Change strings one at a time?

[b1j]

... or do you remove all six and then put on the new set? I've never done it that way, thinking I didn't want to release all 160 pounds of tension at once. I take off one at a time and tighten up that new string before moving on to the next string.

But there seem to be advantages to having all the strings off.

• It's easier to clean off the fret crud and dust off the headstock and around the sound hole.
• I suppose you also get access to the saddle, although I don't want or need to fiddle with mine.
• I might want to change the tuners someday!
• At some point I'll need to replace the battery for my LR Baggs unit.
• I could check to see if any of the bracing is loose, although I'd hate to mess with that system.

Any other advantages to removing all the strings? I guess repair people do it all the time.

What do you do?

[douglasfan1]

I always remove all six strings and then put on the new set as I need to clean the fretboard (sometimes add lemon oil to it). That's difficult to do without removing all the strings.

[rick-slo]

I almost always do one string at a time. Seems more organized and I tune up the guitar as I go.

[pieterh]

On acoustics, basses and electrics with fixed bridges I generally take off all the strings at once so I can clean the fretboard etc. I don’t release the tension all at once of course - who does? - but one string at a time.

Floating bridges I do one at a time - tuning up to pitch takes forever otherwise.

[00045]

I always remove all strings, there is no danger to damage anything. I clean the fretboard, rarely oil the fingerboard and polish or dress the frets as needed.
The only guitars I change one at the time is with my Nationals, you should keep the pressure on the cone. I only take all strings off, if there is a need to fix something.

[tonyo]

Originally Posted by douglasfan1

I always remove all six strings and then put on the new set as I need to clean the fretboard (sometimes add lemon oil to it). That's difficult to do without removing all the strings.

Yep, that's how I do it. Have watched the official Martin and Taylor guitar string changing videos, that's how they suggest to do it.

I've had others say you have to do one at a time, to avoid releasing too much tension. Sounds like nonsense to me esp given advice from the manufacturers and other luthiers I know.

[JayBee1404]

Change strings any way you wish - the only Golden Rule is ‘There’s no Golden Rule’!

I’ve changed them one-at-a-time (especially on floating-bridge instruments), it works fine. I’ve changed them all-at-one-go, it works fine. All-at-one-go is my preferred method because it gives me the opportunity to clean the headstock and FB and check around the inside of the body but, if someone else prefers to change ‘em a string at a time, that’s fine - whatever works for you.

And you won’t cause damage by removing all the strings at once, your guitar isn’t a fragile structure waiting to crumble to splinters and dust at the first opportunity, it’s a strong construction (it has to be in order to withstand all that string-tension and the beating it gets during play), and all that may happen is that tuning might take a little longer to stabilise once you’ve strung ‘er up again.

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

[Robin, Wales]

You will not "hurt" your acoustic guitar by changing all the strings at once. Is it the best option? Well, I would suggest, that if you can get away with not taking all the strings off, then there are some advantages.

The new strings settle quicker to pitch - because the neck is moving less, it doesn't have to come back into position. Wood is a little plastic and we spend a lot of time getting aspects such as relief and overall action just right. So why upset the neck and top if you don't need to?

It maintains full resonance and tone - I have often heard here that "it takes a while for the bass to come in when I change a set of strings". And that "small adjustments on the truss rod effect the tone of my guitar". So why release all the tension on the truss rod/neck/top and have it need to pull back in to full engagement if you don't need to? I hear folks say that it takes a day or so for new strings to settle, or for the full bass to come in etc. It takes about 10 minutes to knock the edge off a new set of strings if I change the strings one at a time.

So I would say that there is no problem with taking all the strings off of your guitar at a string change (or to work on something, or to clean) but perhaps, if you don't really need to take them all off then there could be advantages to changing them one at a time.

[EZYPIKINS]

Some think it will unbalance the tension on the neck.

When all the strings are off, it will be in the most balanced state.

Strings all pull at different tensions.

I say, loosen and cut them all at the 12th fret.

Discard, polish frets clean and condition fretboard and bridge.

Wipe down guitar and install a fresh set.

[hubcapsc]

I like to do one at a time and bring to tension as I go, bending untuned
notes and stretching and making sounds like someone stepped on the cat's tail.
When I'm done maybe they are mostly settled in and the guitar sort of stays in
tune from the get-go. Instead of fiddling with it a bunch because it has new
strings on it.

Advantages to doing all of them at once are:

- easier to clean

- easier to look inside

Disadvantages to doing all of them at once:

- ida know

I like to do one at a time.

-Mike

[donlyn]

Change strings one at a time?

Done it both ways. Found out I prefer to do it one at a time.

That way I get the right string in the right place all of the time.



Don
.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by donlyn

Change strings one at a time?

Done it both ways. Found out I prefer to do it one at a time, most of the time.

Don
.

Same here.
I’m curious as to this “crud” the OP refers to cleaning off his fretboards.
I guess we won’t be shaking hands with each other.

[jaymarsch]

I do all at once so I can wipe down the fret board and remove any dust and/or smudges on the top. Unless you have a very sensitive guitar, I don’t think it matters much what method. I have done it a variety of ways over the years.
Best,
Jayne

[Mirosh]

I take it all off. But gradually - loosen the outside strings first, then 2 and 5, then 3 and 4. That reduces excessive uneven pull in any direction. Practical benefit? IDK.

[KevinH]

All at once. Much easier to clean stuff up and gives me a chance to inspect the interior if I want.