GuitarDoge
I would like to know how often you all change your strings.
As my guitar collection is growing(not a bad thing ? ) it's becoming increasingly expensive and somewhat time consuming to change strings on them often.
I already use coated strings to try get them to last longer, but as soon as that twang starts to disappear I get the urge to change them.
guidothepimmp
Well.. for my regular players around twice a month. Admittedly the ones i dont play often have rusty strings on. I only change those when i do a full service on those..
My players i find the string wear real quick.. divets from the frets and they lose a bit of snap..
Chocklit_Thunda
My favourite topic ?
I change em whenever I feel like... I still have strings from 3 years ago that function.... ??? The newest set I have on are about 2 or 3 months ?
I don't gig and my hands don't corrode strings so I don't really require regular string changes. If I were gigging I'd definitely change them at least once every year ?
AlanRatcliffe
Short answer is when they feel/sound like they need changing. That varies for each person and also depends on type of string, string gauge, how often/long/hard you play it, etc. Also depends on if you like new sounding/feeling strings or not.
My personal rules-of-thumb are: a month for my electrics; three weeks for my nylon if I'm playing them regularly. Any longer and they feel like rubber bands That doubles or better if I'm using coated strings (or composite on the nylon), but can easily halve or worse if I'm gigging regularly. The longest any normal set of strings will last on a relatively unplayed guitar is three months (but that's pushing it).
Malkav
Basically what Alan said, everyone will mess up their strings at different rates ?
I change my gigging/recording electrics strings once every month or three normally, depends on the amount of gigging/recording I do with them, but I actually have two extra electrics I use for practicing on as well and those also get a monthly string change normally, the decision to get them was in order to reduce overall wear on my favourite guitars ?
My steel string gets new strings once every 3 months or so, not because the strings need changing cause generally they've hit that point after a month, but just cause I can't justify the expense ?
My bass I haven't had to change strings on yet, but I did put brand new strings on the day I got it ? I'm expecting about a year out of it, it very seldomly gets used, just have her to lay down parts when writing ideas to use as a reference ?
My fretless is a nylon string, and weirdly I find I prefer the sound I get on it from old strings, so it's had the same set for about 6 months now, they're noticeably discoloured and stuff, but it sounds better than when they were new somehow to me ?
warrenpridgeon
my skin is super corrosive, so if I don't wipe my strings after playing they die almost instantly...lol. but a month max and they start feeling gritty and "uncomfortable" to me... and the tone also degrades quickly... I am currently on Ernie ball slinkies.. would like to try daddario again, but they haven't had stock at music connection the last two times I've been. Eish.
