Just did a complete string change in under 15 minutes!

Wow... maybe I shouldn't say it, but I'm wondering if I usually take as long as 15 minutes.... I was changing strings monthly on two guitars for a year or more, so maybe I was practiced....

Is that a "Monty Python" thing?
"Well, we had it tough - we had to make our guitars out of cardboard boxes..."

CONFESSION...... Last night I concluded that my 418e needed new strings, so I set about putting a new set of Elyxr nanoweb mediums on it. I thought of this thread, and so checked my watch when I started. I used my little hand winder to spin the tuners to loosen the strings, an removed the used set. I lined up the bridge pins as I usually do - for some reason I treat them like engine head bolts and always put them back in the same string hole as they had been in. When I got to mounting the B string, as I turned the tuner, the string end ejected the pin rather forcefully, sending it on an arc through the air which ended inside the guitar through the sound hole. I honestly cannot remember that ever happening to me before. I have lost picks through sound holes many times, and tried moving the guitar around with the hole facing down, listening for the position of the pin, aiming to bounce it such that it dropped out of the hole. There are a couple of wires and things in there, which frustrated that strategy every time. I ended up having to stick my hand in there, which required loosening of the four strings already mounted & semi-tuned. I had to take my watch off to get it in there, and so have no idea how long the string change finally took.....
Of course that last bit is a lie. It took nearly 25 minutes, but the truth is I was well on my way to taking 20 minutes before the unusual bridge pin episode occurred.
So I came to realize that I must enjoy changing strings, as the time seems to fly by while engaged in that activity. I have likely NEVER achieved a change in 15 minutes or less.

Greg Ballantyne, LOL!  That has happened to me too!  I try very diligently to make sure I pull the string and ensure it's locked into place with the pin, but the odd time, the pin launch lets me know, Nope, you didn't have that one locked!   


Ya, but it's so funny how of all the places those pins could fly, they somehow seem to have a perfect arc to end up right through the sound hole.  I wonder if guitar makers secretly design the bridge holes like that on purpose, just to kind of mess with us?    

Hmmm.  I don't think you could do it that fast!  I want video evidence!! 

Here's the fastest string change I've ever seen .. pretty amazing!  Note: He's going for pure speed and not necessarily guitar care and safety ... 




www.bing.com/videos/search?q=fastest+guotar+string+change+video&view=detail&mid=23C234B09CD030508DCC23C234B09CD030508DCC&FORM=VIRE