slip out when you tune it.

Why New Strings Go Out of Tune Quickly

New strings are made of wound metal that has never been stretched. When you first tune them up, the metal begins to relax and lengthen slightly, which lowers the pitch. This happens most in the first 24 to 48 hours, but continues for several days. Stretching the string by hand speeds up this settling process.

Expect to retune a new string several times before you play. Retune it once more after 10 minutes, again after an hour, and once more before you play the next day. After 48 hours, the string will hold pitch much more reliably. This is normal and does not mean you installed it wrong.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to change all six strings at once?

No. You can change one string at a time, and most players do. Changing all six at once is faster if you are comfortable with the process, but it is not required. Changing one string takes about 5 to 10 minutes.

What if the string breaks while I am wrapping it?

Stop and start over with a new string. Strings rarely break during installation, but if one does, unwind what you wrapped, remove it, and insert a fresh string. Do not try to tie the broken ends together.

Can I reuse an old string?

Old strings lose tone and go out of tune more easily, so they are not worth reusing. New strings cost a few dollars each. Keep old strings only if you want a spare in case one breaks while you are playing.

How tight should the string be when I pull it at the bridge?

Pull it with enough force to keep it from falling out, but not so hard that you bend the bridge or strain your hand. Moderate tension is all you need. The tuning peg will do the work of bringing it up to pitch.

Why does my string keep slipping out of the tuning peg hole?

The string is probably not wrapped around the post enough times, or the wraps are too loose. Loosen the peg, unwind the string, and wrap it again with 2 to 3 tight spirals around the post before tuning up. Make sure each wrap sits below the one above it.