For a newbie, this may seem a little intimidating. But with the right tools, a little knowledge and some practice, you’ll be able to restring an electric guitar like a professional guitar tech. When I was gigging regularly, I would restring my guitar every week. My body chemistry is acidic and the sweat and oils from my hands would tend to dull the brightness of the strings as well as make them feel “dirty”. For me, the bright sound and smooth feel of a new set of strings would inspire my playing. It became a ritual for me the night before the weekends gigs started. I would sit in front of the TV and restring my electric guitar; my acoustic was much less frequent.
OK, so you’ve decided you don’t want to pay the guys at the music store and you want to know how to restring an electric guitar yourself. Here is the list of tools and supplies you will need:
A new set of strings (naturally!) Click here for info on string sizes
A string winder (not required but very handy)
A pair of wire cutters
A guitar tuner (again, not required but helpful)
You will need to set aside about an hour of time to do this...