Like the locking method but the 3 finger method does not work on my guitar/string brand combo. More like 1-2 fingers before making the first bend (Schecter C-1 Hellraiser with D'Addarios). 3 fingers wound in way too many wraps.
Hey Bill! My name is Cassius Morris. I do a podcast about KISS called Creatures Of The Net and I would like t have you on the show. PLEASE send me a message through youtube!
I got some beef with this video. I am new so please take that into consideration. You say then you wind the strings down and in the video your clearly winding the strings up. Come on now that is just plain out frustrating to a newbie like me. Why would you say that? when you say you wind down watch the video clearly your taking the winder and winding away from your body and that is up! Why would you say then you wind down?
@Davidle141 - I am winding the wrap of the string down on the tuning post....please watch the HD version of restringing and you will see clearly what I do. I DO NOT WIND UPWARD! The wrap is below the hole on the tuner, so it goes down....you see?
I guess if you tell everyone to re-string after a week or two, that is how you are able to make a living with rock stars who can afford to pay you and are too lazy to change them for themselves. Good for you Bill, must keep you buy.
u rock dude. gunna attempt to restring my guitar using your tips today. cant see myself restringing every 2 to 3 weeks. maybe if i get any good at playing
if you do this with a floating trem, just tune it pull the trem into the body and hold string up, and tune, an did it again until it doesnt go so flat
With eight guitars, I could never afford to re-string every two weeks- just the ones I record with. I have strings lasting as much as a year on some that get less playing- though they have lost that "ting" and sustain. Good advice- don't forget to tell them to be careful and not kink the strings if your going to pull on them. I never pull until after I get it tuned first. If I'm playing a hard lead or strum, I tune slightly flat, since the first strong hit on the string will always be sharp.
Hello Mr Baker, like many on this post, I've struggled with the legend of restringing a les Paul the correct way; ie: how many wraps? Over? Under? Etc, then I was fortunate to come across your videos. I've gotta sincerely thank you for an easy and extremely effective method! Fantastic! You've truly done a service to the guitar community. I've looked for something like this forever!!!! It should mandatory that a les or any 3 and 3 guitar should come with a link to your channel. Regards
I'm a newbie and after watching your video, my first attempt at restringing my hollow body was a success. Thank you very much. Do you have any tips for bridge adjustments for the type you have in this video?
Great video.. makes my strings look perfect every time.. I've also found that 2 fingers works too.. and you get a slightly different sound from the strings. Thanks for the idea!
Hi, Bill. You've set up my PRS Custom 24 a couple of times for me, with great results. Now I'm thinking of changing the stock pick-ups in that guitar. Listening to guys like Andy Timmons, Lincoln Brewster and Dominic Miller of Sting's band, my guitar sounds thin and buzzy in comparison. I'd like to try and get a set of DiMarzio's in there; two DP187 Cruiser bridge pickups in the neck and middle positions and an AT-1 Timmons in the bridge, with 500k pots. What are your thoughts?
@georgeorlando705 - George, give me a call, I'm wondering what amp you have....I may have pickup suggestions to fatten your sound. What speakers too. Bill
i kept having this problem when i would be randomly playing and id hear a snapping sound. i would look down and somehow my 6th string would have completely untuned itself. thanks a lot man, this video solved that problem in like 2 minutes :D
You said DRs are the best acoustic string, but what do you think is the best ELECTRIC string? Does it depend on the guitar? Or is there one brand/type that universally dominates all electrics?
FYI: My brother dropped off my '62 RI Sunburst Strat to you for setup recently, so I look forward to playing it :)
When adding lube to the bridge and nut (hehe), what sort of lubricant are you using? Just regular string lube? Or is there some other product I need lol?
Not too sure if its just my guitar but i leave my strings on for 2 months at a time and they stay very well in tune. maybe just my guitar? maybe because i clean and polish my strings once a week or more. but my strings last quite a while and still sound good.
I'd say don't pull them if you're using regular strings , just tune up once... twice tops and you're set. Grover tuners always help, I restrung a guitar yesterday and the only stretching i do is with the tuning pegs.... so put the string on, tune... repeat after a minute or two. Remember guys the thicker the string the longer it'll stay in tune .... and of course they're naturally louder and better for low tunings.
any advantage to doing that special tying the strings at the headstock?
@JYZProductions - I think tying leaves some slack or space that means the string can slip. I think my "Z" method keeps the string tight as can be on the tuner.
Bill - This is a great video. Any comments/suggestions on E-flat tuning? I have a strat that has been set up properly but continues to drift even when I've strung it correctly. I have yet to lubricate the saddle and nut, but I wonder if that's just the brakes when it comes to E-Flat? I'm playing standard nickle plated 10's if that puts things in perspective. Thx.
@AskAGuitarPro if you use the whammy bar on the guitar a lot it happens regardless because the tremolo pulls the strings back and forth causing them to slip out of tune. So you can try two things... one a new set of tuners, believe me they do make the difference .. locking ones on a strat means you wont have to get a locking nut to replace the old one.. or a locking nut which if you planned to sell the guitar down the road it wouldnt sell for as much. Thicker strings do stay in tune longer too
Wow! Thanks for posting this video, it was really helpful. Ever since I have got my Les Paul(since 2004), I've had a really hard time keeping it in tune. I've even considered getting new tuners for it. I tried your method and I'm amazed how well it stays in tune now. Two thumbs up my friend, thank you.
can you tell me exaxtly what kind of string winder your using? I've looked everywhere and can't find one like it, well i did find one very similar but it had bad reviews from most people and they also said it didn't fit 'grover' keys, and i use grover keys. also, is the one your using made of plastic or a type of resin? any info you could give me would be greatly appreciated. by the way, your string method is the best, strings perfectly every time. THANKS
Wow, I will never forget that valuable lesson! as well as two weeks on string life. I had them in there for sox months of spotty use. Notice a difference when replace RIGHT AWAY! Hey that feels nice an sounds better. Thanks again Bill Baker
@TheRealMcP Right, that was actually really good! I don't have particularly large hands, but three fingers was a bit too much excess string for me - resulted in about 4-5 wraps. I prefer 3-4. After doing three strings, I started using your technique but with only two fingers worth of excess string. Worked perfectly for me. Putting the kinks in the strings to keep them in place is an excellent idea and really worked well. Great video, mate. Really helped me a lot.
