How to Remove the Bridge Pins and Pull the Guitar Strings Out

New strings on your acoustic guitar can brighten up your sound and give your guitar new life. Part of replacing your strings is removing the old ones. In order to remove the strings, you must remove the bridge pegs found at the base of the guitar.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Loosen the strings. Unwind the tuning knobs so that you have enough slack to work with. You need be able to move the strings freely. They should be well past the point that they are able to make a tone when plucked.
2. Locate the bridge pins. These are typically made of plastic, bone or wood. The bridge pins are located at the base of the bridge where the strings go into the guitar. The tops of the bridge pins are typically round.
3. Pinch the top of the bridge pin with your thumb and forefinger and pull straight out. It shouldn't take much force to remove the pins form the bridge. Grab the pin tightly and try pulling it straight up. If it doesn't budge, you may have to wiggle it a little bit in order for it to come free. Be careful not to bust your knuckles on the guitar or rip off a fingernail.
4. Slide the string out of the hole in the bridge. Once you have removed the pin, the string should slide out freely. The string may actually come out with the pin if the string is still stuck to the pin. If the string is not coming out easily, gently wiggle it around to see if that frees it. You can also reach in through the sound hole to free it.
5. Replace the pins in their bridge hole for safe keeping. As you remove the strings, it is a good habit to slide the pins back loosely in their respective holes. This makes it easy to keep up with the pins and saves you from the frustrations of losing one while you are trying to restring the guitar.

Tips & Warnings

• If the pins do not come out easily you can use the edge of a coin or pliers to get more leverage. Be careful not to damage the guitar using these approaches.
• It is important to keep the pegs in the right order because over time the strings will wear a groove in the pegs. This means that each peg is suited for its gauge of string.