Your guitar sounds flat and dead no matter how carefully you play. Worn strings are the likely cause, and swapping them is one of the first repairs every player should own.
There’s a small catch. Slap new strings on without seating the bridge pins or winding them properly, and even a fresh set can sound dull or slip out of tune.
This guide takes you through it slowly, from pulling the old strings to winding and tuning the new ones. A few beginner tips along the way make the whole thing faster.
Snapped just one? Replace a single broken guitar string first, then come back here for the full set.
Related reading - Can You Put Nylon Strings On A Steel String Guitar? | Guitar string names | Difference between light and medium guitar strings
Is It Hard To Restring An Acoustic Guitar For A Beginner?
No, not at all. It just takes a little practice.
How you string the guitar depends on the type of bridge you’ve, so it helps to know which one you’re working with before you start.
With pegs: Most steel string acoustics use bridge pins (pegs) that hold the ball end of each string inside the bridge. You drop the ball end into the hole, push the pin in to seat it, then thread the other end up through the tuning machine and wind it tight.
Give the pin a gentle press while you take up the slack so it locks in place.
Acoustic guitar tailpiece without pegs at the bridge: Some acoustics, including many classical and a few steel string models, route the string through a hole in the bridge or tailpiece and secure it with a knot or loop instead of a pin. Feed the string through, tie it off neatly so it can’t slip, then thread the other end up to the tuner and wind to pitch.
What You Will Need
While you can do it without any tools, there are a couple of things that I’d recommend to help speed the job up a bit:
- string winder - I recommend this one that includes a string cutter as well for clipping off the excess after the strings are installed.
- string cutter or a pair of wire cutters.
- guitar tuner - we put together a list of acoustic guitar tuners that are great for tuning up.
How To Know If The Strings Should Be Replaced
So how do you know it’s time? Strings should be replaced when they become old or lose their tonal quality.
They’ll sound dull or dead, and the bright sustain you want simply won’t be there. You can tell if a string is past its prime by tuning your guitar and then fretting the string at the first fret.
If it still sounds clear, it’s probably in good shape. Once strings start to lose their clarity and sustain, they’re getting weaker and should be changed before they break.
Why Should You Change Guitar Strings?
- Having a guitar with great tone is key to being a successful guitar player.
- Strings break down when they’re stretched too far or exposed to sweat, oils, and the elements.
Fresh strings restore brightness, intonation, and sustain, all of which make the guitar more enjoyable to play and easier to keep in tune. Strings die gradually as skin oils and humidity corrode the windings, so the dullness sneaks up on you, and most players only hear the difference after the swap.
As a rule of thumb, restring every one to three months, or sooner if the tone goes lifeless, the intonation drifts, or you can see discoloration where you pick.
How Often Should You Restring?
There really isn’t one correct answer here. Players have their own preferences for how long they keep strings on before replacing them.
I’d recommend changing them when the sound becomes weak or dull, or when they begin to rust. If you like the tone of your strings for quite some time, it isn’t necessary to change them often, because strings can last for months before they need to be replaced.
Personally, I find that I change them every month or so if I’m playing regularly.
How Much Does It Cost To Restring?
The cost to restring can vary considerably depending on the type of strings you’re using. On average though, it’ll cost about $10 to $15 assuming you’re doing it yourself.
Uncoated 80/20 bronze and phosphor bronze sets sit at the cheap end, while coated strings cost roughly twice as much but resist corrosion noticeably longer, which evens out the yearly spend. Have a shop do it and you’ll add a modest labor charge on top of the set.
How Long Does It Take To Restring?
Once you get the hang of it and have done it a few times, it shouldn’t take any longer than 10 or 15 minutes. Budget closer to 30 or 45 for your first few attempts, and change one string at a time so the neck never fully loses tension.
A cheap string winder shaves several minutes off the job, and the ones with a built-in cutter save you hunting for pliers.
Is The Process The Same With All Brands?
Yes, it doesn’t matter if it’s a 6 or 12 string. Martin or Taylor.
Fender or Seagull. Beginner, advanced, or intermediate acoustic guitars.
Cort or First Act. Epiphone or Yamaha.
Lefty or right handed. The basic restringing process is the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you reuse old acoustic guitar strings?
You can in a pinch, but it isn’t ideal. Strings that have already been stretched and corroded won’t return to their original tone or tuning stability, and they’re more likely to snap.
Reusing strings is fine as a temporary fix if you break one mid-session, but a fresh set is always the better choice.
Do you need a string winder to change strings?
No, a string winder isn’t required, but it makes the job much faster and saves your fingers from a lot of turning. Most winders are inexpensive and many include a built-in cutter for trimming the excess, which makes them well worth the small cost for anyone who changes strings regularly.
Should you change all the strings at once?
For a routine change, swapping the whole set at once is the simplest approach and gives you an even, consistent tone across all six strings. Some players prefer to replace strings one at a time to keep tension on the neck, which is a reasonable habit, but for most acoustics changing them all together is perfectly fine.
How tight should new acoustic guitar strings be?
Tighten each string only until it reaches its correct pitch using a tuner, never beyond it. Overtightening is the most common way beginners snap a brand new string.
New strings will also stretch and drop in pitch for the first day or two, so expect to retune a few times before they settle.
Final Thoughts
Changing strings can feel like a daunting task when you’re just starting out, but it’s one of the most useful skills you can pick up as a guitar player. In this guide we covered how to spot the signs that your strings need replacing, the few tools that make the job easier, and the simple steps for restringing your instrument at home.
With these tips in your back pocket, you’re one step closer to keeping your acoustic sounding its best. Grab a fresh set, take your time the first couple of times, and you’ll be restringing in minutes before you know it.
