I really, really appreciate this. I am a new guitar player, 64 years old, and own a Jasmine acoustic on which the E string had just snapped. I ordered a new set of Elixirs for it today, and had decided to do a good inspection, cleaning and conditioning prior to installing the new strings. And since I do NOT know how to install them properly, this was a good video to watch. Even though my guitar is not a classical guitar, it was helpful to get to see you "spiff up" the frets and fingerboard. I am hoping to purchase a classical instrument soon. Thanks very much.
Thanks Andrew. I just bought a very similar guitar (Yamaha G50A). I've been playing electric for so long and am just basically a beginner with classical guitars and that playing style. I really thank you for showing me how to tie the strings. It's is much easier than it appears with all the loops and knots. Thanks. JD
Thanks Andrew.I had to clean with a soft soap and water my old Yamaha G-235 from the 70`s before following you step by step. It was like taking it out of the attic.Lemon oil did a great job on the frets (already had it,just like the steel wool grade 0).Quick Detailer did also a good job. Nothing sad like an instrument left there to gather dust.Many thanks again.
I bought a seven-year-old used Etude guitar yesterday. It looks like it was made yesterday. I'm going to clean the bass strings and reinstall them. Your instructions encourage me to try. Classes start in September. Thanks
Great video... I just got an old Classical Guitar from my Brother in law. It was made a long time ago in Romania. It is a Beautiful Guitar and I am glad I found your channel. You are an easy guy to learn from. Thanks!
I have a G 55A from the 70's and I LOVE it... it may be just a starter guitar but I seem to play it more then my top shelf guitars and it's almost indestructible!
Well I've watched multiple "how to replace guitarstrings" manuals and this was the best one. It was quite long (about 15 minutes) but I learned very much. Great video!
Thank you for your helpful videos, began playing a little over a year ago, and now I've got a classic guitar, a normal electric guitar and a Floyd/Rose, and I found your videos on the latter and the first one immensely helpful. I haven't had to change the strings on my classic guitar, though, and sure, it doesn't sound fresh or so, but I like it.
I'm pretty sure you've had to change it since then (11 years), as you probably noticed, they tend to fray, the metal wounding around the nylon, on some frets
"Change your strings about a couple of weeks before you have to gig" should be an opening statement, I was half-way through the changing when i heard that. Tonight gig will be a blast. Lovely video,and very clear. Thanks
For anyone that was confused, like me, the "Care & Maintenance" handout mentioned in the video seems to be named "How to Change Strings on the Most Popular Guitars." Nice Video. Nice Handout!
@sampson028... Yes, your friend the guitar builder is 100% correct. When storing a guitar (or, if ever taking your guitar on a flight where it will be checked as baggage) you should either slack off the tension of the strings completely, or remove the strings altogether. - Thanks for watching Andrew
I've just found the exact same guitar abandoned at the side of the road, ready for garbage collection. It's a bit dusty, but it looks structurally intact, the machine heads all look fine as well and looking at the condition of the frets it's hardly ever been played. Never owned a classical/nylon string type before, or a model with a slotted head stock, going to clean her up and get some new strings at the weekend.
+Walamonga 1313 It was abandoned, a hobo wouldn't just abandon a guitar like that. Also, the people you see playing music on the street to make money usually aren't hobos but just want to make some extra cash doing what they like to do: play music.
Really helpful video. I haven't changed the strings on my guitar for at least 2 years and this video not only refreshed my memory but it also taught me other helpful things. Thanks a lot. :-D
Thank you for this good video showing and describing how to change strings on the Classical Guitar. Because I don't do this frequently, I always have to refresh my mind on how to do this. Much appreciated.
I've been playing guitar for over 25 years, changed strings on 100's of guitars, acoustic, basses, but this is the 1st time I have to check out a guide to change strings, they're (nylon strings) completely setup differently haha. Good point about the 6th string being wound more to the left since the pegs are in the middle, I think I would've overlooked that and been disappointed So yah, thanks a lot!
@MrFreeDrugs, This is not recommended because the bridge on a Nylon string guitar is not manufactured to the specifications needed to support the Lbs. at Tension of Steel strings. For example; a set of hard tension Nylon strings will apply around 85 pounds of tension at the bridge. However, a set of Steel Strings (Extra-Light Gauge) would apply approx. 135 pounds of tension. That's a difference of over 50 pounds! This would likely rip the bridge off of a Nylon String guitar. Thanks for viewing
I no longer use regular oil, I now use a firearms product called, "Frog-Lube," just Google it. Frog-Lube is actually a metal lubricant that prevents & stops rust or seizing on all metals. I use it on all; bolts, screws and basically anything that I never want seizing up. Especially if you play outdoors a lot, you can have issues in humid climates with different bolts and gears on electrics & acoustic guitars. Try this product, it is excellent! - Andrew
Thank you Andrew! I Just got my Acoustic last Monday for a nice cheap price. But I have put alot of work into it.. Tuning on and off everyday and having to change the strings. This video really helps. Thanks again :)
Hi, I found that very informative. I have just put new strings on my guitar and of course, I can now see one or two mistakes that I've made! Thank you.
