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Post subject: String Change
Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 1:58 pm
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I have heard mixed comments.....

When changing strings...do you take all of the strings off then re-string...or do you just change one @ a time, leaving the old strings on? Does it affect the neck if you take all the string off ??


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Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 2:18 pm
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I'm not an expert by any means, but I've done both. Change one string at a time, and all at once, with no damage that I've ever been able to detect. I've always used the opportunity, when changing strings, to clean the fretboard at the same time (since I have better access to the fretboard).

I've read recommendations that one should change one string at a time to keep tension on the neck......and lately it seems that that's what I've been doing. I'm sure many more experts will come on this post to give you much better opinions. But....I've never seen any damage to any of my necks yet.


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Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 2:44 pm
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Neither way is good or wrong.
One at the time seems faster to me, stretch them a few times before
changing the next one.
Take them all off if you want to clean the fingerboard.

Peter


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Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 3:10 pm
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I’m no expert either, but if I’m only going to change the strings, I will do them one at a time. It’s much quicker to get back in tune this way because all the other strings are at normal tension.
One thing that has always made me cringe (maybe unnecessarily) is when someone cuts the strings off with wire cutters while at full tension. That seams like a lot of trauma to your neck to save a few seconds.


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Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 3:41 pm
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I'm new to Strats but here's my observation and recommendation if you have a floating Fender bridge (can't speak for floyd rose or other trems):

Changing the strings either way will not adversely affect the neck, but only remove all the strings if you want/need to a) clean the fretboard, b) remove the pick guard, c) swap out hardware.

Reason - with the floating bridge you're going to tune and retune strings multiple times until total tension is right. Unlike a tune-0-matic or bigsby, the string tension decreases with each additional string you put on. The first couple of times I changed strings I'd put on the string tune to pitch then put the next string on - only to find that the first (second, third, etc.) had just gone flat and needed to be retuned because the floating bridge had moved because of the new string(s).

Restringing one at a time allows you to remove the old string, replace it, tune up to pitch, stretch the string, then move on to the next one. The old strings still in place hold the bridge steady and you'll only have minor adjustments to make.

If anyone has an easier way to do this I'd be VERY interested to learn something new.


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Post subject: Re: String Change
Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:13 pm
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Paul0801 wrote:
I have heard mixed comments.....

When changing strings...do you take all of the strings off then re-string...or do you just change one @ a time, leaving the old strings on? Does it affect the neck if you take all the string off ??


From a historical perspective the user manual on my '58 Stratocaster advised that the trem block be stopped with a piece of wood before removing all the strings from the guitar. Found this out AFTER I made the mistake of removing same. The neophyte that I was back then, it took a trip back to the vendor to get it right. From then on, I removed strings one at a time.


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Post subject: Re: String Change
Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:19 pm
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[/quote] From a historical perspective the user manual on my '58 Stratocaster advised that the trem block be stopped with a piece of wood before removing all the strings from the guitar. [/quote]

If you're going to do that then THAT'S a reason beyond cosmetics for keeping the spring cover off. I haven't had trouble restringing with it on but this would add a new wrinkle.


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Post subject: Re: String Change
Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 7:45 pm
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Paul0801 wrote:
I have heard mixed comments.....

When changing strings...do you take all of the strings off then re-string...or do you just change one @ a time, leaving the old strings on? Does it affect the neck if you take all the string off ??


If I'm in a rush to gig or something and I'll change strings one at a time because for me it's faster to get the floating tremolo back to pitch by stringing one at a time. If I have the choice though, then I prefer to dedicate the time to change all the strings at once and give the guitar a thoughough cleaning and polishing. This way I can clean the crud that collects between the frets and around the pickups. Occationally, like once every blue moon, I would even disassemble the whole bridge/tremolo assembly (I wouldn't do this unless you know how to assemble and set up a guitar though) to degrease the saddles and bridge plate. This is actually a bit extreme but it's for a good reason. I dab a little 3-in-1 oil on the saddles using a Q-tip often as well as the nut and string tree. After a while dust from airborn particles and skin gums up my saddles and plate. I probobly use more oil than I should but I love taking my guitar apart and noodling around in it anyways. And keeping these parts well lubed does help tremendously in coming back to pitch after vibrato. When re-stringing I usually start with the low E, then the high E and continue working alternatley inwards. This order of stringing is suggested by manufacturers of the better brand of acoustic guitars.

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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:02 pm
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Hello Paul0801,

I take 'em all off clean up the board,
saddles, bridge, and pickups.

Cheers.


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 7:55 am
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I always remove all the strings and clean and lube everything. Perhaps out of habit. I am, however, usually adding upgrades like better blocks and saddles and generally tweaking other stuff too.


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