How often do you change your strings?

For Any Other Topic not covered in one of the specialist forums below

Moderators: David Martin, dave robinson, Iain Purdon, George Geddes

How often do you change your strings?

Postby Stuart » Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:45 pm

I am sure this topic must have appeared on here countless times before but I will ask it anyway.I know that many guitarists and bassists change their strings very frequently whilst others leave the same strings on for years.I know that new strings have real ringing top end particularly on the wound ones. However this very quickly fades, meaning you need to adjust your amp treble settings virtually every day for the first two weeks.
Personally, I prefer the sound after about 3 weeks when the excess brightness had faded down. As there have been no gigs for a year now, I haven't changed my strings at all! I can hear you cringing but apart from the low E getting dull in harmonics, they still produce a good sound with a slight eq adjustment on the amp. It will be interesting to hear how frequently other members replace their strings.
User avatar
Stuart
 
Posts: 68
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 7:15 pm
Location: Chelmsford,Essex
Full Real Name: Stuart Watson

Re: How often do you change your strings?

Postby SJB » Thu Jan 21, 2021 7:13 pm

If its any help - I contacted Fender on this.

They said it depends on playing style - and usage.

I said that I practiced for one or two hours an evening for 3 evenings a week. Played about 10-15 numbers at the session every Thursday + 4 numbers twice a month at shads clubs.
They said change every 6 to 9 weeks.

I keep track of my string changes on a spreadsheet - but still get caught out with dull strings. So I check my spreadsheet and think - oh dear is it that long.
Don't play that much now.

I would think if you record stuff - if you did part of it - then waited for a couple of weeks the sound would be noticeably different.

Does it really matter at a gig? Would the general public notice ?
SJB
 
Posts: 268
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2015 12:50 pm
Location: South Wales
Full Real Name: Stuart J Best

Re: How often do you change your strings?

Postby Stu's Dad » Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:16 am

I've got several guitars, and some I play regularly but others might get played about once a year. I can usually tell if the strings need changing by a loss of 'zing' in the tone and the need to retune frequently. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Len
Stu's Dad
 
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed May 22, 2013 3:34 pm
Full Real Name: Leonard Evans

Re: How often do you change your strings?

Postby Tigerdaisy » Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:06 am

I would say that if you have difficulty getting into tune accurately you definitely need to change strings- you can usually hear an untunable guitar if you play a few open chords.
Tigerdaisy
 
Posts: 361
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2010 8:29 pm
Full Real Name: Martin Kay

Re: How often do you change your strings?

Postby nivramarvin » Fri Jan 22, 2021 1:39 pm

Since I've been using nano-coated strings, I change them every two years at most.
User avatar
nivramarvin
 
Posts: 230
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 10:30 am
Location: Bavaria
Full Real Name: Wolfgang Hefele

Re: How often do you change your strings?

Postby Iain Purdon » Fri Jan 22, 2021 1:47 pm

I follow the Rostill practice for my bass - if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Iain Purdon
site admin group
User avatar
Iain Purdon
Site Admin
 
Posts: 3326
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2009 3:21 pm
Location: Axmouth, Devon
Full Real Name: Iain Purdon

Re: How often do you change your strings?

Postby dave robinson » Fri Jan 22, 2021 4:27 pm

I change mine very rarely and I can go six to twelve months sometimes with my guitars in the house, but if we're doing theatres I make sure the strings are pretty new on whichever guitars I choose to take on the gig for fear of breakage. I don't damage my strings with sweat and rarely overdue it with the tremolo arm, so I've always had good service from my strings. I know by listening to them when they need changing and act accordingly. I always have a stock of different gauges in for my different guitars so I'm rarely stuck. I recently strung up one of my Strats with 11/54 with a wound third to try and replicate some early Shads records, but normally my 9/46 do the job admirably. :)
Dave Robinson
User avatar
dave robinson
 
Posts: 5937
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:34 pm
Location: Sheffield
Full Real Name: David Robinson

Re: How often do you change your strings?

Postby clivea » Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:31 pm

I know of a well known, experienced guitarist whose has told me that his current strings are over two years old - still getting a fantastic sound!
I suppose it’s all down to your ears.

Clive
clivea
 
Posts: 91
Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 8:32 am
Location: GRIMSBY UK
Full Real Name: T Clive Aspinall

Re: How often do you change your strings?

Postby Stuart » Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:33 pm

I always find that brand new strings are too "zingy "and live for older Shads sounds.Perhaps more like the later Burns guitar sounds where the upper register was sharper sounding than the smoothness of the strat particularly when you play above the 9th or tenth fret on the high E string. On that same point even with older strings, the high notes are much sweeter with heavy gauge strings.I always use 12s or 11s which seem to peak at around 3 to 4 weeks old.
User avatar
Stuart
 
Posts: 68
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 7:15 pm
Location: Chelmsford,Essex
Full Real Name: Stuart Watson

Re: How often do you change your strings?

Postby Gruntfuttock » Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:59 pm

I use D’Addario pure nickel strings . 11’s. Since COVID 19 and no audiences I change my strings perhaps twice a year. Before COVID I played to a small audience once a month and either changed the six strings once a month or changed the top B and E strings one month and the whole set the second month. I was always concerned with broken B and E strings.
Dave
Gruntfuttock
 
Posts: 163
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 7:13 am
Full Real Name: David Michael Redknap

Next

Return to The Lounge

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests

Ads by Google
These advertisements are selected and placed by Google to assist with the cost of site maintenance.
ShadowMusic is not responsible for the content of external advertisements.