Thanks for the tip Bill. As a guitarist, this kind of insight is invaluable. I always had the problem of overly tight strings. I never changed strings unless absolutely necessary because of this. Now my guitar feels like it came right from the factory. I look forward to restringing the other thirteen. I've been a player for over a decade and man, I can't tell you what I've been missing. This is the best method by far.
Thank you so much!, I had big problems with restrining before I saw this video. This is really the proper way. I'm so happy now when I got my guitar back in tune!
The only thing I'm worried about is breaking the thinnest E string with these 2 sharp angles. Also I thought so far the best method was the '' locking wrap'' method? (overlap once and lift the string to lock it) ?
@ToniMtl78 You won't break the E by bending it. Don't be afraid to do it. Locking that string tight with the bends is what will help you stay in tune. That tying method to me leaves slack and space.
Great video, can't believe after all these years i find better and better tips for my guitar. While i strung up my guitar with a floyd i found that it was best to use just the 1 finger space seen as the bridge was down the cavity.
Hey there, that just became my favourite method of string changing :)
Quick question if you don't mind. My G string buzzes on 14th fret and only there, no other buzz across the fretboard. Could you please tell me what could be causing this? Truss rod? I do have a truss rod wrench but never adjusted it as I'm not sure what to do exactly. Thanks in advance.
Excellent. One thing, you have all the strings off there to begin with. Years back i was told leave all the old strings on and take the(old) middle strings (D&G) off first, replace them with new ones. Work from the inside out, in this way the strain on the neck is kept resonably consistent throughout.
This means that there is always some(similar) tension remaining on the neck
@AceFrehleyArchive Do you find the amount of string you wrap around the tunre makes a difference in tone? I wrap the WHOLE string on the post, it looks ugly, but they stay in Tune! And has more resonance. have you tried this stuff called Teflon Bicycle Lube? I have used nut sauce, but it simply doesnt compare. This stuff is amazing. Also, do you find "stretching" the string effects future tuning and tone? I don't stretch them because In my experience it dulls the tone of the string.
ok, so i was restringing it before suing this method and it snapped( it's the high E string) and a little bit got caught in the tuner, how do i get it out?
I like how how gets the slack out of the strings. On my strat after i first restring it the low E and A strings can get very loose and out of tune on a heavy bend. On a bend like that the bridge even slightly shifts i think.
Thanks for the great video Bill! I have gone through a lot of videos how to restring a guitar (and tried a few of them throughout the years) but this method seems the best to me. Great work man!
Hey Bill great videos. I just changed my strings on my tele with the same gauge that where on before but now I have fret buzz when i press down on the first fret E,A,D and the string buzzes on the second fret. Why is this? any help would be great. Thanks!
rocknrolla81, your neck may be a little too straight. Give it a slight amount of relief until it plays clean. Will have to do a neck adjust video in the future.
Bill, thanks so much for sharing such valuable information! I have now taught all my guitar playing friends the Bill Baker method and we now swear by it!
and thanks for introducing me to the lovely world of DR strings!
I just had changed my strings like about 20 minutes ago for the second time using your method, but before that, when I tuned the 3rd(G) string, it would make a *ting!* noise and go flat or sharp, depending on which direction i was tuning. I hadnt put graphite(from a pencil) into the nut slots that time, so idk if that was why. Thanks
DigitalPimpSlap, that *ting* you hear is the sound of the string breaking loose from being gripped by the nut. The slot(s) may be too tight for the strings. Bone and some plastics are usually the problem. The lube will help, but those slots will need to be checked by a tech and his nut files and widened if needed. Thanks for bringing up a good point! -Bill
Thank you for this excellent tutorial! I think it is better than the other tutorials out thereon stringing a guitar. Will keep your instructions in mind as I restring my guitar.
Thats awesome. Im a drummer of 35 years and just bought a les paul and vox ac30 tube amp. NEVER even picked up a guitar. Your tutorial is just like a drummers video of how to re-head! Thanks dude.....
Hi Bill, just wanted to say thanks for this great tip, finally iv'e found a way to restring my guitar which im comfortable with, and im satisfied with the result!
Hi Bill, I've got a question. I've been changing my own strings since I got my guitar five years ago, but every time I do it, the strings seem very tight. It's not that the action is high (I have it so low that I get some fret buzz), and it's not that my strings are too heavy (I buy light gauge). They just seem very...stiff, I guess. String bends and two-hand tapping are very difficult on my guitar, although I can do them just fine on other guitars. Do you know what I'm doing wrong?
I have installed "Earvana" nuts and you know, it made every guitar just that much better. Maybe not pin-perfect, but waaaaay better. It's a funky looking thing that adjusts......but if it helps, well? It will make first position chords a lot better. Give it a shot. -Bill
Do you have an opinion on the new nut that supposedly addresses the equal temprament problem with stringed instruments? It's called "Earvana", cheesy name, but if it works as advertised it will save me a trip to the nut house. I'm spending more time tuning my guitar then playing my guitar! Your method of stringing the guitar works awesomely but it doesn't address the equal temprament problem of chords and notes sounding either flat or sharp on different areas of the neck.
