Play Guitar / Guitar Basics Tutorial - How to String a Guitar

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String an Electric Guitar.

Steel String Acoustic Guitar

Many steel string acoustics include a bridge and tailpiece assembly similar to the one shown below. Pop the peg out, insert the string ball with the ball end into the hole, push the peg back in (with the string on the sound hole side), then run the string up and over the nut to the tuner post, and you're done.

In my humble opinion, this is the simplest string setup around. Run the string through the appropriate hole in the tailpiece, continue that same run up and over the bridge and then the nut, affix the string to its tuning post and you're done. The tailpiece in the picture below is atypical, however. If you look closely at the bottom of it, you'll notice some small holes. Those were used to accomodate the original "fine tuners." Most Gibson style tailpieces are simpler in design. The headstocks for most Gibson style guitars are similar to the headstock pictured above.

Take care when winding the string around the tuning posts. Ensure you have no overlap and that you have enough wraps to prevent any string slippage. Either case could result in tuning problems. The thicker strings, the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings, should have 2 to 4 wraps around the tuning posts. See below left. Thinner strings, such as the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings, should have 4 or more wraps. The picture, below right, shows what I mean.