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Chapter 16: Changing Strings
311
You may have a guitar with a system that’s different from the one described
in this section, so you may have to adjust the directions slightly. But the principles
of good string-changing apply no matter what type of system you use.
The following steps outline the process for restringing your electric guitar:
1. Thread the plain end of the string through the hole.
The ball end prevents the string from completely passing through the hole.
2. Pull the string all the way through the tailpiece or bridge until the
ball stops the string.
3. Insert the string through the appropriate tuning-post hole.
Make sure that the tailpiece hole, bridge slot (or saddle), and tuning
post all correspond. For example, if you’re changing the first string,
make sure that you’re threading the string through the outside, rightmost
hole as you face the guitar.
4. Crease (or kink) the string toward the inside of the guitar (away from
the tuning key).
On guitars with inline tuners (all six tuners on the same side of the headstock),
like the one shown in Figure 16-7, the kink goes to the right as
you face the guitar. For a split-tuner configuration (three on each side),
the three lower strings (six, five, and four) kink to the right, the three
upper strings (three, two, and one) kink to the left.
Figure 16-7:
Kinking the
string in
the proper
direction for
inline and
split tuners.
a
b
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