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How to Change Epiphone Guitar Strings

x3xsolxdierx3x | Mar 23, 2010 |

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As one of the predoninant instruments available today, the electric guitar has solidified a profound spot in, at least, an American culture that has found a universal appeal throughout many varying musical genres and interests. Regardless of the electric guitar you own, whether it be a Gibson, a Six-String Epiphone acoustic guitar, or one of many other available styles and brands, learning how to change epiphone guitar strings is a skill that should be mastered with time. Even though you may not have great experience with changing guitar strings, as you continually learn and become more proficient with the tool of your trade, you will become more skilled at changing your epiphone guitar strings.

With all things being the same, changing the guitar strings of your Epiphone guitar is really actually quite similar compared to doing the same for a six-string steel acoustic guitar .

It is important to change your Epiphone Guitar Strings for many reasons. Chief amongst these reasons is the fact that restringing should be an essential element and activity of the overall safeguarding and maintenance of your musical industry. Just as a carpenter regards his tools as highly as a professional baseball player regards his baseball bats, as a guitar player you should also think highly enough of your craft that you will want to make the simple investment to safeguard the integrity of your instrument.

Things You Will Need

Towel or Blanket

Peg Winder

Wire Cutters

Strings

Guitar tuning aid (optional)

Step 1

When changing your Epiphone Guitar Strings, it is important that you provide yourself with ample space to work. Just like a woodworker may have his woodshop, I highly recommend that you find a rather open area where you can work diligently, while being free of significant distraction. At this point, wherever you choose to do your Epiphone Guitar restringing, you should lay a towel or a blanket down to provide yourself with the best working spot possible. Because of the oftentimes frail nature of guitars, using a blanket will help to minimize any unintentional scratching that may occur as the result of not having a barrier, like a blanket or a towel, to protect your Epiphone guitar while you are conducting your restringing diligently.

Step 2

Some have inquired about whether you should begin restringing your Epiphone guitar at the largest, or thickest string, or the least thickest string, and I would recommend you begin with the largest string. Your thickest string, regardless of make or brand of guitar, is always the sixth or "E" string. In order to loosen this string, and all of your remaining strings, you will need to use your Peg Winder, which has been listed uder your "Things You Will Need" list on this Info Barrel article.

In order to use your Peg Winder correctly, you should turn the corresponding key clockwise after inserting your peg winder into it. Accompanying this action, you will find that your Epiphone guitar string begins to unloosen gradually. When you string is completely loosed, you can easily remove it from the string post. You will want to unwrap the windings and pull the string through.

Step 3

In order to remove your string, you will now have to push it out through your guitar bridge.

Be cognizant, however, that there is a slight variation in how you do this with an electric Epiphone guitar in relation to an acoustic Epiphone guitar that has bridge pins. In the case of an acoustic Epiphone guitar with bridge pins, you can use the notch in your peg winder to pry them out, and, subsequently, free the string.

Step 4

In this step of learning how to change your Epiphone guitar strings, you will want to pull your new string through after you insert the plain end of your string onto your Epiphone guitar bridge.

Step 5

In this step, you will take the entire length of your string and stretch it along your Epiphone guitar fretboard. You will them take your string post hole and insert the plain end of your guitar string into it and pull it as taut as possible.

Step 6

Once you have thread your string through your string post hole, and pulled it taut, you will now wrap the loose end of the string around your guitar string post until it meets where the other side of the string was initially threaded through the hole. With the loose end of your string still in hand, you will now thread the loose end, of your guitar string, under the other side of your string, and loop it around the top. You can easily lock your string in place by pulling your guitar string at a 180 degree angle.

Step 7

In order to achieve the correct pitch of your newly stringed Epiphone guitar string, you can use one of a variety of guitar tuning tools. A guitar tuning aid, such as a tuning fork, pitch pipe, or electronic tuner, can really help to faciliate and expedite the guitar tuning process in a very accurate way. While some can tune their guitar strictly by ear, as you become more experienced with your instrument, you should try to teach yourself how to tune your guitar with each one of these tools. You may one day be placed in a situation that will require you to do on the spot tuning. More than likely, you will have the tools available, however, you just may not.

While you use these tools to help aid you in your Epiphone guitar tuning, be sure to turn the tuning key counter-clockwise, in order to achieve the best, most optimal, pitch. In fact, your tuning efforts just won't work if you attempt to turn your tuning key clockwise. It just doesn't work that way.

Step 8

Once you have successfull tuned all your Epiphone guitar chords, you can now proceed to trim off the excess string. There will be excess string, and while your guitar can technically function without removing it, you will want to simply to ensure that your Epiphone guitar looks 'normal'. In order to do this, you will simply use your wire cutters.

You can trim your wires as you go, or you can wait until you have restringed all the strings, and then proceed to trim all your wires in unison. Your approach is strictly up to you.

Restringing your guitar should be a pastime that is held in high regard: as a means to maintain and safeguard the integrity of your instrument. More oftentime than not, sometimes musicians, for love of music, have the tendency to excessively wear out and use their guitar strings. As you can see in this Info Barrel article, learning how to change your Epiphone guitar strings really isn't that difficult if you just pay attention to a few minor steps in the process. With that said, I wish your all the best in, not just your guitar restring endeavors, but also, in you musical endeavors.

Tips & Warnings

When replacing your guitar strings, you should strive to avoid uneven tension on your guitar neck. In order to do this, you should be cognizant enough to only replace your strings one at a time.

When restringing your Epiphone guitar, whether it be an electric or an acoustic, it is always important just to have a general adherence to safety. When using wire cutters, be cautious. Tensioned strings can always snap back very wildly and erratic and this could cause serious facial and eye injuries. In fact, while many don't do this, you could also opt to wearing some form of safety glasses or goggle when conducting your Epiphone guitar restringing from beginning to end.

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