Raggy my friend, I'm glad to give a friend a tip! I'm sure you could teach me something too. Now if we could convince the ladies the 3 finger rule......
Well Hell-o! I am another closet idiot who, due to my pride and ego during my performing years, could not restring a guitar without 30 winds, a birds nest on the crown or knots with double and triple reholeing etc. Thank you for showing me how to do this after all these years - How many years of pretending I like the hanging strings and bent v string cuts, excess strings wound in cute little circles, etc. 45 years. I am embarrassed. But it will not happen again. Thanks, Raggy
Thanks for the great video! I have been trying to find a sure fire method of restringing my guitars for 30 years and this method has worked the best.
One question, I have a LP 58 VOS with the vintage style tuners ( short post ) and I usually string up with 10-46 but one thing I am not sure on is the 46E string.
Two winds on the post will put the bottom wrap setting on the tuner bushing but one wrap on the post is not enough and causes tuning problems.
(cont.) Should I be concerned with two wraps putting too much downward pressure on the nut or damaging the tuner? It hasn't caused any problems yet that I have noticed but just wanted to get a pros input on it.
I've tried 1.5 but it seems that 2 wraps gets the best results as far as tone and setup. As long I am not cuasing any damage then I'll stick with that. Oh, and I'm an avid believer in stretching.
I just wanna say thanks for posting this video. I just followed your instructions and re strung my Les Paul I just bought recently. Thought I was gonna have to take it to someone like yourself cause it didnt wanna stay in tune... I just spent 30 mins playing it.. very heavy and hard blues and lots of bending etc.. a couple of strings were out.. but barely !! I'm guessing a little more settling and it will be done. Wow does she hold it now though!! Thanks man.. much appreciated !!
Quick question: I read somewhere that it's recommendable to start from the D and G strings, then A and B, then E and E. Otherwise, it would mess with the neck, creating uneven tension or something. Makes sense, but is the neck really *that* sensitive?
An occasional problem with DR strings is that you get one where the wrap wire is on too tight or too loose. It's a BAD string. You have to change it out, no getting around it. I've encountered this before.
Bill, I have a ??? concerning the DR strings. `I have them on 2 of my guitars, and the low E and the D string seem unable of being intoned properly. The strat must be adjusted all the way (string MAX LENGTH) and the Les Paul the same thing - but still, I need more string length on each guitar. WHY? Why does this repeat on a strat and Paul? Headstocks are different, I stretch strings exactly as you showed...seems this is a wierd problem...
@Songwriter4God i have an old strat. i pull the string tight and wrap 3 or 4 wraps around the post and then poke the string thru the hole which then holds the wraps in place on the post. then i tune it up to pitch and stretch the tar out of it and keep tuning it up to pitch and stretching the tar out of it until it stays at the right pitch. i change them every week. stretching the strings while they are new is very important.
finally someone shows the proper way to change strings, ive seen so many shitty videos that say "you want to leave slack" but they never say how much!!!
Great question! If you are taking them all off for cleaning, fretwork, restringing, etc., it won't mess up the adjustment as long as you get the same gauge back on and reasonably soon. What will damage the neck is leaving the strings off for a long period of time. When leaving the strings of for longer periods of time, you would loosen the truss rod, then readjust it when you did put the strings back on. So don't be afraid!
Could you do a video for Taylor or Martin style acoustics with bridge pins? The three finger method doesn't work too well on my acoustic, I switch to two fingers, but I want to know what you advise for it. Mine's regular scale.
i thought the best way to restring a guitar was to restring it one string at a time? because if you take them all off at once doesn't it mess up the truss rod adjustment?
dude Bill thanks so much for this vid! I showed my friends and they were impressed as well. I've noticed my les paul stays in tune better and it even sounds better then it did before. Thank you again
@AceFrehleyArchive Have you ever tried Elixir acoustic strings? I think they're amazing, had mine on for a year and a half come May and they still sound new! My G string broke because my dog was messing with my case, but otherwise I've never had problems with them! You should check 'em out.
Like the locking method but the 3 finger method does not work on my guitar/string brand combo. More like 1-2 fingers before making the first bend (Schecter C-1 Hellraiser with D'Addarios). 3 fingers wound in way too many wraps.
jabberwocky1969 3 days ago
for some reason every other restringing style confused me. But this 1 worked best 4 me ;) Thx dude. I subbed btw.
stabber63 3 days ago
haha I do'nt mean to be a little kid, but I laughed when he said "We're puttin the G string on now.." It's like he was asking for a chuckle..
uenragedbro 2 weeks ago
does the three thumb rule apply to acoustic guitar too?
lukekimxd 4 weeks ago
@lukekimxd Yep, he has got a video also for acoustic and he does the same way, I did it last month and worked good and fast :)
ilmatteo95 3 weeks ago in playlist Favorite videos
Hey Bill! My name is Cassius Morris. I do a podcast about KISS called Creatures Of The Net and I would like t have you on the show. PLEASE send me a message through youtube!
ThatReporterKid 1 month ago
2WEEKS?! Ive had mine on for 1.5 years and theyre still going strong
IH8CREEPERS 1 month ago
The strings on my electric are 10s, you put 9.5s on your acoustic, wtf
jasper11227 1 month ago
You need super thin strings to play lead on an acoustic guitar?
jasper11227 1 month ago
My favorite lube is graphite. I use a pencil on the nut before I string the guitar up. Works great to prevent string binding.
787Bisurdaddy 1 month ago
@787Bisurdaddy - That was EVH's secret for the recording of the first album.....#2 pencils for all!
AceFrehleyArchive 1 month ago
"Strings are good for maby a week or two weeks" LOL
I would go bankrupt if I had to buy new strings so often, that's ridiculous.
