# Some guitar questions from a newbie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 2, 2010, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-guitar-questions-from-a-newbie/523395 "2010-01-02T13:22:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-guitar-questions-from-a-newbie/523395/21 "2010-01-03T17:14:28Z")
> [@kevlaw](#): > > That’s interesting. The guitar store where I got my strat a couple of months back do the first restring for free. I just had mine changed this week and now it sounds - and feels - totally different. It’s much harder to play now. > > They put 11s. It didn’t occur to me that the gauge might be different - d’oh! - as I asked them to replace it with the same gauge. I had put it down to 'fresh strings take some getting used to. > > When I changed the strings on my previous guitar it also changed the feel and I never enjoyed playing it ever again - hence my new strat. 11’s are a chore to play if you are just starting out and used to 9’s, say. I would get the strings changed back. Bottom line - if it played well set up a certain way and now it does not play as well, something changed. If you basically liked the guitar before, try going back to a lighter gauged set… Otherwise, the posts in this thread are covering string-changing basics. I would totally take off that trem cover from the back of your Strat - I never had much use for the covers and having it off eliminates that “lining up” problem. Just stash it in your case with the screws in a little plastic bag so if you ever sell it, you have all the original parts… I think \*\*River Hippie \*\*or someone else recommended the Strat book - but it is a good one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-guitar-questions-from-a-newbie/523395.md?page=1)