| Author | Message | ||
| jalevinemd
Senior Member Username: jalevinemd Post Number: 723 Registered: 12-2003 |
Hey guitar players...I've always heard that when changing strings, you should do one at a time and not remove them all at once. Supposedly that can create radical tension changes that aren't good for the neck. Is this an old wives' tale or is there some validity to it? | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3637 Registered: 7-2004 |
Jonathan: I've heard this one also. Kind of goes along with the one about loosening strings before flying. I've also read that they are both old wive's tails. Personally, I no longer loosen strings when I fly and have not had any problem yet. As for changing strings, while I used to do the "one-at-a-time" method, I now cut 'em all off first. Once they are all off. Then I'm much more likely to clean off the grunge that collects next to frets and pickups and the dust that settles in those hard-to-reach places. By the way, I just ordered one of these to make changing strings a little easier - especially when I'm doing multiple guitars. Bill, tgo | ||
| jalevinemd
Senior Member Username: jalevinemd Post Number: 724 Registered: 12-2003 |
Bill, Let me know how that thing works. I thought about one but wondered how much time it really would save. I'll tell you...I'd love to find someone who could come to my house once every month or so to change the strings on all my guitars, check the intonation, truss rods, etc... | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3638 Registered: 7-2004 |
Jonathan: I'll do it. I'll polish them and lemon oil the fretboards too. Only $10,000/month plus expenses. Such a deal! Bill, tgo | ||
| artswork99
Senior Member Username: artswork99 Post Number: 614 Registered: 7-2007 |
250 RPM! LOL I can use a gig being your technician right now... too bad I'm not closer to Chicago. Cheers, Art | ||
| peoplechipper
Member Username: peoplechipper Post Number: 61 Registered: 2-2009 |
I could see the changing one string at a time thing useful on a floating bridge(hate when I have to work with those!) or perhaps a hundred-year-old guitar, but even them if the tension is only off for 10 minutes...really, if you have to worry about tension changes that much you probably have a repair waiting to happen...Tony | ||
| jalevinemd
Senior Member Username: jalevinemd Post Number: 725 Registered: 12-2003 |
Bill, I'll get back to you on that one! For the $10,000, though, they'll be trips to the market and, of course, picking the kids up from school. | ||
| paulman
Advanced Member Username: paulman Post Number: 353 Registered: 2-2005 |
I'd been doing one at a time for years and years, just felt like the way to do it. How ever three years ago I picked up a new method. Start by taking off the 1st and 4th strings, and then replace them and tune them back up to relative pitch with the other strings stretching them and all. Do the same with numbers two and five, and then numbers 3 and six. Then by the time it's re-strung, the instrument is already close to the original tuning and takes less work to get to "playing" mode. I guess it doesn't hurt to slice and dice the strings off all at once, reading other peoples reports on their methods. Messing with my $5k guitar neck movement just freaks me out. I'd be interested to have Mica chime in on this one, and see what the manufacturer recommended method is *wink* | ||
| hydrargyrum
Senior Member Username: hydrargyrum Post Number: 491 Registered: 3-2004 |
Hmm, isn't that like 160 pounds of tension for a guitar? I've always changed my strings one at a time. I just can't imagine that wood likes to have the shock of going from that sort of tension to zero in a few moments. | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 2213 Registered: 2-2006 |
I curious, if the strings are changed one at a time, do you still oil the fretboard. I always let the lemon oil soak in for a few hours before I restring the guitar/bass. OO | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3641 Registered: 7-2004 |
When I'm going to lemon oil the board, I unwind all the strings at once, but I don't cut them off. After letting the oil soak in for a 1/2 hour or so, I wipe off any excess (usually none) let soak a bit longer, than restring with the old strings. A few days later, I change to new strings. I find that just after I oil the board, the strings will soon turn black or at lest discolor. I'd rather this happens to the old strings than to a new set. Bill, tgo | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 2220 Registered: 4-2004 |
i oil the fretboard 1x per year. when i do this i remove all 5 strings.this means i am doing an entire set up including checking the neck tension. if i am just replacing strings i do them one at a time- my preference- as i would like to think the string tension will remain unchanged. | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 2221 Registered: 4-2004 |
oh and i replace in this order a-d-e-g-b | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 2214 Registered: 2-2006 |
When I was playing full time I would change my strings every other week, sometimes every week. I LOVE the sound of new strings, there's nothing in the world like it. I would always change them one at a time for that very reason, to maintain an even tension on the neck. Now that I play less often I change them about once every 5 or 6 weeks and take them all off to ease in cleaning the neck and body under the strings. OO | ||
| hydrargyrum
Senior Member Username: hydrargyrum Post Number: 492 Registered: 3-2004 |
Yeah Olie, that is the one dilemma about changing strings one at a time. I have attempted to get in there with Q-tips, but that never quite works. I usually only oil my fretboards about once a year. When I do so I do remove all strings, but I use the tuning gears and let them down slow, rather than cutting them. | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 2222 Registered: 4-2004 |
schmootze adds character to the sound of your instrument would you remove schmootze from a Stradivarius? :-o | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 2215 Registered: 2-2006 |
I never cut my strings off. I will keep the last set taken off as spares in case I break a string, which I haven't in years on my bass and ironically I've never broken a string on my guitar. I would imagine the original owners of a Stradivarius did clean them ;) | ||
| peoplechipper
Member Username: peoplechipper Post Number: 64 Registered: 2-2009 |
I loosen the tension first, then cut them. In my guitars, they usually started breaking about an hour after I thought they sounded dead...I got really good at changing guitars mid-song though; my bandmates were always a little awed by that(the only part of my playing they were awed by...) I would remove schmootze from a Strad, it ain't part of the sound...some people goop up their fretboards and I guess that becomes part of their sound, but maybe they should wash their hands more... | ||
| wideload
Intermediate Member Username: wideload Post Number: 137 Registered: 6-2003 |
If you take off all the strings, how do you know which ones go where???? | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3648 Registered: 7-2004 |
You mean there are specific places they are supposed to go? Wow, whoda thunk it! Bill, tgo | ||
| paulman
Advanced Member Username: paulman Post Number: 358 Registered: 2-2005 |
I remember reading that when D Boone and Mike Watt of the Minutemen first started to play, they didn't even know there was such a thing as tuning...they thought people either preferred their strings "tight" or "loose". Pretty funny  I prefer mine to be tight, but not too tight. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3654 Registered: 7-2004 |
Got my powerpeg. Pretty nifty little gadget for only $20. Kind of like a pistol grip electric screwdriver with a head that fits over the tuner knobs. I'll be changing some strings this weekend and will report back with a full review. Bill, tgo | ||
| paulman
Advanced Member Username: paulman Post Number: 359 Registered: 2-2005 |
Hey Bill, any string snappin' over the weekend? *giggle* | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3678 Registered: 7-2004 |
Well, I finally got a chance to try out the Powerpeg last night on Big Irv. I figured "why beat around the bush? Go for the most difficult challenge, the 12 string!" I can report back that, for about $20, this is one cool little gizmo. It definitely made the re-stringing an easier and quicker task. It turns at a good speed - not too fast, not too slow. I can also see how it would be great for oiling those old Kluson-type tuners and others that require periodic lubrication. All-in-all Billy Bob says two thumbs up! Bill, tgo | ||
| jalevinemd
Senior Member Username: jalevinemd Post Number: 726 Registered: 12-2003 |
Nice to know. Thanks for the update. |