Things I learned which are helpful to me here were the alignment, the polarity of the thin string ends, validating that the 2 loop knots on the 5th and 6th strings are sufficient, (as I do that already) .... that a good time to clean the guitar is when its stripped down and is PART of the string changing,.... ... which also taught me apparently nothing will ever be good enough for 600 people. This is an excellent how-to DIY video. I have been playing 50 years and everything you really need to know is covered and then some. I dont know man, other things here have come to light from the viewers comments though... IF YOU NEED TO SEE a basic loop knot being made, EACH TIME, wow,....look closer, he does it in within view, but it gets rolled around the tuning drums.They are all done the same way except for alignment placement. Where do you think they went? If this flabbergasts you, wait until you drop a pick in "The Black Hole" of nevermore.... I kinda think these are the people who follow a garmin navigator down a set of railroad tracks. Not everything in life is a scrollable moment where things are all apped up..... Good Luck with Real Music.
Thank you very much for the video. I learned a lot and now have an idea of how to string my previously-owned Takamine 132S. I was using lemon oil to clean the fretboard but will try the fine steel wool as well. The saddle on mine is not higher on one side but now I know why there were a bunch of tooth-pick like pieces of wood under it...to raise it up on the 6/5/4 string side. It has such a beautiful sound so I'm looking forward to getting it going again. Thank you again.
Thanks so much for this upload. It has helped alot! In response to some of the comment about steel strings on a classical, my 1st guitar was a student classical, i got it when i was 5 yrs old, just a normal cheapie 1\2 scaler very similar in design to the guitar in this vid. It has had steel strings on it since i got it and im 32 now and it has not so much even affected the action let alone ripped the bridge off the thing.
The fire danger of boiled linseed oil is generally caused when rags soaked in BLO aren't disposed of carefully. What happens is the oil oxidizes on the rag and that causes heat and the rag can catch on fire. I've done quite a bit of finishing and refinishing in my 67 years and I prefer oil finishes (Tung, linseed, etc.). Long ago, I put a rag I had used with BLO in the garbage. A couple days later, I saw smoke coming out of the garbage. The rag was so hot that it was about to catch fire. Lesson learned! I now lay rags used with linseed oil outside far away from anything that can catch fire. I've never had one heat up like that since but I know from experience that it can cause a fire under the right conditions. BLO is great stuff! Just be careful with any rags soaked in it. Another thing: You are absolutely right that fine steel wool won't hurt the frets when used across them. That's how I do it and I'm a very experienced finisher. In fact, you can go across grain between coats of surface finishes. After all surface finishes like lacquer and varnish are on top of the grain - like a thin sheet of glass. They have no grain. That said, on fine surface finishes, I do go with the grain of the underlying wood anyway so the micro-scratches produced by the steel wool go with the grain although they are almost invisible anyway and final polishing gets rid of that anyway. It's simply a fine point and a habit. But, with frets, there's nothing to be concerned about at all when using fine steel wool across the grain.
Excellent tutorial. I´ve played guitar for some years and definitely got some helpful tips, thank´s. By the way, I thought I´d check you-tube for some tips before I was going to put on my new strings, thinking i could probably learn something new, this was the first vid I saw and guess what, it´s same model guitar. Nice one.
What I do a bit differently these days is I tie the Strings onto Bridge Beads which allow me to convert them into Ball End Nylon Strings. Ball End Nylon Strings make restringing the Guitar a Snap and actually it also lets the strings come out of the bridge at a steeper angle over the saddle.
thank you very much ! i've used this video over 5 times (cause i always forget how to change the strings ^^) and it's been always really helpful! Keep on the good work :)
Uf.Iv just managed to changed 2 from 6 string on mine guitar thanks to your video.THanks for that im impressed olso witch all this guitar care things.I use only some wet cloth to clean mine but after you vid i will lokk for some oils.
... A quote taken from Dan Erlewine, "If the fretboard, or peghead isn't dirty or dusty & you don't need to clean anything, perhaps one at time would be the super paranoid, finicky, way to swap strings to keep all tensions close to unchanged. The "one at a time" changers seem scared to death to change their action or mess with a "mojo." However, It's tough to clean a fretboard with the strings on!" ...I'm not sure where you got the "one at a time" idea, but it most certainly is NOT necessary.
Hello nblax41, Yes, my bottle is a number of years old, (it lasts a long time)... I purchased it from Canadian Tire myself ! The product is: Meguiars Ultimate Quick Detailer Product #39-2849-0 Canadian Tire Take Care, Andrew W.
thanks for sharing this info..And guys, if you don't like the video, just check something else..the person has taken some time and made some effort in making this video and giving some information to all of us for free..if you don't have the patience to watch, choose something else..but y do rate bad on these videos? it is a really decent video with very elegant explanation.
