How To Change And Replace A Broken Guitar String On An Electric Stratocaster Guitar

My young nephew has owned a guitar for a couple of years and recently he told me that one of the strings had broken whilst he was practicing.

I told him that I would fix it for him and have it ready by the time his next lesson rolled around.

I hadn't replaced a guitar string before but it wasn't one of those jobs that struck me as being overly complicated so I did abit of googling but didn't really see any step by step instructions. As with all the other posts on this blog I thought I would figure it out and then post clear instructions for those that might have the same issue after me.

Step by Step guide - How to replace a broken guitar string

1. Identify the broken string - The first job is to identify which guitar string has broken. This will be fairly easy to spot if it has snapped in the middle of string as there will be two pieces hanging off the guitar.

On my nephew's guitar the the thinnest E string (1st String) had come loose at the eyelet end leaving the string hanging off the machine heads (For a reference of guitar terminology take a look at the 'Anatomy of an electric stratocaster guitar' diagram at the end of this post).

By the time I got to see the guitar, my nephew and his friends had removed the string completely.

2.Purchase the correct guitar string - My nephew's guitar was part of a starter bundle from www.gear4music.com and it fortunately came with spare strings, however, if you don't have spare strings just visit a local music shop and they will be provide you with the correct string.

3. Check the rear of the guitar - On the back of a stratocaster is a white plastic plate with six screws in it. I knew that the string had come away from the eyelet at the end of the string so I expected to hear it rattling around within the cavity behind the plastic plate.

When I held it up to my ear and shook it I couldn't hear anything so so I assumed it had fallen out of one of the small gaps in the plate.

4. Remove the plastic plate - The plate is held down by six small Phillips head screws. Carefully remove these to expose the inner workings of the guitar and keep them in a safe place.

5. The inner components of the guitar - The holes shown in the image to the right are where you feed the strings through. If you look into these holes (probably will need a torch or the light on your phone) you will see they have six gold eyelets in each one. If you flip the guitar over with the back pointed toward the floor the broken strings eyelet should fall out.

On my nephews guitar it didn't so I had to take a closer look.

6. Remove any trapped eyelets - Unfortunately, the eyelet was wedged in so gravity wasn't enough to free it. In the end I used a very small Allen key to poke down in to the hole and flip it out.

7. Remove your new string from the packaging and prepare it - When you get the string it will be wrapped and most likely coiled up so you will need to unwrap it and stretch it out.

If you pull it straight a few times it make it much easier to work with as you try and fit it.

8. Feed the guitar string - With the old eyelet now removed, take the end of the new string which doesn't have the eyelet and feed it through the corresponding hole.

9. Pull the guitar string out of the front - Once the string has gone into the back far enough you should start to see it poke through the front of the guitar.

Pull the string from the front until the eyelet moves into the hole at the rear. Shortly after, you wont be able to pull anymore as the eyelet will be secured.

10. Feed the string at the top of the neck - On my nephew's guitar the string needed to go through the white plastic strip (see right) and under the small metal clip.

11. Hold the string down (Important) - Steps 11 & 12 need to be done at the same time. Hold the string down in the position shown and then feed the string through the machine head.

Holding down is important as it provides slack to wrap around the machine head it step 13.

12. Feed the string through the machine head - Feed the string through the machine head hole and then pull it back towards yourself to put a curve in the string to stop it coming straight back out.

13. Tighten the tuning key - Keep turning the tuning key away from the guitar and you will see the machine head slowly turn. Keep doing this until the string becomes taught.











14. Tune the guitar - This is a good point to do an initial tune to make sure you don't over tighten the string.

Once tuned, play the string and throw in a few bends. As it is a new string it will probably go out of tune again so repeat this process a few time until it holds its tune.

15. Trim the new string excess - The strings can be quite long so it is good to give it trim to complete the job. I used the cutting part of a pair of pliers.

16. Refit the plastic backing plate - In step 4 we removed the plastic plate at the rear of the guitar. Now that we are nearing completion it can be reattached using the six Phillips head screws we removed earlier.





You should now have a fully playable guitar string and be able to give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.

