I don't change strings, am I alone?

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Fingerstyle2		#41	[-]
(06/30/09 3:28 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Good question and great thread. I don't have acidic skin and I change strings fairly often (maybe once every couple of weeks on guitars that I'm playing a lot). I've paid quite a bit of money to own guitars that have rich overtones and long sustain. The music I play sounds best (to my ears) when the guitar produces the sustain and I can hear the overtones--that requires reasonably fresh strings! On the other hand, a lot of wonderful music has been made on dead strings and/or on guitars with thumpy or fundamental-based tone. Whatever works for you to produce the tone that you hear in your head--there's no one right tone or one right way to produce it. David
MrSoul		#42	[-]
(07/01/09 5:04 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I've never gone more than six months without changing strings. However, if I am going to record acoustic jazz, I prefer prefer to use strings that have been on my D28 for a least few weeks. They are less bright and jangly and that sounds better for the way I play jazz on a flattop. They sound more like flat wounds. If I am going for a country or a bluegrass feel, I like the brighter sound of new strings.
rusty post.stefangrossmans...		#43	[-]
(07/01/09 7:22 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	i wipe down my strings after every playing. will this help alot?
DalmationDexter		#44	[-]
(07/01/09 8:57 PM) Local user Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	My Martins prefer new(er) strings. My favorite guitar - a banner Gibson LG-2 - that many folks think is the best sounding guitar they have heard - still has the same strings from when I bought it back in 2001. That guitar gets played at least five hours a week. Sounds perfect so I don't want to rock the boat. Different strokes for different guitars I guess. Cheers, Mike
6stringTom		#45	[-]
(07/01/09 8:59 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I know a few casual guitar players who rarely or never change strings (unless I offer to do it for them). I know a particular D-16 that sounded great for about 7 years with its original strings. I volunteered to change the strings, and the sound changed--not better, just different. For me, It's about the sound you want to achieve. if it sounds better to you with the old strings, leave them on. I have no system. I just play until I start thinking, "these strings need changing." That happens more frequently on some guitars than others because each has its own unique sound. Even on a single guitar the time varies, I suppose by a variety of environmental factors plus the fact that I may get into a groove on a certain sound on a certain guitar and not want to mess it up. My range varies from about 3 months to a year. I usually manage to have clean hands when I play, and I also wipe down the strings after each playing session, and I never get gunk build up. Sorry, but the analogy with changing underwear just ain't right (although it is darn clever). Some of us are lucky enough to have very neutral relationships with our guitar strings and fret boards. I can't really see that fret wear from old strings on a well maintained guitar would amount to a big enough difference to influence my string-changing behavior.
Rock and REEL		#46	[-]
(07/01/09 9:42 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I don't change strings near as much as I should. I have 35 guitars but I only play perhaps 10 of them over a years time. I guess I get accustomed to the sound of dead strings and only notice a difference when I finally change out a set.... and WOW, what a difference! Rick Bowles D-45 Flamed Koa OM-42 Flamed Mahognay #29 of 30 Custom D Quilt Maple #8 of 10 000-28EC 35 Burst CEO-2 #15 of 90 HD-28 1995 D-28 Burst 000C-16SGTNE Style "AK" Koa Mandolin 1935
buddiesorg		#47	[-]
(07/02/09 12:34 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I restring when I break a string, when the guitar sounds out of tune after I tune it, or once a year. Most of my guitars only get restrung once a year ... only 4-5 usually get strung more often than that.
scarab100		#48	[-]
(07/04/09 2:26 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I tend to change strings on most of my guitars around once a month or so. However, my '79 Mossman Golden Era likes old strings. Haven't put strings on it since last October and it sounds great. Warren
sheeshmc		#49	[-]
(07/04/09 6:32 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I really, really dislike changing strings. It takes me away from playing, and there are clipped pieces of string on the floor when I am done that are hard to grip well enough to pick up. Luckily the dog no longer eats everything that lands on the floor. That being said, I change them at least once a month. The guitar just sounds better when I keep them fresh.
Imapickn		#50	[-]
(07/04/09 9:02 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	If you don't mind, or indeed like, the "thud" and "clink" of strings .... instead of the ring from properly tuned strings ... Then by all means .. leave the green strings on forever. You will get more "thud" as the years go by .... ima
TChristianHD28		#51	[-]
(07/04/09 10:15 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	am I alone? Yes. Chris "Fear The Dreads!" HD-28, D-18, LX-175, LXM, Tele, Dano, Alvarez
Heimdall56		#52	[-]
(07/05/09 8:45 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Imapickn wrote: If you don't mind, or indeed like, the "thud" and "clink" of strings .... instead of the ring from properly tuned strings ... Then by all means .. leave the green strings on forever. You will get more "thud" as the years go by .... ima The sarcasm isn't really necessary to make a point in polite conversation.
Imapickn		#53	[-]
(07/05/09 9:58 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Heimdall56 wrote: Imapickn wrote: If you don't mind, or indeed like, the "thud" and "clink" of strings .... instead of the ring from properly tuned strings ... Then by all means .. leave the green strings on forever. You will get more "thud" as the years go by .... ima The sarcasm isn't really necessary to make a point in polite conversation. Ooops ... sarcasm was not the intent .. sorry ... I actually had my tongue firmly buried in my cheek and was trying to give my opinion with a bit of humor ... I reckon I missed my mark.. I should have put a winky face at the end of the sentence... like this.. " "... "Green Strings" is a phrase that my friends and I have used for years to describe old worn out strings.. Doesn't your old strings make your finger tips green ? But sarcasm was not intended.. ima Last Edited By: Imapickn 07/05/09 10:08 AM. Edited 1 times.