***** hi I have a suggestion for your string problem. take your high e string and run it through your tuner, then bring it around your tuner and run it through again. then again taking it around the other direction. then tune you string. this should help hold the string in the tuner. I have been using this for about nine years and its helped me alot.
an acoustic instrument is a resonating object that gives out sound thru an enclosed space or hollow cavity in a solid enclosure, mostly wood,brought about by the vibration of a e.g string that is under tension.This means that a classical guitar is in itself an example of a acoustic instrument.This makes a classical guitar an acoustic guitar in every ways and they are one and the same.
Yes, it is perfectly normal. And, the higher the tension strings the longer the time it will take for the strings to stretch in and settle to tune. I use very high-tension strings, and they will normally take a month before they settle in properly. - Andrew
Thanks Andrew. This video was really helpful. I am an acoustic and electric guitar player and had never changed strings on a classical guitar before. I was under the impression that the mechanism would be same till I actually got down to doing on. I was wondering how to do it and your video explained it very well. After watching your video, I confidently changed the entire set of strings on the classical guitar. Many thanks:)
Hi, and Thanks !... I've changed strings before on my other guitar, no problem. However, I've just put a set of Fender Classical ( Med ) my on other classical guitar and nylons seem to be taking forever to tune up. Thanks for saying they take a week or two, I was beginning to think they were Rubber !!! : D
You can use it on any guitar painted with a high-gloss style of coating. Don't apply it to exposed wood though. I also wouldn't bother using it on any Satin type finishes either. - Andrew
Hello Godfathertheme, On this video, I used a simple little old camera made by Canon the "HV 20." Great camera! I've had it for quite awhile, and it is very, very good. Super reliable... Never let me down once! I don't think they make it anymore though. The new one is the HV 40 (I think). Hope this helps... Thanks for watching, - Andrew W.
Andrew , you do a nice job on all of your videos and you're very easy to listen to . I wonder how Willie Nelson does a string change on "Trigger" if he's playing over 300 shows a year. . Maybe he has a double and not telling us! Nah, there's only one.
Great video man thanks a lot !!!... I love my guitar and changing the strings on my electrics is fun (one floyd, and a floating bridge) but I always hate my nylon string ha ha... This helped a lot...
yeah listen to all warnings about steel strings on classical guitars. I do remember, however, a friend's dad putting electric guitar strings on an old acoustic to create a sort of 'practise' guitar- it wasn't very loud at all but was really easy to play and with much less tension than steel acoustic strings...
This was a revelation: I always thought it was strange that classical strings don't have ball ends, so I would "make my own" by knotting up the ends of the strings into little balls before feeding the strings through. Never thought of simply tying the strings around the bridge as you did. Looks like a much easier way.
The video could do with having the camera on the other side of the guitar, so we can see where the string is going and what your fingers are doing rather than the backs of your hands.
I always start with the high E string, Then, I proceed with the second string putting the tip of the first string underneath the loop made by the second strinf. I do not make any knot on the strings but I twist the string arounf itself and proceed to tune it. I've played classical guitarprofessionnally for over 40 years. With this method I could change all the strings half an hour before a concert.
Just a couple of things: I don't know who had recommended Boiled Linseed Oil to you for use on the unfinished Ebony or Rosewood fret board, but you have done well to exclude this product from this use. Linseed Oil is nothing but Cottonseed Oil, "Boiled" denotes that it has been refined and carefully filtered. It is actually a superior product for hand rubbed finishes ov very high grade and expensive wooden items, it is applied by up to 15 coats rubbing it in then cutting it back with either very fine steel wool OOO0 grade or finer, if the instrument is to be used in a high humidity environment, the wool should be made of BRONZE, same OOOO grade as the microscopic fibers that are always present and sometimes get into the finish can, if they are STEEL, corrode (rust) and spoil the finish. Final coats are rubbed out with Oil and Rottenstone Proper application of a Linseed Oil finish would require about a 20 page treatise not appropriate here. Suffice to say that it is a very high quality, labor intensive finish that is easily repairable, but NOT FOR USE ON ANY FRET BOARD. While Linseed Oil is flammable, it is less so than many finishing products, given proper storage and IMMEDIATE appropriate disposal of soiled rags used to apply it in order to prevent spontaneous combustion. I don't have any idea of what the Bore/Valve oil used on Wood wind instruments is made from, check for silicones, and if they are present get rid of it! The second point is about using ANY automotive finish product, such products should be CLOSELY inspected for the presence of silicones, EVERY TIME YOU BUY A NEW CONTAINER as the formulation is often changed to include silicones. I also caution any one to check the contents of products marketed as musical instrument care products , some vendors will just sell automotive products with a different label, they will work fine if you NEVER envision repairs and touch up of the finish or repairs involving the use of glues. If you are SURE you will never have to have these kinds of repairs ever done, go ahead and use products that contain silicones, but if you can even envision even a possible touch up of the finish or having a luthier make a repair that will include the use of glue, avoid anything that contains silicones like you would avoid the