How to Change Guitar Strings the Warmoth Way

Here is my favorite way to change electric guitar strings.

[@Jeffy2n]

50 years of picking, and this is the first time I have seen this method. I will give it a try on my next string change. Thank you Aaron.

[@georgehowe6750]

I have watched dozens of videos on how to change strings and different methods. Most of the time, I am just too clumsy to get a professional wind on the tuning pegs, until now. Your double bend method works like a charm. Perfect winds on all pegs like a pro. Thanks a ton!

[@pvdguitars2951]

Tons of stories with the G string snapping off! 😉

[@sams.4388]

I love these Warmoth videos. I just learned the method I will use from now on to restring my guitars. I did this with my Dark Night TL as I watched. Thank you.

[@donald-parker]

My brother from another mother. The only thing I do a little different is to use 4 fingers on the top 2 strings so they wind further down the post, thereby eliminating the need to use string trees

[@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342]

I like string trees. Less likely to get crap caught on the headstock. Always seems to fit better when hanging it up on a neck holding wall stand.

[@donald-parker]

@@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342 Neck holding wall stand friendly ... interesting criteria for guitar design. I don't like them because they introduce an additional friction point on the string which can adversely affect tuning stability. But obviously I am in the minority since ever Fender strat or tele ever made has them. I just never use them (I leave them on but just pop the strings out from underneath. BTW - no string trees makes behind the nut bends much easier. Perhaps not as important a feature as being friendly to hanging wall holders ... but a feature, nonetheless.

[@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342]

@@donald-parker Can but doesn't lol. Not if you're like me and use higher end strings and nut sauce. Aldo f fenders synthetic nuts. Absolute trash compared to tusq or metal or bone or graphite etc etc... Also lol at bending behind the nut. Never seen anyone wow me by doing that. It's just silly.

[@donald-parker]

@@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342 A "behind the nut bend" is cool once a night. It you do it on every song (or more) it is dick. Check out Trevor Rabin on Owner Of A Lonely Heart. You calling him silly?

[@nickmizell1141]

Great videos, please keep uploading weekly.

[@GordonPavilion]

Perfect!!! Near on fifty years of incorporating the exact same method. I kinda think the “stretch” part is basically getting the string to “seat in” around the post.

[@dinamoarg]

🤝🏻 I use the exact same technique as yours, the only variation is that the first wrap goes over the string and then under, so it ends up gripping the string from both sides. 🍻🍻

[@Nellil]

That's how Joe Bonamassa's tech also does it...

[@markinmemphis]

That’s my method too.

[@GregsGarage]

I put the string through the peg, then wrap it 1/2 way around and stuff it back through the hole the opposite way. After that I do an over/under Martin lock. The guitar won't go out of tune for at least 5 years when I do this. I leave all the string ends on and weave them together between the tuning pegs because that's where all the tone comes from. LOL! JK!!! I do something similar to what you do, but I've never bent the string sideways before clipping... I am going to incorporate that! Thanks for the demo.

[@patrickkeenan6331]

Note: don't clip the string until you are completely done stringing. If something goes awry, you'll have plenty of string left to get it back through the tuner.

[@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342]

Aaron b like, that's noob crap. I know what I'm doing!

[@warmoth]

LOL. I am like Forrest Gump cleaning his gun when it comes to string changes.

[@JoelCSabo]

@@warmoth This'n gave me a lively wheezing chuckle at work. Thank you.

[@BryanClark-gk6ie]

If you wrap it the right way your comment will go away.

[@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342]

@@BryanClark-gk6ie Just now used Aarons method here on two gretsch rancher acoustics. WORKS GREAT! And yeah I clipped them hella early it's fine. When you get a feel for how to properly string up, you tend to stop being so careful lol.

[@mikaso]

Thank you for another great tip, Aaron!

[@alexnettleton16]

The String Stretcha is also a great tool for really stretching the strings. Particularly useful for guitars with a Floyd Rose.

[@logrinn]

Actually it isn't. It's very easy to overstretch your strings with it. Have a look at this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIO9co1-brV0sK8si=gCOsCTOuhVHwILrd&t=875

[@alexnettleton16]

I have used that tool for years and I have never had that problem. Takes me about half the time to setup my Floyd guitars using that. Here is a great video of it being used successfully… kzbin.info/www/bejne/bniln4KbqLh0Y7ssi=vr4bLvvlvowaf_jL

[@alexnettleton16]

@@logrinn I have used that tool for a couple years now and never had that problem. I discovered it from this video, which dramatically helped my tuning stability on my Floyd guitars… kzbin.info/www/bejne/bniln4KbqLh0Y7ssi=vr4bLvvlvowaf_jL

[@alexnettleton16]

@@logrinn I’ve used that tool for years and never had that problem.

