[placid_casual]

Hiya,

First post here. Been playing about a year, treated myself to a nice tanglewood semi acoustic a few months ago. I'm pretty sure it doesn't sound as sweet as it did at first. If i'm playing for say 2 hours a day on average, how often should i be changing the strings?

[leebarnes25]

Hiya,

First post here. Been playing about a year, treated myself to a nice tanglewood semi acoustic a few months ago. I'm pretty sure it doesn't sound as sweet as it did at first. If i'm playing for say 2 hours a day on average, how often should i be changing the strings?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To my own personal taste, I change mine every month, but if you're playing out, after every gig. You always want it to sound top notch, especially, if people are listening to you.

[LooPbacK]

Depends on a lot of things...

I change them every once in a while...when I've got money to buy new ones...

Strings begin to sound sloopy afeter bout 6 months...You could try boiling them but don't expect sound like a new set of strings...

That reminds me...
What's the best method of boiling strings?
I jost boiled like it was soup and then cleaned the up with a towel...they became red
However red or not they sound quite well now...

[dadfad]

For you about every month or so should be about right. When I gig, the guitars I use for the gigs I change after every four to six playing-hours (six to eight forty-five minute sets). Just depends on how often you play and your requirements for when you do play. Also how you play. Are you a hard strummer who uses a heavy pick, or a fingerstyle player. Things like that make a difference too. Practice in your room doesn't necessarily require what you might want in a studio or in front of an audience. And welcome to GTU.

[rasav]

I'm mostly finger style so unless I'm playing out somewhere. A set will last me about a month to six weeks at 2-3 hours a day.

[LooPbacK]

Why so often?


It's clear that they still sound good...a set of strings sound's good and after a 3 months to me...and I do strumming a lot...

[placid_casual]

Thanks very much for the prompt responses chaps. i think it's clear that i need to change the strings. i used to think you only changed them when you snapped one.

[dadfad]

Why so often?


It's clear that they still sound good...a set of strings sound's good and after a 3 months to me...and I do strumming a lot...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They might still sound good after a couple of months, but they sound even better new. And if you're playing out you'd probably want the best sound you can get. I'll be playing a guitar I use say just in my office or for messing around in my room and it sounds fine, but I know it's about time I should change the strings. Being cheap and lazy I sort of hate to "waste" the time and money, but I'll change them anyway and when I do, the freshness and "sparkle" of the sound of the new strings is like my conscience saying "See, I told ya so..."

[olduvai]

I like to change my strings after about 3 months. The sound quality dispates so slowly that I don't notice it for at least 2 months and I like to wait a bit longer so when I make the change the sound is SOOO sweet that its like getting a new guitar. I should note that I don't play in public nor do I play loud and hard.
Lastly, different strings have different half lives.

[noodle69]

if y playing 2 hrs a day and not cleaning your strings after each time then u need to change em every 2 mnths as they will start 2 sound very dull
dont boil strings it does not bring back their elasticity and dullness remains and the time it takes to take em off,boil em and then put the useless things back on you could have earned the money for new strings mowing your neighbours lawn

Hiya,

First post here. Been playing about a year, treated myself to a nice tanglewood semi acoustic a few months ago. I'm pretty sure it doesn't sound as sweet as it did at first. If i'm playing for say 2 hours a day on average, how often should i be changing the strings?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To my own personal taste, I change mine every month, but if you're playing out, after every gig. You always want it to sound top notch, especially, if people are listening to you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>