The most common places to get a guitar restrung
You can get your guitar restrung at a music store, a luthier's workshop, or at home if you have the tools and know how. Most people start with a local music shop because staff can do the work while you wait—usually 30 minutes to an hour for an acoustic or electric guitar—and they stock strings in common gauges. A luthier (a craftsperson who builds and repairs guitars) typically charges more but handles older, valuable, or unusual instruments with extra care. If you play regularly, learning to restring at home saves money over time, though the first time takes longer and requires wire cutters, a string winder, and new strings.
Chain music retailers like Guitar Center and Sweetwater offer restringing at most locations, though availability and turnaround time vary by store. Independent music shops often have shorter wait times and may offer same-day service if you drop off your guitar early in the day. Some guitar teachers also restring instruments for students or can recommend a trusted local shop.
Key Takeaways
- Music stores are the fastest option for most people and usually complete restringing in under an hour while you wait.
- A luthier is the right choice for vintage, expensive, or unusual guitars that need careful handling.
- The cost of restringing at a shop typically ranges from $20 to $50 depending on the guitar type and your location.
- Learning to restring at home requires wire cutters, a string winder, and new strings, but saves money if you play regularly.
- Call ahead to confirm the shop has strings in stock and can fit you in, especially on weekends.
What to expect when you take your guitar to a shop
When you arrive at a music store with your guitar, staff will ask what type of strings you want—or they will recommend a gauge based on your guitar and playing style. For an acoustic guitar, common choices are light (.010 to .047) or medium (.012 to .054) gauge. Electric guitars typically use lighter strings like .009 to .042. If you have a preference, bring your old strings or tell the staff what you usually play.
The technician will remove the old strings, clean the fretboard (the wooden surface where you press the strings), and install new strings one at a time. They will then tune the guitar and stretch the strings by gently pulling on them to help them hold pitch longer. The whole process takes 30 to 60 minutes depending on the guitar type and how busy the shop is.
You will pay for labor and strings separately at most shops. Labor ranges from $15 to $35, and a set of strings costs $5 to $20 depending on the brand and type. Some shops bundle the cost into a single price. Ask before you leave your guitar whether they charge by the hour or by the job.
How to find a luthier near you
A luthier is a specialist repair person, not a general music store employee. Luthiers work alone or in small shops and focus on instrument repair and restoration. They are the right choice if your guitar is vintage, handmade, expensive, or has structural damage like cracks or loose bracing. They also handle custom work like changing the nut or bridge.
To find a luthier, search online for "[your city] guitar luthier" or ask at local music shops for a referral—staff often know the best repair people in town. Check their website or call to confirm they work on your type of guitar (some specialize in classical, others in electric or bass). Luthiers typically charge $30 to $75 for restringing alone, but their informed prevents damage to valuable instruments.
Turnaround time at a luthier's shop is usually longer than at a music store because they handle repair work that requires more time. Call ahead and ask how long the job will take. Some luthiers keep your guitar for a few days if they want to inspect it for other issues while they have it.
Restringing your guitar at home
If you play guitar regularly, learning to restring at home saves money and time. You will need wire cutters (to trim excess string), a string winder (a hand-crank tool that speeds up winding), and a new set of strings. A string winder costs $5 to $15 and is worth the investment if you restring more than twice a year.
The basic steps are: loosen the tuning pegs to remove tension, remove the old strings, clean the fretboard while the strings are off, insert new strings into the bridge or bridge pins (depending on your guitar type), wind each string onto its tuning peg, trim the excess, and tune to pitch. The first time takes 45 minutes to an hour. After a few times, most people finish in 20 to 30 minutes.
Watch a video tutorial specific to your guitar type before you start—acoustic and electric guitars have different bridge systems, and classical guitars use nylon strings that tie on differently. YouTube has step-by-step guides from experienced players. If you get stuck, you can always take the guitar to a shop and have them finish the job.
Cost comparison: shop versus home restringing
A single restringing at a music shop costs $25 to $55 total (labor plus strings). A set of strings alone costs $5 to $20, so if you restring at home, you pay only for the strings. If you restring four times a year, home restringing saves $60 to $140 annually compared to shop prices.
The trade-off is time and learning curve. Your first home restring will take longer and may result in strings that go out of tune faster if they are not wound correctly. A shop technician's experience means your strings will hold pitch better and last longer. For casual players who restring once or twice a year, a shop is usually the better choice. For regular players, home restringing becomes worthwhile after the second or third time.
When to call a professional instead of restringing yourself
Do not attempt home restringing if your guitar has a tremolo system (a whammy bar), a locking nut, or a bridge that requires special tools. Fender Stratocasters with tremolos, Floyd Rose systems, and some high-end guitars need a technician's knowledge to restring without damaging the mechanism or throwing the guitar out of tune.
Also take your guitar to a shop if the fretboard is dirty or sticky, the tuning pegs are stiff, or the bridge is cracked or lifting. A technician can address these issues while restringing. If you are unsure whether your guitar is complex enough to need professional help, take a photo of the headstock and bridge and show it to a music store staff member—they can tell you in seconds whether it is a home job or a shop job.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I restring my guitar?
If you play daily, restring every 1 to 3 months. If you play a few times a week, every 3 to 6 months. If you play occasionally, once or twice a year. Strings lose brightness and go out of tune more easily as they age, so restring sooner if your guitar sounds dull or will not stay in tune.
Can I restring my guitar myself if I have never done it before?
Yes, but watch a video tutorial first and allow extra time. The first restring takes longer and the strings may need retuning more often, but you will not damage the guitar if you follow the steps carefully. Start with an inexpensive guitar to build confidence before restringing a valuable one.
What if I break a string while restringing at home?
Strings sometimes break during installation if they are old stock or if you wind them too tightly. Keep a spare set on hand. If you break a string at a shop, staff will replace it at no extra charge as part of the restringing job.
Do I need to bring my guitar to a shop or can they pick it up?
Most music stores require you to bring the guitar in. Some independent luthiers offer pickup and delivery for an extra fee, usually $10 to $20 each way. Call ahead and ask—this option is more common in larger cities.
How long do new strings take to stop going out of tune?
New strings go out of tune frequently for the first few hours because they are still stretching. A technician stretches them during restringing to speed this up, but expect to retune every 15 to 30 minutes for the first day or two. After a week, they should hold pitch much better.