I've had my string for 4 years now and they play very well. I'm about to change them.
amjan 1 month ago
Comment removed
SlitherDragon 1 month ago
I got some beef with this video. I am new so please take that into consideration. You say then you wind the strings down and in the video your clearly winding the strings up. Come on now that is just plain out frustrating to a newbie like me. Why would you say that? when you say you wind down watch the video clearly your taking the winder and winding away from your body and that is up! Why would you say then you wind down?
Davidle141 1 month ago
@Davidle141 ok you say winding the string downward so maybe I am just being over critical over the wording. you do say wind it up
Davidle141 1 month ago
@Davidle141 - I am winding the wrap of the string down on the tuning post....please watch the HD version of restringing and you will see clearly what I do. I DO NOT WIND UPWARD! The wrap is below the hole on the tuner, so it goes down....you see?
AceFrehleyArchive 1 month ago
This method is golden. I have used it and the strings do stay in tune all the time. Thanks for the tips Bill!
celticgibson 1 month ago
I guess if you tell everyone to re-string after a week or two, that is how you are able to make a living with rock stars who can afford to pay you and are too lazy to change them for themselves. Good for you Bill, must keep you buy.
koolhandvuk 2 months ago
Thanks for posting... any stringing method that's good enough for Leslie West is certainly good enough for me!
TheCount0212 2 months ago in playlist Favorite videos
u rock dude. gunna attempt to restring my guitar using your tips today. cant see myself restringing every 2 to 3 weeks. maybe if i get any good at playing
sambam007 2 months ago
if you do this with a floating trem, just tune it pull the trem into the body and hold string up, and tune, an did it again until it doesnt go so flat
maggot6639 2 months ago
super slinkys I use
stoned101094 2 months ago
What Brand of Electric Guitar Strings would you recommend? For a good rock sound
XxXJohn253XxX 2 months ago
Wow, this is the best video I've seen for stringing up a guitar. Thanks for this!
1MrJack1 3 months ago
This is good info but don't stretch your string by snapping it against the frets. It will cause the frets to wear faster.
TheRealRayJ 3 months ago
I never stretch my strings. I just play and re-tune as needed. Stretching can cause premature aging.
electrickithara 3 months ago
Thank you!!
anywayn 3 months ago
With eight guitars, I could never afford to re-string every two weeks- just the ones I record with. I have strings lasting as much as a year on some that get less playing- though they have lost that "ting" and sustain. Good advice- don't forget to tell them to be careful and not kink the strings if your going to pull on them. I never pull until after I get it tuned first. If I'm playing a hard lead or strum, I tune slightly flat, since the first strong hit on the string will always be sharp.
newstart49 3 months ago
Ps: my 68 goldtop thanks you as well! ;)
willnova1234 3 months ago
Hello Mr Baker, like many on this post, I've struggled with the legend of restringing a les Paul the correct way; ie: how many wraps? Over? Under? Etc, then I was fortunate to come across your videos. I've gotta sincerely thank you for an easy and extremely effective method! Fantastic! You've truly done a service to the guitar community. I've looked for something like this forever!!!! It should mandatory that a les or any 3 and 3 guitar should come with a link to your channel. Regards
willnova1234 3 months ago
fuck yea man, thanx a million
evilmurderproduction 3 months ago
I'm a newbie and after watching your video, my first attempt at restringing my hollow body was a success. Thank you very much. Do you have any tips for bridge adjustments for the type you have in this video?
Chieftwopunks 4 months ago
Very helpful. Thanks!
Rycons1 4 months ago
Great video.. makes my strings look perfect every time.. I've also found that 2 fingers works too.. and you get a slightly different sound from the strings. Thanks for the idea!
Adeptmind 4 months ago
Hi, Bill. You've set up my PRS Custom 24 a couple of times for me, with great results. Now I'm thinking of changing the stock pick-ups in that guitar. Listening to guys like Andy Timmons, Lincoln Brewster and Dominic Miller of Sting's band, my guitar sounds thin and buzzy in comparison. I'd like to try and get a set of DiMarzio's in there; two DP187 Cruiser bridge pickups in the neck and middle positions and an AT-1 Timmons in the bridge, with 500k pots. What are your thoughts?
georgeorlando705 4 months ago
@georgeorlando705 - George, give me a call, I'm wondering what amp you have....I may have pickup suggestions to fatten your sound. What speakers too. Bill
AceFrehleyArchive 4 months ago
i kept having this problem when i would be randomly playing and id hear a snapping sound. i would look down and somehow my 6th string would have completely untuned itself. thanks a lot man, this video solved that problem in like 2 minutes :D
mrburningstar 4 months ago
@mrburningstar the gear in the tuner my have slipped, happened to me once, 1 tooth broke and it would tune but only so far before it gave...
evilmurderproduction 3 months ago
I must say I love the idea you have for locking the strings on the tuner post! Works great and I use every time thanks bill!!
TheDime4life 5 months ago
You said DRs are the best acoustic string, but what do you think is the best ELECTRIC string? Does it depend on the guitar? Or is there one brand/type that universally dominates all electrics?
FYI: My brother dropped off my '62 RI Sunburst Strat to you for setup recently, so I look forward to playing it :)
cbserra 5 months ago
thanks mate, your a legend, now to try it out :D
RelientKatey 5 months ago
When it comes to the amount of slack that you feed through the headstock does tunning matter. Cause I play In E standard and Drop C
MADAYAE 5 months ago
@MADAYAE Just do it like in the video because it works fine ;)
ilmatteo95 5 months ago in playlist I video preferiti di ilmatteo95
This made my life so much easier. I changed my strings in half the time it used to take me. Thanks Bill Baker, this was awesome!
alnico2000 5 months ago
When adding lube to the bridge and nut (hehe), what sort of lubricant are you using? Just regular string lube? Or is there some other product I need lol?
