MusicRadar Basics: electric guitar part 4 - how to re-string an electric guitar
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At some stage, you're going to break a string. Don't panic - everybody breaks strings all the time, and they're easy to change.
You're going to need a couple of things before you get started. First, a multi-tool will be handy for getting the broken string parts out of the machinehead posts. A string winder will come in very handy as well.
You'll also need new guitar strings. This can be quite bewildering for newcomers, but don't worry - your friendly local guitar store can help you get the correct strings. They come in different gauges (thicknesses), which will effect how the guitar sounds and how the strings feel to play.
Generally speaking, most electric guitars will be strung with .009 or .010 gauge strings, which is the thickness of the top (thinnest) E string. The more you play, the more you'll understand string gauges and get a feel for which gauge works for your fingers.
Once you've got all your bits and pieces together, you can get on with the business of re-stringing. Check out our video about for a step by step guide to fitting new strings on your guitar.
