What to do when changing strings? EvO:R Entertainment The Guitar Questions Section

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What to do when changing strings

When changing strings, is it better to replace the strings by removing and replacing them one at a time, or removing ALL of them at once and replacing them the same way? My concern is how this might affect the 'set-up'.

Rick Andrews Answers Your Question Below.

Good question Joel. Two routes of thinking here if I can stand that much.

If you replace one at a time it does keep the neck more stable. It only looses the tension of one string at the most at any one point of time. That would seem to be a good thing however . . . here goes the second thought: I usually take them all off allowing me to thoroughly clean the fretboard and occasionally use a little touch of bore oil to preserve the wood. This keeps the fretboard from checking or cracking years down the road as well as prolongs fretboard wear.

Now considering how well the guitar is made, and the density of the wood. I build necks using mostly the hardest and most dense fiddleback maple I can find. The best comes from far northern Canada. The climate is so much colder and the wood grows supper tight and harder in density therefore less motion in the neck providing such stability that removing all the strings at once does not have enough effect to hurt anything.

I am very picky about my close fast and smooth playing action and it always goes right back where it wuz. A normal store bought guitar of a mass produced class would have more motion and could have some problems. I don't like cheap woods on guitar necks. Makes a hugh difference too in how well an artist can play. The better the tool, the better job you will do. I won't take that one any further.
Rick Andrews - Andrews Guitar

Reply:
Great, I'll remember that. I know what you mean about a good neck and how well it plays but I had no idea about considering necks from colder climates. Besides, just how many salesmen at the guitar store would even know that answer?
Again thanks,
Joel Pirard...from the band JDA

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