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Post subject: Acoustic. Changing Strings. Frequency.
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 7:14 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Do you change your strings on your acoustic less frequently? I do, mainly because--until recently--I don't play it as much. And it's a pain in the butt. And I feel like it was a waste of money when the strings on it now got played only 12 times in a year. And they seem fine anyway. They still look shiny and feel pretty bright to me.

Are they in need of changing just because it's been a year even if they only got played 12 times in a year? It stays in the case, tuned to pitch.

What about upright bass and piano strings? Is it legit to think thicker strings need less frequent changing? I was watching jazz the other day and the upright bass strings are like boat cables. Must be a pain to change those strings. How often do you think this gigging jazz musician (has 2 gigs a week) changes those massive strings?

Pianos need tuning, of course, but how the heck do they not need to actually change the strings just like guitarists have to? Wouldn't piano strings get corroded and dull too?

Edit: I did a little researching on piano strings. Cool wikipedia article. Apparently one factor why piano strings are expected to last for decades is that at least they are not touched by sweaty human fingers while playing. Perspiration is a reason guitar strings need changing more frequently. Still, what about a piano in a humid location? Seems like indeed pianos would need string changes, not just tuning. Another factor is that piano strings are simply made from very very very high quality steel?

What about you electric bass players. I don't need to talk about upright acoustic bass. Do bass players change strings slightly less frequently than 6-string strat players?


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Post subject: Re: Acoustic. Changing Strings. Frequency.
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 7:30 am
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The answer to all of this is: you change strings when they need changing. If after a year your acoustic strings sound good and feel good - why change 'em?

I seem to find steel guitar strings need changing every 30 playing hours or so. For some guitars that's every few weeks, for others that are played less it might be every few months.

Bass strings probably last longer (maybe a lot longer? - I'm not a bassist), depending on the filthiness of the hands playing them. And most other string players, violinists and such, change their strings far less often. Months or years, depending.

Far as piano strings are concerned, changing those is a horribly huge and eye-poppingly expensive job. So they do it as seldom as possible, which is usually only every many years for most people's pianos. Yes, they do get corroded and that does indeed affect the sound adversely. I have my grandmother's old upright piano, the strings haven't been changed for decades and they sound awful! (It's a crappy ol' piano, too.)

Though it depends a good deal on where the piano is - a nice air conditioned house will be a lot different to a bar in a clammy climate, perhaps near the ocean. Also, piano strings are not getting touched by greasy, oily fingers and are usually shut away from airborne dust in a wooden box, so that helps a lot.

Cheers - C

PS: I see you've edited your post while I was writing this. I can't be bothered to edit my post to take account of your edits...

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic. Changing Strings. Frequency.
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 7:44 am
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Bass guitar strings need changing when they need changing depending on player tastes, tonal needs and materials in the strings. Some string last seemingly indefinitely while others need changing every 2 weeks. I use the ones that last almost indefinitely. They aren't cheap.

It basically is cheaper to buy a new piano than change the strings on an old one. Then there is the electronic pianos with no strings. On paper that is a huge advantage but in real world music nothing sounds like a great real piano.


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Post subject: Re: Acoustic. Changing Strings. Frequency.
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 8:23 am
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brotherdave wrote:
It basically is cheaper to buy a new piano than change the strings on an old one.

Apparently, this really can be the truth.

Thankfully, I'm not a piantist so it's all heresay to me. But I know a guy who has a high end Yamaha grand piano. He had the strings changed, as part of what was called a "refurbishment", including a lot of other maintenance to moving parts and such. He opted to go that route, but even on a top quality instrument he said he had to think carefully about whether for the price he mightn't just as well buy a new piano. He kept the old one - but it was a close thing.

A LOT of money was involved - which is something I think about when I hear people complaining about the price of electric guitars...

