How To Install Round Core Guitar Strings

I have been asked many times, "How do you install round core strings?" All guitar strings were built using round cores until the mid 1970's when hex core strings were introduced.

Installing round core strings on a guitar that has an "eye" in the tuning post is mostly the same as installing a hex core string. This first thing to remember is round core is swaged at a point on the wire to create some sharp edges to give the cover wire something to hang on to so that the cover wire doesn't unravel and stays nice and tight until the string is installed. So you do not want to cut the excess string until the string is installed, stretched out and tuned to pitch. Then it is safe to cut the excess string off.

Installing a round core string on a guitar with a "slotted" tuning post like those used on many Fender style guitars requires a different procedure than installing a hex core string.  Here's how you do it.  Lets take the sixth string and pull it through either ferrules on back of the guitar or through the hole on the bridge or tailpiece if top loaded. If the guitar has six inline tuners, pull the sixth string up to just a little past the fourth string tuning or about 2.5 inches past the 6th string tuning post. Make a very sharp bend in the string at this point and then cut off the excess string leaving about one-half inch of string on the side with excess string. Quickly take the one-half inch of string and insert it into the slotted post. Hold the string tight and turn the tuning head bring the string up tp pitch. This should give you several wrapped down the tuning post. Do the same thing on all the other wound strings.

Installing round core strings on locking tuners requires that you do not cut the excess string off until you have tightened the lock so that both the cover wire and core wire are clamped down.

To learn more about the differences of round core and hex core strings, CLICK HERE.

To see how round core strings are made, CLICK HERE.