Correct way to change strings?

[Seb_274]

Hola,
Is there any "right way" to change strings on your guitar. I see some tutorials where they take off all the old strings and then put on the new ones and other tutorials where they take off a couple of strings at a time, maintaining tension in the neck/head/bridge. I tend to apply the latter option
Regards

[abn556]

I have 15 guitars, so when one comes up in rotation, I use that opportunity to clean/lube the board and clean the guitar and do some annual maintenance. This process is about 15-20 minutes per guitar as I have a regular routine. I polish frets, check neck relief, inspect the bridge plate and pins, make sure the tuner screws and nuts are tight, etc…

Having the strings off to do some maintenance on the guitar doesn’t hurt anything.

The caveat is if you have a bridge on an arch top that just sits on the top. I never remove all the strings on those. I had an L-4 CES that was built like this. Its just a little more work.

[Murphy Slaw]

I change my acoustics one string at a time.

[RoscoeGumar]

Originally Posted by Seb_274

Hola,
Is there any "right way" to change strings on your guitar. I see some tutorials where they take off all the old strings and then put on the new ones and other tutorials where they take off a couple of strings at a time, maintaining tension in the neck/head/bridge. I tend to apply the latter option
Regards

I take off all my strings and replace them at the same time but, I'm pretty new to guitars. From my limited experience, temporary loss of neck tension seems more like a theoretical than actual problem. So far at least, I've not had to make any truss rod adjustments (or do anything else really) because I've removed all the strings at one time. Removing all strings also makes cleaning, and oiling if necessary, the fret board easier.

[rmp]

you can take them all off at once, and restring them, no issues

if you want to replace one at a time, that's ok too.

taking them off gives you a chance to do things like hydrate the fretboard, which can be done once or twice a year and polish the frets, which can be another annual kind of task.

I take them all off at once, and as I replace them I seat them all at the bridge at the same time, Bass side to treble, I can reach my hand in there and make sure the ball end is seated properly up against the pin.

this helps to avoid some wear on the pins, and the odd chance that the ball end starts to push the pin back up out of the hole.

That's me, you do you.

There are lots of vids out on YouTube as well

I kind of do what is called "the Taylor method" But it is what I've always done, I had no idea there was a "method" till I discovered the link in one of these forums.

Maybe check that out.

[dilver]

Removing/replacing one string at a time to maintain tension is completely unnecessary. Ask any luthier or qualified tech.

[Jamolay]

Originally Posted by dilver

Removing/replacing one string at a time to maintain tension is completely unnecessary. Ask any luthier or qualified tech.

I do this as well.

Remember, the guitar didn’t have strings on it at all until it was complete. They are not built under a required tension.

Do what ever is easiest. If I did one string at a time, I would lose track of which is new and which is old…[emoji2361]

I remove all, seat all in the bridge with a tug and reach in to check the bead under the sound hole. Then I thread into the tuning peg and tighten lightly, starting with the thickest string. One moderate tug up at the 12th fret to seat the windings. Then tune each string up to pitch thickest to thinnest until they are all stable.

[TheGITM]

I remove all strings at once. I loosen them and then cut them all to speed up removal. I clean and lightly oil the fretboard, and once/twice a year I scrub the frets using a fret cleaning compound.

[rllink]

Originally Posted by Seb_274

Hola,
Is there any "right way" to change strings on your guitar.

No, there is not one right way to change strings.

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by dilver

Removing/replacing one string at a time to maintain tension is completely unnecessary. Ask any luthier or qualified tech.

It doesn't do any damage to take all the strings off. However, I have found that my new strings settle quicker if I change them one at a time. All told - if I take tuning up and settling time into consideration - I recon it is faster for me to change strings one at a time than have them all off and start with a stringless guitar. As the guitar gradually goes back to 190ftlbs tension with the addition of each string I find myself going back to the strings already fitted to re-tune them as they drop pitch considerable as the neck and top move. This doesn't happen as radically if I do a one at a time change. If time isn't a consideration then this isn't an issue but if you need to change and play quickly then one at a time is the way to go.

[Mak2525]

When I first started learning / playing acoustic guitar, I was taught in no uncertain terms; "DO NOT take all the strings off at once or you will ruin your guitar"! They made it sound like your guitar would do a "Mission Impossible" and self destruct if you did this. Well, like a lot of advice I received 30-40 years ago, it's not true. I believe it was like a lot of "Old Wives Tales" - they get passed down as fact and repeated over the years.

I change all the strings at once, for many of the same reasons that have been given above: fret board maintenance, ability to seat the ball ends by hand, and a chance to inspect the insides and on some guitars, you cannot adjust the truss rod without being able to get your hands inside. Lastly, since I use a power winder, it's much easier to seat all six strings in the bridge and then feed each string and wind - much faster for me anyway.

So, either way is okay - try it both ways and find out which works best for you.

PS - If you have a slot head, the all off method is definitely the way to go.

[birdsong]

I prefer to remove them all when changing. But I have done it both ways.

I’ve even gone so far as to change then staggered. Even numbers first etc.

I’m a contrarian that way. [emoji43]*[emoji94]

[Suilven]

As a general rule I change strings three at a time, trebles first, and have done so for as long as I can remember.

I also have never seen the need to tie off or turn the string back on itself at the post hole as some seem to advocate. After a couple of turns there's no chance of any slippage, and after the customary bit of new string stretching, they're perfectly stable.

This also avoids the fiddly, spiky and generally unpleasant business of trying to remove tied off strings (which I endure on the very rare occasions someone else strings one of my guitars and uses this method).

Others will doubtless disagree and tell me I'm doing it 'wrong', but it works for me.

Angus

[Silly Moustache]

I remove all strings and clean and polish before restringing.

The age-old rationale for changing one at a time goes back to the catalogue guitars made and sold cheaply with no neck reinforced necks (truss rods etc).

For modern guitars it isn't an issue.
When re-stringing, my method is to restring from outside in. As many of mine have slotted headstocks I have found that is reduces the issues of getting in your own way.

[CharlieBman]

For 60 years I've always changed all strings at once. Never in that time have I ever experienced an issue.