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All good, the strings I’m talking about are those that are hanging off the top of the guitar like cat whiskers.
If you get something like this, you can trim those, and it will help with changing strings (winding the tuners) as well:
https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-Accessories-Pro-Winder-Guitar-String/dp/B0002E1G5C/
Also it’s *capo.
Come on over to /r/guitar. There’s plenty to learn and a lifetime of improvement to make!
Bro, you need me to send you one of these??
I know that everyone has their own "technique" for re-stringing so I'll share the best I've found. I have a feeling you're going to be going out of tune very often, especially that high e yikes..
For this method a tuning winder will help a lot but isn't necessarily required. I reccomend every guitarist get one like this: (D'Addario Pro-Winder String Winder and Cutter, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002E1G5C/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_HP7MCPB4E9TYG06Q8JW2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1)
Rotate all of your tuning pegs so all the holes are pointing towards the neck. Get all your strings ready by running them from the bridge up through the tuning pegs. Starting with the low e (top string), pull it taught through the tuning peg and clip the string at 2-3" after the tuning peg. Now return the string to the tuning peg with a few cm sticking out. With your index finger or thumb, press the string against the headstock between the tuning peg and nut, but close to the tuning peg. Now start winding the tuner. What you should see is the string will "creep" its way up the tuner and lock itself in place. Notice how the tuning peg has that concave hourglass shape? I believe this is how they were designed to be used. Rinse and repeat for all strings. Ideally you should have 2-3-4 wraps around each peg, thinner gauge strings will have more.
I've been stringing my guitars like this for years and even strung some of my performing musician friends' guitars like this. Best method imo
You need a setup if the strings are way off the fretboard at the 12th fret, you hear the strings buzzing when you play or there is a problem like the fret ends are too sharp. I would play for a bit before deciding if you need a setup.
OF course the tone will be off, unless you have tin ears.
Plus the strings will be oxidized.
Strings are cheap at ~$4-$5 and you you can learn how to do this easily by watch Youtube vids.
Just buy a string cutter at Guitar Center or Amazon and use an tuning app on your smartphone to tune it:
If you don't have these things:
Dunlop Trigger Capo, (clip-on?) tuner, string winder/string cutter/pin puller this thing, and a set of new strings. If you don't change them often, grab DR Dragon Skins; they're coated with a super-thin nylon coating, like Elixirs, but not as noticeable. They also last forever.
TC Electronics has a line of pedals for $50 coming soon, I would probably save for one of those myself. Remember that every time you add a pedal, you add at least one cable!
These are great and are cheaper than a good pair of fingernail clippers:
You want hard wire cutters. Stainless is hard, not soft wire. Cheapest ones are the $10 guitar string winder/cutter you can get at any music store or Amazon
Hey my dude, we all start somewhere! My honest advice sounds cliche, but you gotta learn to walk before you can run.
In this I mean, really learn your instrument inside and out. Generally, take the time to turn knobs, flip pickups, and play with your amp the same way. Find out what sounds good to you. Every few months experiment with different string gauges. Fuck it, add some stickers to it if it makes you want to pick it up. Get to the point where it's so familiar that when you're out and about doing normal things you look down at those torn up, callused fingertips and start to count the minutes until you have it back in your hands.
Now as far as the technical side, learn your strings. EADGBE. I learned the mnemonic "Ed Ate Dynamite Good Bye Ed". Lol it's dumb, but you won't forget. If you are completely new to music and can't read music, you'll be fine, guitar tabs are the bedrock of every newbie's journey. Learn how to read them, it's not very hard.
Look into picking vs finger picking. Hybrid picking is a thing you'll probably eventually need for Polyphia licks, but again, walk; run. Get basic patterns of picking down. Learn to pick up and pick down, one string, two strings, six strings. As your fretboard hand will grow with dexterity and accuracy, so will your picking hand, just one of those things.
Now finally for your fretboard hand. I cannot stress to you what a mental victory it will be learning your basic chords and chord progressions. I remember being so frustrated and disappointed in myself when I started and it just felt like nothing was clicking. Felt like I just didn't have "it". Out of nowhere, my fingers worked together and I could suddenly string together an A, D, E, G chord progression to play Wild Thing. It was my first real moment of "holy shit, I can do this". If chords seem too messy to start with, just try power chords. Much easier in the beginning on your fingers and brain (literally 80s rock would not exist without this little hack, lol). Look into scales, namely pentatonic, they will expand on your ability to improvise and start creating muscle memory of where your fingers will instinctively land.
As a sidenote, a few accessories to consider snagging to make your experience a little less painful, One of these string winder and cutter thingys They're pretty nice to snip excess string and tighten much faster than by hand.
