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I wasn't sure which catagory to post this subject in as it seems that it would fit in several but I chose beginners' qustion for the following reasons: I am a beginner, it is a question and it a question that a beginner is likely to ask. I have read this entire forum from cover to cover and I don't ever recall seeing this topic addressed. Perhaps that's because it is such an elemental question that people would be embarassed to ask, But since I have embaressed myself here on the forum to the nth degree, I'm not afraid of a little more humiliation. Since I'm at the stringing-up phase of the project, I went online and visited several tutorials on this subject. Now I know that this is a pretty elemental subject for a guitar building forum (I know I hear you, If you can't string a guitar then good luck building one) I get that but I think it is not that simiplictic. Stringing up a guitar is pretty straight forward, with some slight variances.
Here is what has me intrigued , when it comes time to changeing strings, I'm coming across two different takes on this one and of the half a dozen or so tutorials that i read/viewed they seem to be split down the middle on this issue.
Some are emphatic about changing only one string at a time, starting at the low "E" and finising the bass side first before moving over to the treble side. These folks practice the philosophy that if you remove all of the strings at the same time that all kinds of horrible things can happen including The neck being relieved and moving substantially, perhaps requiring a truss rod adjustment at the least, to even having a neck break. One made the comment that this is not an issue as repair persons oftentimes remove all the strings at the same time to perform repairs but my take on that is that being in the repair business they have the ability/experiene/skills have to make truss rod adjustments and some others that average Joe guitar player doesn't have. The other arguement is that if you remove all the strings at once it will take twice as long to tune the guitar because as you tune each string you move the neck a little bit, thus throwing the first strings tuned out of tune requiring them to be re-tuned, perhaps several times before all strings are in tune.
I would lie to get our resident pros, semi-pros and anybody elses personal take on this issue, please

David L

When I started playing the guitar (well before I starting making them) I would change the strings one by one. This helped me bring the new string up to tune (this was more than 20 years ago and all of the nearly free tuners did not yet exist) by comparing the new string to existing strings. I was playing classical so it also allowed me to look at how the strings were tied on.

Now I pull all of them and use the time to clean the areas that are hard to clean with the strings on. I have never noticed any bad effects on classical, steel string or electric by pulling all of the strings.

I agree with John Take all the strings off.
One at a time is way too slow for me and like he said you can clean up the finger board and peg head. I loosen them all and take a pair of snips , go above the nut and SNIP!

I use a snips and cut the strings take them all off clean the guitar and fretboard and then resting and CHECK THE BALL ENDS ARE SEATED . This causes more damage to a guitar as the ball ends will destroy the plate over time. Take a few seconds to check they are on the plate.

The idea that its necessary to change strings one at a time to prevent some sort of catastrophic failure is a myth. I found Denny Zager's method to be the fastest -- it works every time and eliminates the possibility of stabbing one's self with the razor sharp ends of the wire after trimming -- at the very least put a "vee" bend in them.

I agree with John -- pull'em all off clean the FB -- stick the ball end in the hole, push in the pin, hold the pin and pull the string straight up -- that seats the ball against the pin and the bridge plate -- if done properly this will eliminate slipping and the associated re-tuning -- and the occasion incident of shooting a bridge pin across the room.

For 40 years, i've taken them all off. A great time to clean the top and fretboard. Never seen any issues resulting from that

Tony
do you have a hole in the top ???

Here is a tech at Taylor showing how they re-string.

http://youtu.be/uXEkDR_-D88

This is pretty much how I do it. I pre-cut the strings to length before I wind them. I'm not brave enough to do two at a time like he does though.

Jim that's an outstanding link! Thank you

Same as Zager does it but even faster --- those seeing this for the first time, note the magic is that the shape of the tuner post is pushing the coils toward the hole pinching the end of the string and locking it in place -- I used the Martin method for years and years before I even knew about this process.

Well it seems to be unanimous, one string at a time is not necessary. Jim, of all the toots that I read/viewed that one is definately the best, thanks Jim and thanks to everyone else who helped clear this up for me!!!

David L