How to Change Guitar Strings: Best way for Round Core and Hex Core

How to change guitar strings: The best way for both round core and hex core guitar strings. Jon Gundry of ThroBak Electronics shows how to properly change both styles of guitar strings.

Many guitar players are not aware that there are two classic styles of guitars strings available for both electric guitar and acoustic guitar. These two variations of guitar strings offer unique tonal qualities to guitar players. However to fully enjoy the tone both of these styles strings have to offer, they must be strung on the guitar properly.

This video details the best method to replace both hex core and round core guitar strings for both through the post style tuning machines and slot post tuning machines. A Gibson guitar is restrung to demonstrate the proper method for through the post hole tuners and a Fender electric guitar is restrung to demonstrate slotted post tuners.

In addition, techniques for trimming round core guitar strings are shown that prevent loss of wound string wrap wire tension. These techniques are key to getting optimum tone from your guitar strings.

Changing your guitar strings the right way makes sure that you get the best string life and tone from your guitar.

[LPCustom]

Nice Jon! Whenever I do a round core re-string on a Fender, I use a pair of needle-nose pliers to make a right angle bend to lock the wrap into the core. Then I'll cut to string. I normally crimp the strings with the pliers before cutting them at the right angle bend. If you look at old string packages from the 50's/60's, most will tell you how to bend & cut the strings before installing them. This is something than modern string manufactures do not do... The biggest reason I found as to why string manufactures went to hex cores for wound strings was due to the amount of rejects they usually replaced. Back then if you got a defective string, the store would replace it Free of Charge and send the reject back to the manufactures. As we now, that just doesn't happen today with the thousands of more kids taking up the guitar than 50 years ago. Then with Nickle becoming very expensive around 1972, there was a switch to Nickle plated steel wrap wire. Pure Nickle is still a lot more expensive than Nickle plated steel. Personally, if you want "Vintage" tone, you must use pure Nickle, Round core. Gibson and a few other U.S. String manufactures used silvered plain strings and core wires. The standard has become over the last 40-ish years has been Tin Plated steel which to my ears sounds very harsh and non-musical. But the use of tin plating, Nickle Plated steel wraps and hex cores has let most of them make a string for not a lot of money. But, you can't get a vintage Tone using those.. In My opinion anyway...

[AgustinDavidF]

Very nice and clever way of doing it. Thank you for sharing it!

[CNCTEMATIC]

Following the advice of an experienced tech, I use method number 1 for Fender string posts as well. I've never had a string jump out of the slot. Once its under tension, its locked in tight. The other advantage of this method over "traditional" methods ( in particular, putting the string end into the post hole at the start of the wrap), is that, by folding the string under itself that way, the tension of the string "locks" at that point, and the strings are more stable.

[dougmaia]

Always learning from you Jon, it's very much appreciated. One thing I noticed, Throbak videos are some of the very few ones I hit the like button before the 10 seconds mark, haha!

[jeffreybranco]

You can always learn something new. Knowledge is power thanks for your insight. I was never aware of the distinction between rapped and unwrapped strings.

[TheStompboxer]

I’ve always just gone one wrap over the end sticking out, the rest under. I’ve never had one slip.

I tried the method in the video a couple times years ago, but having to quickly change a string at a gig broke me from tying it in a knot. It’s a total pita to get the old string off.

The tension holds it in place, just fine. Imagine how hard it would be to pull the string out of the peg, with 3 or 4 wraps on it. The headstock would likely break, first.

Nothing wrong with “locking” it, if getting it off in a hurry isn’t an issue, but it’s not really necessary, either, imo.

[tylerwillison]

Very informative! Love your pure nickel strings!

[elvislives]

I love the acoustic 13-56 balanced Hex and the normal 13-56
On the weekend l am planning to try the acoustic 13-56 round core on my Gretsch rancher jumbo
Thanks for the video
🇦🇺👍🇦🇺👍🇦🇺

[calman]

Hi From Auckland NZ, , very interesting mate, keep up the good

[stevejanosko]

Just wondering if the wrap looses tension from the core when using locking tuners? There is normally no extra bend or wraps on the post when stringing up with locking tuners.

[henriquefrizera]

Hi, nice video! My guitar have grover locking tuners, this method is necessary for round cores or locking tuners fixes that problem?

[axegrinda]

Why not just use the second method for all strings and guitars. I've been doing this for 50 years with no issues - though I never even knew the difference between round and hex core until watching your other vid! Thx!

[goneflying]

Hi Jon. Where can your strings be purchased?

[ajpeagle]

The knot continues to tighten over time causing instability. All you need is a sharp bend against the post and then the wraps under . With this method there is nowhere for the sting to go and it is stable.

[jeffreybranco]

Sorry, I meant round core and hex core