String Changing – All off or one at a time?

[Robin, Wales]

Do you take all your strings off, then put on the new set. Or do you swap out strings one at time when putting on a new set?

I wonder if you have noticed this? When I take off all the strings, perhaps to clean the fretboard or work on the bridge, the new set takes a while to “break in”, gain bass and resonance and for the guitar to come back to life. Whereas, if I change the strings one at a time the new set is “broken in” almost immediately.

Perhaps this has something to do with the tension coming off the neck/truss rod and it taking a while to “engage” the neck again? Many have posted here how they have experienced a small tweak to engage the truss rod making a big difference to resonance. So, if you don’t have a particular reason to take all the strings off then just maybe changing the set one at a time may be a better option?

[lowrider]

I always take them all off. Next time I'll try one at a time and get back to you!

[MThomson]

I'm an all off guy. Let's me get in and give everything a good wipe down. I've never noticed an issue with taking time to break in. I usually find it takes a couple of days to settle down!

[ljguitar]

Hi all

I still take the old ones off, and wipe down the fingerboard, etc.

I've done both (and still change the slot head one at a time).

I see no difference in the outcome since I pre-stretch strings (I KNOW I KNOW…strings don't really stretch).

Perhaps I should say I pre-seat all the strings by adding more tension (stretching the slack out of them).

[TBman]

I take them all off, reverse order of how I put them on. Then I will dust down the headstock and wipe clean the fretboard with a damp cloth and install the new strings.

[Highroller]

Anything with a floating bridge, I'll generally take the middle 4 strings off, leaving the outer two to hold the bridge in place. Once the new middle ones are in place, swap out the two outer strings.

It's just a matter of convenience really, less time (sometimes none at all) spent readjusting the intonation.

Other than that, I'll do it either way. Depends on how much time I have to clean and polish things. I've never really bought into that theory that's bad to take all the strings off. It's a guitar. It can take it.

[raysachs]

I take 'em all off. It's the ONLY time I ever wipe down or clean or polish anything other than the strings. And I don't change 'em all that often, so the guitar is usually ready for a bit of cleaning by the time I do.

-Ray

[12barBill]

I change one string at a time. I start with the plain strings. I take off the 1st string and replace it, etc, all the way through the wound strings; always finishing with the 6th string. Always in that order. That has just become my habit.

[donlyn]

String Changing – All off or one at a time?

6 string mostly one at a time, bass to treble, except for occasional cleaning.

12 string also one at a time, main strings first, bass to treble, and then octave strings bass to treble; except octave 'g' string tuned up last. One 12 string to D# standard intervals and the other to C# Keltic (DADGAD intervals tuned down 1 semitone from D#).

Don
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[TheGITM]

I take 'em all off. I detune to relieve tension and then just cut them all. Makes it quicker/easier.

[Bushleague]

One at a time for the most part, if the fretboard is looking a bit grungy then I'll take the strings all off and give it a cleaning.

[Dru Edwards]

One at a time, starting with the low E string.

[AndrewG]

One at a time, low E first. I don't know if it matters but my instinct tells me that it's better to keep tension on the neck.

[brad4d8]

Except for my archtops with floating bridges, I take them all off and restring from the outside in. Archtops I do one at a time, although I may try Highroller's idea of taking off the middle four and replacing them, then the two 'e' strings.

[beatcomber]

Originally Posted by Highroller

Anything with a floating bridge, I'll generally take the middle 4 strings off, leaving the outer two to hold the bridge in place. Once the new middle ones are in place, swap out the two outer strings.

It's just a matter of convenience really, less time (sometimes none at all) spent readjusting the intonation.

Other than that, I'll do it either way. Depends on how much time I have to clean and polish things. I've never really bought into that theory that's bad to take all the strings off. It's a guitar. It can take it.

I just use painter's tape to keep the bridge in place.