• From: The Land Of Song
  • Registered: 2007-12-10
  • Posts: 5,649

Topic: new strings

i last changed the strings on my Telecaster in October last year which is disgusting as i gig most weekends and play quite a bit in the house through the week. i promised that i would change them after new years eve...but that hasn't happened (shame face). every week i think, yes i shall change them Sunday morning, then i play them and they sound fresh and good so i think i'll give them another week! (bad boy, bad boy) i did take some time out today and changed the strings on my crafter, and they sound great Martins 11 gauge. i meant to put on D'Adario which i bought for an astonishing price from a company called "wish". 1 set normally costs £6.00, so when i got 2 sets for less than £5.00 and they look originals, who could complain? they took a while to arrive but still.....
anyone like to tell how often the change their strings?

i have now shamed myself enough and i'm off to change the Tele.

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Phill Williams's Website

  • From: SC Pa
  • Registered: 2014-03-26
  • Posts: 1,348

Re: new strings

I play almost every night for 15-30 minutes. 2-3 times a month I get together with a couple friends on the weekend and we'll play for 5-6 hours.

I would typically change strings 3-4 times a year. If I haven't done it recently and a Chordie event is coming up, I'll change them to have fresh strings before I go. So that may make it 5-6 times a year.

Don't know if that's good or bad.

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[b]Today Is Only Yesterdays Tomorrow[/b]
  • TIGLJK
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-05-11
  • Posts: 3,168

Re: new strings

OK  I don't get it.

If I have strings that are on my guitar that I have had for two years, and I play probably at lest 1/2 hour to an hour every day - but they are still perfectly in tune, why do I need to change them ?  Or even if I played four hours a day - but they are still in tune - why change ? 

What am I missing here ?   Remember that I am not a guitarist per say - so be gentle ! smile

Jim

Your vision is not limited by what your eye can see, but what your mind can imagine.
Make your life count, and the world will be a better place because you tried.

"Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except only the the best." - Henry Van Dyke
  • From: The Land Of Song
  • Registered: 2007-12-10
  • Posts: 5,649

Re: new strings

When I watched the Joe Cocker band around 40 years ago they had 2 guitarist's playing Telecasters who took turns having full change overs, every other song! I expect as they were sweating so much and playing so hard that to avoid tone loss and breakages.
Pro guitarist's will change their strings before each gig, but they all have a guitar technician.

Jim, I change strings when they become dirty or lose tone. I must say that your guitar has a lovely tone even though they are several years old.

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Phill Williams's Website

  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: new strings

Strings mainly need changing because of the oils & dead skin that gets lodged in the winding. This causes them to start sounding dead with reduced sustain. The un-wound strings will start to tarnish just from being exposed to air. Coated strings (like Elixir Nano-Web, Martin LifeSpan, D'Addario EXP, etc.) can last up to 3-months before changing, but I've found that uncoated strings can't go much more than a month before losing their brightness. Once a person finds the string they like for a particular guitar, most of them can be bought in multi-packs, so the cost is reduced considerably.

  • From: SC Pa
  • Registered: 2014-03-26
  • Posts: 1,348

Re: new strings

TIGLJK wrote:

OK  I don't get it.

If I have strings that are on my guitar that I have had for two years, and I play probably at lest 1/2 hour to an hour every day - but they are still perfectly in tune, why do I need to change them ?  Or even if I played four hours a day - but they are still in tune - why change ? 

What am I missing here ?   Remember that I am not a guitarist per say - so be gentle ! smile

Jim

The change in tone can happen so slowly that you don't even realize it's happening. If you've had your strings on for 2 years and play regularly, do yourself a favor and treat your guitar to a new set. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the brighter sound that comes out of it.

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[b]Today Is Only Yesterdays Tomorrow[/b]