[@Bacachu]

Learn something new everyday! Thanks Aaron!

[@ibji]

This method was posted 15 yrs ago by Bill Baker here on KZbin. And I've been doing it this way ever since as well.

[@warmoth]

I don't who Bill Baker is, but he's obviously a man of high intelligence and refined taste.

[@ibji]

He says he was Ace Frehly's guitar tech. The title of his video is - The proper way to restring a guitar by NJ tech Bill Baker Acoustic or Electric "Z - bend method"@@warmoth

[@elstoof]

Haha, my first thought too. Strung mine this way for years and it’s never let me down

[@user-mr7hr9qi6z]

Dude I absolutely love this

[@Cottonrocket]

Excellent! I’ve never seen this method before and it makes perfect sense. Thank you!

[@BenBreard]

I like the double bend. That's a good trick.

[@AvnerRosenstein-ULTRA-LXV]

I used to change strings pretty much like this. I settled on the pinch method. The first wrap is above the hole and the rest underneath. It creates a pinch point with tension and virtually locks the strings in place. It's very similar to the Luthier's knot...which I'm betting is the one Aaron is referring to at the beginning but without the hassle's and it's easy going on and off....no knots to deal with.

[@warmoth]

Yep...I loathe the dreaded luthier's knot.

[@JohnnyGuitarRocks]

This is very helpful and informative, thank you! 🎸🎸🎸

[@BuckeyeBassMaster78]

"That's how Ive always restrung my guitars,Ive tryed many different ways over the years,but that technique is the one that works best"

[@eddiejr540]

Aaron, I like this method…you don’t need a third hand doing it this way…I always end up with a rat nest in the end😫

[@rb032682]

In 1980, I was in a cover/dance/recording band which played 6 nights/wk, 5 sets per night. I hated that particular situation and became masochistic. I eventually ended up using a 13 - 60 set, with a 22-plain 3rd string. Lots of tension and I bent them like "8s". I used an agate pick and broke an average of one string per set, (usually at the bridge). One night in the middle of a song, my G-string broke at the bridge. The sharp, jagged end on the long piece of the string flew back and embedded itself into the middle bone of my middle left finger. It wasn't a deep penetration, but it hurt like hell in a very special, nasty way. I kept on playing until the end of the song. I can still see the dancers looking at my left hand with a very "wtf?" kind of expression. So, it took me about 30 seconds to replace the string, and I was using a "double-lock, overlap" kind of wind at the time. 😎🖖

[@jamesonpace726]

Same dude as taught you must've taught me too as that is only way I've change o presto strings for lo! these 48 years of play....

[@Timanator]

Wow 25+ years of playing and I never knew most of these. All I do is replace all mine with locking tuners, good to know I dont have to do that any more!.

[@warmoth]

I love locking tuners and use them on most of my guitars! :D

[@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342]

Lockers are heavy sad to say. Not so heavy that it's a big deal but I'm super picky these days with my guitars so I'm kind of into vintage style tuning pegs. Light, work just fine, and look great!

[@stevechambers500]

After the string is on, I usually slowly tune it up to the point where it almost feels like it's about to break (for me, that's like half the string stretch), then I gently tune it down and then back up to pitch. Then I do the tug stretch and keep tuning to pitch before moving onto the next string. I'm extra careful with the high e. Obviously, the tuning will change as I keep putting strings on, but that's what works for me whether I'm using traditional or locking tuners. After all the strings are on, I tune up, and just play the guitar and continue tug stretching the strings till it stays in tune, which usually takes a few minutes for me. I don't just do a tug on the strings when I stretch them, I do it in different spots along the fretboard as well.

[@TommySG1]

Hey Aaron! Been winding the three wound strings the same exact way man, I’ve had it when the unwound string would ‘slip’ though, mainly the high E, so I’ve just always did the old under over and back under method on those and typically leave like 4 fingers length on those 3. Don’t ask me why it slipped either because I don’t even know lol 😂

[@1man1guitarletsgo]

On guitars that don't have vintage tuners (with central holes), I used to use the luthier's knot, but now I just do it more or less like this video. I like to have enough wraps to achieve a good nut break angle. I've poked myself with guitar strings many times, but can't recall any one "worst" incident. They're all pretty painful!

