So you need to change your strings and you're not sure of the best way to do it? If you've just bought a new guitar it'll probably have strings on it but they may not be as new as they should be so. The guitar might have been sitting int he shop with the same strings for a while so it's probably a good idea to change them.

To change a string you start by attaching it to the bridge and then attaching it to the headstock. It's important to do it this way round.

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Here are 8 easy steps to changing your acoustic guitar strings.

1. Take the ball of the old string out of the bridge. First, loosen the string with the tuning peg on the headstock. When it is very loose (i.e. there's at least a foot of give in it) then use a key or a coin to lever out the little black bridge pins. Alternatively, use pliers to pull out the pin. They can be stiff so it might need a bit of wiggling.
   
2. Insert the ball of the new string into the hole of the bridge. Push the ball of the new string down into the hole a couple of centimetres. You're going to tighten it up in a minute.
   
3. Replace the bridge pin to secure the ball of the new string. Push the pin back into the hole whilst pulling up the ball at the same time. There's a little ridge in the pin where the string lies.
   
4. Pull the string so that the ball is tight up against the bottom of the pin. Make sure you keep a thumb pressing down on the pin when you do this so that it is secure. Also, be careful not to bend the string.
   
5. Test the secureness of the string by pulling it. If there is no give in the string then it means the ball is tight up against the inside of the pin. This is good. Gently pull it if it's not. Now it's time to attach the string to the other end of the guitar.
   
6. Attach the other end of the string to the tuning post. Push the thin end of the string through the hole in the tuning peg (the little nobbly bit that sticks out of the head stock). Push it about 6 inches through so that you have enough on the other side to wind.
   
7. Bend the end of the string toward the inside of the guitar. Just make a little bend in the string on the bit sticking out. This just makes it easier to wind and tighten up.
   
8. Turn the tuning peg whilst holding the end tight. If you are fitting one of the top three thin strings (E, B, G) turn the tuning peg clockwise. If you are fitting one of the bottom three thicker strings, turn the tuning peg anti-clockwise.
   

I usually start with the bottom E string. I take the old one off and add the new one. Then I do the top E string. Then the A string. Then the B string, D string and G string in that order. There's no particular reason for this apart from maybe a desire for some kind of symmetry!

The last step is probably the trickiest. Make sure the string is winding down the tuning peg towards the headstock. Take it gently and don't rush this. Once the string is tight, it's sometimes a good idea to pull it out from the body of the guitar a couple of times because there might still be a lot of elasticity and slack in it.

It's important to wind the string down the peg so that you get a good breaking angle. This is the angle between the the nut of the guitar and the tuning post. A good sharp angle will improve the sustain of the guitar.

Now it's time to tune your guitar.

You'll find that it might go out of tune quickly as it stretches a bit and settles in. Just keep tuning the guitar to itself until you feel it's settles down. You might come back to it in an hour and will probably have to re-tune it as the strings may be flat.

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Now that you're done, make sure you snip off the excess string with wire clippers. try to leave as little as possible on it.

And you're done! Brand new strings on your guitar.

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