Picture this: you’ve finally come home after a busy, long day and decided to unwind by playing some of your favorite tunes on your go-to guitar.
As you begin to strum and change between chords, you’re suddenly interrupted by a twang. One of your strings has broken, so now what should you do?
At some point or another during our time spent playing the guitar, all of us have experienced this annoying occurrence.
Besides interrupting the time that we could have spent getting musical, a broken string often leads to the lengthy process of swapping out all of your current strings for a new set.
But, does it have to be this way?
Before you throw in the towel and begin changing out your guitar strings
for a new set of strings, rest assured that it is possible to retrieve a broken string and go on playing with it without needing to swap it for a new one… and we’re here to show you how!
In this article, we are going to be talking you through a simple step-by-step method that will allow you to easily repair your broken guitar strings without having to go to the trouble of replacing all of them or even having to resort to hiring a professional to fix the problem for you.
So, without further ado, let’s begin!
How To Fix A Broken Guitar String
Even though it can be pretty darn frustrating when it happens, a broken guitar string doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to go ahead and replace all of your strings.
In fact, you can even repair your broken guitar string – and we’re going to show you how! Let’s take a look at how you can repair your string below:
Step One: Release The String
First things first, in order to be able to fix the string, you’re first going to want to release the string from the fretboard.
To do this, locate the relevant bridge pin and then let pull it out so that the string becomes loose.
Once you have done this, you can then go ahead and begin twisting the string around 4 turns so that it wraps around the ball.
Step Two: Move To The Tuning Post
After you have carried out the first step, you are then going to want to go ahead and make your way over to the tuning post.
Begin to loosen the broken string with the tuning post, as this will help you to get the broken end of the guitar string into the peg hole without causing any unnecessary string tension.
Make a mental note of how many times you have twisted the guitar string, as you will need to know how many times you should loosen up the string while at the tuning post.
Step Three: Insert The Ball Back Into The Peg
After you have done this, for this step all you are going to need to do is simply place the ball back inside the peg and then re-attach the bridge pin so that it has been fastened securely in place as it once was.
You should find that the pin pops itself on easily, however, if you find yourself struggling with this step, keep in mind that you might need to apply more pressure as bridge pins can often be pretty tricky to pop back into place.
Step Four: Head Back To The Tuning Post
All you are now going to need to do is simply move your hand back up to the tuning post so that you can make the final tension adjustment.
Using the tuning post, gently turn it until you can feel that the tension is at the same level that it was prior to discovering that the guitar string had broken.
By doing this, you will ensure that you are able to enjoy the same sound and tone that you did originally.
Additional Tips
By following the simple instructions that we have provided you with above, you are going to find that you are able to repair your broken string and go on using it as normal without any problems.
Along with all of the above, we also recommend that you remember the following tips so that you are able to fix the broken guitar string successfully
1. Make sure that you are being extra careful with the bridge pin! It’s very delicate and small, which means that it is easy to lose. The last thing that you want to do is lose your bridge pin, otherwise, you aren’t going to be able to fasten the string and play with it!
2.Be careful that you aren’t overturning the string, as it could cause your guitar string to snap once again. If your guitar string breaks again, then you might not have enough guitar string left to be able to keep using it as normal again.
3.If you want to keep using your guitar string for as long as you possibly can before needing to change it out for a brand new one, then we recommend that you refrain from cutting off any excess guitar string once it has been wrapped around the tuner and bridge pin.
By leaving the excess string and not cutting it off, in the instance that your guitar string breaks again, you will be able to use the excess string.
The Bottom Line
There we have it! You’ve made it to the end.
Whether it be simply from time passing or from general wear and tear, it’s only to be expected that you’re going to experience a broken guitar string from time to time.
However, by making sure that you are following the easy method that we have provided above, you should find that you are able to repair your broken string and go on using it as normal once again. Thank you for reading!
References
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