How often do you change your strings?

[JimN]

I have only ever broken one string on stage, and that was fifty years ago next June. I was messing about a bit overmuch with the tremolo arm on my Mosrite Ventures model during a performance of Orange Blossom Special. I can even remember where it was: RAF Stanmore in NW London - it was that unusual.

To be honest, I've never been able to understand how strings break in (normal) performance.

[Stuart]

I have only ever broken one string on stage, and that was fifty years ago next June. I was messing about a bit overmuch with the tremolo arm on my Mosrite Ventures model during a performance of Orange Blossom Special. I can even remember where it was: RAF Stanmore in NW London - it was that unusual.
Perhaps I shouldn't tempt fate but I have never broken a string in 58 years but a rhythm guitarist we used to have in the sixties would regularly break 1 or 2 every gig.Serious technique issues there!
To be honest, I've never been able to understand how strings break in (normal) performance.

[Stuart]

My last post seems to have merged into Jim's!
It should be a reply from the line saying that I have never broken a string in 58 years although a rhythm player we had made a habit of breaking strings on every gig!

[Gatwick1946]

I usually put on a new set of strings about every six months. I have always found that new strings are more difficult to keep in tune, whereas after a few weeks they settle down and seem to keep in tune better. Thinking back to my gigging days, the most problems were caused by the difference in temperature, when the instruments were carried into the venue, from the back of the van. If the outside temperature, in the winter, was close to zero, then when the instrument was exposed to the warmer atmosphere in the venue, that is when they were most likely to go out of tune. Those electronic tuners have certainly improved things, compared to the old pitch pipes.

I cannot recall breaking a string more than 2/3 times, in the last 60 odd years. Cheapo Cathedral brand in my youth, and then Ernie Ball 10-46 or 12-52.

Kindest regards,
Christopher

[Stuart]

Christopher, on your point about tuning,I have foundd that the strat fared better than other non trem guitars as regards tuning versus temperature change.Wr used to have a guitarist who used Gibson and Epiphone. Both seemed to go flat as the temperature rose, which is as you would expect.The dtrings expanding eith heat. I think that the trem tensioning springs take up that slack as the strings expand and correct at least some of the error. A sort of self adjusting tension.

[bazmusicman]

I have only ever broken one string on stage, and that was fifty years ago next June. I was messing about a bit overmuch with the tremolo arm on my Mosrite Ventures model during a performance of Orange Blossom Special. I can even remember where it was: RAF Stanmore in NW London - it was that unusual.

To be honest, I've never been able to understand how strings break in (normal) performance.

I used to play at RAF Stanmore in their Social Club ....was it a Vulcan Bomber Plane that sat at the entrance?

Sadly the site is now a housing estate.

Regards,
Baz.

[bazmusicman]

I met Bert Weedon in the 70's and asked him how often he changed his strings. He said about once or twice a year!
I said my my strings go dead in about a couple of weeks because of my sweaty hands. He told me he wipes his strings down with baby oil to make them last.
I tried it but gave up because it made everything too messy. Maybe I used to much!

Regards,
Baz.

[Uncle Fiesta]

I just wipe all the strings down with a dry cloth after playing, even if it was only for a few minutes. Works wonders for the longevity of the strings, and I can't remember the last time I broke one. Decades I think.

[JimN]

I have only ever broken one string on stage, and that was fifty years ago next June. I was messing about a bit overmuch with the tremolo arm on my Mosrite Ventures model during a performance of Orange Blossom Special. I can even remember where it was: RAF Stanmore in NW London - it was that unusual. To be honest, I've never been able to understand how strings break in (normal) performance.

I used to play at RAF Stanmore in their Social Club ....was it a Vulcan Bomber Plane that sat at the entrance?
Sadly the site is now a housing estate.

It definitely had a retired RAF aircraft at the entrance (most, if not all, RAF stations had that), but I can't recall what it was. But a Vulcan is massive, isn't it? Perhaps I'd have remembered that more readily. I remember a Spitfire outside RAF Sealand (north Wales, though near to Chester) back in the 60s and 70s.

The defence contractors GEC Marconi factory in Rochester (adjacent to Rochester "Airport") had an English Electric Lightning next to the boundary fence. it might still be there.

Edit: I ought to add that RAF Stanmore was a pukka RAF station, not USAAF. When we played there, I remember an interesting conversation with an older officer (in uniform) who had flown bomber sorties over Germany. It had been only twenty five or twenty six years earlier, of course.

[LONGPLAYER09]

The Lightning went several years ago, due to "ageing" !