Over time, grime and sweat build up on the surface of a guitar string, causing it to sound dull and lifeless. Changing your strings is a simple task that only takes a few minutes and can dramatically improve your tone. Changing the strings on an Epiphone SG 400 is a simple task as it has a fixed bridge that accepts all different types of strings made for electric guitars.

Loosen the current strings. Turn each tuner, located on the headstock, clockwise until the string is loose enough to remove. Pull the ball end through the bridge plate to remove the string or clip the loose string with wire clippers. Make sure the string is not under tension if you clip the strings with a wire cutter as snipping a string under tension can cause damage to your instrument or yourself.

  • Over time, grime and sweat build up on the surface of a guitar string, causing it to sound dull and lifeless.
  • Make sure the string is not under tension if you clip the strings with a wire cutter as snipping a string under tension can cause damage to your instrument or yourself.

Remove the low E string from the string package and unwind it. Repeat this step for every string that you remove from the package. The strings may be in individual envelopes or they could be bundled together. Some strings are identified by the colour of the ball on the end or by a designation directly on the envelope or sleeve it is in.

  • Remove the low E string from the string package and unwind it.

Slide the string through the hole in the bridge plate. Make sure you slide the correct string through the correct hole. In playing position, the closest hole will be for the thickest string and the hole farthest away will be for the thinnest string. The strings are (low)E A D G B E for standard tuning and will be marked as such in the package.

Pull the string through and slide the end of it through the hole in the proper tuner. On an SG 400, there are three tuners per side. For the low E, you will use the first tuner after the nut on the top side of the head stock when the guitar is in playing position. Feed it through until the string is slightly tight.

Bend the string on the outside of the tuner hole to create tension to hold the string in place while you wind it. Turn the tuner counterclockwise until it is tight. Make sure that there are at least two windings below the tuner hole. The tension of the string below the area where it was placed in the tuner post will keep the string from slipping under tension.

  • Pull the string through and slide the end of it through the hole in the proper tuner.
  • Bend the string on the outside of the tuner hole to create tension to hold the string in place while you wind it.

Repeat Steps 2 through 5 for the other strings, making sure not to over-tighten them. When complete, use a tuner to tune the strings to pitch, regardless of the tuning you will use.