It takes me about 10 minutes, but I change my strings every 3 or 4 days when I'm on tour, and my tours tend to last around 4 weeks on average (although I'm about to embark on back-to-back UK and US tours that will have me on the road for 9 weeks straight! That's about 16 string changes!) so I guess I've had a lot of practice.

I actually devoted 2 whole pages of my DADGAD Guitar Book (sorry, shameless plug) to detailed instructions on how to change strings, so you can read up on it there if you're interested.

Briefly, though -- yes, change one string at a time. Better that way, partly to maintain the tension and partly because you can then tune the new strings you're putting on to the adjacent ones.

Use a string winder. I have a little plastic one that I've had for over 25 years and it's still going strong; it also has a handy little notch for lifting obstinate pins out of the saddle.

Use a needlenose pliers to snip the strings you're taking off -- makes it much quicker to get them off at both ends. You can also use the pliers to bend the snipped-off ends of the new strings down towards the tuning peg, so that they don't prick your fingers.

Stretch the new strings as you're putting them on, but don't pull them out and let them snap back -- just give the string a gentle tug, retune, another gentle tug, retune and repeat a couple more times until the string stays in tune when you stretch it.

One of these days when I have time I'll make a string-changing video and put it up on YouTube ... Another thing to add to the long list of stuff to do someday!

Cheers,

Sarah McQuaid
www.sarahmcquaid.com