• Registered: 2006-11-13
  • Posts: 12

Topic: how often do you change your guitar strings?

i am new the forum and new to the guitar. i got an acoustic guitar in June of this year and have played it every single day for the six months i have had it..... <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">


how do you know when it is time to change the strings?



senor


PS....i have really loved this website and have a stack of music i have printed out and been playing like crazy.....thanks to everyone that posts that stuff....it's great

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 14

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

Strings are cheap.  Change them one time and you will answer the question for yourself.  The sound of a new set of strings is awesome and you will get lonesome for that awesome sound periodically.  I play for fun on a regular basis...nothing like playing for a living, but I change strings every 3 or 4 months.

  • Registered: 2006-11-13
  • Posts: 12

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

thank you for your help!!!!!!!!!!


a changing i will go.........


i have a kit to do this......


any tips before i go?.......it will be my first time.....


and


why do some people leave their strings long and "curled" up rather than cut them like when you get the guitar new???


senor

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 14

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

It's not rocket science...just make sure to leave enough slack to wind around the tuners a couple of wraps...a little too much is better than not enough.  The temptation is to change one string at a time, but with all of them off, it makes for a good time to give the guitar a good wipe down.  Once the strings are back on and reasonably tight, grab on to them and stretch them a bit...and then tune up...you'll have to tune a couple of times before the strings stretch out and the guitar stops bending and then you'll be all set.


Who knows why people leave their strings all curled out...possibly to make up for  under endowment???  I cut mine flush with the top of the tuners.


Good luck and marvel at the sweet sound of new strings.

  • Kahuna
  • Kahuna
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2006-07-12
  • Posts: 290

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

I agreed with RD!  When you change your strings, remove all six strings and discard them.  With no strings, you can then do some wipe down and check for loose frets.  You may also want to oil the fret boards, using an approved fretboard oiling kit! 


You can also check each of the tuning pegs for looseness and tighten them if necessary.  Don't forget to inspect the inside of the guitar too!  If yours is a electric-acoustic, check for loose pick-ups or wires. 


I also agree that strings are not too expensive, so replacing them every three to four months is a good idea.  If you are going this route, get the non-coated strings.  Coated strings may last a bit longer, but the  coating will eventually wear off. 


Good luck,

Kahuna



<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>rdharris55 wrote on Fri, 08 December 2006 03&#58;37</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
It's not rocket science...just make sure to leave enough slack to wind around the tuners a couple of wraps...a little too much is better than not enough.  The temptation is to change one string at a time, but with all of them off, it makes for a good time to give the guitar a good wipe down.  Once the strings are back on and reasonably tight, grab on to them and stretch them a bit...and then tune up...you'll have to tune a couple of times before the strings stretch out and the guitar stops bending and then you'll be all set.


Who knows why people leave their strings all curled out...possibly to make up for  under endowment???  I cut mine flush with the top of the tuners.


Good luck and marvel at the sweet sound of new strings.
</td></tr></table>

  • From: Camden, SC
  • Registered: 2006-03-19
  • Posts: 95

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

I change my strings once a month. They fill up with dirt and junk and sound like crap after that time. I get strings for about $4 a set at wally world.


Eddie

  • Registered: 2006-11-13
  • Posts: 12

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

THANKS EVERYONE!!!!!!!.....AWESOME!!!


will be my friday night project!!!


senor

  • Registered: 2006-08-15
  • Posts: 51

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

Actually, red, if the strings are being  changed on an acoustic guitar, its better for the body of the guitar to change them one at a time. It sounds odd, but its true.


Although with all the strings off, it makes for easier cleaning, it also releases all of the pressure thats on the soundboard of the guitar. Now, you'd say, whats wrong with that? well, if you change your strings very often, and take them all of at the same time, the soundboard will weaken at a considerably faster pace, possibly ruining the intonation of your guitar.

This isnt an issue on electrics, as the solid body on most electrics has more than enough support to survive such fluxuations in string pressure.


If you change your strings often (once every few weeks), change them one string at a time. Once every 5 changes or so you can take them all off and clean the guitar. But if you only change your strings once every 6 or 7 months, its A-okay to take all of them off at once.


Another case where you should take all the strings off at the same time is when you put the guitar into storage or shipping. Thats when you should always take them all off.


Just thought i'd point that out. Everything else everyone said looks to be fine though. Good luck, and keep playing!

  • Registered: 2006-11-13
  • Posts: 12

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

dude......heavy stuff!!!!.......makes sense.... <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">


off to get the project done in the prescence of a new found delimma!!!....


one at a time or all at once??? that is the question


how about a little Johnny Cash???


i did it one string at a time

and it didnt cost me much time.

you will know it's me when i turn them strings around

i am gonna do it all in style

gonna drive everybody wild

cause i will be the only one with that delimma in this town


<img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">


git r dun.... <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">.....that was bad.... <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">


senor

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 14

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

I have read the same thing about changing strings one at a time.  The semi-scientist part of me isn't sure that he fully agrees with the argument.  I guess I would have to set up and take some measurements to see how much the guitar actually flexes with all strings off versus on. 


Either way, Acoustic Guitar had a nice article in the July issue about stringing your acoustic.  The cool part is how you wrap the string ends around the tuning pins.