I hope you found this post helpful, please let me and others know in the comments section below how you got on.

As promised, here is a diagram of an electric guitar just in case any of the terminology used in this post was a little confusing.

Anatomy of an electric Stratocaster guitar

Claude Paul – Korn - Freak on a Leash drum cover

I have watched many drum covers of ‘Freak on a leash’ by Korn but by far my most favourite is the video below by ‘Claude Paul’. Although, I respect all musicians of any standard for their dedication, it is really enjoyable when you see one that is truly talented.

It’s difficult to pick out specific parts that are better than others especially when the entire cover is loaded with amazing fills, high hat work and ride symbol improvisations, oh yes, and did I leave out (2:45) the part where he unleashes hell (if you know the song – you know what i’m talking about).

I’ve watched this clip alot and I notice something cool and interesting every time.
So take a look at the clip I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.

I always like hearing from people that  read this blog, so please leave a comment.

Another one video – P Diddy & Rick Ross

I had to include this video on the blog for two reasons. The first being that I had never rated Puff Daddy’s music as it had always been a bit too soft for my liking but this track was much harder. It has a strong baseline and P Diddy, although his rap isn’t particularly good he looks awesome and pulls the song off a treat.

The second reason I really like this song is the collaboration with Rick Ross. I’m really liking Rick Ross at the moment, he has that hard, rough edge that smacks of the Tupac and Biggie era.
Despite the blatant merchandising of Ciroc, Maybach, Rolex and Bugatti coupled with the song having no real meaning other than to brag, this is an awesome track to put in your car (louder the better) and just enjoy.

Favourite bits :
[Diddy] 1:55-2:00 - “I’m strong b-tch, I own sh-t, gave myself a ten digit bonus”.
(Everyone I have played this video for has laughed at that part. Quality.)
[Rick Ross] 3:01-3:16- “my Columbian the man, holla beam me up Shawty,got that money in the bag that can hold a f-cking body,1.5 for this brand new black Bugatti,jewels like I’m Slick Rick,ballet shoes lade dade”
(I love the way the beat kicks in as Rick Ross starts this line followed closely by a shot of Diddy grooving to it on the sofa with the ‘models’. It’s the most hardcore bit of the video. Nice)
Full Lyrics :
[Diddy]
You n-ggas paranoid,
I party gettin’ money
I know I’m the sh-t my janitor be getting money
I got a skyscraper, it’s a hell of a view
got me closer to God, angel wings on my coupe
pray for me, I grind everyday for it
if you see me riding in it, means I paid for it
Bugatti Boyz 1.8 fours
I got money baby I could order 8 more
f-ck the Forbes list lets tell the truth I ate more
I got a billion baby time to get 8 more
12 bedrooms, time to get 8 more
stack up all the cases of Ciroc on the 8th floor
[Chorus - Rick Ross] (Diddy in brackets)
Got a hundred million
(its time to get another one)
How this Bugatti feel
(I may need me another one)
5 bad b-tches
(just got me another one)
P Diddy run the city
(never be another one)
5 mill cash
(and I need another one)
rocking a different Rollie
(no this not the other one)
Stacking a number gettin’ money
(n-gga number one)
real n-ggas run the city
(never be another one)
[Diddy]
these haters speculate
they always watching mine
she know what time it is
just like my watch line
my clothes line
the cologne b-tch
I know you smell this money sitting on this throne b-tch
I’m strong b-tch
I own sh-t
gave myself a ten digit bonus
I’m the money man, never financed
go get this money baby, with yo fine ass
if ya n-gga broke it’s time to get another one
if oyu b-tch is trippin’ time to get another one
I’m Puff Daddy b-tch there’ll never be another one
Bugatti Boyz forever one
[Chorus]
[Rick Ross]
I feelin’ the money
I’m lovin’ the paper
n-gga hate in the hood
took his hoe to Jamaica
if I let down the top
let the breeze in my beard
VIP is the spot, they playing musical chairs
my Columbian the man, holla beam me up Shawty
got that money in the bag that can hold a f-cking body
1.5 for this brand new black Bugatti
jewels like I’m Slick Rick
ballet shoes lade dade
I’m billin’ myself, b-tch you do the same
f-ck what I spend at the bar
you should see how I came
keep my b-tch at her best
with one foot in the trap
if I bust at your chest I bet thats a wrap

Star Wars Gangsta Rap (with lyrics)

This video is pretty old now but I remember the first time I saw it and I thought it was really good and very funny. If you like Star Wars or even if you don’t, this video is going to make you laugh.