Bubonic Plague! Silicones are very good at migrating into microscopic spaces, glue joints, and into bare wood, that is why they work so well as polish ingredients. These products are virtually impossible to completely remove and will assure failed glued wood joints, and refinish or even touch up finish jobs. The newly applied touch up, refinish, even carefully constructed glue joints in the presence of silicone are almost certain to fail! Meguiars may be free of silicones FOR NOW, I've not checked it for contents as I avoid automotive waxes and cleaning polishes like the plague even though they do a good job of slicking up the finish on cars, guitars, or other musical instruments. I recommend paying the exorbitantly higher prices that Stewart Mac Donald charges for their products, even from them, I would make sure that the contents are checked for silicones. Their Preservation Polish applied with every string change will keep your instruments at the peak of beauty and it has NO SILICONE! I too dislike lingering aromas on my instruments but use pure lemon oil on my fret boards as it is a superior product for treating the unfinished Ebony or Rosewood, the odor quickly fades away. Be sure to check these Lemon Oil products for the presence of silicones. AVOID SILICONES ON ANY WOODEN INSTRUMENT, your luthier will bless you and your repairs and touch ups will be likely to last like they should. These pieces of advice come from 65 years experience with Acoustic Guitars. mostly with Martin and Gibson Dreadnaughts and only very recently with Classical Guitars as well. A great video, but watch out for the presence of silicones! By the way, during re-stringing, I use polish only where the strings interfere with cleaning and polish, The rest of the instrument can be done later as the changing of strings does take up a lot of time, at least for me, until I get used to the special needs of Classical Guitars. Thanks again for the good video.
Hello CaptainMcDangle, I don't know how that rumor about necks warping from lack of tension got started, (I've seen people on RUclips write that in comments as well). I've always left the strings off of my guitars which are not in use. Some have sat for years including the one in this video. I've never had any necks warp for me due to that reason. I also remove the strings when going on airplanes as well. Never a problem. That whole warping concept sounds a little far fetched to me. - Andrew
I'd say it depends on what kind of style you want to play. If you want to do lots of classical finger-picking, I'd go with the classical. If you want to play more general material, chord-strumming, etc., an acoustic is a great way to start. It's a lot harder on your fingers, but if you start with the more difficult instrument, it will make transitioning to a classical (or even electric) a lot easier.
Thank you Very Much! this was very helpful! though i knew how to restring the Classical Guitar this was pretty useful to see everything in order and to Conform what i already knew! God Bless you! Keep it up~!
No, it will likely rip the bridge right off. The Acoustics that accept steel strings have two screws bolting the bridge to the body with another piece of wood under the bridge and stronger saddle systems to add further support. The big difference is the amount of tension on the bridges. The Nylon 'Classical' guitars have approx. 90 lbs. of pressure. The Steel strings have roughly 136 lbs (and that's with X-light gauge). That's over 40% more tension. So, don't do it...! - Andrew
When changing a set of strings, I like to change one string at a time and then tune the string. Then I move to the next string. This way, I can pluck the next string and compare it to the new one I just put on. This helps avoid accidentally over-tuning the new string to an octave higher which can cause the string to break. Hope this helps!
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I really, really appreciate this. I am a new guitar player, 64 years old, and own a Jasmine acoustic on which the E string had just snapped. I ordered a new set of Elixirs for it today, and had decided to do a good inspection, cleaning and conditioning prior to installing the new strings. And since I do NOT know how to install them properly, this was a good video to watch. Even though my guitar is not a classical guitar, it was helpful to get to see you "spiff up" the frets and fingerboard. I am hoping to purchase a classical instrument soon. Thanks very much.
One of the best examples on how to change classical guitar strings!
Thanks Andrew. I just bought a very similar guitar (Yamaha G50A). I've been playing electric for so long and am just basically a beginner with classical guitars and that playing style. I really thank you for showing me how to tie the strings. It's is much easier than it appears with all the loops and knots. Thanks. JD
Thanks Andrew.I had to clean with a soft soap and water my old Yamaha G-235 from the 70`s before following you step by step. It was like taking it out of the attic.Lemon oil did a great job on the frets (already had it,just like the steel wool grade 0).Quick Detailer did also a good job. Nothing sad like an instrument left there to gather dust.Many thanks again.
Very helpful! I've watched about 5 videos now on how to change classical guitar strings, but this video was the most helpful and made sense. Thanks!
I bought a seven-year-old used Etude guitar yesterday. It looks like it was made yesterday. I'm going to clean the bass strings and reinstall them. Your instructions encourage me to try. Classes start in September.
Thanks
Great video... I just got an old Classical Guitar from my Brother in law. It was made a long time ago in Romania. It is a Beautiful Guitar and I am glad I found your channel. You are an easy guy to learn from. Thanks!
The best guitar stringing video I've seen so far. Thank you!
Cheers Andrew, this helped heaps! I've had a classical guitar for a couple years, and I've just picked it up again - so this was exactly what I needed
I have a G 55A from the 70's and I LOVE it...
it may be just a starter guitar but I seem to play it more then
my top shelf guitars and it's almost indestructible!
