Getting strings off a bass

[Scok]

Get youreself a quick release bridge. Mine has slots (parallel to the string)instead of holes, the string fits through the slots but the ball won't.. So you just unwind a little and the string comes right out. It takes like 2sec to change a string. I love it!

[Joris]

How do you guys get your strings off your bass? I always have to completely disassemble the bridge trying to get the all spring'd up part that sits around the tuner through the saddle and the bridge base. I don't change strings that often, but having to spend half a day changing strings and re-tuning the bridge seems a bit uneconomical to me, especially on a fretless (which is hard to set up). Now don't say "go to a music shop and have it done for you" because I always do things myself, no matter how hard (read my profile).

So how to change strings (or clean them) within the hour?



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I play really bad. I'm just a guy with a lotta stuff.

[Bernie]

When i change strings i usually do it one at a time,bringing the new string up to pitch.You can straighten the curls by hand reasonably well but it takes a little time.If your not going to put them back on after boiling or whatever just clip the curled tuner ends off.

[Dave Siff]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joris:
I always have to completely disassemble the bridge trying to get the all spring'd up part that sits around the tuner through the saddle and the bridge base.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Joris.. no need to do this. There are two alternatives.
Here's how I do it. Once I've unwound the old string from the tuning post, I cut it right where it goes over the bridge saddle. Then I simply discard the long piece (including the spring'd up part) and I'm left with about a three-inch piece to pull through the bridge base.
Or, you could snip off the spring'd up part, leaving you with a long, straight piece to pull through the bridge base. I prefer my method.

[gmstudio99]

I do what David does...snip 'em by the bridge.

-GM

[Johannes]

Erhhh...
I just put them off, and then put the new ones on, tune them, and nothing else. Intonation always stays in tune !

Johannes

PS: I'm talking about several different brands !

[Wil Davis]

I unwind mine, and use them as a template to cut the new ones to the correct length. I take them off if I'm re-oiling/waxing the bass. Total time to take off old and install new ones - about 15 mins.

- Wil

[Bruce Lindfield]

I agree with Scok - it's down to bridge design. Now it can be quite nice to have the strings going through the body, but it does mean longer changing them, or with any bridge that requires you to feed the strings through a hole.

My Tobias bass has slots and I changed the strings yesterday - they come off straight away - just a few seconds unwinding per string and the whole process on a 5 string was done in a few minutes. And no need to cut the strings, so they can be kept as spares or whatever.

[Brad Johnson]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Wil Davis:
I unwind mine, and use them as a template to cut the new ones to the correct length. I take them off if I'm re-oiling/waxing the bass. Total time to take off old and install new ones - about 15 mins.

- Wil<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I do this, too. I end up with full windings that put pressure on the string at the bottom of the tuning peg.


Once you know how to do this, it takes very little time. Maybe about 15 minutes on my Laklands or Fenders with thru body bridges. Less for my basses with quick release bridges.

I can't imagine going through the procedure first described.

Change the bridge? For this? Seriously?

[gweimer]

Well, with the Epiphone, I just have to loosen the strings enough to clear the tuning keys. Once it's off, the strings slips off the slotted bridge piece. Nice and easy. For the G&L, I haven't figured out a plan yet. Either I have to make ritual out of this every so often, or maybe I should just plan on NEVER changing strings.

[Joris]

Well, sorry, I guess I wasn't clear in my initial post, but I think it's a bit obvious that I intend to put the same strings back on after getting them off. So I shouldn't have said "change strings", 'cause it's obvious (again) that one just cuts the strings, cause they're worth nothing.

My main bass has $70 worth strings on it (6 of'em), so I intend to keep them on for, say, 3 years, and clean them every couple of months.

So how to get those strings off and put'em back on within the hour?

[BassIsBest]

Well, my main bass (my only bass) has 5 strings on it. So they aren't that much different. When I just take them off and put them back on I simply unwind the tuning keys, pull the ends out of the holes, and pull the string slowly through the bridge. It only takes like 10 minutes to take 'em off and put 'em back on. It's kind of a pain though when I put heavier gauged strings on. I have a crappy bridge though. I like those Warwick bridges. You don't have to slide the string through with those.

but hey...


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There ain't no moral to this story at all, and anything I tell you very well could be a lie. I been away from the livin', I don't need to be forgiven, I'm just waitin for that cold, black, sun-cracked, numb inside, soul-of-mine to come alive - los Refreshments