What I like about this video is the fact that the audio and the video are synched. The other Star Wars raps on YouTube are really repetitive and the videos shows the character of the voice rapping but makes no attempt to match the movements and mannerisms with the words.
My second main reason is that it’s funny :-)

My favourite bits :
Vader 17-22 seconds - “With my slick suede suit that's black like tar,Fucking you up no matter who you are!”
Yoda 31-37 seconds - “Oh, shit! Yoda on the scene,900 year fiend smoking Dagobah green!”
C3PO 1:49-1:58 “Oh, lord, goodness gracious me!, I'm a gay man's golden fantasy!, Programmed for homo-ecstasy,
ten million forms of gay positioning.”

Aside from the fact it is funny, these are good lyrics, rapped in voices similar to the real characters and is thoroughly entertaining. This video always amuses me.

Full Lyrics
Admiral:
This is Admiral Biatch to base camp,
it seems the stormtroopers have gone on strike
and I have no experience with this type of shit.
Who should I call for help?
Vader:
It's the V to the A to the D-E-R (Vader!)
Reconstructin' the Death Star!
With my slick suede suit that's black like tar,
Fucking you up no matter who you are!
Palpatine:
Tell them motherfuckers 'bout this here Dark Side!
Pull up on your planet, Death Star drive-by!
And we'll beat the Rebels 'cause their skills ain't shit!
Vader:
And in my TIE Fighter, Zig-zags stay lit!
Yoda:
Oh, shit! Yoda on the scene,
900 year fiend smoking Dagobah green!
Bitches on my tip, like Lando on liquor.
Lando:
Ah, you're just jealous 'cause my black dick's thicker.
Chewbacca:
*Wookie yell*
Lando:
Yo! Tell 'em Chewie, last night
I had Leia all drunk wanting to do me.
Luke:
Shut the fuck up man! Leia's my sister!
The only thing you're getting is a beat-off blister.
Ben Kenobi:
Luke! Use the force before
intercourse, but Luke!
Don't forget! Bitches ain't nothing but hos and tricks!
(Ohh!)
Luke:
Obi-Wan, I'm the top gun! (top gun)
The chosen one, hotter than both suns!
Vader ain't shit, his head's cut up and split!
He's slower than the first Pentium chip!
(Dark Side!)
Vader:
No one brings it worse to this fuckin' universe!
(Rebels!)
Luke:
You know we'll fucking win, 'cause we'll fight to the end!
(Dark Side!)
Palpatine:
I can feel the anger dwelling within you!
(Rebels!)
Yoda:
You also feel Vader's dick in you. BIATCH!
Jabba:
(Sorry, I don't speak Huttese, so any help translating or transliterating his verse would be appreciated)
Han Solo:
Jabba, you ain't nothing but a fat-ass slug!
Fake gold chains? You sorry-ass thug!
Sittin' in your palace with your blue-headed whore,
trap door to the Rancor. *sound of someone falling*
C3PO:
Oh, lord, goodness gracious me!
I'm a gay man's golden fantasy!
Programmed for homo-ecstasy,
ten million forms of gay positioning.
For my golden shower, you must pay a fee,
but R2-D2 gives it up for free. *R2-d2 squeaks*
R2-D2, watch your language!
Always having sex with robotic strangers!
Jar Jar Binks:
Meesa like to drink and smoke all night!
Meesa like to fight and fucka yo wife.
Meesa no care 'cause meesa so dumb.
Meesa will fuck you with me tongue.
Yousa wants a meesa cause meesa wants some.
Yousa wants a meesa cause meesa wants some.
Yousa wants a meesa cause meesa wants some.
Meesa wants some cause meesa wanna cum!