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.