Courtesy of D'ADDARIO.com Proper stringing of your guitar is critical to how well your instrument stays in tune and performs. Follow the simple steps below for electric, acoustic, and classical guitar to maximize string stability. |
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| Tuning Key - The Locking Hold
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The locking hold - The most secure method of wrapping around the tuning peg is to bring the extra string back around and under the string as it winds around the peg. This is especially critical on strings that have no windings (plain steel or classical nylon treble strings). |
| Steel String Acoustic Bridge
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On steel string acoustic guitars, make sure the ball end of the string is firmly seated under the bridge by pushing down on the bridge pin while pulling up on the string. |
| Classical /Nylon Bridge
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At the bridge, it is essential to create a locking loop to ensure against slippage. It is common to loop the plain nylon treble strings under two times and the wound strings at least once. This will ensure that as tension is applied to the string it securely locks in place. |
| Proper String Stretching
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Use thumb and forefingers to gently stretch each string across its entire length. Tune the string to pitch and repeat the stretching procedure two or three times on each string. This will help stabilize your nylon strings more quickly. Care must be taken not to stretch the strings too aggressively. In general nylon strings need more stretching time before they "settle-in." Note: It is common for classical plain nylon treble strings (1st, 2nd, & 3rd) to last longer than the wound bass strings (4th, 5th & 6th). Most professional classical guitarists will go through two to three sets of wound bass strings for every set of plain nylon treble strings. |
More Tutorials at: |
String Tension Guide |
