frequency of changing strings

Hi all,

Realistically how often do people who are just playing guitar as a hobby change their strings on their acoustic and electric guitars? Changing them monthly would seem a bit excessive?

thanks

Cara C

Hi, Cara,

I'm Chris and I'm always on electric. Guitarists who play on stage or in bands sometimes have to change them on a weekly basis, as strings wear down quickly. Practice, however, every 1-6 months is just fine.

It all really depends on the quality of the strings you buy. Strings will tell you anyway, by the tone (they become flat and dull) and by the darkened lustre that fades from shiny silver.

Regards, Chris.

Originally Posted by: Cara C

Hi all,

Realistically how often do people who are just playing guitar as a hobby change their strings on their acoustic and electric guitars? Changing them monthly would seem a bit excessive?

thanks

Cara C

Also referencing Maestro regarding the 'becoming dull'. It also depends on how much finger grease you leave behind on those strings. It sounds icky but we leave grease behind. We all do. However, we do in varying degrees. So you have to know a little bit of that about yourself too.

The way to combat that and prolong string life is to give the neck and strings a modest wipedown after playing. Doesn't have to be an intricate detailing like a car. Just take a soft rag or get some from a guitar store and give the strings a light wipedown.

I have nearly no finger grease and my strings last a good long time. Truth be known, the strings on my Tele are about two years old. Keep in mind though, I have seven guitars I switch between so it's not like I'm beating on one guitar specifically. Granted, I'm only practicing stuff so it's not like each gets a nightly beating. Two years is too long but they still ring nicely and no reason to change at this point...but that's the exception.

Don't worry too much about the interval. Like Maestro said, the strings will tell you. If you have one guitar and are practicing often with that guitar, you'll find that it's about every 3(ish) months. Save for string breakage etc.

Originally Posted by: Cara C

Realistically how often do people who are just playing guitar as a hobby change their strings on their acoustic and electric guitars? Changing them monthly would seem a bit excessive?

Short answer. 3 months average is my practice, SOP of more frequently on the couple of primary units I tend to be playing in any period.

Outside of the type of string, gauge, coated or uncoated, [u]given your hobby criteria[/u], the important four factors for your own determination are 1. frequency of play i.e. every day minimum, 2. hands on time logged on strings when you do, 3. electric or acoustic, 4. budget, with a defacto 4A. contingent to how many guitars are you referring to in terms of ownership & use in your maintenance schedule.

[br]For instance Elixir coated electric strings will last an aeon. But the downside is A. their (relative) tone and B. a personal one, my fingers slip on coated elixirs when I am bending. Elixirs specifically have another aspect too, C. of being harsh relative to equivalent alternatives) on the fingers vs other brands which I won't elaborate upon here. MPV.

When you change is ultimately up to you, but uncoated strings which I prefer really do need changing at 3-4 monthly intervals at a [u]minimum[/u] IMPV. By then if an electric E or B is not broken, it will start exhibiting issues with holding consistent intonation, poor tone, and possibly buzzing which will have you chasing your proverbial tail until you change strings and it disappears. Acoustic strings will lose that pleasant to finger feel and start to sound comparatively dull by that time.

I'd recommend always use a quality string. Even though they segment market, buying a prominent brand will enure that. I usually use uncoated D'Addario EXLs on electric & EJs on acoustic. Very affordable for the suggested interval regular changes if bought in blulk. [br][br]Assuming played frequently, both are really are past their best before us by date within that previously stated maximum time frame. Of course, you don't HAVE to change them to play them I suppose, as long as they are not broken, and I know someone who doesn't. Even were it not for the tone, the feel of them and inconsistent intonation on electrics?! Just ugh! [br][br]This is of course applicable to the units being played regularly vs stored in a case in the cupboard outside the impulsive biennial hands on sojurn.

That said I'll further qualify my own 3-4 month preference by stating that my fingers ooze acid sweat and I live in a hot humid sub-tropical seaside envionment where even though my studio is air conditioned, the saline saturated air does strings no favour exposed hanging on the wall, in a stand or rack not being played even using good preventative maintenance discipline washing hands and wiping down using a cleaner & conditioner e.g. Dunlop Formula 65 Ultra Glide. [br][br]On electrics, IME if one does a lot of bending, that's also a factor to consider which will significantly shorten string set life as does the fact the E, B & G strings are single strand metal and tarnish/corrode.

I'll change strings when I think I hear a sound quality change. That can be less than optimal; however, because sound change kinda creeps up on me. By the time I notice strings don't sound right it can be well past an appropriate change date. I wake up and, "Hey... these sound crappy!"

A better way for me is too change strings based on the time played. Not calendar time of weeks or months, but clock time of hours. Since my practice regimen includes rough lesson plans which in turn involves logging time played, I always have an accurate account of how many hours the stings have been played.

Like manXcat, I wipe down the strings after every session with an added extra cleaning at the end of the week. (The String Cleaner http://thestringcleaner.com/ ) Most of my time is spent on my acoustic and the practice and play certainly isn't thrash... 100 hours on a set of strings is more than enough if I don't hear the need before then.

Thanks so much folks who have replied, much appreciated !! And so much detail is amazing!! What a great forum this is :-)

This forum is a great asset for anyone who wants to advance their skill set. This is a place you can get answers, instead of piling up questions. Between the newbes, the seasoned players, the "Ask a guitar tech" thread and the instructors, there is a vast prospective on the art of guitar at you disposal... enjoy.

I'm inclined to agree - a fountain of knowledge. Some folk here have written veritable essays on the subject. Worth the read. To those who haven't heard of Dan Erlewine, his books on guitar maintenance are also invaluable sources of information.