AlexShowdra 5 months ago
@AlexShowdra - The best is Big Bend's Nut Sauce. Available online or in better stores. Great products from that company. Thanks for watching!
AceFrehleyArchive 5 months ago
@AceFrehleyArchive Haha, alright thanks a lot!
AlexShowdra 5 months ago
Comment removed
AlexShowdra 5 months ago
i love this video man! but the camera man sounds like hes having a nap! ahahh
ahvaimusicom 5 months ago
Sir you are a bloody genius, just made my life a whole lot easier. Thank you. Not only that the head stock looks so much neater.
Paul
MrPaulRobbins99 5 months ago
@MrPaulRobbins99 - Thank You for watching!
AceFrehleyArchive 5 months ago
I agree this video is really useful :)
Timanator1 5 months ago
Mickey Rourke's guide to restringing guitars.
makemarker 5 months ago
thanks alot for the help
guitarherodude110 5 months ago
Not too sure if its just my guitar but i leave my strings on for 2 months at a time and they stay very well in tune. maybe just my guitar? maybe because i clean and polish my strings once a week or more. but my strings last quite a while and still sound good.
MrPsychoCB 5 months ago
Badass, thanks man.
louayh794 6 months ago
oh man lube in the nut. i can't help but laugh.
ninhbac04 6 months ago
I'd say don't pull them if you're using regular strings , just tune up once... twice tops and you're set. Grover tuners always help, I restrung a guitar yesterday and the only stretching i do is with the tuning pegs.... so put the string on, tune... repeat after a minute or two. Remember guys the thicker the string the longer it'll stay in tune .... and of course they're naturally louder and better for low tunings.
any advantage to doing that special tying the strings at the headstock?
JYZProductions 6 months ago
@JYZProductions - I think tying leaves some slack or space that means the string can slip. I think my "Z" method keeps the string tight as can be on the tuner.
AceFrehleyArchive 5 months ago
god dammit my b string broke, but its a good method of replacing the strings!
readme60 6 months ago
is this Wayne from Wayne's World? haha great video
deanz554 6 months ago
the glasses make you look like thurston moore :L
DGENERATE07 6 months ago
I created this account just to tell you thanks man....
BartholomewXx 6 months ago
@BartholomewXx - THANK YOU for doing so!
AceFrehleyArchive 5 months ago
I created this account just to tell you thanks man....
BartholomewXx 6 months ago
Bill - This is a great video. Any comments/suggestions on E-flat tuning? I have a strat that has been set up properly but continues to drift even when I've strung it correctly. I have yet to lubricate the saddle and nut, but I wonder if that's just the brakes when it comes to E-Flat? I'm playing standard nickle plated 10's if that puts things in perspective. Thx.
AskAGuitarPro 6 months ago
@AskAGuitarPro if you use the whammy bar on the guitar a lot it happens regardless because the tremolo pulls the strings back and forth causing them to slip out of tune. So you can try two things... one a new set of tuners, believe me they do make the difference .. locking ones on a strat means you wont have to get a locking nut to replace the old one.. or a locking nut which if you planned to sell the guitar down the road it wouldnt sell for as much. Thicker strings do stay in tune longer too
JYZProductions 6 months ago
Wow! Thanks for posting this video, it was really helpful. Ever since I have got my Les Paul(since 2004), I've had a really hard time keeping it in tune. I've even considered getting new tuners for it. I tried your method and I'm amazed how well it stays in tune now. Two thumbs up my friend, thank you.
sevenshyrules 7 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Ur the best!
DaNnY92506 7 months ago
Ur the best!
DaNnY92506 7 months ago
Nice video dude, touring guitarist with no tech here, and the three fingers works haha, appreciate it, way better tuning method than mine ^^
MonTheTiger 7 months ago
good stuff but if you have fat fingers like me I recommend 2 fingers...
zonkers155 7 months ago
IT DOES MAKE PERFECT SENSE!
Bending string both sides the way you have shown, and winding all winds down will make string really tight around key pegs.
I hate some guys that say "locking ties are better" without giving any arguments to back it up.
"First wind goes up" method might be usefull for EAD strings (it's very easy to wind it tight) but it is pain in the ass for GBE strings.
Locking tie leaves too much gaps on pegs of GBE strings.
Thank you for this video! : )
messerJ4H 7 months ago
I've revisited this video way too many times. Thanks Bill :)
DistortedV12 7 months ago
i don't get the lube thing. what kind of lube should i get and does it come with that little applicator?
kokomoization 7 months ago
Bill,
can you tell me exaxtly what kind of string winder your using? I've looked everywhere and can't find one like it, well i did find one very similar but it had bad reviews from most people and they also said it didn't fit 'grover' keys, and i use grover keys. also, is the one your using made of plastic or a type of resin? any info you could give me would be greatly appreciated. by the way, your string method is the best, strings perfectly every time. THANKS
themetalmaniac77 7 months ago
Wow, I will never forget that valuable lesson! as well as two weeks on string life. I had them in there for sox months of spotty use. Notice a difference when replace RIGHT AWAY! Hey that feels nice an sounds better. Thanks again Bill Baker
jimmyt55 7 months ago
OK, mate. I'm gonna restring my gat now. Will put your method to the test.
TheRealMcP 7 months ago
@TheRealMcP Right, that was actually really good! I don't have particularly large hands, but three fingers was a bit too much excess string for me - resulted in about 4-5 wraps. I prefer 3-4. After doing three strings, I started using your technique but with only two fingers worth of excess string. Worked perfectly for me. Putting the kinks in the strings to keep them in place is an excellent idea and really worked well. Great video, mate. Really helped me a lot.
