How Frequently Do You Change Your Strings?

[Rudi]

How often do you change your strings?

(prompted by Mary’s question about string breakage)

 

I had to change strings on my Jackson Elite yesterday. It took 75 minutes! (I hate Floyd rose systems) as the 6^th E kept pulling out at the bridge. It was the first time I had needed to change these since buying it.

 

As a teenager, I used to change my acoustic strings at least every couple of weeks. But in those days I was always changing the tunings from concert to open D or C or G. That’ll wear them out in no time of course.

 

These days I detest changing strings, and wont do it unless it’s absolutely necessary.

I keep one (electric) guitar for gigging, and another for recording.

I do all my daily practice on a beat-up Washburn that should have had new strings 2 years ago. This arrangement allows for minimal string changes.

 

My Spanish guitar needs restringing next. I have never changed these either and I am not sure I have suitable replacements. On Spanish guitars (Classical & Flamenco – nylon strung) you have the additional variable of string tension to consider.

 

I have heard of one player who changes his strings after 6 hours of play. To me that equates to 3 times a week for the beat-up Washburn alone.  

 

Rudi

 

 

[chased]

Yeah it's different with the two. I have a bass, banjo, uke, and mando too and they are all so different. I do reckon for sure they stay nice-sounding when kept in a case but some folks don't like that. I find I buy a new set whenever doing a 'serious' recording project, so I voted for "Every 3 to 4 months".

[Rudi]

Changing strings on a steel strung flat top is a pretty straightforward affair.

 

I agree that dull strings on an acoustic sound worse. Much worse.

 

I have never changed any bass strings (yet). Looks easy enough. Those are expensive though at around £20 a set.

 

 

I always fancied a 5 string banjo. Looks fun.

 

Floyd rose system are a pain because the bridge ‘floats’. You daren’t take all the strings off, or you will ruin the set-up. So you have to remove & replace 1 string at a time (and then fully tune it) to minimise disruption to the tensioning and to the bridge position (which affects action & intonation).  

[TapperMike]

I've covered the rest in the other thread.....

Rudi, I'm right in the same boat as you except... I don't have an acoustic. They never last with me. Granted I've got a godin LR Bagss (pre acoustcaster) that sounds nothing like and acoustic or a tele in my humble opinion.

I went thru the same thing with floyd rose and finally gave up on them. Not only the whole spring/tuning but they all wack out on intonation after awhile. A buddy of mine wants to build.... A 7 string baritone guitar with a floyd rose. I tried to convince him it was a bad idea. That he'd have the guitar longer if he just invested in a whammy pedal.

On the flip side of how long it takes to restring and tune a guitar. I used to have one of these.....

http://www.joness.com/gr300/pics/IMG2010/IMG2010-DROP-SHADOW.jpg

To change the strings first detune with the rollers behind the bridge then loosen the screw on the nut (no hex key required just twist) Slide out the string slide a new one, clamp and tune up. It took less then 4 minutes to get them all changed and in tune including string stretching.

I've changed strings on my tele copy twice since I've gotten it Gage and brand can have a huge impact of the tonal response. Unless I'm playing jazz I usually keep the tone control almost all the way up. Not so with the tele. It's unusally bright to me (mostly because I've never had a good tele or tele copy but also because I rarely change strings on my guitars). While I'm mostly into D'addario's and it was strung with them when it arrived. going to a pure vintage fender set really made a big difference in the response. Back in the mid 70's to early 80's that's all I'd ever use.

One thing to note about playing with older strings... If you use a metal pick it will bring back the brightness of the tone but it also will wear the strings out and make them break more easily.

Also.... Unless you want to ruin the fretwork avoid stainless steel strings. A salesman was pitching me hard on Dean Markey Stainless Steel Strings when I first got my Strat way back when. While I loved the tone I needed fretwork due to the damage they did. Frets are mostly nickel which is a soft metal. When a hard metal comes in enough contact with a soft metal the soft metal loses. Granted Parker guitars (the american versions) have stainless steel frets. Now that Parker has been aquired by Washburn, Washburn has adapted using stainless steel frets for the higher end guitars they sell.

Edited May 24, 2013 by TapperMike

[Rudi]

I had a strat for 25 years. It was a breeze to re-string. Likewise with the acoustics.

