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Author Topic: How often do you change your strings?  (Read 3232 times)

broken cord

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How often do you change your strings?
« on: February 16, 2009, 03:19:51 PM »
The string snapping stories thread got me thinking about how often some of you change your strings. I for one am probably quite offensive to some in that I will sometimes keep playing the same stings for months on end. Granted I am a recreational player and only get an hour or two playing time a day in. However, I rarely ever-snap strings even using 2mm plectrums.

How often do you change your strings?
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Madiac

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2009, 03:37:52 PM »
Well, im really inconsistant, i dont have a certain interval. When i feel the strings feel really "dead" and look as it to, then i might feel for a change:) So, maybe 2 months?
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Roobubba

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2009, 03:40:37 PM »
About 3 times a year, if history is anything to go by. And that's using 3mm stubby triangles.

Righto Wez, I know I know, you don't have to tell me twice!

Roo
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Fourth Feline

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2009, 03:41:58 PM »
I rarely change my strings, other than to try another gauge, unless ( as Madiac said ) they sound 'dead' .

Instead , I carefully wipe them ( not the fretboard ! ) down after each playing with a lint free cloth which has been slightly impregnated with WD40 - and that way they look 'new' for months - whilst retaining that balance of clear sounding yet mellow that I like. They also feel lovely and slinky to play on that way.

I don't like the tone or feel of new ( sets of ) strings - they don't seem right until they have stretched in,  'relaxed' and lost a bit of that brash edge.


Do remember that it is rather 'style dependent' - and my fave strings are Thomastik Flatwounds . If I was a 'Rock God' - ( as many are on this forum ) , or a Country / Funk player - I would probably be changing them often to achieve just the opposite effect.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2009, 03:55:42 PM by Fourth Feline »
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Denim n Leather

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2009, 03:49:27 PM »
Depends on the guitar and material I'm playing. I change strings after 24-30 hours of actual play-time.
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Stevepage

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2009, 04:05:36 PM »
I think I change mine every month or two.

Usually because they sound dead, I break a string or fancy changing to a different string gauge.
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hunter

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2009, 04:07:15 PM »

About once a month, or quicker if I play a guitar A LOT.

However I don't do that on all my guitars. Just the 2-3 I play regularly at a time.
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Catalyst77

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2009, 04:07:33 PM »
When they break!

Sometimes if i'm going into the studio!

I believe EVH actually likes his crusty :lol:
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hamfist

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #8 on: February 16, 2009, 04:17:01 PM »
About every 4-6 weeks on my main guitar. If I go longer, I know I'll start to get string breakages - which really piss me off.

I don't actually practice much, as most of my playing is rehearsing with the band or gigging, so I guess I'm playing those strings about 25-30 hours a month.
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Philosoful

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2009, 04:17:42 PM »
I hate being wasteful so:

1 - If they snap obviously.

2 - If they are utterly, utterly dead and orange.
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dave_mc

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #10 on: February 16, 2009, 05:11:47 PM »
not often enough... :lol:
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PhilKing

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #11 on: February 16, 2009, 06:07:02 PM »
I go through quite a lot of strings (but I do have a lot of guitars!).  I buy them in bulk where I can and I only use nickel strings.  I tend to use the BK strings to do set ups (when I put a guitar together or do any major work on one, I'll string it up and tune it and then leave it a week or so).  Once I am happy with the set up I'll put the real strings on and throw the setup strings away.  On acoustic I usually get about 6 months out of a set (my hands don't sweat and I'm not gigging any more).  On electric it is different, some guitars I change more often than others. But all the guitars (except the basses) get a new set at least once a year, that is over 50 sets of strings a year and many of the guitars have Snake Oil Brand strings on them!.  Basses all have Snake Oil Brand strings on them and they will last years!
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38thBeatle

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #12 on: February 16, 2009, 08:43:54 PM »
I allow around 3 gigs per set but can double that if I use different guitars at a gig. For the last few gigs I've used my Tele for the first set and the Strat for the second and obviously that means that I get more "mileage" out of the strings. This isn't hard and fast and as I use 11's they are fairly resilient.
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rohlfo

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2009, 10:32:11 AM »
Quote from: hamfist on February 16, 2009, 04:17:01 PM
About every 4-6 weeks on my main guitar. If I go longer, I know I'll start to get string breakages - which really piss me off.

I don't actually practice much, as most of my playing is rehearsing with the band or gigging, so I guess I'm playing those strings about 25-30 hours a month.

exactly the same for me - if I do practice at home I use the acoustic.
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Antag

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Re: How often do you change your strings?
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2009, 10:47:54 AM »
Quote from: Philosoful on February 16, 2009, 04:17:42 PM
I hate being wasteful so:

1 - If they snap obviously.

2 - If they are utterly, utterly dead and orange.
+1

Whichever of those comes first is when I change strings.

The one disadvantage to having a large guitar collection is that I am forever changing strings :)

Confession: I find changing 12-string set to be the most soul destroying task of all.  So much so that my 12-string acoustic has had just one string change since I bought it in 2001 :oops:
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