Guitar novice

[DAngerer09]

I play piano, and not much guitar. Recently started playing guitar and I broke a few strings on my acoustic. Now, my question is, am I supposed to buy a new set of strings and put them on myself or can I go into a shop and have them put them on for me? Would I look like an idiot if I did the latter?

[jimmyjimmy]

If you go to a shop, more than likely they're gonna charge you for the strings and the service to install.

 

Idiot? No. Just someone who's never done it before.....You can do this, it's easy man...

[dannygutters]

Any shop that is not glad to help you put your strings on the first time shouldn't get your business.

 

That being said, it's not too difficult to do on your own, put the bridge end in first and thread the eye on the headstock with the other end, then bend the wire over and turn. Replace one string at a time if possible to keep tension even. Just make sure you turn all the keys the same direction so you don't have to remember which direction is higher and which lower every time you tune. Google for pics.

[BigWheeledWagon]

In my youth, I worked at a music store, and we would restring a guitar for free when you bought strings from us -- when you consider the mark-up on strings, it's the least any music store could do. I would recommend learning to do it yourself, though, and buying strings in bulk to save money. Once you get the hang of it, changing strings is easy and takes only a few minutes at most. Plus, it's extremely inconvenient to go to a guitar store every time you break a string. Here's a quick tutorial I came across online:

 

http://hobbies.expertvillage.com/videos/ch...tar-strings.htm

[Lance]

Frank Ford has a great tutorial with photos at this link. Stringing your guitar

 

Where did the strings break? At the nut, the saddle or somewhere in between? If they broke at the nut add a little graphite to the slots. If they broke at the saddle, you may want to sand a little off the top. If somewhere in the middle...

[DAngerer09]

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone.

 

Where did the strings break? At the nut, the saddle or somewhere in between? If they broke at the nut add a little graphite to the slots. If they broke at the saddle, you may want to sand a little off the top. If somewhere in the middle...

 

The saddle

[Atticus]

I'd also add that the average chain guitar shop is going to try and rip you off price-wise on strings (and everything else under the sun I might add). Make sure you're at least getting a 2-for-1 deal if not better...

[Lance]

If the string is breaking at the saddle you may have a sharp edge or a groove in the saddle that needs to be remedied... or you're playing awful hard. Take it easy with the windmilling.

[entropy]

Take it easy with the windmilling.

 

No one should ever take it easy with the windmilling.

[oceanman]

I hardly ever break strings these days.I think I broke alot at first because when you learning your too aggressive.Same thing with drum sticks.

[a.miller]

No one should ever take it easy with the windmilling.

Advice to live by.

[rileykill]

frets.com is great as a guitar maintenance reference. FYI taking all the strings off at once is fine - I always throw away the old strings before I start wrapping the new ones.

 

Sorry to dredge up all these old threads. I stumbled onto this board by accident and now I'm totally enamored with the gear forum.

[kamera]

good stuff!

[In a little rowboat]

Id agree that string change should be a nominal fee, if not for free...however (and I am a guitar tech) most techs in stores are making 7 bucks an hour for the store, and are basically in business for themselves when they do guitar work...so dont expect the free string change if you buy the strings in store.

 

However, it takes nothing to change strings yourself and I look at it as a bonding experience anyhow.

 

 

 

 

jobu

[dmait]

Another tutorial on stringing a guitar, this one from McCabe's (not that anyone asked for it): http://mccabes.com/sstring.html