A capo is another pretty nice thing to have. It will save you time fudging with tuning and let you change key without having to do much. This is the one I prefer to use I've found the spring loaded tension capos never really work as well as the ones with a screw down. More tension, less string buzz.
Lastly, Look into getting a tuner if you don't have one. There are free apps out there that help you tune, or you could buy a dedicated tuner. My fender amp has a tuner built in, as does my acoustic Ibanez. If you're recording on the computer, most DAWs have some sort of tuning software as well. Think about checking the tuning for the first few months when you pick it up until your ear is used to what standard tuning sounds like. If you're somewhere like me, climate can play a role in your instrument being out of tune, as can bumping it and just overall neck tension. Cheaper guitars have a tendency to be less reliable, but it's not a huge deal, eventually it will take you less than ten seconds to fix it.
Those are the big things I can think of right now. I hope even if one of those suggestions stick it'll help. This is a badass journey that you have embarked on and I'm excited for you. Good luck welcome welcome!
Always use the right tool for the job.
D'Addario Pro-Winder String Winder and Cutter, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002E1G5C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_707XJ9BP595TQDW7QCQC?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
If you like doing lots of bends, I would recommend 9’s. Ernie ball nickel wounds are my go-to, d-addarios are also good. Only tool you need is wire cutters, or a string winder that has cutters built in. You’ll need a screwdriver and Allen wrench if you need to adjust the saddles for intonation and action.
D’Addario Accessories Pro-Winder Guitar String Winder and Cutter – All-In-1 Restringing Tool – Includes Clippers, Bridge Pin Puller, Peg Winder – Designed to Fit Most Guitars https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002E1G5C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cEljFbEE6KBTE
Dynamite Hex Driver: .050", DYN2820 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQ4XR4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-FljFbTZWVN4H
Ernie Ball Super Slinky Nickel Wound Sets, .009 - .042 (3 Pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CAUYNCO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_IHljFbNABRJKZ
They should only be adjusted if they need adjusting. Buy an action gauge and see where your action is.
If the action is good, nothing buzzes, nothing pokes, nothing rattles then you don't need a setup. Just watch a youtube video on changing strings, get a string tool and do your own strings.
Get yourself one of these, D'Addario Pro-Winder String Winder and Cutter, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002E1G5C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_3M1G20JTPBTAA025ZCCE helps pull bridge pins, wind strings and cut the excess string.
Don't get hardware store wire cutters, get a string change multi-tool. Shouldn't need hex keys unless you have a floyd rose.
Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
---|---|---|---|
D'Addario Pro-Winder String Winder and Cutter, Bl… | $10.98 | $10.98 | 4.5/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
---|---|---|---|
D'Addario Pro-Winder String Winder and Cutter, Bl… | $10.98 | $10.98 | 4.5/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
Thanks for your input! Did you happen to buy your all-in-one online? And do you know the company you bought it from? Someone in the comments suggested the "D'addario all-in-one" from amazon, but after reading the reviews multiple people have said that the wire cutter barely makes a dent in the strings. So it basically is useless in being able to cut through the guitar strings and their guitars looks like acoustic (from the pics they posted). I'll link you the product down below.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002E1G5C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Eg5iDb87RY7Z1
Any help would be appreciated!
You can buy a single tool like this that covers all those functions.
Final advice for locking tuners - if you don’t already have one, buy a string winder with some string clippers attached like this !
Also pick up the following:
There are cheaper tuners but that is the one I like. These items are much much cheaper from amazon than, say, your local guitar center. In fact the comparable tuner from guitar center costs $35. From amazon it is $12.
I recommend a stand so that the guitar stays out and easily available. The less work it takes to just pick up the guitar and play it, the more you will use it.
You also might want to try one of the following:
Also if you do go to guitar center, they will price match amazon for items sold by amazon (not the amazon marketplace guys). You can look up accessories on your phone and ask them to match the price while you are in the store. Heck I told the guy at the strings counter that I usually bought them off amazon and he looked it up for me and pricematched on the spot.
You will need a gig bag or a hard case (I recommend a hard case) but that can come later. A hard case will cost $50-80 for a cheap one.
When the guitar starts sounding worse and the intonation seems off (intonation is how in tune the guitar is on the higher frets). I believe your guitar shipped with coated strings so you probably won't need it for a few months
The ones you linked are fine. Dadarrio is a good brand. I like 80/20 strings more than phosphor bronze because they're brighter and easier on the fingers, but they also die faster so that's up to you
You don't really need a "kit". One of these is all you really need. Maybe a bottle of this stuff to condition the fret board but you won't need it often at all. Every 6 months to a year depending on your climate I guess