Change string one by one, what's the order?

[shineofleo]

Sorry if it is a super rookie question, but I am always confused by it and can not find good result in the forum.

So what is the proper order to change the bass guitar string one by one, from low to high or high to low?

Thank you for your time!

[J. Montgomery]

Umm . . . I wouldn't think that the order matters.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by J. Montgomery

Umm . . . I wouldn't think that the order matters.

+1

Congrats on erring on the side of caution though.

[davecheng]

Do them all at once and give the fretboard a nice cleaning while all the strings are off.

[Foamy]

I never worry about it. I loosen them all, snip 'em and rip 'em, clean that fingerboard, then put the new ones on.
Some say that you shouldn't take them all off at the same time. If that worries you, the G is the highest-tension string. So, take it off first or last, your choice.
E is lowest tension, and G is highest. If you care, now you know.
:-)

[seanm]

I start with the E string and go towards the G string...... because I always want to see what the E string sounds like first

[shineofleo]

thanks.

I am asking because it is said that it could give some negative effects to the neck if take all the string off...

And the individual string may be broken with a wrong order changing them..

[shineofleo]

Originally Posted by seanm

I start with the E string and go towards the G string...... because I always want to see what the E string sounds like first

Yeah this is how I change the string all the time.

But as in this thread chain, different idea may appear... That's exactly why I am asking.

[makanudo]

well if you detune the strings till there is no tension it doesnt matter because.. well there is no tension..

[billoetjen]

Order doesn't matter; but that's with bass strings. Spark plug wires is a whole different ball game.

And +1 for being careful.

One last thing - you don't want to leave string tension completely off for an extended period of time - the neck needs some tension to counter-act the truss rod tension.

[RicPlaya]

I go both ways

[dougjwray]

I always change them one at a time, and have always gone from G to E. I've never once gone the other way. Not one single time, ever, even though I know rationally that it makes no difference what the order is. Hmmm...

I do have a conscious and silly superstitious thing about trimming them by hand-- that is, by bending them over and over until they break, never using a wirecutter or pliers. That would be cheating.

[allexcosta]

I play a fiver and alternate, like this:

B - G - E - D - A

[john turner]

now granted, i play 7's and 8's, so i try to be a bit more careful in how i change the strings, tension-wise, but i always follow a pattern. i work my way toward the center strings as i detune the strings - highest string first, then lowest, than next highest, than next lowest, etc. until all are slack. i start with the higher strings because generally they are the ones with the higher tension on them, and i alternate to minimize torque on the neck. then i replace them in the opposite order - center string first, then next highest, next lowest, next highest, etc.

[stflbn]

On a bass with more relief I do all at one time. On a bass with very low action I do one string at a time.

One string at a time allows easier retuning if the action is low as you'll get more buzzing while tuning up the string until it's close to being in tune. That's not so much of an issue with a bass with higher action.

[jar240]

You guys change your strings??