Replacing strings

I got a set of Ernie Ball Super Slinky roundwounds, 45, 65, 80, and 100. The E and the A strings are on, tried to get them close to in tune, my tuner shows the E string is at C now and it feels very tight, same with the A string, the tuner shows it at E. I don’t want to keep twisting on it and break my new strings. Do they need to sit a while and stretch out?

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Strings stretch a bit, but not that much. Usually just make a note flat from natural. Either you’ve done too much or not enough. Hard to tell from text.

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Don’t tune up until all the strings are on. The neck is adjusted against the tension of all four strings, and trying to tune one up without all of them on will be difficult (and not correct once they are all on anyway).

If you put on all four and still think they are tight, make sure it is in the right octave - try tuning down instead of up.

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+1 to that!! Definitely better to approach from below than above!!

When I put on new strings I turn the tuners until that string feels taut (not flabby anymore), but then only start tuning them for real when all strings are on. Then, start with your lowest string - also because it is most obvious when it is still very “flat” and flabby, and then approach the correct pitch from there.

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Unless I’m gonna do any work to the fretboard or frets, I just change them one at a time to keep uniform tension.

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HAHA success… got them on and all in tune at least according to my tuner.

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I believe this is the best method! There is no reason to remove them all, let the neck “loose” from the strings’ tension and then put them back.

Just do one at a time, there is no mess, no risk of braking them and no problems with the neck.

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+1 to this, @Lanny . . . that’s probably the very best way to do the job :slight_smile:

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Use an online tuner to get them in the right sort of ballpark, and then revert to your own tuner for final adjustment.

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