Change your damn guitar strings...

sskkmm said:
Have you tried the Optiwebs? I don't find them much diff from uncoated strings on my electrics. FWIW, I don't work for them...just happy user. :)
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I have. I don't like how they stretch and there is extra "toing-toing" sound which I don't like. :D
However, like them on acoustics!
 
I do not think anyone "likes" changing strings. I don't. But imho, you have to. Now, I do not play out and my hands do not sweat, per say, but I play everyday, acoustic and electric. I change strings on both about once every 6 to 8 weeks. I use elixirs on my acoustics and D'addario NYXL's on all electrics.
For me, the strings lose their ability to intonate (sp?) and also feel like crap after 8 weeks. Yes I do know that a guitar can never really be in tune everywhere on the neck. Just my experience. 40 years worth of experience.
 
I'm with the "rarely" crowd. Once they're broken in I can play them for a long time w/out the tone changing, but a couple of my guitars really do need it. Unfortunately, they also need a good fretboard cleaning... which I don't really want to do either ;-)
 
Great point that a lot of players can overlook! Nothing worse than chasing a tone issue because of dead strings! I try and change my strings after 8-10 hours of play time and wipe them down between use. Environment and body chemistry have a lot to do with it! Some people have a low pH which can shorten string life considerably. High humidity areas and smoke wreak havoc also.
 
Sixstring said:
Great point that a lot of players can overlook! Nothing worse than chasing a tone issue because of dead strings! I try and change my strings after 8-10 hours of play time and wipe them down between use. Environment and body chemistry have a lot to do with it! Some people have a low pH which can shorten string life considerably. High humidity areas and smoke wreak havoc also.
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This and hygiene as well. Before I practice, I almost always wash my hands. Not even sure why I started that, but have going way back. Anyway, my guitars stay pretty clean. Dusty at times if anything. I know some people with black strings and/or really gunked up fretboards. This isn't from playing out, but just sitting around the house. I couldn't do that to one of my guitars and leave it.
 
I use sets with a wound 4th string. My general rule is once that one starts buzzing on me, it's time for a full re-string. And OMFG I love locking tuners. Saves me the hassle of having to do my own winds, and it really helps the whole thing stay in tune better.
 
iaresee said:
Oh yea. Nodding vigorously in agreement with this. I have one guitar left to change out the tuners on to locking. I know you can do just fine with non-locking designs, but I'll take the modern luxury of a locking tuner setup any day.
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I use to stab myself in the finger with the E string so many times trying to keep the damn wind together. Ouchy.
 
shemihazazel said:
I use to stab myself in the finger with the E string so many times trying to keep the damn wind together. Ouchy.
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I still do that with locking tuners on every electric.
Maybe they weren't as good back in the day, but I really loved the Fender lockers that had the hole in the top and you inserted the string in the hole. Never had to worry about sticking myself............
 
Personally, I leave strings on longer these days (even though I know that they should get changed) and I use the GHS Fast-Fret to bring back some life to the old strings.

There was a time where I would change them before and after every show but it really became such a PITA over the years due to having a Floyd and needing to do all the tuning and readjustments.

I remember the first time I changed a set of strings on a guitar that didn't have a Floyd.

It had taken me less than 10 minutes (including cleaning the fretboard and guitar), and it stayed in tune.

I started selling off all my guitars that had Floyds until I discovered the blocking of trems and the option of doing it just one way.

I never looked back again at having a full working Floyd :)
 
Also, about 15 years ago I had gone to see YJM at the Galaxy Theater out here in CA.

I believe his guitar tech at the time was/is one of the hardest working people that I have ever seen in action.

He was swapping out a new set of strings for EVERY song!!

YJM would toss him the guitar that was just played for the song and the tech would throw him back another guitar then he would change the strings while YJM was playing during the next song :)

He did this all night long and it was really hard to keep watching YJM since we were located at the front of the stage and we could see everything the tech was doing on the guitars (he would have to speed up for the shorter songs).
 
I rarely change mine as well. My hands dry out and I use a lot of Gold Bond hand cream, it doesn't bother me to play with it at all. I used to obsess over my hands being very dry and clean, but It crossed my mind the other day that maybe the cream actually helps preserve and lube the strings a bit.
 
shemihazazel said:
OMFG I love locking tuners.
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I have the mini Grover auto-locking ones on my Strat. String changes are a breeze. Got to do them tomorrow, AAMOF. Will clean the fretboard and give it the F-One oil treatment.

Thinking about getting a 3+3 set for the SE Standard 24, provided they fit. Otherwise, there is a PRS set that drops in, but are nit auto-locking. The 24 got new strings and Wilkinson locking saddles tonight and a quick fretboard cleaning with the F-One, and it really plays nice....
 
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scottp said:
Yea, I buy strings in the 10 pack.
3 months max, and I wipe them down after every use.
Just run your finger underneath the 4th string. Feel how much the string has worn from the frets!
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Same here. Have been buying strings by the box not the pack for years
 
playingitloud said:
Personally, I leave strings on longer these days (even though I know that they should get changed) and I use the GHS Fast-Fret to bring back some life to the old strings.

There was a time where I would change them before and after every show but it really became such a PITA over the years due to having a Floyd and needing to do all the tuning and readjustments.

I remember the first time I changed a set of strings on a guitar that didn't have a Floyd.

It had taken me less than 10 minutes (including cleaning the fretboard and guitar), and it stayed in tune.

I started selling off all my guitars that had Floyds until I discovered the blocking of trems and the option of doing it just one way.

I never looked back again at having a full working Floyd :)
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playingitloud said:
Also, about 15 years ago I had gone to see YJM at the Galaxy Theater out here in CA.

I believe his guitar tech at the time was/is one of the hardest working people that I have ever seen in action.

He was swapping out a new set of strings for EVERY song!!

YJM would toss him the guitar that was just played for the song and the tech would throw him back another guitar then he would change the strings while YJM was playing during the next song :)

He did this all night long and it was really hard to keep watching YJM since we were located at the front of the stage and we could see everything the tech was doing on the guitars (he would have to speed up for the shorter songs).
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And this is why so many of us don't bother changing strings that much. Because it really is a PITA and because we don't have guitar techs. When you have a guitar tech you can go as crazy as you want in your guitar OCD, because its someone else's problem. When you have to do everything yourself your guitar OCD will become old really fast and you sooner or later learn to let go. Although there are always exceptions.
 
I am glad to read I am not the only one being too lazy to change strings regularly.:)
A question though: Even with locking tuners, i do no rely on the mechanism and do make sure they are turned around the peg for about 3 windings, before I "lock". How do you guys do that?
 
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