TheRealMcP 7 months ago
Thanks for the tip Bill. As a guitarist, this kind of insight is invaluable. I always had the problem of overly tight strings. I never changed strings unless absolutely necessary because of this. Now my guitar feels like it came right from the factory. I look forward to restringing the other thirteen. I've been a player for over a decade and man, I can't tell you what I've been missing. This is the best method by far.
fistandantilus18 7 months ago
Thank you so much!, I had big problems with restrining before I saw this video. This is really the proper way. I'm so happy now when I got my guitar back in tune!
Zellzify 7 months ago
Serious - new strings, drop c and rocking. the strings stay in place all the time. Great. Never happened before!
snegleslot 8 months ago
Mr. Baker - thanks for sharing your massive experience. Really helpful!
snegleslot 8 months ago
i left my strings on for...a year... i fucked up
XxXsxcb345tXxX 8 months ago
The only thing I'm worried about is breaking the thinnest E string with these 2 sharp angles. Also I thought so far the best method was the '' locking wrap'' method? (overlap once and lift the string to lock it) ?
ToniMtl78 9 months ago
@ToniMtl78 You won't break the E by bending it. Don't be afraid to do it. Locking that string tight with the bends is what will help you stay in tune. That tying method to me leaves slack and space.
AceFrehleyArchive 8 months ago
@ToniMtl78 yeah, i wouldnt wanna put two bends in the string
gunfart 7 months ago
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ToniMtl78 9 months ago
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ToniMtl78 9 months ago
Great video, can't believe after all these years i find better and better tips for my guitar. While i strung up my guitar with a floyd i found that it was best to use just the 1 finger space seen as the bridge was down the cavity.
Great video !!!
kingdarko 9 months ago
@AceFrehleyArchive
Hey there, that just became my favourite method of string changing :)
Quick question if you don't mind. My G string buzzes on 14th fret and only there, no other buzz across the fretboard. Could you please tell me what could be causing this? Truss rod? I do have a truss rod wrench but never adjusted it as I'm not sure what to do exactly. Thanks in advance.
Kamis5050 9 months ago
Excellent. One thing, you have all the strings off there to begin with. Years back i was told leave all the old strings on and take the(old) middle strings (D&G) off first, replace them with new ones. Work from the inside out, in this way the strain on the neck is kept resonably consistent throughout.
This means that there is always some(similar) tension remaining on the neck
COMMUNISTPHILOSOPHY 9 months ago
@COMMUNISTPHILOSOPHY it's ok to take all the strings off for a cleaning.
AceFrehleyArchive 9 months ago
@AceFrehleyArchive Do you find the amount of string you wrap around the tunre makes a difference in tone? I wrap the WHOLE string on the post, it looks ugly, but they stay in Tune! And has more resonance. have you tried this stuff called Teflon Bicycle Lube? I have used nut sauce, but it simply doesnt compare. This stuff is amazing. Also, do you find "stretching" the string effects future tuning and tone? I don't stretch them because In my experience it dulls the tone of the string.
MrMutron 8 months ago
ok, so i was restringing it before suing this method and it snapped( it's the high E string) and a little bit got caught in the tuner, how do i get it out?
Sporefanatic515 9 months ago
@Sporefanatic515, use needle nose pliers to pull out the piece.
AceFrehleyArchive 9 months ago
Dude, Thank you... Nuf said!
cornfedz 9 months ago
I like how how gets the slack out of the strings. On my strat after i first restring it the low E and A strings can get very loose and out of tune on a heavy bend. On a bend like that the bridge even slightly shifts i think.
MVT44 9 months ago
Thanks for the great video Bill! I have gone through a lot of videos how to restring a guitar (and tried a few of them throughout the years) but this method seems the best to me. Great work man!
AntaresX9 9 months ago
Hey Bill great videos. I just changed my strings on my tele with the same gauge that where on before but now I have fret buzz when i press down on the first fret E,A,D and the string buzzes on the second fret. Why is this? any help would be great. Thanks!
rocknrolla81 9 months ago
rocknrolla81, your neck may be a little too straight. Give it a slight amount of relief until it plays clean. Will have to do a neck adjust video in the future.
AceFrehleyArchive 9 months ago
Great method! :)
heh heh..."putting the G string on".
00Mandingo00 9 months ago
Bill, thanks so much for sharing such valuable information! I have now taught all my guitar playing friends the Bill Baker method and we now swear by it!
and thanks for introducing me to the lovely world of DR strings!
chetorch 9 months ago
I just had changed my strings like about 20 minutes ago for the second time using your method, but before that, when I tuned the 3rd(G) string, it would make a *ting!* noise and go flat or sharp, depending on which direction i was tuning. I hadnt put graphite(from a pencil) into the nut slots that time, so idk if that was why. Thanks
DigitalPimpSlap 9 months ago
DigitalPimpSlap, that *ting* you hear is the sound of the string breaking loose from being gripped by the nut. The slot(s) may be too tight for the strings. Bone and some plastics are usually the problem. The lube will help, but those slots will need to be checked by a tech and his nut files and widened if needed. Thanks for bringing up a good point! -Bill
AceFrehleyArchive 9 months ago
Thank you for this excellent tutorial! I think it is better than the other tutorials out thereon stringing a guitar. Will keep your instructions in mind as I restring my guitar.
WendyStringer48088 10 months ago
I like that rule: 3 fingers past the tuning post
But what if your fingers are small
Ironheade21 10 months ago
Ironheade21, that's ok, you're still pretty close. Just wind it nice and tight and stretch out that slack!
