How Often Should You Change Your Strings?
How often do you change your strings?
Many of my students don’t change their strings until a string breaks. Sometimes this means using the same strings for six months, a year, or longer.
The sound of your guitar is powerfully affected by the condition and quality of the strings you’re using. If you look closely at a set of strings, you will see rust and corrosion. If you lift the string up and look underneath it, you may have the privilege of seeing a solid mass of grime which follows the underside of your string. This is residue from your fingers and particles of the string which have begun to corrode.
How often should you change your strings? Quite simply, as often as possible — although it depends on a number of factors, including how often you play.
It’s probably a good idea for most students to change their strings every 1-3 months. If you haven’t done this, try it. You will notice a big difference in the sound your guitar makes.
I strongly recommend using coated strings, and in my experience the Elixir nanoweb strings…electric or acoustic…I found they have the best tone and last the longest…they seem to last 2 to 4 times longer than other strings and I play every day for a few hours!