[@dt9r]

I like it

[@marcionobrega5117]

Gostei bem fácil 👍👍👍

[@dyltr0]

Im due for a few re strings soon, Ill definitely give this a try. Never had a consistent method but this seems fool proof. As for being stabbed by a string, once I dropped a 10 or 12 gauge string on the floor without realizing. Sat down on the floor later that evening and slid my heel across the hardwood, about half an inch of a high E string straight into my heel. Felt like I got a flu shot in my foot. Lesson learned with that one

[@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342]

Bass guitarists are lucky in this regard haha

[@ibji]

On my acoustic, flipping the guitar over for a 3 by 3 tuner set up to get to the other row of tuners, I forgot there was a glass globe over the light on a ceiling fan, the headstock broke the glass globe, glass cutting into my forehead, bloody mess everywhere.

[@warmoth]

GARRR! That's way worse than a mere finger-poke!

[@lyricbread]

Pro Tip: heat up the tuning peg with a soldering iron and flow solder into the hole of the post, locking the string in. Superior tuning stability as long as you never break a string.

[@warmoth]

LOL.

[@paulberger6540]

The worst string poke I've experienced was when the snipped off end of a high E string found it's way under the fingernail of my middle finger on my left (fretting) hand. Went in about 1/2 inch, and the end of the string that was inside me had a slight bend or crimp where it had been snipped, so it ripped a big hole when it came out. That was right after soundcheck, right before the 2 set, 3 hour gig started.

[@warmoth]

Gaaaaahhhh!

[@michaelpilgrim8131]

You can change the strings?!

[@GordonPavilion]

😂

[@myeyesarewaiting]

I measure the diameter of the post with callipers, then multiply it by pi to get the circumference. Then I decide how many wraps of string I want on the post and multiply the figure by that. Then I know that's how much string to leave for wrapping.

[@warmoth]

Mmmmmm......pie......

[@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342]

I say to hell with these posts that end with the string sticking out that can poke you! Vintage style or locking tuners only if you ask me. Preferably vintage since I think they look kooler imo, they are cheaper, and best of all they are lighter. Locking is faster to do a string change with but meh... People who break strings all of the time are kinda nuts anyways lol. NGL though if you have these crappy posts like in this video. Aaron seems to do a great job haha I'm seriously impressed. And I thought I was good at this... That being said, Aaron needs to get a music nomad string winder though. SOOO much better than that cheap orange plastic pos he's using lololol. Never stabbed myself with a string end too badly thankfully. But once a effing cat mauled the crap out of my hand! Couldn't play guitar for like 2 weeks : (

[@Tyrannocaster]

I string the same way, except I do the first turn over the string and the rest under. I own the record for dumbest action while changing strings: decades ago I changed the strings on my '69 LP Custom while watching TV. I wasn't paying attention and while removing the old ones I turned the peg on one of the unwound strings the wrong way (because I'm a Fender guy, right?). Well, I overtightened it to the point that it broke, which was bad enough, but it broke close to the nut and *went through my index finger* and stuck into the fingerboard, impaling the digit, which I could slide up and down the string like an O ring. Once was enough.

[@warmoth]

Gah!!!!!

[@sharkair2839]

correction. electric string winders are the single greatest invention.

[@WillfulThinker]

Once in a while I'll come across a casual player who says they need to take their guitar to be re-strung. Almost as bad as if someone were to say they need to take their shoes to be re-laced, or they neeed to bring in a maid coz the waste baskets are full.

[@fenderlead1]

Welll… at least it isn’t the luthier knot :)

[@warmoth]

I HATE the dreaded knot.

[@catsofsherman1316]

Throw those string clippings away before you put somebody's eye out. Clearly your mother brought you up right. I change strings exactly the same as you except I never did the bend trick you do. I also have more string wound around the post. Maybe too much?

[@robcerasuolo9207]

"Hard right bend..." (bends left) Someone hasn't been around the military! 🤪🫡 All kidding aside, I was taught the same method, except that I did three fingers on all the strings. The guy that taught me said, "How tall ya like ya whiskey? Three fingahz? Same wit ya strings." 😂