AceFrehleyArchive 9 months ago
Wow do you help Ace Frehley with setting up guitars!?
liamzuid 10 months ago
liamzuid, I did his work back in the mid 90's. The story is in my book!
AceFrehleyArchive 9 months ago
@AceFrehleyArchive Are there anythings he told you which are secrets of his tone?
Like the rumor he played Fenders and the plexis where just there for decoration?
liamzuid 9 months ago
You are no doubt the man.
SeanOCasey10 10 months ago
SeanOCasey10, no my friend, you are! Glad I could help!
AceFrehleyArchive 9 months ago
Hey Bill 3 of my favs Guitars , Johnny Cash [Luther Perkins] and Evel !
mikelandreth 10 months ago
mikelandreth Now if they could have appeared together....wow! Evel jumps Johnny's tour trucks! Would have been a huge ABC Wide world of Sports event!
AceFrehleyArchive 9 months ago
what is a lube?!
yuki13izumi 10 months ago
Thats awesome. Im a drummer of 35 years and just bought a les paul and vox ac30 tube amp. NEVER even picked up a guitar. Your tutorial is just like a drummers video of how to re-head! Thanks dude.....
check6ii 10 months ago
This was a great tutorial. Thanks
Muskey101 10 months ago
Hi Bill, just wanted to say thanks for this great tip, finally iv'e found a way to restring my guitar which im comfortable with, and im satisfied with the result!
/André
crimsontower 10 months ago
more like the BEST WAY on the planet to restring a guitar !!
BILL BAKER is the MASTER ! =]
musemic80 10 months ago
musemic80, thank you and I'm glad to have helped......!
AceFrehleyArchive 9 months ago
since i use this technique, no lie, i didn't tune my guitar at all since i put the strings on there.... magic sir.... magic!
canitovega 10 months ago
canitovega, it's nice to have something work, right?
AceFrehleyArchive 9 months ago
Hi Bill, I've got a question. I've been changing my own strings since I got my guitar five years ago, but every time I do it, the strings seem very tight. It's not that the action is high (I have it so low that I get some fret buzz), and it's not that my strings are too heavy (I buy light gauge). They just seem very...stiff, I guess. String bends and two-hand tapping are very difficult on my guitar, although I can do them just fine on other guitars. Do you know what I'm doing wrong?
ProudSpeakerofWhale 11 months ago
I have installed "Earvana" nuts and you know, it made every guitar just that much better. Maybe not pin-perfect, but waaaaay better. It's a funky looking thing that adjusts......but if it helps, well? It will make first position chords a lot better. Give it a shot. -Bill
AceFrehleyArchive 11 months ago
Hey Bill,
Do you have an opinion on the new nut that supposedly addresses the equal temprament problem with stringed instruments? It's called "Earvana", cheesy name, but if it works as advertised it will save me a trip to the nut house. I'm spending more time tuning my guitar then playing my guitar! Your method of stringing the guitar works awesomely but it doesn't address the equal temprament problem of chords and notes sounding either flat or sharp on different areas of the neck.
Greyswyndir 11 months ago
3:01 we're putting the G string on now :D sorry I'm an immature little fuck I know but great way to string a guitar!
SaulHudsonGibson 11 months ago
i just tried it out and hell yeah, this is the fastest, easiest and simply the best way to string up your guitar! thanks man that was really helpful!
geesoul 11 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
so simple, yet so great!
theruley 11 months ago
Raggy my friend, I'm glad to give a friend a tip! I'm sure you could teach me something too. Now if we could convince the ladies the 3 finger rule......
AceFrehleyArchive 11 months ago
Well Hell-o! I am another closet idiot who, due to my pride and ego during my performing years, could not restring a guitar without 30 winds, a birds nest on the crown or knots with double and triple reholeing etc. Thank you for showing me how to do this after all these years - How many years of pretending I like the hanging strings and bent v string cuts, excess strings wound in cute little circles, etc. 45 years. I am embarrassed. But it will not happen again. Thanks, Raggy
raggyragsdale 11 months ago
Hey Bill, rad video!
Just wondering,
do you string the B and high E any differently on an acoustic from the rest of the strings?
Thanks in advance!
JohnWM816 11 months ago
Bill,
Thanks for the great video! I have been trying to find a sure fire method of restringing my guitars for 30 years and this method has worked the best.
One question, I have a LP 58 VOS with the vintage style tuners ( short post ) and I usually string up with 10-46 but one thing I am not sure on is the 46E string.
Two winds on the post will put the bottom wrap setting on the tuner bushing but one wrap on the post is not enough and causes tuning problems.
Is this anything to worry about?
gib412 11 months ago
@gib412
(cont.) Should I be concerned with two wraps putting too much downward pressure on the nut or damaging the tuner? It hasn't caused any problems yet that I have noticed but just wanted to get a pros input on it.
gib412 11 months ago
@gib412 Thanks for the compliment! Try one and a half. It's ok if it touches the bushing. Make sure you stretch!
AceFrehleyArchive 11 months ago
@AceFrehleyArchive
Thanks for the reply,
I've tried 1.5 but it seems that 2 wraps gets the best results as far as tone and setup. As long I am not cuasing any damage then I'll stick with that. Oh, and I'm an avid believer in stretching.
gib412 11 months ago
I just wanna say thanks for posting this video. I just followed your instructions and re strung my Les Paul I just bought recently. Thought I was gonna have to take it to someone like yourself cause it didnt wanna stay in tune... I just spent 30 mins playing it.. very heavy and hard blues and lots of bending etc.. a couple of strings were out.. but barely !! I'm guessing a little more settling and it will be done. Wow does she hold it now though!! Thanks man.. much appreciated !!
TheBdriver 11 months ago
Does this method work for an Ibanez mtm2 mic thomson signature, with a fixed bridge?
acefreezy 11 months ago
Thank you for the great video!
