TC-TUNE

So-called “Gibson-style” guitars—such as the Les Paul, SG, and ES-335—are characterized by a headstock design featuring a 3+3 tuning peg configuration. While the structure appears simple at first glance, if the strings are wound incorrectly or at the wrong angle, it can affect tuning stability. Therefore, in this article, we’ll introduce the basic method for changing strings on a Gibson-style guitar.

First, remove the old strings. To avoid sudden changes in tension
on the neck, we generally recommend loosening the strings before removing them.
Pull the strings out from the tailpiece side and remove all of them.

With the strings removed, this is the perfect time to clean the fingerboard, frets, body, and area around the bridge.
Use a cleaning cloth to remove dust and dirt.

We recommend the dedicated cleaning cloths from TCGAKKI and Advance Guitars.
Since we actually use these products ourselves, you can use them with confidence.
Click here for instructions on how to use the cleaning cloth. Click here for instructions on how to use
polish.

Also, if the fingerboard is dry, we recommend moisturizing it moderately with a specialized oil.
Click here to see the oil we use

Thread the strings from the tailpiece side, guide them over the nut, and bring them to the tuning pegs. Don’t start winding them
yet; first, create some slack (the excess length).

How to Leave String Slack (Creating Winding Slack)

Instead of winding the string immediately, leave a moderate amount of slack first; this allows you to achieve a stable number of windings.

*This length is only a guideline. The appropriate number of windings may vary slightly depending on the strings you use
and the specifications of the tuning pegs.
*Some tuning pegs have short shafts, in which case you may not be able to wind the string as many times. In such cases
, it’s fine if the number of windings is reduced.

6-string and 5-string (1.5 pegs’ worth)

After threading the string through the side hole of the tuning peg, pull the string toward the tip of the headstock.

Pull the string out until it reaches the position of the adjacent peg, then return it to the original peg’s position.
This will leave a surplus of approximately 1.5 pegs’ worth of string.
String the 5th string using the same method.

4th and 3rd Strings (2 pegs’ worth)

String 4 (2 pegs’ worth)
: After threading the string through the side hole of the peg, pull the string toward the tip of the headstock.

Then, guide it back to the position of the 6th-string peg.
This method ensures you have a length equivalent to about two pegs.

3rd String (2 pegs’ worth)

After threading the string through the side hole of the peg, pull the string toward the tip of the headstock.

Then, return the string to the position of the 1st string peg.
This method ensures a length of about two pegs.

2nd and 1st Strings (3 Pegs’ Worth)

Since plain strings require a slightly longer winding length,
leave a slack of about three pegs’ worth.

Pull the string all the way to the tip of the
headstock to ensure a length of about two pegs. Without changing the position
of your left hand, move the string back to the second string peg.

Move your left hand’s grip to the 3rd string peg, then return the string to the 2nd string peg.

This method ensures you have a length of about three pegs.

1st string

After threading the string through the peg, pull it all the way to the tip of the headstock and return
it to the position of the 1st string peg. This distance will leave excess string equal to about three pegs.

Thread the string through the peg, secure the excess length, and then turn the peg to wind the string. Here are the key points for
winding:

• Wind the string downward in a spiral pattern
• Make sure the windings do not overlap
• Ensure the string is pulled straight toward the nut

You can wind the string correctly by holding it with tension, as shown in the photo.

Turn the tuning peg while gently pulling on the string to wind it.

After turning the peg about 90 degrees, bend the string straight up.

Wind the string downward, making sure the coils do not overlap.

Once you’ve finished winding,
cut off the excess string. The tip of the string can become sharp, so be careful not to injure yourself.

About the “Gibson Winding” Method

When discussing how to change strings, a method known as the “Gibson wrap” is sometimes introduced.
This involves wrapping the string so that it is sandwiched between the top and bottom windings, effectively locking the string in place.
Although this is one of the more commonly known winding methods, we do not use it at our shop.
Variations in string tension and winding consistency can affect tuning stability. Additionally, the strings can be difficult to untwist when removing them, and there have been cases where customers have injured their fingers by trying to force them off. For these reasons, we perform string changes using a simple method where the strings are aligned and wound neatly.

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