How to string a classical guitar in 13 minutes ?

You bought a classical guitar not long ago, you’ve realized that the guitar sound is quite dull and you are wondering how to string your classical guitar? Strings deteriorate with time and they’ll either break or produce a dull sound. You’ll need to know how to change guitar strings. Stringing your nylon-string guitar is a bit different from stringing a steel string one, which would often be an acoustic guitar. The nylon strings are thicker than those of an acoustic guitar (steel strings) and will be more gentle even for inexperienced fingers.
You don’t need to use bridge pins when stringing a nylon-string guitar; you have to tie the strings off instead. Don’t worry though, changing guitar strings is easy. Just follow our 4-step process.

What you’ll need :

A guitar (might be tricky without). If you don’t own yet a classical guitar, check our classical guitar reviews to find which one is made for you !
New strings

Before diving deeper into how to let’s review when to change your strings :

A string broke (it might be one of the best reasons)
Your strings feel dirty, rusty, oxidised…
The sound is different – lost its smoothness
You have to tune your guitar almost every time you play
You don’t remember the last time you’ve changed them (how is that even possible?)

Now you know everything you need to before stringing. Read our 4-step process to revive your guitar with some fresh strings.

Remove the old strings of your guitar (the easiest step)

Untighten the strings until you can’t even make a note anymore.
Untie the string from the bridge and remove it from the barrel.
Pro tip: Don’t cut the string, you can use it as a spare if another breaks.

Tie the strings to the bridge

Each string is different in terms of size and thickness. Remember this phrase: “Eddie Ate Dynamite ? Good Bye Eddie”. This will help you memorise the note names of the open strings: E, A, D, G, B, E. Should you have a thing against Eddies, you can go with “Every Acid Dealer Gets Busted Eventually”

The thickest string is the 6th string also referred to as the low E string. It will be the closest string to your chest when you play. Then moving down the fretboard, the 5th string, A, the 4th, D, the 3rd, G, the 2nd, B and the skinniest of all the 1st string, E. Don’t worry, usually, each new string has its own label with the note name attached to it.

After you identified the correct string, follow these steps:

Take your new string, pass it through the hole in the top of the bridge and leave about 4 or 5 inches of the string. Again, make sure you are placing the string into its right place.
Bring the short end over the bridge and pass it under the long part of the string. Then pass it under, over and then under itself on the top of the bridge. ( we need a picture for this)
Pull gently on the longest part of the string until the knot is tight enough. You can cut the excess string, or you can tuck it into the next knot.
Repeat this process for all strings.

Attach the strings to the tuning posts

Turn the tuning post until the hole is facing up.
Pass the string through this hole and keep some slack.
Take the short end and pass it through the gap above the capstan and then create a loop by bringing the tail underneath the string itself. Then pass the string through the same gap again. The string will form a sort of u-shape under itself.
Hold the short end with one hand and with the other hand, turn the tuning post. The hole will start to move upwards. Wrap the windings to the outside of the hole, away from the centre of the guitar.
Repeat the process

Finally, tune your guitar and start playing!

Keep turning the tuning peg, and the string will come to the pitch.
You can use a guitar tuner app or a clip-on tuner , or by ear if you’re that talented.
– You might need to stretch the strings a bit, and tune them several times.
– Snip the excess string with the wire cutter or a toenail clipper (which is gross, but we don’t judge).
Now ? Have fun !