Guitar Re-String

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I've written an article on how to re-string an accoustic guitar, but I've since had some feedback telling me I'm doing it all wrong? Here's the article. I used to work in a music shop years ago and this is how I did a re-string! Have I been doing it wrong for the past 30 years?
 
I've been told you should always keep tension by changing the strings one at a time, so as to not bend/re-bend the neck.
 
On my acoustic, I string 3 (one side) at a time, this way I always have 3 strings with tension on the neck at all times. I do not cut my strings like in the article. Once the tension is loosened, I remove the pegs and then unwrap the strings from the head holding on to the string so it does not scratch the guitar's finish.
 
I usually, carefully remove 1 at a time and replace, move on to the next.
 
I do one string at a time, unless I want to spend some time cleaning the fret board - in which case I replace the E-B-G first (allowing me access to more of the fret board) and then the D-A-E
 
I wouldn't cut my strings that way, nor would I take off all the strings at once. You'll have a terrible time keeping the guitar in tune for a few days if you remove all the tension like that. However, if you need to give the guitar a good cleaning and oil, then I go ahead and take off all the strings. But I know I'll have to wait a few days before the guitar works properly again.
 
Yeah i always leave tension when changing the strings on an acoustic usually changing 1 at a time unless I'm gonna clean the fretboard. Then I may remove a couple to gain more access to it. Electrics are a little more resilient to this but w/ an acoustic you should always leave at least a couple strings on it. I also would never cut through the strings w/ wire cutters. I just unwind em and remove em. Nothing really difficult there.
 
steve.h said:
I've been told you should always keep tension by changing the strings one at a time, so as to not bend/re-bend the neck.
Click to expand...

I never do that. I take them all off, throw the old ones away, and then restring. In over 40 years of playing, and 10-15 guitars and basses (acoustics and electrics, floating bridges and hardtails, set necks and bolt ons) it's never given me a problem. YMMV.
 
When I had a Ric 366/12, I learned right away that, when you take off all the strings, the bridge and tailpiece both drop on the floor! They are held on by string tension. It takes 3 hands to hold everything together, stringing from scratch --Not to mention that with the two-tier tuners it's hard to keep track of where each string goes.

So I learned to replace one string at a time...and later, visiting a cursing guitar tech restringing another Ric 12 who had rashly taken off all 12 strings, I could stand and watch with a hidden smirk on my face.

I guess it carried over, because I still string one at a time, even though the Ric is long gone. I like tuning each string to its approximate pitch as I put them on, but maybe that's just me.

I don't think it makes much difference in neck stability, with a modern truss rod neck.
 
I always use string changing time to do a quick check of the body, insides, give it a nice cleaning/polish, oil the fret board, tighten tuners, etc.

Taking all of the strings off is really the only way to effectively do some of the basic maitenance that you need to do to a guitar.

My only other comment on your string-changing page (which is very good BTW) is that I use the "Martin" method for attaching the strings to the tuners. No slipage or string stretch on the tuners with this method.

Good topic to bring up from time to time.
 
undrgrnd studio said:
I wouldn't cut my strings that way, nor would I take off all the strings at once. You'll have a terrible time keeping the guitar in tune for a few days if you remove all the tension like that. However, if you need to give the guitar a good cleaning and oil, then I go ahead and take off all the strings. But I know I'll have to wait a few days before the guitar works properly again.
Click to expand...

Wow, if you do the Martin method on your tuners you don't get that problem. That's exactly why I always recommend that. It's one step away from a locking tuner. But without the locking tuner hassle.
 
Hey

Well I thought it was a good article, nice and easy to follow.

I've tried both methods of string by string and all at the same time. I usually clean the guitar with every string change so I usually cahnge them all at the same time taking time to slacken the strings in a balanced way across the neck.

Thought provoking and interesting responses.

Any luthiers able to respond and explain?

Cheers

John
 
I guess we've all heard that old story about Slash from G n' R? He brought a BC Rich Mockingbird to the studio and the producer (Pretty sure it was Mike Clink?) told him to change the strings. Apparently, he cut all the strings at once and the neck just creaked.

I don't know how believable that story is - probably about as believable as the rest of the stories we hear about G n R, but I tend to do one at a time, really vecause I just get confused otherwise. This is especially so when it comes to restringing my Martin, as Martin strings come in 3 envelopes of two strings each.
 
I gotta say... I think the only 'wrong way' to change strings is to somehow unsuccessfully get the strings onto your guitar.

When I was a wee lad, an amateur string-changer, one time I accidentally strung the guitar string through one of my belt loops. Everything was working perfectly until I took a break to get a drink of water and take my medication and I realized that I was dragging the guitar from my bedroom to the refrigerator. I noticed this somewhere around the living room, and spun about trying to get a grab on the neck. Course, the thing was wrapped through one of my rear belt loops and it was, suffice to say, difficult. By the time I got things under control I had three 6" holes in the drywall next to the bay window, I stepped on my television clicker and broke it in half, i had an inexplicable 1" tear on the toe of my left sock, the high e string tuner had come loose, and my belt loop broke.

