• From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2016-02-07
  • Posts: 923

Topic: How Often Do You Change Strings

How often do you change strings on a steel string acoustic, electric steel string, bass, or classical guitar? Do you go by sound, time played, or how it feels?

I play classical guitars and normally change mine after 10 to 15 hours of playing time, and I use D'Addario EJ45 Pro-Arte  that are normal tension. I have used these same strings for a very long time.

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Music is life, that why our hearts have beats.
  • From: Washington state
  • Registered: 2009-06-15
  • Posts: 19

Re: How Often Do You Change Strings

I have used EJ-45's for a long time.  I have gone to EJ-46's on my  Martin with it's 26+" scale and it is an improvement.  I change out the wound strings monthly.  We do about a gig a week and my nylon string is my main instrument.  I will change the clear nylon strings about 4 times a year.
I am guilty of leaving my 12 string unchanged for 6 months or so.  It just depends on their condition. 
The nylon harp strings on my banjos are over a year old and show no wear and sound as good as when I first installed them.  I do not use a wound string.

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  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: How Often Do You Change Strings

I change my electrics after 20-25 hours of playing, unless I break a string (which is rare) in which case they all get replaced. I change my acoustics (all steel strings) when they go dead or when the intonation starts going funky, which is generally at least 2x a year even with paper weights.

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

Re: How Often Do You Change Strings

I put new strings on the Martin about every 3 months. I changed them right before I went to NY for Amy's Backyard Get Together and I'll be changing them again in a couple weeks so their fresh for the Pa Get Together. I typically use John Pierce PB lights but I picked up a 10-pack of Martin PB light's last winter for $30 so I'm using those right now. They don't seem to retain their brilliance as long as the John Pierce.

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

Re: How Often Do You Change Strings

I can generally get about 3-months out of a set of Elixir Nanowebs, which I use on my 6 and 12 string acoustics. Electrics about every 4-6 weeks, and classical about every 2  months. I was using the D'Addario EJ45's, but decided to try the RotoSound "Black & Silvers" recently. They sound good, but don't stay in tune as well as the D'Addarios do ... I'll be going back to them next change.

Sound is the main factor, and I don't like the sound of dead strings. New strings are a cheap fix to keep a guitar sounding bright, and having the sustain at it's best.

  • From: Western Oregon,US
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 2,498

Re: How Often Do You Change Strings

All this talk about strings, made me feel guilty.... so today I changed the set on my Ovation.  Took most of a rainy Sunday afternoon to get it done what with the truss adjustment (overlooked last time and needed because of guage change), fret leveling & crowning, bridge adjustment and finally getting everything up to pitch.

A short chat on the phone with another guitarist friend, reminded me that it had been almost TWO years since I'd done the switch back to D'Addario EFT17 from the Thomastiks.  You'd a thought I'd have heard how dead the poor things were.... a Huge Improvement both in sound and playability.  But I figure I put about 3-4 hours a day on the things, so I got my $$ worth! smile

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare
  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: How Often Do You Change Strings

That's quite an overhaul, Doug ... sounds like you're glad to have finished the process. If you don't mind my asking, what string gauge did you move from / to, and why? It's always interesting to hear another guitarist's views on things like this. Thanks!

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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: How Often Do You Change Strings

I change the strings when they sound dead or when I need to adjust tuning frequently. 

I use .011s on the Takemine with the cedar top. I'm still playing with what strings it likes best, but so far it seems to like Elixir Nanowebs.
I use .012s on the Guild dreadnaught.  It likes Earthwood strings.
I use .011s or .012s on the Breedlove.  It likes John Pearse or Earthwood. 
On my basses, I rarely change the strings.  They have to get very dull sounding.  On my Yamaha fretless, I use D'Addario flatwound strings. On my Ovation Magnum I use D'Addario strings.

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  • From: Western Oregon,US
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 2,498

Re: How Often Do You Change Strings

Tenement Funster wrote:

That's quite an overhaul, Doug ... sounds like you're glad to have finished the process. If you don't mind my asking, what string gauge did you move from / to, and why? It's always interesting to hear another guitarist's views on things like this. Thanks!

The Thomastik Infeld strings were  flatwound Jazz/Swing Light .012. really nice and durable/bright string set which I liked a lot.  But my Ovation is the shallow body AE which didn't have really enough volume to project well unamplified. I thought a heavier set would bring out a better balance, so the D'Addario EFT17 Flat Top .013-.056 polished strings are almost as smooth as the flat wounds and do have more "bottom" and seems balanced in tone on this shallow depth body instrument.  As I finger-pick most of the time, all the help is welcome in getting loud without having to be excessively aggressive.  I've used these EFT17s earlier and liked them, so figured I'd stay with them, but didn't do the full setup when I did the change as an "experiment" (that ran longer than expected).  smile

I still use the Thomastik strings on my electric and will stay with them for all the good reasons, although it doesn't get as many "miles" put on it annually as my Ovation, that "lives" on a stand right here next to my desk to be played with during the day and while stalking spammers in the evening. wink

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare
  • From: massachusetts
  • Registered: 2010-10-18
  • Posts: 1,674

Re: How Often Do You Change Strings

I change them when they are pretty much completely dead. Anyone that knows me here will understand this. It is easier for me to change guitars than it is to change strings. So I always end up with a few that need changing all at once. That is when I break out the tools and go on a "String Changing Marathon".

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