Time to change strings?

[Tynee]

How do you know when it's time to buy new strings? Most of my playing is dne after my 1 year old goes to bed, so I NEVER strum hard enough to break a string. Does it get ahrd to keep them in tune? Do you lose volume? Do the high strings get buzzey, and the low strings rattle against the fretboard? Or are these signs of other issues with the guit?

[Rocket]

Heavily tarnished, oxidized, rusty, dead sounding, etc.
Honestly... if you feel a need to ask... it's probably time!

[markb]

They'll sound dead with no top end or harmonics. Intonation will be off, nothing will sound properly in tune. Fret buzz indicates other problems with the guitar's setup.

[just strum]

It depends on a number of things

1) How often you play.
2) The environment - are they rusting in spots.
3) Do they go out of tune frequently (this could also be caused by neck movement).

There are other reasons for changing, but there is no strict rule on when it's done or how often. I hear of people using the same strings for over a year. I tend to change mine every couple of months.

[Fab4]

Are you using plain strings or coated strings?

Coated strings (like Elixirs) will sound good for a long time, but if you play a lot or heavily, they'll still break at about the same number of hours as a regular set because they get stressed at the nut and bridge as you strum and/or bend them.

And whether they're coated or not, all strings get dented or worn where they meet the frets. That changes the absolute diameter of the string, which changes the frequency at which it vibrates. That's why they don't seem to play in tune - they're actually a little thinner overall when you play on the first few frets (or wherever they get the most wear) than they do up higher on the neck (where you're playing "above" some of the wear.)

If I'm playing coated strings, which don't ever sound totally "dead" (thunky rather than ringy), I have to change them as soon as they stop staying in tune, otherwise they'll start to break.

If you don't play hard or often, a set of coated strings will last a long time (months) because they won't oxidize like regular strings. Some people don't like the sound of coated strings, but for my money I'll take a slightly compromised sound for a couple of weeks over strings that sound a little better for an hour and then go completely dead.

[marnold***]

Some people have insanely acidic sweat that will annihilate strings in no time flat. Thankfully, I'm not one of those people. I usually know it's getting to be time when I have tuning stability issues when my guitars are usually rock solid.

[just strum]

I've never broken a string while playing. Now breaking while stringing, that's another story.

[peachhead***]

I've never broken a string while playing. Now breaking while stringing, that's another story.

Tell me about it. First time I ever put strings on my Strat I broke the low E twice. Fortunately I had 3 sets. Sheesh.

[just strum]

Tell me about it. First time I ever put strings on my Strat I broke the low E twice. Fortunately I had 3 sets. Sheesh.

And two sets of extra E A D G and B

[Childbride]

Tynee, our [the shiner] basic rule of thumb is this.

when you play on new strings, they almost always go flat on you on consecutive days of playing as they stretch out.

when they start going sharp on you, it's time to change out.

other oxidation issues, etc, apply.

[peachhead***]

And two sets of extra E A D G and B

And of course I haven't broken them yet. Go figure....

[Rocket]

My rule of thumb: If questionable, just change em... cheapest instant improvement you can make and only takes a minute. Nothin' quite like new shiny strings on a freshly treated fretboard!

Can I get a Hard Rock Hallelujah!

[Ch0jin]

My rule of thumb: If questionable, just change em... cheapest instant improvement you can make and only takes a minute. Nothin' quite like new shiny strings on a freshly treated fretboard!

Can I get a Hard Rock Hallelujah!

I dunno about a Hallelujah, but if you can change a set of strings in 60 seconds I need to get some lessons! Even on my one guitar with locking tuners it takes me longer than that!

One thing I can contribute though is my way of checking for the condition Fab4 describes. Simply run your finger along the underside of each string. If you feel a dent where each fret is, it's string changing time

[Tynee]

Thanks for all the input, fellas (and CB, too).