What a difference a string change makes!

[MusicManJP6]

Yeah, I'm usually good about washing my hands before playing and wiping the strings afterwards. I usually go at least 2 months before changing them on a regular basis. I guess it's like the frog that doesn't realize the water is starting to boil until it's too late. The change from new strings to worn out is slow and gradual. Then one day you realize that your amp sounds flat and uninspiring. It didn't occur to me that it was my strings until I changed them. Thus, I thought i'd bring this thread up.

I have pretty even hand chemistry or whatever so strings seem to last longer for me than what you all are saying. Albeit 3 months was pushing it...

Now Bass strings are different since they are so expensive. I went a year without changing them because I rarely play it. Needless to say they were DEAD when I replaced them. The new strings sounded MUCH better...

 

[DrBob]

Not at all mate...

When I was playing I would deaden a set of strings in a 3 hour practice with band and then have to restring just for rest of week and then restring prior to gig.

I will admit I have moved to another brand of strings that promise long life and i've been getting over a month out a set. Saving me a shed load of cash.

I think i sweat acid...

My friend Karl has the same problem. He's a Floyd Rose kind of guy and every guitar he's had he's had to change the tremolo because where his Right palm rests on the baseplate he's corroded through the plating and made the metal rust...

It's a shame because I'm sometimes reticent to let him play with my guitars for fear of what he'll do to them....

 

[andynpeters]

When I was playing residencies I used to change strings on the night off (ie once a week). Never noticed a difference in tone or longevity between name brands and dirt cheap webstrings. Now I´m a bedroom man it's once every month or so.

But then my sweat, like my heart, is 100% pure.

 

[mikeller]

I depends on how much I play them - on my Axis, which is my main gig guitar, I change them before almost every gig (which can be once a week), but try to stretch it a few longer.

 

[Axilla]

Due to a shortage in my stock of 10/46 Slinkys, I had to install a set of D'Addarios on one of my guits lately and was quite annoyed with what I got as a result.
OK, those might have been a little older, but still in a sealed plastic bag...
I changed back to 10/46 Slinkys only a few days later when I got my hands on some again, and.... WHOOOMB, there it is again, the sound I was looking for...

Me too, I change strings quite regularly in short intervals as I like to keep the sound fresh and broad...

 

[robelinda2]

My hands make a new set of strings old in usually a week, max. Quite acidic. I hate it, but new strings do feel nice.

 

[jamminjim]

you guys change your strings...?

Maybe that's why my playing sounds flat and dead. Hummm....

Have to look into this string changing idea...

I usually just took em off, placed em in a pan of boiling water and cooked em clean. Then good old WD40 for any remaining corrosion. Put em back on good as new.


new slinkys you say....

 

[MusicManJP6]

Wow, Jim, that sounds like a lot more work than necessary. I'd rather spend 5 bucks and just get a brand new set!

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Playing 3 odd gigs a week, I change the strings on my guitars every 3 or 4 months. I use all of my 5 guitars about an equal amount, and thanks to Graphtech saddles I never have to worry about string breakages. I guess I am lucky that I don't have toxic sweat!