Fee for guitar restring

[TheGITM]

I think $40 is a high price, but it is very likely more like a 'we will do it for you, but don't really want to' price. In other words, instead of telling a customer no, they just put the price high enough to deter future requests.

I suspect it works quite well.

[SFCRetired]

I think I would charge 100 bucks for a restring, just so the person might be so shocked they would learn how to restring a guitar. Not that you don't know how to, but why pay someone to do that? But personally I don;t see how a person in good conscience could charge that much for a 15 minute job. I don't care if it is a shop. If they have time to restring guitars they aren't doing anything anyway.

[Sadie-f]

There's only two shops in my area that specifically mention doing string changes, neither gives a price. I'm sure most shops will do it of course, and I'd be surprised if rates were much under $40 labor.

Neither is it surprising that there are folks in Pittsburgh or parts of NC doing it cheaper.

[xStonr]

Many years ago I had purchased a guitar from a reputable shop and after getting it home the action was too high for me. I went back and the sales guy suggested going down a string guage. I figure ok I'll give it a try. I selected the strings and he restrung it for me. Besides the strings, I was charged for a string change. That shop did not get any return business from me.

[Pickcity]

After reading this I am glad I learned to change strings as a kid. I do my own set up work too.

*knock on wood* I have never hired a tech to do anything.

[Bluenose]

There's probably at least a dozen You Tube videos on changing strings on various guitar types. The first couple of times may seem a bit awkward but believe me, it's really not a hard task. A few pointers.
1.safety first, wear glasses
2. maybe take a before pic of your headstock w/ your phone for reference
3. it's easy for beginners to overtighten and break the string, don't let the tension get rock hard, use a clip on tuner and slowly bring the string up, maybe tune a tone lower (DGCFAD) to begin with
4.don't trim wound round core strings until they are strung on your guitar and under some tension.
5. save time and use a winder, I use a multitool winder, trimmer and pin puller.

[davidd]

You know that things are getting tedious around here when this can generate 4 pages of replies. Putting new strings on a guitar...? Holy cow!

[rllink]

Originally Posted by davidd

You know that things are getting tedious around here when this can generate 4 pages of replies. Putting new strings on a guitar...? Holy cow!

Yes, especially Tuesdays. I volunteer to work the church office on Tuesdays from 10-2 and there is nothing going on and nobody here. All I do is greet the occasional wandering confused person who walks in off the street and comment on forum posts.

[LAPlayer]

Yes, four pages of responses, and half of them misunderstood the OP. He never said he couldn’t, hasn’t or wouldn’t change strings. He was just commenting on the price that he was surprised at. Bowie had it on the head. Nothing is free. There are people who pay $50 a week for a haircut, and as stated earlier $40 a week for car washes, all of which can be done at home for you cheapskates. 😲

Had the OP left the guitar for the neck reset, the stain change would have been included and done by now.😉

[redir]

I've been running a shop for many years now and I don't do simple string changes. I will change strings and do minimal setup work at the time which includes checking the tuners, looking at the inside of the guitar for damage, cleaning the fretboard, polishing the guitar and so on. My guess is they offer more then a simple string change service.

[rllink]

Originally Posted by LAPlayer

Yes, four pages of responses, and half of them misunderstood the OP. He never said he couldn’t, hasn’t or wouldn’t change strings. He was just commenting on the price that he was surprised at. Bowie had it on the head. Nothing is free. There are people who pay $50 a week for a haircut, and as stated earlier $40 a week for car washes, all of which can be done at home for you cheapskates. 😲

Had the OP left the guitar for the neck reset, the stain change would have been included and done by now.😉

Easy or not, some people just don't want to do their own string changes. There is nothing wrong with paying someone else to do it.