restringing

I tried restringing my acoustic guitar for the first time, my dad or brother usually does it, but i figured i should probably learn to do it. i guess i didnt do too poorly, i didnt give myself enough slack on the first few, cause i only got like 1 full wrap around on the low E. I only got to the B string, it was so frustrating i had to stop. its like rolling tube onto a spool, one slip and your screwed, and sometimes its not even your fault and theres just nothing you can do about it. so yeah.. random guitar related post =p

This is how I make sure I gave slack:
I hold the head-end of the string against it's proper tuning peg, My other hand typically measure 2 inches off the fret board (I do this pretty quickly by placing my thumb on the fretboard, my pointer pulls the string up into the "arm-pit" between my thumb and pointer. This measurement typically gives me 2-3 wraps around the peg.

Don't stress stringing her up, take your time to understand how your doing it and how it works and you'll enjoy restringing her. I hope my trick wasn't too confusing. I could probably make a vid but I'm lazy.

After 20-ish years, I still screw up restringing guitars :-(

Some strings seem to stretch more than others, and some guitar necks seem to bend more making it difficult to always know how much slack you need.

I tend to string the lowest string first, meaning when I get to the high string, the neck is almost fully bent and therefore you need less slack on the high E.

I also hold the string using with my right hand looking like a spider which maintains string tention while winding on the slack. It looks kinda strange. I cant explain it better, but I still f up.

Umm, become a guitar god and hire a guitar tech. Thats the go I think.

interesting i always assumed it was just because the high E string is so much narrow-er than the low E string... i usually measure off about 1 fret for the E and A strings, 1.5 frets on my D and G strings, and then 2 frets on the B and e strings. this usually gives me 2-3 wraps on each string. but this is electric, not acoustic.

Yer not the only one who (me=35+ yrs, so even sadder, lol) " stringS the lowest string first ... the neck is almost fully bent" I do the same damn thing. i know better, i teach it properly BUT when its time for me to re-string the Planks (usually main 3 or 4 twice a month) i throw my hands up say F IT, and make hideous (but fast) work of the process. I even cut ALL the strings off w/out slacking hem, even on the 53 Martin. I should be locked up in some damned Guitar-Jail for these and other affronts and cruelties vested upon the tools of my trade, and saviors of my soul...i blame it on tours sometimes making bad habits, or I'll blame it on the weather but its a bad bad damned habit and i gotta stop!! Call Dr Drew!!

and seriously y'all, those of you who are new, and learning fast
s l o w down and re-string correctly. or you will eventually fall into a bad habit, as i have, that can HURT your guitar. really.

RAWK!
Cs

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Carl Snow is an old, jaded & slightly bitter old man who cannot be held accountable for anything, much less his opinionatedly opinionated opinions or those of his imaginary friends. We sincerely apologize if this Carl Snow and/or its behavior have infected you or others with its ugly brain and its juices.

okay so im not the only one who has trouble with this, good

Are you kidding? The other day I almost poked my eye out with the B string!!! Snip.....Booooiiinnng LOL
It's a dangerous business we are in.
Phip
P.S. Don't run with scissors!

Ooh ketchup!

I have an electric with a floyd rose... so i dont have any issues (except gage change) or solutions for yer epic fails. But i once got a D string through my finger. ouch.

I almost slashed by eyeball as I was adjusting a saddle. freaking G string slaps me in my face.

1in away from my left eye.
Not counting the times I've pricked myself with the ends of guitar strings and started to bleed for over a minute.

@ Dom - Restringing your Floyd is EASIER for you?! Wow, dude. lol. I envy that.

what i find the most pain is restringing a bigsby! when you get down to the last string, you need VERY tiny fingers