How to Change the Guitar Strings on a Fender Jazz Bass
The Jazz Bass was released in 1960, and has become the second most popular line in the Fender family of basses. It is available in 9 different models: American Deluxe, American Standard, American Vintage, Artist (inspired by and named for popular bass legends), Classic, Deluxe, Highway One, Road Worn and Standard. After you rock your new Jazz Bass, ignite the crowd with blistering bass solos, or pound out some thundering funk, you may notice that the sound has lost much of its original luster. That means it's time to replace those worn and tired strings. New strings will put the shine and pop back into your bass sound.
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Instructions
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1
Identify the important parts of the instrument before changing the strings on your Fender Jazz Bass:
*Body - the wide, rounded part of the Jazz Bass; this holds the bridge, volume and tone knobs, and the pickups
*Bridge - a metal rectangle on the body that holds the strings
*Saddle - one of four grooved, metal blocks on the bridge
*Neck - the long piece of wood that extends from the body
*Fretboard - the front of the neck; holds the frets, which identify finger placement
*Nut - a thin piece of grooved plastic at the end of the fretboard just before the headstock and tuning pegs
*Headstock - the curved piece of wood at the end of your Fender Jazz Bass neck
*Tuning keys - metal, key-shaped handles on the headstock that turn the tuning pegs
*Tuning pegs - metal posts on the headstock; each peg has an eyelet for holding the string -
2
Unwind the top string, or fourth string, by turning the tuning key at the headstock. To determine which direction will unwind the string, turn the tuning key a few times in either direction. If the string tension loosens, continue turning in that direction until you can pull the end of the string out of the tuning peg.
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3
Pull the string out through the bridge, or cut the string with your diagonal wire cutters. Be sure to remove the ball, a small metal circle attached to the string, from the bridge.
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4
Uncoil the replacement string until it is at full length. Hold the string at the end opposite the ball.
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5
Thread the new string through the empty hole in the bridge towards the headstock.
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6
Run the string up over the saddle and down the length of the neck to the nut.
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7
Pull the string tight. Cut the string 3 inches past the tuning peg to remove excess. Thread the string into the eyelet of the tuning peg.
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8
Hold the string in place with one hand while you turn the tuning key with the other. Because the Fender Jazz Bass has all of the tuning keys on one side of the headstock you will only need to turn the key away from the body of the guitar. This will wind the string to the inside of the headstock. As you are tightening the string, be aware of the string's position in the saddle on the bridge and in the nut at the top of the fretboard. The string must rest securely in each groove.
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9
Tune the string to the proper or desired pitch once the string is taut. Standard tuning for a Fender Jazz Bass is by fourths starting with E. The 3 other strings should be tuned to A, D and G respectively. Use the electronic tuner for accurate pitch. If a tuner is unavailable, use a pitch pipe, keyboard or other melodic instrument. If your computer has speakers, you can also use an online tuner (see Resources). Repeat these steps for each string, or if you prefer, remove all of the strings at once and repeat Steps 2 through 8.
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Tips & Warnings
Fender recommends replacing and tuning each string, one at a time, prior to removing the other strings. Certified guitar tech and luthier Jonathan Morgan explains that the neck is designed to counter the string tension, and if the strings are removed together there is some threat of warping the neck. But Morgan feels this theory is mostly unfounded. "The possibility of damage is so minute that it makes very little practical sense to worry about it," Morgan says. See "Warnings" for a specific caveat. After tuning all of the strings, Fender recommends stretching the strings by holding them down at the first fret and gently pulling each string off the fretboard as you move your hand from the bridge to the neck. Re-tune and repeat as needed.
Jonathan Morgan warns that you should not cut the strings off while they are still in tune. The sudden release of tension could severely warp or damage the neck. He recommends that you de-tune the strings one by one prior to removing them. This releases tension gradually, allowing the neck to adjust to the change. Once the strings are loose you can remove them and begin restringing the instrument.
