How often do you change your strings?

Nidge

I was wondering this, cos last summer i bought about 4 packets. They are the types of strings i like, i put one set on in August and didn't replace them til now when they got really dirty.

As you can see i don't change them that often. It's not like i don't play the guitar that often...i say this cos someone said every 16 hours of playing.

Well my 16 hours had been well spent a few times over by the time i changed them recently. Then i realised how much better and how much of a lift changing the strings on the guitar it can give. Although at the same time i like the difference so much i don't really change them so often that it doesn't surprise me any more, plus ya do have to pay for tha fecking things!!

So in short how often does everybody change there strings do you have a particular time span or is it whenever you feel like it?

It wasn't me!

Whenever I feel like it and can afford it. If I changed it every sixteen playing hours I'd be changing them every week or so. That would just be stupid and prohibitively expensive. Generally every couple of months though. I wait until they've lost more or less all tone, then I change 'em.

Karl Hungus

It really depends, as from what I heard, if you're playing professionally and touring then you do need to change strings very often. Personally though, since changing to Ernie Ball, I've gotten much more life from the strings. I used to use D'Addario, but I felt they got very grimy and lost their tone very quickly. So I'd say maybe every other month, give or take.

NotMe

Not that often. Usually when one breaks or if they get really dull.

John

I play quite hard so when I break a string I change the whole lot. So that's every 2-4 weeks.

Nidge

that's mad, and expensive.

Stroller_burn

whenever one breaks, if it gets really dirty, or if it's starting to get out of tune fast I replace the string. I havn't replaced the strings on my bass for over a year and they still sound fine.

feylya

Usually whenever I can afford to. I had two packs of Dean Markley Blue Steels on my main guitar and they lasted 6 months each :eek:

John

Nidge wrote:

that's mad, and expensive.

Not as mad and expensive as when I break my bass strings. But that hasn't happened in a while thank god

Nidge

yeah i see that as one disadvantage of being a bassist or having a bass. What average joe spends there money in advance on buying a supply of 5 packets of bass strings? "Sorry son we won't be eating for the next few weeks cos daddy bought a supply of bass strings instead". There are some good internet sites for getting strings dirt cheap, good strings obviously. I got 4 packets of Ernie Ball Hybrids for €16. I'm sure that would have cost me €40 in town.

NeMiSiS

About once a month.. or two days before a gig.. But yeh if one goes.. I replace the lot.. different tone ya see..
Tom

Nidge

yeah, this before the gig lark, unless the strings were fairly old i would find it hard to care about tone down to that degree in a Eamonn Dorans-gig.

feylya

I wouldn't chance a gig with old strings. New strings rarely break (for me at least). Then again, I rarely break strings.

Anyone try www.webstrings.com for strings? Nice low prices. Must order some strings next time I've some spare cash.

NeMiSiS

Eire is mad for prices, when i was in New York I could get 3 sets of D'dario (I am well aware of the misspelling.. but you should be arware I am very drunk) for $10, in Guitar Superstore..

Out of curiousity,any cliamed back the point's on them before.. I have heaps of packs .. really gotta total my players point's??
TK

feylya

Never have. Housemate just threw out my D'Addario bass string pack with like 10 points on it too. Should have 20 points soon so I might try and get that mug.

NeMiSiS

Bah I have 100 odd, does it entitle me to a Hooker ?
TK

feylya

You can get a D'Addario stool...

NeMiSiS

Rockin, if I turn it upside down I can put 3 maybe 4 women on it.
TK

feylya

But the legs are rectangular...

I don't know what sort of women you hang around with :eek:

NeMiSiS

Hot but with sqaure vagina's? Wow this is turning slowly into a Personal Issues thread..
Feyla , go to bed mate.. those are frightningly quick replies
TK

D!ve^Bomb!

i'd change them everytime i picked up the guitar if i could.. i didn't used to care about the types of string i got before, i'd just ask for any old 9 gauge(sp?), usually i'm given d'addario or epiphone strings.. but the last time i got strings i was given ernie ball hybrids... WOW!!! they were absolutely amazing and improved my fretwork completely so they will be my string of choice from now on, but they don't seem to last long, i always keep my guitar in a hard case but it doesn't seem to help the quality of the string:(

but anyway, i suppose i'd change them every month or two, only because i can't justify leaving my house JUST to buy strings, i think i'll start buyin in bulk from now on, in which case i'll be changing every coupld of weeks..

-=al=-

i got about 40 players points or so and as for strings i replace em every 2-3 weeks usually, if one breaks i replace that if the set is new enough but ive loads of strigns around the place whenever im in town i jus pick some up to have, and when im buying them i get a seperate spare string with it, it builds up over time then if one breaks u can just replace it! I get strings for 5-6 i know the doods in musician.... so aint too bad

stagolee

im on my second set of strings in only eight years!! i tell ye if i knew playing the guitar was going to be this expensive a hobby i would have never started
ah seriously though i only play about five hours a week on average

D!ve^Bomb!

stagolee wrote:

im on my second set of strings in only eight years!! i tell ye if i knew playing the guitar was going to be this expensive a hobby i would have never started
ah seriously though i only play about five hours a week on average

are you serious???

stagolee

D!ve^Bomb! wrote:

are you serious???

yup i buy the elixer strings they last a fair few years at a time, im too lazy to replace strings unless they break and when they do i normaly fix them as there is rarely a spare string handy

although im thinking my estimate of five hours a week play is probably a bit out as ive been playing my nylon string guitar a lot more recently

eoin5

I've never changed the strings on my aria bass, I love the sound it makes now so I dont want to risk loosing it. I intend on changing the strings on my ricky 4003 every two weeks or so because it sounds really good with new strings, all about sound so 'tis.
I change my guitar strings everytime i break one, which is fairly often.

Nidge

stagolee wrote:

im on my second set of strings in only eight years!! i tell ye if i knew playing the guitar was going to be this expensive a hobby i would have never started
ah seriously though i only play about five hours a week on average

It wouldn't matter if your strings were made from the pubic hair of an angel or even if you do "only" play 5 hours a week, you should still change them more than that. I can only imagine that they are the dirtiest gankiest strings in the world.

Maximilian

My girlfriend changes her g-string every day because it gets sticky. Sometimes she goes out without one and plays with my instrument instead. Its a big organ, kindy of woody. Nobody can blow air through the pipes like she can.

0utshined

I don't change strings, I just get a new guitar

disgruntled

I use Ernie Ball super slinkys and change them about once a month. I also use Fast fret, helps them last a bit longer.

John

Last night: 5 minutes into practice and I broke the e string. No spares, I didn't stop rockin' though. In fact, I rocked even harder. The only problem is I've no money for new strings. As soon as next term's grant is in I'm buying a box of strings.