make sure you post your results! 90% of the time I change top threads by cutting old, tying cut end to new and pulling through. But I do test tension between each change because I did know that dyes can affect thread thickness/quality even in the same brand due to saturation needed.
The last time I had something like this happen to me though, it was because a little blob of lint was caught in the bobbin case causing the bobbin tension to be much tighter than what I had set it at. It is so infuriating to have to take out all those stitches and redo. But you are right, it is really easy to frog them when the tension is off!