Time to change strings out

[Dillon Jackson]

Playing 2 + years on the Carter S-10 replacing strings that broke. Though a newbie actually playing gigs. 4th string now ringing really harsh--worst on the Roland mini with earphones still noticeable on the NV 112 no phones. Pretty good indication that string needs to go. But this let to the "Duh Stupid--you're playing in public with year old (2 year?) strings." I did a forum search and could not find an answer. Assuming practice and gigs add up to 10 hours plus a week--how often should you do a complete string set change? or maybe a couple days before each gig? Advice from the vets?

Oh Yeah, I don't practice enough, I know, I know

DJ

[Jim Bob Sedgwick]

I change when the strings start sounding dull, and the harmonics will not sustain as they should. This all depends on how much you practice and play the guitar.

[mike nolan]

On whatever happens to be my current gig guitar, I change strings about every two weeks. On the music room guitar, whenever they start sounding dead....
I really like the sound and feel of new strings.... The telecasters get new strings before every gig.

[Jim Walker]

I'm not a veteran steel player but I've been around stringed intruments long enough to know if you want the best tone and playablity you keep the strings fairly fresh.

On the PSG I put a new set on after aprox. 40 hours of actual play time. Rarely do I break a string between set changes. Seems between 5 and 35 hours, I get the best tone. I use SIT or GHS depends on who's got the right sale price!

On the Tele I change out after about 24 hours of play time. I prefer the bite of newer strings on the Tele for the chicken pickin' type tone. I use Rotosound 10-46. I might break a string once a year on my B-bender.


MATH Quiz!
Q: I put a new set of strings on my Rains SD10 this morning 1/06/07. If I average 4 hours a day of play time, what day will I change my strings next?

[Billy Carr]

I change strings on whichever guitar I'm using at least once a month and I use a .012P for the third on the E9th.

[basilh]

Once every 2-3 weeks in your case.

Better that ANY stomp box or amp mod, the change of strings on a REGULAR basis is not only most desirable but essential for ones own self respect methinks.

See this article by Paul Franklin.
ESSENTIAL information for ANY type of steel guitar player.

http://www.b0b.com/infoedu/steelstr.htm

[Mike Ester]

Dillon, judging from you profile, you hail from the Great Northwest. You may also have to take into account the relative humidity in your climate.

I would tend to believe that your string life would vary greatly from that of Fred Justice (he's in Arizona), just because of humidity.

Which raises a silly question in my mind. I'm sure a lot of us wipe down our strings after we play, but how many wipe the bottoms of them?

I don't, because I don't think the effort is worth it. I feel my time is better spent changing the strings out, and cleaning up my axe while the strings are removed. (YMMV, IMHO, IANAL, and all the other disclaimers )

[basilh]

This is for those who don't want to click the link to the article.


Steel and Strings

by Paul Franklin

I'd like to share my thoughts about steel guitars and string changing. I've found over the years that If you play your guitar (It doesn't matter what brand) 1 hour a day you should change your strings between 10 to 14 days. If you play more often than that you should change every week. If you didn't play a note on your guitar for three weeks you'd still need to change them. Just tuning to 440 and doing nothing stretches the life and flexibility out of the strings after a few weeks.

Professional Guitarists all over the world will agree that the most they can hope for is a weeks worth of use, out of a set of strings, because of the bends they make. This pales in comparison to the bending and constant stretching that pedal steels do. If you are breaking strings or having tuning problems, chances are you're not changing often enough.

I know that it is expensive so if you can't afford to change as often as you need, try changing the plain gauges each week & the wound strings every two weeks. Changing strings compares to changing the oil in your car. You wouldn't go 15000 miles per change and expect your engine to sound and perform right. Steel guitars are machines as well as a music producing source.

I know all the cliche's, "you don't like the sound of new strings" or "I don't change them until they break"! Modern manufactured steels have become state of the art. Strings are still being made the way they were 40 yrs. ago. They can't take the constant stretching from the pedals over a long period, and still keep their sustain and tuning. When I lived in Detroit I kept strings on forever until they either broke or started to have that awful zinging sound. I've been there...done that.

In the studio I change every 3 to 7 days. Guitarists change generally every day. Acoustic guitarists change for every 3 hr session. Sometimes they get a good set that lasts all day. That's how important strings are to the tuning and tonality of the instruments you hear on records.

It's important to have a well tuned instrument. I've seen all the posts about "How we should tune" but nothing about the strings that we are trying to tune.

[Jack Stoner]

If I'm just playing my regular gig, it's once a month. If I'm on the road, it's no more than 10 days between string changes.

[Alan Brookes]

(True Confession !!!!)
I have about 80 instruments of various different sorts, and a limited budget. If I changed all the strings every week I would have no time to play (or sleep !) I have instruments around that have 50 yr. old strings on them.

Someday when I win the National Lottery (which might be a long time because I never buy a ticket) I'll hire someone to keep all the instrument strings refreshed. Until then it's a good excuse for not sounding like Jerry Byrd (...it's the strings, not me !)

[Mark Treepaz]

I change when the strings start sounding dull, and the harmonics will not sustain as they should. This all depends on how much you practice and play the guitar.

Up to this point, that's pretty much what I've been doing. Although, the article by Paul Franklin is certainly food-for-thought on the subject.

[Dillon Jackson]

I'm shakin' out the string packs right now. 40 years of acoustic guitar, I knew better. Shame on me! My only excuse is that I play autoharp and well, changing and tuning that critter is a good day's work. Time that I tend to my knitting. Thanks guys!

[Alan Brookes]

Dillon: If you think changing strings on an autoharp is bad (and who changes strings on an autoharp ?!) try changing 28 gut strings on a 14-course lute....

[Jody Sanders]

I change the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th every week. on the 4th week, a new complete set. I play 2 to 3 gigs a week and about 10 hrs practice. It is very im portant to have fresh strings so that they will sustain long enough to hold the note. Jody.

[Joe Miraglia]

All the posts about tone ,hands, guitar, Etc, Little said about changing strings one of the most important things for good tone. Players will spend all kinds of money on this and that,but when it comes to strings we are cheap skates or too lazy to change them Joe

[Ronnie Sellers]

I"m not a pro by no means but i cant see changing strings every week,
I change about every eight to ten weeks depending on the tone of the strings.
I use a rag saturated in the famous SLICK 50 LUBE and in works very well.
Just wipe off the access.

[Ron Randall]

I change when the wound strings sound dull, or when the plain strings are difficult to chime. U12

I have been keeping track and this is about every 3 weeks. I practice most everyday and play the PSG out once or twice a week.

I have never been sorry that I changed them.