You have probably noticed while restringing our guitar that the strings are very long for what you need. Ever wondered why?
Why are guitar strings so long?
Guitar strings are long in order to accommodate different scale lengths, headstock configurations, and different bridge styles. It is very easy to trim your strings after installing them.
Contents
How Long Are Guitar Strings?
The standard guitar string is between 35 to 40 inches long. There are some guitars that have much longer strings, but they are not common. The longest known length is 55 inches long.
Do I Need To Trim Guitar Strings?
You do not need to, but I would recommend trimming your guitar strings at the tuning pegs after installing them. No one wants a mess of excess strings shooting out of all ends of your headstock. It is a good habit to do this after every string change. I use the D’Addario Pro-Winder String Winder and Cutter to trim my strings.
How To Trim Guitar Strings Tutorial:
Make sure your guitar is tuned to pitch before trimming it. Take the string off of the tuning peg and cut it with a pair of wire cutters or the recommendation I mentioned previously. Do this for each tuning peg until all strings are cut and turned up at their tuning pegs.
What To Do With Excess Guitar String
I like to just coil them up and toss them. They don’t have a lot of use.
Conclusion
There you have it. Why are guitar strings so long? Not too difficult of a concept. I wanted to give you what I thought was the best method to trim your strings, but it is up to you how you want to do it.