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Author Topic: How often do you change your strings?  (Read 3200 times)

nfe

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #15 on: February 21, 2009, 11:28:15 AM »
When I was playing for a living I'd go through at least three sets a week on my main guitar. A new set for every gig without fail. Nowadays, I probably get about a week out a set on my main guitar.

I have string-death-sweat. They lose their sparkliness in about 3-4 hours of playing.

I buy 30 sets at a time like, at cost plus VAT.
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Oli

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2009, 05:56:17 PM »
Generally, it's a few months between string changes (with about 3 hours average playing per day), or whenever i deem the strings to be too dead. My hands don't really sweat, so they last a while, and i hardly ever snap them these days. I'm not such a fan of brand new strings, as i find them just too bright- i'm thinking of trying some halfwound strings to see if i prefer the sound of new strings with slightly less brightness.. if i do, then i'll probably restring more often.
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HTH AMPS

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #17 on: February 21, 2009, 06:33:29 PM »
maybe three times a year, or whenever they break if I'm not gigging.

every gig if I'm gigging - would probably go two gigs if they're in the same week.

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broken cord

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #18 on: February 21, 2009, 10:53:45 PM »
After readng the replys I don't feel so bad about going months on end sometimes before I change strings. I usually just start playing a different guitar if one gets too bad, and then change the strings on two, three or more guitars at a time when enough go bad.
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Ted 'N' Leo

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #19 on: February 22, 2009, 12:35:23 AM »
Really not often enough. If i'm honest, all my guitars need string changes atm. Just not near enough to a guitar shop to buy them regularly, and can't be bothered to buy them online. Next time i'm in a city, i'll get a whole load.

As for breaking, i haven't broken one in about...5 or 6 years maybe?
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_tom_

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #20 on: February 22, 2009, 12:41:04 AM »
Not very often. I usually wait until one string breaks then change the whole lot.
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Elliot

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #21 on: February 22, 2009, 01:45:14 AM »
Don't have the sweat corrosion problem that other guitarists have, so every 3 months for me.   Classical and slide guitars - about every 2 years - either the classical sounds like an elastic band instrument or the slide guitar has too many harmonic overtones.
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Adam.M

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #22 on: February 22, 2009, 02:16:50 AM »
I must not have the sweat corrosion either... though i must say i just changed the strings on my PRS to Dean Markley 9's and the guitar has blow me away yet again, new strings and its twice as good... maybe the old strings were dead, must've been on there for a long while actually come to think of it.

I'll change strings whenever they feel wrong, no reason otherwise.
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38thBeatle

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #23 on: February 22, 2009, 10:43:18 AM »
Oddly enough I had a string break on Friday night whilst part way through a song in the second set.I had been half expecting it because the set was overdue for changing. I was able to get through the song and swap to my Tele to finish the gig. New set Saturday morning ready for the next gig on Saturday night. Hard tail Strats have their advantages.
I feel sorry for the guys with the corrosive sweat.If I allow a mate of mine to play my guitars the strings are just about dead the next day.
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Crazy_Joe

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #24 on: February 22, 2009, 01:09:31 PM »
Hardly ever, only whena  string breaks really. So every 1-2 months probably. But some sets last forever.
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AndyR

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #25 on: February 22, 2009, 03:41:51 PM »
Yeah, I'm one of the corrosive sweat guys... :lol:

When I was gigging, I could expect string breakage on a second gig on the same set. If they survived that, they were ok for a rehearsal, but wouldn't tune properly enough (intonation shagged) for a gig.

Nowadays, not gigging, and with 7 electrics I can play just sat in the living room - it should be hell! But it's not...

Nowadays I tend to restring a guitar when a string breaks, when it's impossible to tune or it feels/sounds really cr@p. I tend to try to keep a strat and a tele in reasonably "fine fettle", the others get done when I'm in the mood for them. I do know that the improvement on a guitar's feel/tone will be 100% when I get round to it (I'm using this as a GAS-deflater at the moment :lol:)

I've recently found pure nickel last AGES for me, unbelievably ages... but I've only tried them in the strat (thumbs up tonally) and a tele (thumbs down tonally, for me anyway :lol:). Next time I get some I might try them on the muled Love Rock as well, but I suspect I won't like it.
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ChunkyMunky

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #26 on: February 22, 2009, 04:00:12 PM »
Only when they break or go ridiculously flat in tone. Since the strings on my RG550 are really cr@p so I need to change them.
« Last Edit: February 22, 2009, 07:51:21 PM by ChunkyMunky »
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MrBump

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #27 on: February 22, 2009, 07:41:08 PM »
Strings come off?  Is that what those turney things are on the pointy end..?
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