Beating a Dead Horse - How Often Do You Change Strings?

[Maguchi]

I know that this topic has been discussed ad nauseam, but I'll give a little context for why I bring it up again.

I'm convalescing from a hip replacement, and the time off work has afforded me some serious practice time. I'm talking about probably five hours a day, seven days a week-kind of practice time.

I put new strings on my newest Tele just last week, but I feel like I'm already in need of a new set. I'm using D'addario round wound 10s with a wound 3rd. I'm practicing several Truefire lessons, and also learning a few songs, but for the most part, my practice has been isolated to two positions on the neck over the last week (the "A" position at the 5th fret and the "D" position at the 10th fret).

So, after 40 hours or so of practice, the strings have kinks in those positions, and they sound a little dead.

So I'm curious to hear from folks, especially gigging musicians who really put the hours in - how often do you change strings?

I usually rotate guitars a couple times a week, so when one is getting rotated out, I change the strings so it will have a fresh set the next time it comes around in the rotation. So I guess I change strings twice a week. I love the zing and subtle brightness of new strings, it just sounds more musical to my ears (YMMV).

Because older strings lose their brilliance gradually, sometimes I don't notice they are duller. But I sure notice how much nicer new strings sound after changing them. Some of the bigger retailers occasionally have ridiculously good deals on 12 packs, 10 packs and even 3 packs. So I wait for those sales and stock up on strings then.

 

[Happy Enchilada]

I play the electrics until they're crusty.
I wipe 'em down with Dr. Duck's after longer play sessions to prolong life and make them easier to play.
Acoustics I change when they're getting dull sounding. They also get wiped down.
I have more electrics than acoustics, and I find myself playing the same 2-3 electrics most of the time.
So I change electrics a few times a year and ditto for acoustics.
I've been using Ernie Ball, D'Addario, and DR electric strings.
Most of the time I use 9.5s, although lately I'm drifting back to 10s for some Gibson-scale guitars.
For acoustic, EarthWood, D'Addario, and sometimes Martin.
11s are as heavy as I want to get ever. Always have liked lighter acoustic strings. Even on resonators.
I'm leaning toward 80/20 over phosphor bronze for acoustics.

I also find that the picks I use make a difference with various strings.
But the Tusq 1.0s sound great with everything, so I'm wondering why I have all the rest ...

 

[Wooly Fox]

If I'm playing lots and/or regularly leaving guitars out of cases, I go with coated strings as they tend to last much longer.

If I'm being cheap and/or using guitars on rotation, I stick with uncoated.

I usually change every month to 3 months, depending on how the guitar sounds and feels. Wipe down after each practice works wonders on longevity mind.

 

[Jakedog]

Whichever electric I’m using for my main guitar gets changed every gig. So usually 2-3 times a week. I have a heavy fretting hand and the strings get flat spots in the windings where they contact frets, which results in sub-par performance. So away they go.

I don’t play solos on my acoustic gigs, so I can typically get 2-3 gigs out of those before they’re dead sounding. I hate dead sounding strings. I like new lively ones. So I keep them as fresh as possible.

 

[Geoff738]

Not as often as I should. I can go years if I don’t break a string, which I very rarely do. I just really dislike changing strings on non-F style tuners. I don’t do it often enough to be good and fast at it.

Cheers,
Geoff

 

[Lockback]

In the summer, when my wife insists on opening the windows even when the humidity is ridiculous, I change them pretty often, like every 5 weeks, even if I haven't played them much because they smell like rust and won't stay in tune.
In the winter, when it's dry in the house, they last longer ... maybe I change them every three months. I use Ernie Ball Slinkys, 10's on all of them except for 9's on my Telecaster. I cannot stand dead strings so I try to keep some in the queue.

 

[teleplayr]

When I was gigging full-time, two nights max.

 

[Tone Quest]

I change strings every month. With my playing that's about the time they start to sound dull.

 

[ficelles]

Guitars, maybe once a year. Basses - all strung with flatwounds - not yet.

 

[String Tree]

I know that this topic has been discussed ad nauseam, but I'll give a little context for why I bring it up again.

I'm convalescing from a hip replacement, and the time off work has afforded me some serious practice time. I'm talking about probably five hours a day, seven days a week-kind of practice time.

I put new strings on my newest Tele just last week, but I feel like I'm already in need of a new set. I'm using D'addario round wound 10s with a wound 3rd. I'm practicing several Truefire lessons, and also learning a few songs, but for the most part, my practice has been isolated to two positions on the neck over the last week (the "A" position at the 5th fret and the "D" position at the 10th fret).

So, after 40 hours or so of practice, the strings have kinks in those positions, and they sound a little dead.

So I'm curious to hear from folks, especially gigging musicians who really put the hours in - how often do you change strings?

My String Changing has to do with how often I gig. Mostly.
I Change them Two days before a Gig and, when they just won't stay in tune/sound Dead.

Best of luck with your Hip Convalescing.
Cheers
-ST

 

[BlueTele]

I take a more simple approach: "when they need it." It could be that they don't feel right; it could be that they don't bend well any longer; could be that they've stretched out enough that they are slipping out of tune despite greater tuners. It is all subjective. There are people who set these silly rules for themselves like "it must be done...", but totally lacking in merit or reason "why" they change so often. There are stories of some pros that change strings several times during a performance. They'll play a guitar for 3-4 songs, then swap it for a different guitar for a different song or two. During that time, the guitar tech quickly re-strings the first guitar. Stupid. But with everything: "to each their own." There aren't many "rules" in artistic pursuits...just "habits"...subjective habits.

 

[ermandadana]

They usually still sound good, but they don’t feel as good. I’m picky. A guitar to be used for a gig gets new strings about a week before the gig.

Nox Vidmate VLC​

 

[ReverendRevolver]

I'm not super picky, but strings sound best when they're new, are dine stretching, and just starting to lose that new string brightness.
They feel the best (texturally) once they sound predictable but aren't cruddy yet.
Past that phase, It's probably time to change them.
Month+ on most guitars, but things I only touch 8 times a year go a year +.

If you use heavy picks, I've noticed they don't last as long.
I don't use a pick, and could technically rub the crud off monthly and get 18 months out of a set on a frequently played guitar. But even I'm not that cheap.

 

[RCinMempho]

I write the date on the string package when I put them on. Then I stick that in the case for that guitar.

I just went a year on one acoustic, but I knew it was time. I have an electric that hasn't changed in a couple of years. I have another that has been changed every few months. There are some in their cases with strings that could be in high school by now.

 

[DekeDog]

About the time I notice they sound like crap.

 

[boris bubbanov]

I just came into possession of a 12 string Takamine, that had not seen new strings since I think 2007. Wow, can't remember the last time I played (or tried to play) a guitar with strings so way far gone. Nobody on this planet could make this guitar sound good, sound intonated, or stay in tune for more than a moment.

 

[thunderbyrd]

I put on a new set when I break one, maybe twice a year.

 

[mfguitar]

It so depends on the player. But, once you see a kink, game over. I am not very rough on strings. on my main electric, I can get over 50 shows. I do love the sound of fresh strings on an acoustic but since switching to DD coated last year these hold up as well and still have a nice ring after a few months.

 

[LOSTVENTURE]

I also date the string's package when I put new ones on. But, the time to change is when I don't hear tones that I'm looking for. And, I'm rotating a couple dozen guitars, so sometimes strings seem to last forever. Generally, they last longest on my Fenders, and not so long on the shorter scale Gretsches, Gibsons, and Epiphones.