Changing strings

Its not a pleasant job. I hate it in fact. I absent minded attempted to tune my tenor with brand new strings to a mandolin which is tuned a fifth above a tenor. With nasty results. I snapped the G string thinking it was a D. It happens when you haven't played since the start of the month. But when I change or put new strings in, I use a locking method which is handy since planetary tuners aren't exactly known for being locking. At all.

You may ask, what is a locking method? Its a special way of stringing a string without resorting to the old stereotypical way of just stick it in and turn the tuners. With this method, you're guaranteed not to let the strings slip in any way.

I'm going to refer to the part you stick the string though as the tuning column. There should be a hole through it for the string to feed through. Turn it so that the hole is perpendicular to the fretboard. Have your string ready and feed from inside out. Meaning, if the tuner is on the left side, looking at it from the front, stick the string though from the right and out the left side. Leave a little slack and bring the string towards the headstock and wrap around the tuning column. Feed the string under the string that's inside the column and pull it up. With a grip on it, start turning until it holds in place. You shouldn't have any problems anymore with slippage. If you do, feel free to use any other method.