+Bongo Fury With music instruments you shouldn't look at the price tag and how good other people say it is but at your personal preference :-)
thanks man.the quality is very important.In other videos i couldn't see the strings clearly.thanks again
Well I've watched multiple "how to replace guitarstrings" manuals and this was the best one. It was quite long (about 15 minutes) but I learned very much.
Great video!
Thank you for your helpful videos, began playing a little over a year ago, and now I've got a classic guitar, a normal electric guitar and a Floyd/Rose, and I found your videos on the latter and the first one immensely helpful.
I haven't had to change the strings on my classic guitar, though, and sure, it doesn't sound fresh or so, but I like it.
I'm pretty sure you've had to change it since then (11 years), as you probably noticed, they tend to fray, the metal wounding around the nylon, on some frets
Best video ever on changing classical strings. Answers all my questions. Many thanks!
"Change your strings about a couple of weeks before you have to gig" should be an opening statement, I was half-way through the changing when i heard that. Tonight gig will be a blast.
Lovely video,and very clear. Thanks
For anyone that was confused, like me, the "Care & Maintenance" handout mentioned in the video seems to be named "How to Change Strings on the Most Popular Guitars." Nice Video. Nice Handout!
Thanks. This video helped a lot. First time trying to put strings on a classical guitar.
@sampson028...
Yes, your friend the guitar builder is 100% correct. When storing a guitar (or, if ever taking your guitar on a flight where it will be checked as baggage) you should either slack off the tension of the strings completely, or remove the strings altogether.
- Thanks for watching
Andrew
Thank you sir. Excellent video. My guitar is now stringed and ready for my favourite tunes.
I've just found the exact same guitar abandoned at the side of the road, ready for garbage collection. It's a bit dusty, but it looks structurally intact, the machine heads all look fine as well and looking at the condition of the frets it's hardly ever been played. Never owned a classical/nylon string type before, or a model with a slotted head stock, going to clean her up and get some new strings at the weekend.
It was probably some hobo's only way to get income. Shame on you.
+Walamonga 1313 It was abandoned, a hobo wouldn't just abandon a guitar like that. Also, the people you see playing music on the street to make money usually aren't hobos but just want to make some extra cash doing what they like to do: play music.
Really helpful video. I haven't changed the strings on my guitar for at least 2 years and this video not only refreshed my memory but it also taught me other helpful things. Thanks a lot. :-D
Thank you for this good video showing and describing how to change strings on the Classical Guitar. Because I don't do this frequently, I always have to refresh my mind on how to do this. Much appreciated.
I've been playing guitar for over 25 years, changed strings on 100's of guitars, acoustic, basses, but this is the 1st time I have to check out a guide to change strings, they're (nylon strings) completely setup differently haha.
Good point about the 6th string being wound more to the left since the pegs are in the middle, I think I would've overlooked that and been disappointed
So yah, thanks a lot!
@MrFreeDrugs,
This is not recommended because the bridge on a Nylon string guitar is not manufactured to the specifications needed to support the Lbs. at Tension of Steel strings. For example; a set of hard tension Nylon strings will apply around 85 pounds of tension at the bridge. However, a set of Steel Strings (Extra-Light Gauge) would apply approx. 135 pounds of tension. That's a difference of over 50 pounds! This would likely rip the bridge off of a Nylon String guitar.
Thanks for viewing
This video saved me from having someone else do this. This guy is awesome.
Just tried the Meguiars to polish my acoustic - it's awesome!
Thank you Andrew !
I no longer use regular oil, I now use a firearms product called, "Frog-Lube," just Google it. Frog-Lube is actually a metal lubricant that prevents & stops rust or seizing on all metals. I use it on all; bolts, screws and basically anything that I never want seizing up. Especially if you play outdoors a lot, you can have issues in humid climates with different bolts and gears on electrics & acoustic guitars. Try this product, it is excellent! - Andrew
Andrew, this was so helpful and professional did it first time no probs after watching your tutorial.... you are a ledgend!
Thank you Andrew for video. It was very well explained and easy to understand.
Thank you Andrew! I Just got my Acoustic last Monday for a nice cheap price. But I have put alot of work into it.. Tuning on and off everyday and having to change the strings. This video really helps. Thanks again :)
Hi, I found that very informative. I have just put new strings on my guitar and of course, I can now see one or two mistakes that I've made! Thank you.
Things I learned which are helpful to me here were the alignment,
the polarity of the thin string ends,
validating that the 2 loop knots on the 5th and 6th strings are sufficient, (as I do that already)
.... that a good time to clean the guitar is when its stripped down and is PART of the string changing,....
... which also taught me apparently nothing will ever be good enough for 600 people.
This is an excellent how-to DIY video.
I have been playing 50 years and everything you really need to know is covered and then some.
I dont know man, other things here have come to light from the viewers comments though...