Montuoro Guitars	Cut to the chace and use Nickel strings it works for Tony Rice...	#54	[-]
(07/05/09 10:36 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Hello, This subject is very dear to me as I am not too partial to new strings myself. I had spent over 3 years touring with and working for Wilco and Jeff Tweedy. Jeff never, ever, never, ever changes strings until he eventually breaks one. Given his particular live acoustic setup dead and ancient strings really lends itself to a warmer less piezo kind of a sound. On the flip side when played alone in a living room quite honestly the guitars don't make much sound at all. The strings are so dead they literally struggle to produce any tone, but through a preamp etc on stage it sounds like your sitting in a studio in front of a Neumann microphone. Just warm vintage tone!! The one thing I always like to stress to the people that I build guitars for is experiment with strings!! I personally really like Nickel strings. Its an old Bluegrass trick that many guitar players borrowed from mandolin players. The nickel strings have a more supple feel and will really warm up the sound of a guitar. There is no break in period so if you like the sound of strings that are not too bright they are perfect. And they pretty much stay the same throughout there tenure on your guitar. Tony uses nickel on his Clarence White D-28. I have heard and read him saying that he does it because he feels the guitar just doesn't sound right with Phosphor Bronze, way too bright for his taste. He does also state that every guitar has a type of string it prefers. Like on his Santa Cruz guitars he used Brass. Old or new it doesn't matter to anyone but you. Whatever gets the job done and makes you play like a pro...........
Heimdall56		#55	[-]
(07/05/09 2:51 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Imapickn wrote: Heimdall56 wrote: Imapickn wrote: If you don't mind, or indeed like, the "thud" and "clink" of strings .... instead of the ring from properly tuned strings ... Then by all means .. leave the green strings on forever. You will get more "thud" as the years go by .... ima The sarcasm isn't really necessary to make a point in polite conversation. Ooops ... sarcasm was not the intent .. sorry ... I actually had my tongue firmly buried in my cheek and was trying to give my opinion with a bit of humor ... I reckon I missed my mark.. I should have put a winky face at the end of the sentence... like this.. " "... "Green Strings" is a phrase that my friends and I have used for years to describe old worn out strings.. Doesn't your old strings make your finger tips green ? But sarcasm was not intended.. ima Sorry..I..misunderstood..your..intent..Ima..and..no,my..fingers..aren't..green!..Sorry..about..the..periods..for..spacing..folks..but..as..of..this..morning.. I..have..a..crater..in..the..middle..of..my..keyboard.
fichtmueller		#56	[-]
(07/05/09 3:21 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I didnt change strings as well when I went to college but found out that a 5-string- and a four-string- guitar are far more complicated to handle than a six stringed one, although I aquired a good bit of routine playing on five strings. So after a while I switched back to restringing in (to me) reasonable intervalls. And to make sure: No sarcasm or irony in here - pure facts. Frank forum intro p.54 or somewhere nearby. [Guild F30 * C.F. Martin 0-16NY * Steward parlor ~ 1880 * 000.28RC]
Tidobear		#57	[-]
(07/05/09 3:40 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I like the "experimenting with strings" concept. I usually don't leave strings on much longer than 3 months, but I like to try new brands and weights and then compare how they sound new as opposed to "broken in"...so it seems like a continuously on-going experiment to me. I don't think I've EVER found a type of string that I absolutely couldn't do without!
MartinBigot		#58	[-]
(07/05/09 6:09 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	To each his own (of course), but for me, I don't like to change strings, but I love the sound of new strings. It's always a "wow" factor for me after I change the strings. If I had a million bucks and someone to change them for me, my guitars would have new strings on them about once a week. I don't even mind the "jangly" sound people talk about when they're new. To me, when I'm playing someone's guitar with very old strings on it, I can't help wondering what it would sound like with new strings. As others have said "your mileage may vary".....everyone's hearing and taste is a personal thing...no real right or wrong answer here... 1939 00021 1969 D18 1990 HD28P 2001 D41 2002 000028H 2002 D42K2 2003 D17
Guitaropsimath		#59	[-]
(07/06/09 9:01 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I don't care for excessively bright or jangly tone, and it takes a couple of hours to warm up my 80/20s. Then after about 8 hours of play time, the 5 & 6 strings get too dull, but the rest are good, so I replace 5 & 6 and then get another 8 hours before I change the set. Seems they used to last longer, so I think it's my perception that has changed. My friend plays harder than me, and more often, and he makes a set of EXPs last a month. Playing 2-3 gigs a week using 4 different guitars I change out a set every couple of weeks. I keep a log, and some guitars get more time from a set than others. My HD 28 can go for 5-6 gigs, but my L-00 will only go 3-4. The OM needs new strings after 3 gigs. I haven't used the 00-17 enough to see a pattern, but it seems like it will be easy on strings. I'm trying to get my ears to like coated strings on it; so far it sounds good with EXPs. You'd think I could find something more interesting to be interested in. Sheesh Doug
SirKevin	I think I have changed my mind on this subject over the past year	#60	[-]
(07/06/09 11:25 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	First of all, I wipe the strings down after every playing...always. It does help extend the life dramatically. As far as how long I keep them on obviously depends on the guitar and how many hours. My Martin gets 75% of my guitar playing time and so I do try and change them every two months...I find that it allows me to explore more of the subtle tones of the guitar if I have "live" strings. The cost of the strings does not matter as much as just getting new ones on...yes the more expensive ones are great but even the cheaper ones (I call them my practice ones) always justify the effort after two months of aging the old strings. Kevin Lougheed Current Guitars: Martin 000-MFG 16; Fender F55-12; Yamaha FG-403MS York Region, Ontario, Canada

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