Can you do a vido about cleaning and polishing a guitar?
Could you tell us what kind of lube do you recomend???
outclass 1 year ago
It's just ironic because usually if the saddle is lubed then your nuts will be in great jeopardy.
josephgervasi 1 year ago
Quick question: I read somewhere that it's recommendable to start from the D and G strings, then A and B, then E and E. Otherwise, it would mess with the neck, creating uneven tension or something. Makes sense, but is the neck really *that* sensitive?
dugerstein 1 year ago
LOL lube in the nut
TnTMusic64 1 year ago
An occasional problem with DR strings is that you get one where the wrap wire is on too tight or too loose. It's a BAD string. You have to change it out, no getting around it. I've encountered this before.
AceFrehleyArchive 1 year ago
Bill, I have a ??? concerning the DR strings. `I have them on 2 of my guitars, and the low E and the D string seem unable of being intoned properly. The strat must be adjusted all the way (string MAX LENGTH) and the Les Paul the same thing - but still, I need more string length on each guitar. WHY? Why does this repeat on a strat and Paul? Headstocks are different, I stretch strings exactly as you showed...seems this is a wierd problem...
newfosgatesucks 1 year ago
i realized what i was doing wrong after 2min. i wasn't making the bends in the string with the 3-finger method
FireHammerMetal 1 year ago
Hats off & Lighters up to you Mr.Baker.....
joysusername 1 year ago
G string before B and high E....now that's making life fiddly for yourself.
fendermac 1 year ago
Cheers for this. Just gave it a try and it saved me a good 20 minutes of fiddling.. :)
MSimp2k6 1 year ago
how often do you lube up the saddle and nut...and what kind do you recommend?
mementose7en 1 year ago
how often do you lube up the bridge and nut...and what kind do you recommend?
mementose7en 1 year ago
Hey Bill. Thanks for the video! I just restrung my Fender Stratocaster and thanks to you I did the best job ever.
101pete101 1 year ago
revisited your vid, great stuff! any takes on intonation and string height with a stop-bar?
adidas331 1 year ago
Anybody know what lube he's using?
CyberSchnook 1 year ago
Will using this method also work with Floyd Rose bridges?
anastu 1 year ago
<3 Deans
BonesAndBones 1 year ago
I've had my strings for 4 years.... :o
editexel 1 year ago
This is without a doubt the best tutorial, and they way I have personally been re-stringing my electric and acoustic guitars.
okamasphere 1 year ago
Does this work with gauge nine strings?
TypicalGuitarPlayer 1 year ago
@TypicalGuitarPlayer yes, and all gauges
okamasphere 1 year ago
sorry man but i do it entirely different than you do and my guitar totally stays in tune.
kudos for telling people to stretch the strings though.
jamesha175 1 year ago
@jamesha175 I always had trouble restringing my electric before I found this. It's not exactly staying in tune that's a problem sometimes.
Songwriter4God 1 year ago
@Songwriter4God i have an old strat. i pull the string tight and wrap 3 or 4 wraps around the post and then poke the string thru the hole which then holds the wraps in place on the post. then i tune it up to pitch and stretch the tar out of it and keep tuning it up to pitch and stretching the tar out of it until it stays at the right pitch. i change them every week. stretching the strings while they are new is very important.
jamesha175 1 year ago
@jamesha175 You're working too hard! The three finger measurement (or 2") will give you the 3-4 wraps around the post!
CyberSchnook 1 year ago
finally someone shows the proper way to change strings, ive seen so many shitty videos that say "you want to leave slack" but they never say how much!!!
valdivia562 1 year ago
Bill is THE man!! No one else touches my guitars!
misterreality 1 year ago
hey, i have a 21 fret dean ml x i realized i have to take 3 fingers down to one because have more slack and less post to wrap.
shazankd 1 year ago
Great video :) cheers bill =P
musickid64 1 year ago
i left my strings on for about 5 months once :P
JoshGoldie 1 year ago
Great question! If you are taking them all off for cleaning, fretwork, restringing, etc., it won't mess up the adjustment as long as you get the same gauge back on and reasonably soon. What will damage the neck is leaving the strings off for a long period of time. When leaving the strings of for longer periods of time, you would loosen the truss rod, then readjust it when you did put the strings back on. So don't be afraid!
AceFrehleyArchive 1 year ago 2
Could you do a video for Taylor or Martin style acoustics with bridge pins? The three finger method doesn't work too well on my acoustic, I switch to two fingers, but I want to know what you advise for it. Mine's regular scale.
Songwriter4God 1 year ago
i thought the best way to restring a guitar was to restring it one string at a time? because if you take them all off at once doesn't it mess up the truss rod adjustment?
Darkcrimson123 1 year ago
Does this method ensure minimal string slippage?
BWpepperr 1 year ago
dude Bill thanks so much for this vid! I showed my friends and they were impressed as well. I've noticed my les paul stays in tune better and it even sounds better then it did before. Thank you again
luckycww 1 year ago
haha lube in the nut
arx320skater 1 year ago
Very nice it helped a lot, Thank You.
btw what kind of strings do you mostly prefer?
i use D' Addario
55carr55 1 year ago
I like DR, D'Addario, Ernie Ball, they all seem to be the best.
AceFrehleyArchive 1 year ago
@AceFrehleyArchive Have you ever tried Elixir acoustic strings? I think they're amazing, had mine on for a year and a half come May and they still sound new! My G string broke because my dog was messing with my case, but otherwise I've never had problems with them! You should check 'em out.
Songwriter4God 1 year ago
Nice Caddy!
rzbk777 1 year ago
how do u know when to stop turning the winder and start cutting
ihaveabox 1 year ago