<a href="http://www.acousticguitar.com/article/163/163,6998,HERESHOW-1.asp" target="_blank"> http://www.acousticguitar.com/article/1 … ,HERESHOW- 1.asp</a>

  • Registered: 2006-11-13
  • Posts: 12

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

well, i got the job done and i wished i had seen the article just posted, it would have helped a little bit......


the guitar sounds great so i guess all is well......is that an ok measure????


it did help doing one string at a time. especially for my first time. had i done them all at once, i would have really gotten things completely unorganized........


but dumb question time:.... <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">


does it matter which way you turn the "knob"?


on my "big string" at the "top", i actually think i got it backwards but it looks more comfortable that way because the string makes a straighter line to the "knob". it seems that doing this with the smallest string at the bottom would have allowed a straighter line to it's "knob" as well..


so can you do strings 1 and 6 "backwards" so that the strings make a straighter line to their respective "knobs"???.....plus this gives more clearance for the other strings to get to their proper position........


thanks for any help/advice......


my guitar sounds great again so things seemed to have worked. i just dont want to ruin it....


senor


PS....by the way i have a Martin D 28.......if that matters


double PS.....at one point i got one string backwards and it pulled up against another knob that it should not have been touching. had i done all the strings at once, i would have had a rat's nest. hopefully things will go smoother on my second time around and any future changes..........

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 14

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

The direction should be the same for all guitars...the strings come to the tuning keys from the inside or center of the headstock. <img src="index.php?t=getfile&id=57&private=0" border=0 alt="index.php?t=getfile&id=57&private=0">

  • Registered: 2006-11-13
  • Posts: 12

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

dang.......


should i redo the one string or just leave it till next time???


it shouldnt hurt anything right??/


senor

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 14

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

I can't imagine it hurting anything...and I would probably leave it as is .

  • From: Pico Rivera, Calif. U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2006-10-26
  • Posts: 785

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

Just remember that when you go to tune any of the other five strings to turn the machine head the opposite direction. Other wise you will be loosing up all the other strings.


Bootleger

  • From: Adelaide , Australia
  • Registered: 2006-06-04
  • Posts: 129

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

Hey thats great !! I'm going to play that tonight !! I reckon Johnny would enjoy that ! <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">

A five yr old could understand this. Somebody fetch a five yr old !
Groucho Marx
  • Registered: 2006-11-13
  • Posts: 12

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

so now i go to the store to buy more strings because i am out and i want to change them more than every 6 months... <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">


and low and behold we got choices.......more choices than i realized and i dont have a clue....


i just asked for Martin strings for my Martin guitar and the girl asks if i want "medium" or "light" .......metal or nylon..........coated or uncoated...........blah blah blah.......and actually i dont remember all the questions and choices because i glazed over..........


the guitar was given to me as a gift and the second set of strings i had were in the case........


the first set of strings on this guitar were new but they were not "shiny"/"bronze", they were just a dull tarnished color.


the new ones i put on are now shiny bronze......


i asked to see the box with the "light" strings and that box looked familiar. i then asked to see the box of "medium" and that box looked familiar. i then asked to see the "heavy" strings and there was no such thing............hmmmmm.........


so i bought some light and medium strings..........


BUT


WHAT DID I REALLY "WANT"????? what will i "like"?


the ever "high maintenance",


senor

  • From: Pico Rivera, Calif. U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2006-10-26
  • Posts: 785

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

How callused are your fingers? How hard do you strum? The lights will be easier on your fingers. If you strum really hard the lights will go flat (loose there tone) faster. With experience you will find a preference in what string guage and manufacture you will favor.  You mentioned that you have a Martin guitar. Is it made in Indonesia or in the U.S.A.? There is a big difference in material and tonal qualities, not to mention value in counrty of origin. Either way enjoy playing.


Goodluck

Bootleger

Bootlegger guitars

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 14

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

Your Martin came with either light or medium gauge strings...certainly one of Martin's own varieties.  The guitar is not designed for the amount of tension that would be required to tighten heavy strings into tune.  So the choice between light and medium is up to you, and you can even get some that are "medium light".  There are also choices to make about string composition...such as bronze, phosphor bronze with percentages... 80/20... just visit any web site like guitar center or musiciansfriend.com and look at the brands. 


I use light gauge strings on my Martin.  I have used several brands, but normally stay away from "coated" strings such as Elixir and others.  For me they are not worth the extra cost...but others would argue with that.


The last couple of sets have been d'addario 80/20 and they sound great...but  I got them for Christmas and that trumps everything.  However, if I had to buy some tomorrow, that's what I would buy because I like the sound.    <img src="index.php?t=getfile&id=58&private=0" border=0 alt="index.php?t=getfile&id=58&private=0">


Visit any of the string manufacturer's web sites for more hype...


www.daddario.com

www.drstrings.com

www.deanmarkley.com


...and there are tons more.  Remember, strings are cheap and it only takes a few minutes to change them.

  • From: Mount Pleasant PA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 6

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

I personally change my strings once a month


but that's probably because they begin to get harder to keep in tune from playing my guitar everyday for about 3 hours.


and i use martin strings...can anyone suggest any other type that last  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_eek.gif" border=0 alt="Shocked"> super long? <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_eek.gif" border=0 alt="Shocked">

lenderiscool's Website

  • From: Pico Rivera, Calif. U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2006-10-26
  • Posts: 785

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>lenderiscool wrote on Mon, 18 December 2006 19&#58;17</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
I personally change my strings once a month


but that's probably because they begin to get harder to keep in tune from playing my guitar everyday for about 3 hours.


and i use martin strings...can anyone suggest any other type that last  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_eek.gif" border=0 alt="Shocked"> super long? <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_eek.gif" border=0 alt="Shocked">
</td></tr></table>

Note: to newbies his strings go dead (flat) because he "PRACTICES". <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_twisted.gif" border=0 alt="Twisted Evil">  Otherwise the only way to legnthen the life of your strings is going to be your style of play.

Finger picking, light strum or hammer handed. Buy your favorite strings by the box when there on sale.


Good luck

Bootleger  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_cool.gif" border=0 alt="Cool">

  • deer09
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2006-12-19
  • Posts: 3

Re: how often do you change your guitar strings?

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