How to String a Mandolin

It is always a good idea to change your mandolin strings on a regular basis. You'll get a nicer tone, more responsiveness and better dynamics. Remember to put on the same size or gauge strings as those that are being replaced. This will help the intonation. If you do change string sizes, you'll want to go to a guitar shop and have a luthier (person who builds stringed instruments) set up or strobe tune the instrument to match the new strings. Read on to learn how to string a mandolin.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Mandolin
• Mandolin Strings

1. Rotate the tuning pegs to loosen the old strings until they can be removed by hand. Never cut taught strings with a wire cutter or you may cause damage to the instrument.
2. Once the strings are removed from the tuning pegs, disconnect the opposite end of the string from the tailpiece.
3. After unhooking all the strings, reverse the process by putting the new string on. Place the loop on the tailpiece hook.
4. Put the other end of the string through the tuning peg and slowly tune to the proper pitch. There are four string sets, or a total of eight strings on a mandolin. Each set is tuned as a pair. The strings are E, A, D and G. So the first two strings are tuned to E, the next two to A, and so on. The E note is the highest pitched string, and a piano can be used as reference. The E notes correspond to the E that is an octave and two notes higher than middle C.