Cheers - C

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic. Changing Strings. Frequency.
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 8:49 am
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On my acoustic guitars I get quite a bit of life out of my strings ever since I switched to Gore Elixer Nano-Webs. They stay crisp sounding pretty much until one of them breaks, usually the G string, at which time I change them all out. They cost twice as much as most other brands but I find I get at least 5 times the life out of them if not more so I feel they're cheaper in the long run. Lately I've been changing them before one breaks because I've learned to see the signs of when they're getting close to breaking. They develop little kinks in them at the point where they contact the frets. When those bumps get "square" enough I know they're about to go. With uncoated strings I never let them get that damaged because they start to sound dull so much sooner and I like that crisp snappy sound. If I were going into the studio today I'd take 5 or 6 sets of Martin SPs in Phosphor/Bronze.

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic. Changing Strings. Frequency.
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 10:18 am
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Upon putting in new wires, there is a very distinct
crispness one experiences, a certain "traction" feel besides the
colorful brilliance. How the strings tune up to pitch!
I find it absolutely delightful.

Now, I have found this phase is really very short lived.
Two or three days and it is gone. The edge is lost.
Some professionals dig this so much that they change
strings like they do their laundry.
Intrestingly, other professionals actually wish to skip over
this phase arguing the extra glimmer gets in the way of
their set up and playing technique. So they will change strings
a couple of days before a gig, and not "on the spot."

For my part, I could live forever in that shimmer zone. 8)

I can´t afford to change strings on my Fender and classical guitars
like that. But I´m sloppy and almost never wipe down, so go figure.

As soon as I see rust on the G string, I plan for a visit downtown.

Nice to learn of brands and their string life from your experience , as I have
not compared enough.

I go for D´addario on electric and Savarez for classical.

Changing strings some 3 times a year is my current practice.

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic. Changing Strings. Frequency.
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 10:46 am
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My acoustic guitar strings last 2-3 months until they start to sound dead to me (usually the E and A strings). And I play it at least 3 times a week for about two hours. It really is about what your ears like. A good friend of mine has a nice Martin that has 2+ year old strings. He says he likes the sound. I don't, but it's his guitar, it doesn't matter what I think about its sound.

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic. Changing Strings. Frequency.
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 11:34 am
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mike07502 wrote:
I can´t afford to change strings on my Fender and classical guitars
like that. But I´m sloppy and almost never wipe down, so go figure.

As soon as I see rust on the G string, I plan for a visit downtown.


This pretty much sums it up for me, except I usually wait til some of the other strings start rusting too. :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic. Changing Strings. Frequency.
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 12:17 pm
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Yeah the G string always gets dark first. Wait... That can be taken way out of context! :D

Usually it's the high e change of tone what makes me wanna change strings. I always wipe my guitar with Dunlop string oil after playing and my strings last at least twice as long.

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic. Changing Strings. Frequency.
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 12:35 pm
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1neeto wrote:
Yeah the G string always gets dark first. Wait... That can be taken way out of context! :D

Ya bugger!!
Now I got coffee down the front of my shirt!

:lol:

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic. Changing Strings. Frequency.
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 12:48 pm
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BMW-KTM wrote:
1neeto wrote:
Yeah the G string always gets dark first. Wait... That can be taken way out of context! :D

Ya bugger!!
Now I got coffee down the front of my shirt!

:lol:


:lol: :lol: :lol:
Enjoy wiping it down and tucking back down on that saddle!

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic. Changing Strings. Frequency.
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 12:57 pm
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My local and very well-respected luthier, Charles Hoffman (Hoffman Handmade Guitars) told me there is really no metric for swapping strings except when one breaks or when the sound 'goes away'.

He also cautioned that if you don't play your acoustic on a very regular basis to be sure to loosen the string tension a full two registers (ie. EG, AC, etc.) to prevent the Bridge raising the Guitar's Top.

cheers !

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic. Changing Strings. Frequency.
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 3:28 pm
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BMW-KTM wrote:
1neeto wrote:
Yeah the G string always gets dark first. Wait... That can be taken way out of context! :D

Ya bugger!!
Now I got coffee down the front of my shirt!

:lol:

*bows down* :lol:

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