 

I didnt know that about the frets Mike. I had always assuned they were stainless steel. The fenders certainly look like a bright steel.

 

I had better try to find out what Jackson use.

[Escape]

It all depends on how many gigs I have or how much I'm practicing, but I'd say on average maybe once a month.  I typically use Elixir Nanowebs which last a bit longer, though, so if I'm using regular non-coated strings, it will probably be quite a bit more often than that.

[Alistair]

Don't get me started on restringing 12 string acoustics!

[DanielV]

Well, 12-string electrics aren't easy either. And my Danelectro goes out of tune just but looking at it.

 

Anyway, I tend to change strings a bit before recording (not *just* before recording) and then as somebody already mentioned, I use different guitars for rehearsals than for writing songs or for recording. I almost never change bass strings but do change acoustic guitar string more often that the electrics even if they are more of a pain to change.

[LayneGreene]

I like to change them every 2-3 weeks, but if I'm gigging a lot I like to keep the strings on my main acoustic as fresh as I can justify..

[ToastedAndButter]

I change my strings if they break if they song dull or if i have a serious recording project i rlly wanna nail! 

[Rudi]

So it looks like over 40% of us are lazy and dont change our strings often enough?

 

I feel less guilty in your company guys

[ToastedAndButter]

haha yeah i always feel guilty about not changing strings but i just couldnt be botheerreedddddd lol

[davidmichael]

I have quite a few guitars so I dont usually have to change them that often.but Ill stick with obiosly when I break one,or if I notice them sounding flat or loosing sustain. HINT ; If you wash your hands before you grab your axe,youll be suprised how much longer they will last.

As far as people bashing floyd rose's,thats either from them not having an understanding of how a floyd works,or not having done it before and gotten frustrated and dont want to try again.

Simply put,its a balancing act.string tension v/s spring tension.You have to take off all the strings to properly clean the guitar,so the best way is to block the bridge before you start taking off the strings,clean and dress the fingerboard and frets,clean and wax the body,restring and bring back up to tune after streching the strings out,and remove the blocks.You might have to tweak it a tad more after but usually youll be dead on.Some exellent vids on youtube on doing this.

I can usually acomplish all this in less than 30 minutes.taking my time.

[Rudi]

As far as people bashing floyd rose's,thats either from them not having an understanding of how a floyd works,or not having done it before and gotten frustrated and dont want to try again.

 

 

Really?

 

I've used them for 15 years.

I know how they work and still think they are crap.

[davidmichael]

Rudi

If you think their crap,I dont understand why you would still be using them for 15 years !!!

I was simply retering to peoples issues with setting them up properly and easilly.

[TapperMike]

Some of us don't throw out old guitars. There are times when we just need em.  We deal with what we have.  Yeah I did the whole block thing and guess what.... It's still a balancing act when the fresh strings are on and the block is removed.  God forbid you break a string on stage.

[Rudi]

Rudi

If you think their crap,I dont understand why you would still be using them for 15 years !!!

I was simply retering to peoples issues with setting them up properly and easilly.

 

Because Jackson insist on fitting the damn things & Ive yet to find a build quality & neck width (they are wide) to compare with a Soloist. The wide neck allows me to fingerpick (easier) among other things.

 

Yes I have blocked the one I gig.

This enables me to fret the top E & B string while bending the G a whole tone. If I try this with an unfettered FR, the E & B will go horribly flat as the G is bending.

 

FR systems are designed for players who want to pick one string at a time. Given the high distortion levels most FR model players want, they don't have much choice anyway.

[Svetlana]

I`ve chosen the answer " when they sound dull or become harder to tune by ear". I do it when it`s necessary, as I really dislike playing guitar with new strings)), from time to time they need to be arranged during a week or more after change...

[Mahesh]

I voted for "When it sounds dull".

The acoustic guitar being the main instrument, I thrive for a natural sound. D 'Addario being the main choice for me, even the best ones I get have a bright sound (of the new strings ) that I don't really like. I like the sound to be subtly bright, soft. So I look for that "sweet spot"- age of the strings, when it is seasoned just enough to give the perfect sound and feel. That usually takes a 2 weeks of playing with me. That sound stays for at least 3 months in my case. So the point is, I guess I don't really change the strings that much. lol

[Hard Core]

when i don't like the sound anymore