Nylon strings are tied on rather than clamped or ball-ended, which makes restringing a classical or flamenco guitar a slightly different job to a steel-string. It looks fiddly the first time, but once you understand the knot, it's straightforward. Here's how to do it properly.

Tying the string at the bridge

1. Feed the string through the bridge hole from the front, leaving several centimetres of tail behind the bridge.
2. Loop the tail back over the top of the string and under itself, then pass it under the loop again for the lower three strings (or once for the upper three, since the lighter treble strings need a slightly different wrap to hold firm).
3. Pull the main length of the string gently to draw the knot down snug against the bridge, then tighten it fully once it's sitting where you want it.

Attaching the string at the headstock

Classical guitar tuning posts have a hole through the centre, unlike the side-post design on most steel-string guitars. Thread the string through the hole, then loop it back around the post two or three times, tucking the tail under those wraps to lock it in place before winding up to pitch.

Bring the strings up gradually

Rather than tuning one string straight up to pitch before moving to the next, bring all six up gradually in a couple of passes. Nylon strings, and particularly the wound bass strings, take noticeably longer than steel strings to settle and hold their tuning, often several days of regular playing and retuning before they stabilise fully.

Order and grouping

The three treble strings (high E, B and G) are plain, clear nylon, while the three bass strings (D, A and low E) are nylon wound with metal. It's worth changing strings one at a time rather than all at once, which keeps consistent tension on the neck throughout the process.

A note on string choice

Nylon and fluorocarbon classical strings come in a range of tensions, typically light, normal and hard. A different tension changes both the feel under your fingers and the projection and tone of the guitar, so it's worth experimenting once you're comfortable with the restringing process, rather than assuming there's only one correct option for your guitar.

Need a hand?

If you're restringing a classical guitar for the first time, we're happy to talk you through it in store, or to do the job for you if you'd rather leave it to us.