How Long Do Your Strings Last?

What's the true test for deciding you need new strings?

My buddy, an exclusively acoustic player, picked up one of my guitars and said that the strings needed to be changed because they're no long shiny (huh?)

On the fixed bridges, seems like I could go about a year and be fine. Staying in tune wasn't a problem.

I felt the need to change the Floyd guitar a little more (once every 6 months) due to all that pull'n and the need to constantly retune.

As for "acid" hands - I wash my hands before I even pull a guitar out of the case. Seems to help avoid some of the problems I'm hearing about.

As I write this I'm thinking about BB King just playing with this friends at a picnic - ain't no hand washing goin' on there. I think that might be the right spirit.

 
one more point on snake oils - they have more "heavy" feel... the tension is higher. I use .10s, but compared to .10s of Dean Markley or D'Addario, they feel like .11s to me. And I'm doing lots of full tone and higher bends... So beware - if you plan to try, order one gauge lighter than you use /emoticons/default_laugh.png That remark is valid for electrics.

 
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Was it Robbie Krieger who didn't believe in changing strings? Never changed them during the Doors years? Can I get a witness? Or am I just hearing voices again?

 
I used to change strings for every gig. I had acid sweat, but now strings can last over a month. I have no idea what changed.....

 
after 12 hours of total play time on a set, there dead.

Many years (20+)I used D'addario... just 2years ago I switched the E.B. Rockers, pure nickle wound. tizzdashzit, but still have to switch out after 12 hours... if they last that long.

 
T.A.F.K.A KULL said:
I've been abusing Thomastik-Infeld Power Brights for the last couple of years and have not had a string pop. To my ear they are the tightest most consistant sounding sting yet have a spongy kinda feel...bizzare. I find that I change them out of habit before gigs but could easily leave them on. Usually get 2 months of regular playing on 'em ('bout 16 hrs a week).
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These are my favorites as well, but with the Dollar to Euro exchange rate, they've gone way up in price (and they weren't cheap to begin with). But just great strings. Do you have a source on them that won't break the bank?

Poe, I like the Dean Markely Alchemy strings for acoustic as well.

-Jonathan

 
jwhitcomb3 said:
T.A.F.K.A KULL said:
I've been abusing Thomastik-Infeld Power Brights for the last couple of years and have not had a string pop. To my ear they are the tightest most consistant sounding sting yet have a spongy kinda feel...bizzare. I find that I change them out of habit before gigs but could easily leave them on. Usually get 2 months of regular playing on 'em ('bout 16 hrs a week).
Click to expand...
These are my favorites as well, but with the Dollar to Euro exchange rate, they've gone way up in price (and they weren't cheap to begin with). But just great strings. Do you have a source on them that won't break the bank?

Poe, I like the Dean Markely Alchemy strings for acoustic as well.

-Jonathan
Click to expand...
My shop carries 'em and we go direct and they're still not cheap. Cheaper but not cheap

 
I wipe down my strings during the hotter months and sometimes rub with naphtha. The most I can get out of them is three gigs, and that's with rotating guitars each set.

 
I'm either rehearsing or performing about 20 hours a week these days. I use D'add XL110's on my electrics and they last me about a month. I change them when the g and or b strings begin to tarnish. I find that they last longer when I wash my hands before I pick up the guitar and then wipe the guitars down when I'm done.

On my acoustic I use D'add J16's and they last about three months.

 
I hate new strings........so.......My strings last until I change them

which could be 6 months......a year........who knows!! ??

 
I have been using D-Addarios. Use to use Super Slinkys and Boomers.

Recently - and I have always wanted to do this - I bought some Fender Bullet ends pure nickel, some of the new Carlos Santana 9.5 thick core nickel strings, some more Boomers, my regular D'Addarios and some Pure Nickel D'Addarios.

I sat there and just changed strings 3 or 4 times one one guitar. One right after the other. So I waisted a few dollars but I learned that I like the D'Addarios the best hands down out of the lot. None of the others had as good of sound or feel.

I typically change strings once a month after playing about 2 hours a day 6 days a week. And I beat the hell out of my strings - way more than I would say 99% of most people. I probably pick as many notes in a month as most guys do in an entire year plus I use the whammy.

By the way I usually wash my hands before I play since I mostly have maple fingerboards and I wipe my strings down after playing.

 
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