I use a "Side Winder" (one of those plastic cranks) to speed the re-stringing process. It really helps. And I too loosen and replace my strings one at a time.

Beginning with removal of the old string, I loosen the string so it has enough slack to push the ball end down into the guitar just a little. That allows the pin to become free and easily lifted out. I have never pried the pins out of the bridge and my pins are still the original ones that came with the guitar nearly thirty years ago.

When installing a new string I run it through the hole, which I have left parallel to the direction the strings run, and crank it a half turn so the string lays on the post *above* the "stub." The very next time around, I lay the string under the stub and continue winding under the stub from then on. The string never cuts over itself but, due to the hourglass shape of the pegs on my Grover Rotomatic tuners the windings grab the stub from both sides. I try to arrange the beginning slack such the the string gets five or six full wraps on the peg or, on the heaver strings, so it at least winds (just) to the bottom of the peg.

As each string is installed, I bring it up to pitch then grab the string around the eighteenth fret or so and give it one or two sharp tugs to "set" the string. I generally replace them in the order: D,G,A,B,E,E, I think because it keeps the stubs from getting in my way as I work. When all the string are replaced, I set them one more time, then clip the stubs to a quarter of an inch or so.

When the guitar was new I used to take all the strings off at once. That allowed me to clean the fretboard and apply woodwind oil as mentioned above. Now I just clean around the strings just before changing them.

When I was working I changed string at least once a week but now I just change them when my ear says they need it. Come to think of it, it was my ear that told me to change them once a week as well.

I currently use SIT Royal Bronze medium guage strings (13,17,26,36,46,56) because they really do stay in tune and I can buy them at the local music store. Years ago I used to use James Boyce strings and ordered them from Mr. Boyce a dozen sets at a time. They also retained their tuning very well and sounded wonderful on my guitar.

Hope this is useful,

- Mark