Shortly thereafter my cat developed a brain tumor. The vet tells me this was completely unrelated.

But you can never be sure... :cool:
 
ggunn said:
I never do that. I take them all off, throw the old ones away, and then restring. In over 40 years of playing, and 10-15 guitars and basses (acoustics and electrics, floating bridges and hardtails, set necks and bolt ons) it's never given me a problem. YMMV.
Click to expand...
Fair enough! I've been changing gauges lately, and thus have to re-set-up my guitar each time anyway. Good to know though!
 
Jeez, I don't know where to start. First take it take it from someone who has probably strung more guitars than the rest of you put together...:D

You will NOT harm the neck in any way if you remove all the strings. It is the quickest way to go. If the neck doesn't like it you have issues with the neck.

Sparrow those "tone pegs" are called bridge pins. You don't need to cut the strings to get them off. You can if you want but all you are doing is introducing another step and the possibility of damaging the guitar.

When you have the string held by the bridge pin you feed it through the tuners hole and leave enough to give you two windings on the peg. You only need one complete winding but two is fine. Don't put more than two or three on. That equates to about two fingers high off the fingerboard for the low E and three fingers on the high E. When the string is through the tuner. wind it once round the post and hold it down on the nut keeping the tension in the string with your right hand. Wind the string tight. Repeat 5 times. The windings should go DOWN the post. I can re string a guitar in under 3 minutes.

Now to crush some misconceptions.

We have dealt with the tension in the neck thing.

Strings do NOT slip on the tuners. If they do you have bad gears in the tuners.

Do NOT tie or do any fancy fixing on the tuner peg. All your doing is making the thing harder to get off and wasting time and effort. I hate it when people tie the things on. Like I said, strings do NOT slip on the tuner posts. Especially if you have just two windings. Any more and you introduce uneven tension in the winding and in severe cases it will result in string breakage.

The only time you might want to leave a few strings on while changing the others is if you have a floating bridge, an archtop for example. That way you will keep the bridge in the right place and not have to worry about setting the intonation after. Ricky users. Either change one at time or get some blue tack.;)

You can use a string winder if you want I don't, you don't need that many turns. Like I said 2 on the low E, 2 or 3 max on the rest. How long does that take?

Sparrow, if the nut falls off you need to spot glue it back with a tiny bit of superglue. Just enough to hold it in place.

Don't put all six on loose, do one at a time. If your nut and saddle are well fitted stretching the strings as you describe is not required. Tune up a half tone sharp and then tune down. The string material needs a little time to settle and it will do it in it's own good time..

Next everyone go and learn how to tune your guitar correctly. Can't help with playing I'm afraid, I'm still crap at that myself.:D
 
I think Muttley covers it!

The only time strings will slip on tuning pegs is if you don't wind the two first loops on correctly - two OVER the top of the string-through-the-tuner-hole, then the last one underneath. Locks the string in place. If you hear slippage after this, then its the cheap gear.

I use the pegwinder to loosed the strings first - easy to take the loose strings right off the tuning pegs then. All at once, grasp the now loose-at-the-head-end strings in a bunch, then pry out the bridge pins. dispose of all the strings at one time, no chance of scratching the finish of your guitar.
I've changed the strings on my 73 Epiphone a couple of hundred times over 35 years and the neck is still straight and the action low.
 
muttley600 said:
I can re string a guitar in under 3 minutes.
Click to expand...

Do you happen to own a webcam? I'd love to watch that. It takes me 30, sometimes 45 minutes to restring and retune. Of course I'm never in any particular hurry, I usually do it while watching TV and sipping on a drink. But still even if I hurried I couldn't do it in under 15 minutes I don't think. It'd be interesting to watch a master at work ;)
 
steve.h said:
I've been told you should always keep tension by changing the strings one at a time, so as to not bend/re-bend the neck.
Click to expand...

Old wives tail. Don't worry about it.

But that article looks fine. NOt quite the way I do it, but that's fine. I don't cut the old strings unless I have to, because the go into the trash neater if you coil them up. And I wrap them around the tuners a bit differently, but there are a lot of way to skin that cat.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
muttley600 said:
I can re string a guitar in under 3 minutes....

...You can use a string winder if you want I don't, you don't need that many turns. Like I said 2 on the low E, 2 or 3 max on the rest. How long does that take?

.:D
Click to expand...

one turn takes about 15 seconds so 5*2 turns + 3 turns equals 13 turns minimum times 15 seconds equals 3 minutes 15 seconds.
 
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