IF YOU NEED TO SEE a basic loop knot being made, EACH TIME, wow,....look closer, he does it in within view, but it gets rolled around the tuning drums.They are all done the same way except for alignment placement.
Where do you think they went?
If this flabbergasts you, wait until you drop a pick in "The Black Hole" of nevermore....
I kinda think these are the people who follow a garmin navigator down a set of railroad tracks.
Not everything in life is a scrollable moment where things are all apped up.....
Good Luck with Real Music.
Thanks! That was fun hanging g out with a nice guy.
Thanks for the explanation. I just got myself new strings and plan to restring my guitar for the first time.
Thank you very much for the video. I learned a lot and now have an idea of how to string my previously-owned Takamine 132S. I was using lemon oil to clean the fretboard but will try the fine steel wool as well. The saddle on mine is not higher on one side but now I know why there were a bunch of tooth-pick like pieces of wood under it...to raise it up on the 6/5/4 string side. It has such a beautiful sound so I'm looking forward to getting it going again. Thank you again.
Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge. And, ignore the ungrateful comments.
Yes, Bore oil. I've been using bore oil on my fingerboards for the last 50 years. Works beautifully!!
Thanks so much for this upload. It has helped alot!
In response to some of the comment about steel strings on a classical, my 1st guitar was a student classical, i got it when i was 5 yrs old, just a normal cheapie 1\2 scaler very similar in design to the guitar in this vid. It has had steel strings on it since i got it and im 32 now and it has not so much even affected the action let alone ripped the bridge off the thing.
The fire danger of boiled linseed oil is generally caused when rags soaked in BLO aren't disposed of carefully. What happens is the oil oxidizes on the rag and that causes heat and the rag can catch on fire. I've done quite a bit of finishing and refinishing in my 67 years and I prefer oil finishes (Tung, linseed, etc.). Long ago, I put a rag I had used with BLO in the garbage. A couple days later, I saw smoke coming out of the garbage. The rag was so hot that it was about to catch fire. Lesson learned! I now lay rags used with linseed oil outside far away from anything that can catch fire. I've never had one heat up like that since but I know from experience that it can cause a fire under the right conditions. BLO is great stuff! Just be careful with any rags soaked in it.
Another thing: You are absolutely right that fine steel wool won't hurt the frets when used across them. That's how I do it and I'm a very experienced finisher. In fact, you can go across grain between coats of surface finishes. After all surface finishes like lacquer and varnish are on top of the grain - like a thin sheet of glass. They have no grain. That said, on fine surface finishes, I do go with the grain of the underlying wood anyway so the micro-scratches produced by the steel wool go with the grain although they are almost invisible anyway and final polishing gets rid of that anyway. It's simply a fine point and a habit. But, with frets, there's nothing to be concerned about at all when using fine steel wool across the grain.
Excellent tutorial. I´ve played guitar for some years and definitely got some helpful tips,
thank´s. By the way, I thought I´d check you-tube for some tips before I was going to put on my new strings, thinking i could probably learn something new, this was the first vid I saw and guess what, it´s same model guitar. Nice one.
Thanks out of Holland, it was easy, your video is perfect.
Thanks very much for this, I couldn't have managed to re-string my guitar without this demonstration, cheers ;).
What I do a bit differently these days is I tie the Strings onto Bridge Beads which allow me to convert them into Ball End Nylon Strings. Ball End Nylon Strings make restringing the Guitar a Snap and actually it also lets the strings come out of the bridge at a steeper angle over the saddle.
Excellent, very helpful, good diction and descriptive instruction and detailed .
Clear and full of nice tips ! thank you so much for this video
thank you very much ! i've used this video over 5 times (cause i always forget how to change the strings ^^) and it's been always really helpful! Keep on the good work :)
Thanks for this excellent video. Your explanation is very clear and detailed.
Uf.Iv just managed to changed 2 from 6 string on mine guitar thanks to your video.THanks for that im impressed olso witch all this guitar care things.I use only some wet cloth to clean mine but after you vid i will lokk for some oils.
Very helpful video. Thank you for posting it.
Thanks!
My re-string came out pretty good.
God bless!
Other videos don't mention giving the string 2.5 inches of slack at the tuners. Thanks for pointing that out.
... A quote taken from Dan Erlewine, "If the fretboard, or peghead isn't dirty or dusty & you don't need to clean anything, perhaps one at time would be the super paranoid, finicky, way to swap strings to keep all tensions close to unchanged. The "one at a time" changers seem scared to death to change their action or mess with a "mojo." However, It's tough to clean a fretboard with the strings on!" ...I'm not sure where you got the "one at a time" idea, but it most certainly is NOT necessary.
Thank you for the video it was really helpful cheers from the u.s. Portland, Oregon.
You'd be completely blown away how many. - Andrew
Hello nblax41,
Yes, my bottle is a number of years old, (it lasts a long time)... I purchased it from Canadian Tire myself !
