How often do youchange strings?

[Doug Quance]

i don't know...but...if your crazy enough to actually boil bass strings, i would say to boil them until they're tender and the juices run clear.

It's a fairly common practice. Nothing crazy when you're a broke musician trying to save some cash.

It really does breathe life back into some dull strings.

Toki might have a good alternative, although I don't see 212 degrees as anything that a piece of steel can't handle.

 

[amt7565]

When I was poor, I used to never change strings...used to leave them there until the rusted and crumpled into pieces. But you all know that this affects the intonation of the guitar right?

Anyway, after elevating myself from "poor" to "not so poor" status, I change sets even if one string breaks.

I don't like brand new strings..I usually season htem up a few hours/days before I record. This way y guitar is always in tune and no intonation problems.

 

[Doug H]

I play a set until they get pretty worn out. Mostly because I'm lazy about changing them.

Strings come back around for me once all the sparkle has been completely played out of them. Sort of a rustic dull tone with a nice balance of attack and sustain.

 

[Bass Freak]

Boil?!

WHY would you boil bass strings? they arent hotdogs, you cant eat 'em. who was that cruel to do that to poor little old bass strings? i feel for them. But I havent ever had a bass string break on me, i use GSH Boomers 55-115. I think I'd have to be superman to break those. I change them when i feel like it, or when they get those nasty black spots on them, or if I have to keep crankin it to get it in tune. What if I got confused *i am a bass player* when i boiled my strings, and I thought they were noodles or somethin and I ate em? that wouldnt be very good for the strings now would it?

Freak

 

[gibs]

When they don't sound or feel right......that means up to a year or more, because I have so many guitars........gibs

 

[Major Tom]

Boil 'em (bass strings) in vinegar or a 50/50 vinegar and water solution. Don't waste your time with boiling guitar strings, just change them, I'm surprised by how many out there like the dead string sound; you guys ever tried flatwounds? might save you the break-in time. I also buy guitar strings in bulk and change real often, like every 6 or so hours of playing, cleaning them with alcohol on a cloth every so often. Much longer than that and they will start breaking anyway. I love that zingy new string sound, meaty, beaty, big and bouncy....

 

[Cyrokk]

For both guitar and bass, my standard is to change strings one week before I plan on recording. I practice from 1 to 1 1/2 hours a day, so the strings are comfy and tuned up for the recording session.

I use D'addarios for my Epi and Bass, and Fender for my Strat. I'm not too concerned if whether these are decent brands of strings. I just know that my local music shop doesn't have much of a variety, and they are nice people who have one of those cards where if you buy 10 sets you get the 11th free.

And I've seen guitarists have the string wrapped around the tuning post 5 or 6 times but I've never had tuning problems after the first day of wear, and I only have it wrapped like two times around at the most. I figure why change if it's not a problem.

The only time I really think about the strings is when I get a batch that breaks while I'm replacing them, which luckily only happens maybe once every couple of years.

Cy

 

[matty_boy]

I love the sound of new strings. I change them once a month, but I play quite light most of the time. I haven't broken a string in years, and I play 10's. I boil bass strings to make them last, whenever they sound dull.

 

[64Firebird]

I put on new strings before each gig and before I start a new recording. I love the sound of fresh ones.

 

[demensia]

I seldom change the strings on my electric, I only changed the strings on my bass once, but I change the strings on my acoustic every few weeks.

I like the zingy sound of brand new medium strings with a light pick... just my preference.

I actually just changed the strings on all my guitars this week for the hell of it.

 

[zer0sig]

i buy my strings in bulk, use ghs fast fret on them, and make sure my nut and saddle don't have any excessively harsh angular sting contact on them, and my strings last damned near forever. fast fret cleans off finger grease/mild corrosion like nobody's business. i can basically just change the broken string now, without worrying about the rest of the set. fast fret keeps them relatively bright, but not quite "new" bright-just nice and responsive for consistent tone while playing.

 

[clifchamb]

I change bass strings as often as I can afford to do so.


Playing on old bass strings is like wearing the same pair of underwear for weeks on end, it just feels horrible (or so I can imagine since I ALWAYS change clothes