If you ever get depressed with your sound, tone, playing, guitar,....

[Rufedges]

........you probably just need to change the strings. I usually change every week the night before the gig (Sunday worship), and of course put a dab of buttstock wax on the back of the neck and use the EBMM fretboard cleaner/conditioner.........but, didn't play las Sunday, to strings were almost 2 weeks old........was actually thinking I might take a couple month hiatus from playing, changed the strings last night, guitar and gear sounds like a million bucks.

I do think I am going to move up from 9s to 10s and give it a shot, I am just pushing the 9s around llike they are 8s...........been two months after not playing for 6 weeks due to going away for school, fingertips on the left hand are rock hard,......they were super soft after not playing for 6 weeks.........9s felt like 10s or 11s.

Anyway, string changes are good.........I would change them every 3 days if I could.

 

[Jack FFR1846]

You change them every week???


I sold my Axis back in January. I bought it in the spring of 09. I changed the strings once, just because I felt like it.


(I also play in a worship band)

 

[Rufedges]

What? ..............that is crazy, I would probably sell my guitars and stop playing if I didn't change the strings either.........there really is no better sound and feel playing a good guitar right after a fresh string change.......it is magical.

You change them every week???


I sold my Axis back in January. I bought it in the spring of 09. I changed the strings once, just because I felt like it.


(I also play in a worship band)

 

[acwild]

I guess I'm the opposite. Since I've been using Fast Fret religiously before and after playing, I average six months for string changes. Of course I have a bunch of guitars on rotation so that helps.
New strings stress me out because they keep going out of tune and then I know that the liveliness will soon be gone. I'd rather be done with all that and get to the broken-in sound that I'm familiar with. As long as my intonation is intact and the strings feel silky smooth, I'm good.

 

[Rufedges]

I guess I keep the EBMM string factory in business, there is nothing like the first few days with new strings. I have been using the EBMM RPS strings, but, I am thinking about getting the regular ones since they are literally almost the same thing, and I can't tell a difference, and I can get them cheaper. Sweetwater has a 12 pack of regular 10-46 Slinkys for like 45 bucks, and free shipping..........that is $3.75 per set, pretty good IMHO.

I guess I'm the opposite. Since I've been using Fast Fret religiously before and after playing, I average six months for string changes. Of course I have a bunch of guitars on rotation so that helps.
New strings stress me out because they keep going out of tune and then I know that the liveliness will soon be gone. I'd rather be done with all that and get to the broken-in sound that I'm familiar with. As long as my intonation is intact and the strings feel silky smooth, I'm good.

 

[djlynch]

Once a month tops for me. However, no gigging for me.

 

[BrickGlass]

New strings stress me out because they keep going out of tune

You must not be stretching them properly. They should hold in tune great if they are stretched out right.

 

[musikarero]

I usually can get 3 weeks to a month out of mine.....sometimes more.

 

[ScoobySteve]

If you have a massive right hand the RPS matter....... A LOT. I've been using RPS since as long as I can remember. Slinks we're great but I literally can't remember a Pre RPS where a string didn't eventually break. Now gotta go for cobalts. But as often as I change string I dunno if they're in my budget yet.

 

[Rufedges]

I do have kind of a big right hand.....but,......I think I can get by weekly with the regular strings. 10 bucks a pop cobalts are NOT in my budget either.

Are there any string cleaners, anything that can keep then sounding new more than 3 or 4 days out from changing them? I have tried the sprays and stuff back in the day, any kind of liquid really shouldn't be good for metal strings.......I got a free pack of EBMM string cleaner, looked like the fretboard wipes, but it is string cleaner? Those any good?

If you have a massive right hand the RPS matter....... A LOT. I've been using RPS since as long as I can remember. Slinks we're great but I literally can't remember a Pre RPS where a string didn't eventually break. Now gotta go for cobalts. But as often as I change string I dunno if they're in my budget yet.

 

[acwild]

You must not be stretching them properly. They should hold in tune great if they are stretched out right.

I know how to stretch them out. I just don't because I think it'll take some of the liveliness out of them. Yep, it's a mental issue. That's why I like my broken-in strings.

 

[koogie2k]

I go through them weekly when gigging. I remember playing Tommy's Morse and I don't believe he ever changed the strings on them from day 1...haha.

 

[mikeller]

I love a fresh set of strings!!! I usually take 2 guitars with me to every gig and try to get two gigs out of a set of strings. Often in the hot & humid summer gigs I can only get one gig though.

I clean my strings after every set with some Finger Ease sprayed on a cloth

 

[Dr.Strangenote]

same here, there is nothing like a freshly strings ready for spankin. I too usually can get about a month or a little longer out of a string change before I know that it needs it. If I don't need that particular guitar for a gig, it might wait a little longer. I change them about 1 week before a gig to get them fully broken in and properly stretched. If I have 2 gigs in 1 month, I usually will see if I can get by with the same set, but I too take multiple guitars and several packs of Ernie Ball strings.

 

[threeminutesboy]

I change mine before each gig or before recording, if just rehearshal they last usually one month or 2

tried the Cobalt and it didn't work for me will stick on RPS