The product is:
Meguiars Ultimate Quick Detailer
Product #39-2849-0
Canadian Tire
Take Care,
Andrew W.
thanks for sharing this info..And guys, if you don't like the video, just check something else..the person has taken some time and made some effort in making this video and giving some information to all of us for free..if you don't have the patience to watch, choose something else..but y do rate bad on these videos? it is a really decent video with very elegant explanation.
***** hi I have a suggestion for your string problem. take your high e string and run it through your tuner, then bring it around your tuner and run it through again. then again taking it around the other direction. then tune you string. this should help hold the string in the tuner. I have been using this for about nine years and its helped me alot.
an acoustic instrument is a resonating object that gives out sound thru an enclosed space or hollow cavity in a solid enclosure, mostly wood,brought about by the vibration of a e.g string that is under tension.This means that a classical guitar is in itself an example of a acoustic instrument.This makes a classical guitar an acoustic guitar in every ways and they are one and the same.
Yes, it is perfectly normal. And, the higher the tension strings the longer the time it will take for the strings to stretch in and settle to tune. I use very high-tension strings, and they will normally take a month before they settle in properly. - Andrew
Thanks Andrew. This video was really helpful. I am an acoustic and electric guitar player and had never changed strings on a classical guitar before. I was under the impression that the mechanism would be same till I actually got down to doing on. I was wondering how to do it and your video explained it very well. After watching your video, I confidently changed the entire set of strings on the classical guitar. Many thanks:)
Hi, and Thanks !... I've changed strings before on my other guitar, no problem. However, I've just put a set of Fender Classical ( Med ) my on other classical guitar and nylons seem to be taking forever to tune up. Thanks for saying they take a week or two, I was beginning to think they were Rubber !!! : D
You can use it on any guitar painted with a high-gloss style of coating. Don't apply it to exposed wood though. I also wouldn't bother using it on any Satin type finishes either. - Andrew
Amazing video, thanks so much. My Yamaha looks and plays amazingly!!
Hello Godfathertheme,
On this video, I used a simple little old camera
made by Canon the "HV 20." Great camera! I've had it for quite awhile, and it is very, very good. Super reliable... Never let me down once!
I don't think they make it anymore though. The new one is the HV 40 (I think).
Hope this helps...
Thanks for watching,
- Andrew W.
Great video! Very clear and informative! Thanks!
Excellent tutorial. Thanks!
Thanks for posting this video it has been very helpful.
It's really useful and clear. Thanks, mate!
Andrew , you do a nice job on all of your videos and you're very easy to listen to . I wonder how Willie Nelson does a string change on "Trigger" if he's playing over 300 shows a year. . Maybe he has a double and not telling us! Nah, there's only one.
Great video man thanks a lot !!!... I love my guitar and changing the strings on my electrics is fun (one floyd, and a floating bridge) but I always hate my nylon string ha ha... This helped a lot...
yeah listen to all warnings about steel strings on classical guitars. I do remember, however, a friend's dad putting electric guitar strings on an old acoustic to create a sort of 'practise' guitar- it wasn't very loud at all but was really easy to play and with much less tension than steel acoustic strings...
you are the best, thanks so much for making this vid. You helped me out a lot!
Many thanks for this great video from Sri Lanka...!!!
Thank you so much...i m beginner & i don't know how to change my strings..now i l start changing them :)
This was a revelation: I always thought it was strange that classical strings don't have ball ends, so I would "make my own" by knotting up the ends of the strings into little balls before feeding the strings through. Never thought of simply tying the strings around the bridge as you did. Looks like a much easier way.
i don't know how to play it and yet i fixed it thank you very much
i seriously just the bought the same exact strings lol thanks for the vid, it really helped
Thanks, it really helped me and was perfect. good luck.
The video could do with having the camera on the other side of the guitar, so we can see where the string is going and what your fingers are doing rather than the backs of your hands.
I always start with the high E string, Then, I proceed with the second string putting the tip of the first string underneath the loop made by the second strinf. I do not make any knot on the strings but I twist the string arounf itself and proceed to tune it. I've played classical guitarprofessionnally for over 40 years. With this method I could change all the strings half an hour before a concert.
Just a couple of things: I don't know who had recommended Boiled Linseed Oil to you for use on the unfinished Ebony or Rosewood fret board, but you have done well to exclude this product from this use. Linseed Oil is nothing but Cottonseed Oil, "Boiled" denotes that it has been refined and carefully filtered. It is actually a superior product for hand rubbed finishes ov very high grade and expensive wooden items, it is applied by up to 15 coats rubbing it in then cutting it back with either very fine steel wool OOO0 grade or finer, if the instrument is to be used in a high humidity environment, the wool should be made of BRONZE, same OOOO grade as the microscopic fibers that are always present and sometimes get into the finish can, if they are STEEL, corrode (rust) and spoil the finish. Final coats are rubbed out with Oil and Rottenstone Proper application of a Linseed Oil finish would require about a 20 page treatise not appropriate here. Suffice to say that it is a very high quality, labor intensive finish that is easily repairable, but NOT FOR USE ON ANY FRET BOARD. While Linseed Oil is flammable, it is less so than many finishing products, given proper storage and IMMEDIATE appropriate disposal of soiled rags used to apply it in order to prevent spontaneous combustion. I don't have any idea of what the Bore/Valve oil used on Wood wind instruments is made from, check for silicones, and if they are present get rid of it!
