rsera Posted December 11, 2003 Report Share Posted December 11, 2003 how often do you guys change strings? I change them about 1-2 times a year depending on how often <I play that guitar(I have 10 so I dont play them all constantly) and I cant remember tha last time I broke a string cause I must have them setup really well,maybe 5-6 years since the last string break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted December 11, 2003 Report Share Posted December 11, 2003 Heh, I usually play until the strings crumble away . Way back when, I used to loop 3 or 4 windings around the peg so I can boil them to remove the gunk, wipe them down good and re-use. But then, enter floyds and the things like sperzels (almost no windings at the tuning peg)... now I guess about every 3 months (estimate.) I still boil strings for basses and steinberger double-ball ended strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted December 11, 2003 Report Share Posted December 11, 2003 every 3-4 months. Unless I break strings, which is happening more and more often recently (i don't play that hard... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bingo328 Posted December 11, 2003 Report Share Posted December 11, 2003 I usually end up changing mine about every 3 months or so. Although I would like to more. It's sad when you save for a 5 or 6 dollar pack of strings. I find that even if I don't play a paticular guitar that much they still loose the tuning stability and that new string sound after a few weeks. I have started cleaning my strings more regularly and it helps them last but they always seem to feel greasy no matter how much wiping I do. Any cures for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted December 11, 2003 Report Share Posted December 11, 2003 Just recently I've been replacing my strings once a week because of band practises have been getting proper rocking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted December 11, 2003 Report Share Posted December 11, 2003 Hmm... do people recycle strings? I usually just throw them away in the trash... and have been for the last 21 years! Once a week! That's a lot of strings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted December 11, 2003 Report Share Posted December 11, 2003 it's different for each guitar...for my gigging guitar, I use Elixirs, so I change them once every six weeks...If I have many with my electric, then I change them once ever week or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted December 11, 2003 Report Share Posted December 11, 2003 I've got 5 working guitars (3 electrics and 2 acoustics) and usually end up having to change ALL about every 2 months. I really should get in the habit of wiping down after each session. I might be able to add a few more weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted December 11, 2003 Report Share Posted December 11, 2003 I have started cleaning my strings more regularly and it helps them last but they always seem to feel greasy no matter how much wiping I do. Any cures for this. I've heard boiling them in water helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney Posted December 11, 2003 Report Share Posted December 11, 2003 I have to change my bass strings after every show They get REAL expensive. Beyond that ill let 'em ride for about 4 rehearsals before I can't get a good sound anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted December 11, 2003 Report Share Posted December 11, 2003 ahhh.... let's see.... the last leap year was.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted December 11, 2003 Report Share Posted December 11, 2003 Someone once mentioned coating with baking soda and then boiling in vinegar/water makes them sound like new again. Regardless, there is still wear and flattening of the windings. That can't be cured. And even then, once taken off most electric guitars (cept my Hagstrom) the strings can't be fed back thru those tiny holes without any undue stress . But heres a good tip and I'll bet that people in your household will definitely support this action. Get off your ass, go wash the dishes then pick up your guitar. It cleans the hands, and limbers up the fingers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 11, 2003 Report Share Posted December 11, 2003 about once a month...basically as soon as the high e string loses intonation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted December 12, 2003 Report Share Posted December 12, 2003 I usually break the small E-string at the bridge after a couple of weeks but I'm constantly using the whammy bar. That's normal, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowser Posted December 12, 2003 Report Share Posted December 12, 2003 i went for a year with the stock strings on my electric, then put on some slinkies which i didnt care for as one broke when i was stretching them, the didnt feel good when playing, and another broke shortly after. right now i've had dean markleys on for a month or two and they are A+ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 12, 2003 Report Share Posted December 12, 2003 I usually break the small E-string at the bridge after a couple of weeks but I'm constantly using the whammy bar. That's normal, isn't it? it is if you use it alot...my trem guitars get a new e string pretty quick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted December 12, 2003 Report Share Posted December 12, 2003 I usually break the small E-string at the bridge after a couple of weeks but I'm constantly using the whammy bar. That's normal, isn't it? it is if you use it alot...my trem guitars get a new e string pretty quick dido..... But i came up with this little trick I just unclamp that part of the nut, unwide the broken string from the tunning post once (one loop) so that the borken end can fit in the bridge then tighten the tunning peg back up... same old string so no stretching out issues/tuning problems, and you don't even have to take it off... takes about 30 seconds to do, and you don't need to buy a new string Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted December 12, 2003 Report Share Posted December 12, 2003 But i came up with this little trick I just unclamp that part of the nut, unwide the broken string from the tunning post once (one loop) so that the borken end can fit in the bridge then tighten the tunning peg back up... same old string so no stretching out issues/tuning problems, and you don't even have to take it off... takes about 30 seconds to do, and you don't need to buy a new string I do exactly the same thing. I put enough turns around the tuning peg to be able to do it a few times. When there's not enough string left to do it, I change the whole set because by then the other strings start breaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsera Posted December 12, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2003 ok guys the reason I asked was I have 5 guitars with floyds and they are a rite pain to restring(getting everything tuned up properley and then I have to have the trem unit parrallel to the body),so if you guys have any good tips on restring that is fast and lets you setup quick then im all ears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted December 12, 2003 Report Share Posted December 12, 2003 if you guys have any good tips on restring that is fast and lets you setup quick then im all ears Instead of removing all 6 strings before installing the 6 new ones, change one string at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DividedByJames Posted December 13, 2003 Report Share Posted December 13, 2003 ha! one of the reasons I stopped using Floyds was becuase changing strings sucked...but I know everyone else likes them so I won't knock 'em any further. I play a gig every 2-3 weeks, and my main Schecter C-1 gets the full treatment before shows--new strings clean up, polishing the hardware, etc...the bastard black C-1 (it's backup) gets it's strings changed every 2-3 shows. My other guitars get changed probably every 3-6 months. Mostly cuz I don't sweat that much when playing them and I don't use them all the time. Restringing floyds...do one at a time, and try to put a support under the trem. I think once upon a time they developed this plastic mount that would catch the trem bar and "make it a fixed bridge". You might wanna look for one of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted December 13, 2003 Report Share Posted December 13, 2003 ha! one of the reasons I stopped using Floyds was becuase changing strings sucked...but I know everyone else likes them so I won't knock 'em any further. ... Restringing floyds...do one at a time, and try to put a support under the trem. I think once upon a time they developed this plastic mount that would catch the trem bar and "make it a fixed bridge". You might wanna look for one of those. Hmm... I've never had a problem with restringing floyds... always fast to change and quick to tune for me. Sounds like you're describing the HipLock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted December 13, 2003 Report Share Posted December 13, 2003 Speaking of tuning... This is not floyd related but someone posted these links in another forum. http://www.nesta.org.uk/ourawardees/profil.../2059/print.htm http://www.nesta.org.uk/mediaroom/imagelib...1616/index.html Looks interesting. Similar to but not as complex as this monstrosity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeB Posted December 19, 2003 Report Share Posted December 19, 2003 that auto tuner is huge!! interesting, but no floyd version, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 i just got a ten pack for 38$ shipping to canada inlc, that should last me the rest of my life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.