The second point is about using ANY automotive finish product, such products should be CLOSELY inspected for the presence of silicones, EVERY TIME YOU BUY A NEW CONTAINER as the formulation is often changed to include silicones. I also caution any one to check the contents of products marketed as musical instrument care products , some vendors will just sell automotive products with a different label, they will work fine if you NEVER envision repairs and touch up of the finish or repairs involving the use of glues. If you are SURE you will never have to have these kinds of repairs ever done, go ahead and use products that contain silicones, but if you can even envision even a possible touch up of the finish or having a luthier make a repair that will include the use of glue, avoid anything that contains silicones like you would avoid the Bubonic Plague! Silicones are very good at migrating into microscopic spaces, glue joints, and into bare wood, that is why they work so well as polish ingredients. These products are virtually impossible to completely remove and will assure failed glued wood joints, and refinish or even touch up finish jobs. The newly applied touch up, refinish, even carefully constructed glue joints in the presence of silicone are almost certain to fail! Meguiars may be free of silicones FOR NOW, I've not checked it for contents as I avoid automotive waxes and cleaning polishes like the plague even though they do a good job of slicking up the finish on cars, guitars, or other musical instruments. I recommend paying the exorbitantly higher prices that Stewart Mac Donald charges for their products, even from them, I would make sure that the contents are checked for silicones. Their Preservation Polish applied with every string change will keep your instruments at the peak of beauty and it has NO SILICONE! I too dislike lingering aromas on my instruments but use pure lemon oil on my fret boards as it is a superior product for treating the unfinished Ebony or Rosewood, the odor quickly fades away. Be sure to check these Lemon Oil products for the presence of silicones. AVOID SILICONES ON ANY WOODEN INSTRUMENT, your luthier will bless you and your repairs and touch ups will be likely to last like they should. These pieces of advice come from 65 years experience with Acoustic Guitars. mostly with Martin and Gibson Dreadnaughts and only very recently with Classical Guitars as well. A great video, but watch out for the presence of silicones!
By the way, during re-stringing, I use polish only where the strings interfere with cleaning and polish, The rest of the instrument can be done later as the changing of strings does take up a lot of time, at least for me, until I get used to the special needs of Classical Guitars. Thanks again for the good video.
Hello CaptainMcDangle,
I don't know how that rumor about necks warping from lack of tension got started, (I've seen people on RUclips write that in comments as well).
I've always left the strings off of my guitars which are not in use. Some have sat for years including the one in this video. I've never had any necks warp for me due to that reason. I also remove the strings when going on airplanes as well. Never a problem.
That whole warping concept sounds a little far fetched to me.
- Andrew
Thank you for being thorough . Other vids did not go over your important points. Thanks again
Thanks for this helpful video! Really appreciate it.
Many thanks from Sweden!!!!!
I'd say it depends on what kind of style you want to play. If you want to do lots of classical finger-picking, I'd go with the classical. If you want to play more general material, chord-strumming, etc., an acoustic is a great way to start. It's a lot harder on your fingers, but if you start with the more difficult instrument, it will make transitioning to a classical (or even electric) a lot easier.
Thank you so much for this video! Excellent. Pausing at 12:00 was especially helpful.
Thank you Very Much! this was very helpful! though i knew how to restring the Classical Guitar this was pretty useful to see everything in order and to Conform what i already knew! God Bless you! Keep it up~!
thanks for this great video !! just what i need !! clearly explained with a cool guy !!
Thank you for this easy to follow, step by step instruction. I paid $30.00 for re-string at a local guitar shop . . . for the last time!
cheers,
julie
Thank you for the info. Great presentation.
Wow... Heavy Canadian accent! Ha!
Thanks for showing the string spacing on the tuner end. So many of the other videos I've seen ignore this. Good job!
No, it will likely rip the bridge right off. The Acoustics that accept steel strings have two screws bolting the bridge to the body with another piece of wood under the bridge and stronger saddle systems to add further support. The big difference is the amount of tension on the bridges. The Nylon 'Classical' guitars have approx. 90 lbs. of pressure. The Steel strings have roughly 136 lbs (and that's with X-light gauge). That's over 40% more tension. So, don't do it...! - Andrew
Great video!
This helped a ton -- thanks!
Thank you Sir, I found this very helpful.
great info thanks man. i was worried that it was going to be difficult. :)
Thanks, this video helped a lot!
thank's for this video its help me a lot to re string my guitar
When changing a set of strings, I like to change one string at a time and then tune the string. Then I move to the next string. This way, I can pluck the next string and compare it to the new one I just put on. This helps avoid accidentally over-tuning the new string to an octave higher which can cause the string to break. Hope this helps!