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Joe Bonamassa Forum → Joe's Guitars, Amps and Gear → String life
Something that got a little over the top on the les paul forums a while back.
Who keeps their strings on for ages? Who changes almost daily?
Currently I am using one set longer, since I changed my bridge to faber.
Used to change once a week. But the tone is actually really nice, and that Dunlop string conditioner stuff is incredible!
I have been playing for around 9-10 years...
I have broken a max. of three or four strings a year...playing a min. of 2-3 hours a day (EB's).
Last week I happened to break five strings (of all gauges) in one day on four separate guitars. A couple were brand new sets, some a month old.
I'd love to have a tech take care of it all - strings ARE my nightmare. I felt like popping my head like a balloon when the fourth set went...
I never seem to change at a certain point, more when I feel like it and always when they break... 
Another reason why all my F.Rose guitars went....you need a tech! Arrrrghhh 
Hmm...okay a quick calc. here... my five guitars at 6quid a set...everyday...365...NO, sorry I don't 11,000 pounds!
EDIT: I needed to rant! 
Depends on the guitar - we are really talking days - I don't have the money, but I'd easily do changes every 3-4 days. It's when they are really dead, out of tune, intonation...then you have the problem.
I've only ever broken one string in 6 years.
Yet, I'm still scared of it happening at a gig.
I was more talking about the life you get before the strings sound dead.
I don't break strings anymore. But my hand SWEAT like crazy.
As soon as they start feeling rusty, I'll change them... or play another guitar that has newer strings 
GAS is good for that!
My strings don't usually feel good before they're dead. Usually they're rusty as hell when they sound dead. I probably change strings bi-monthly between the seven or so guitars I play regularly on rotation.
Change strings when you cant tune well by ear. Dont use a tuner at this questionable stage of, "Do I need to change my strings?"
Simply tune your old "A" string with the tuner, then tune the rest of the strings by ear. If you struggle hearing the strings ring out true, and the sound is kinda muddy, and the tone as you are hearing it kinda wavers up and down (getting overtone vibration decay),change out your strings.
To develop your ear (training), immediately repeat this same process with the new strings. You will definitely hear the string's ring true and clear, and tuning is faster...when you twist the tuning peg up to raise the pitch, you will hear definite clear tone/note. With tuning by ear, tuning in octaves, be sure your guitar is intonated....learn to do this yourself, and check intonation after new strings are installed.
For me, if my guitar keeps going out of tune, I need to probably change strings. Their appearance can also tell you to change out. Clean your strings with a lint free towel that wont scrtach your finish. I use Fast Fret to clean my strings. Hand wash all towels in the sink with baby powder soap and some fabric softener. Fluff dry in the dryer.
Psychologically speaking, buy your strings in bulk, and DONT HESITATE to change them when you feel like it. This is a nice little luxury you give to yourself to enjoy playing MORE, as opposed to not playing cause you dont have a spare set of strings.
I did this with buying picks....when I was younger, I had 4 picks to my name, and could not afford to loose them. So I bought a gross (144 count) of picks, and relaxed knowing I could loose a pick, or give them away. I stopped asking myself if the pick was worn down and needed to get a new one. I throw some what old picks inside the sound hole of my Epi A-12 acoustic that sits out in the living room. I can always get to a pick , and have a maracca.
I keep a few picks in each car's glove box, and one in my pocket at all times...for spontaneous jams!......Buy the 10 pack of strings at Guitar Center, which is cheeper, and I always go in the store and ask them if they have any "string deals" going on. Also keep extra 1st, 2nd, and 3rd strings sealed in a zip bag with a desicate pack in every guitar case, in case of breakage. All my cases have their own string winder, picks, and capo.....a luxury I gave myself over time.
Save your string packages to give to family members so they know exactly what brand of strings to buy you for Chritsmas. Try to teach grandma how to say "D'Addario". Just give her the package & send her to the guitar shop. I get pretty much outfitted with strings for a year every Dec. 25th.
Sorry so lengthy and anal. >> DAN
ATM moneys been a little short so my strings have been on a good month longer than normal (usually I feel there dirty and feel bitty after about 2 weeks) and thats gigging 2x a week and practising with band once a week. I only change them now when the start t smell of rust and dirty metal....
Saying that I've been picking up 3x packs of fender pure nickels @ £10 - £12 on ebay which works out at £4 and under a pack, for whatever reason the necessity of going to the gutar shop (which I bought all my strings from at one point) has gone, charging £6 a set when I can get them for £2 cheaper online is umm ridiculous.
It also helps with problem of seeing something I MUST have lol
RE: Picks Dan lol
I have 3-4 in my car
2 in my wallet in dif pockets
a key ring with some on
my guitar cases / bags
I just cant seem to keep hold of picks (though I still have my very first pick), Usually they always turn up in the tumble dryer, washing machine or even my jeans pocket 
We all start out naive and have little money. Playing guitar SHOULD be fun, or else put it down for the day. Listen to Neil Young's, "This old Guitar."
I just learned over the years to ease my mind and give myself a few luxuries. I remember loosing a pick and freaking out. My Bro-in-law cut his picks from plastic detergent bottles.
I've used match book covers when I was a smoker, and beer pull tabs as picks. >> DAN
I change them as often as I can. It's a hassle and I hate doing it but I LOVE the silky feel of new strings once they have settled in and been stretched. It's been a while since I have broken a string and I play a lot. I just switch guitars if it happens live and string up during set break.
D'Addario 10's for me.
If you break strings, be sure to investigate why. Breaking strings at the tuning peg, nut, or bridge saddles, means you need to work on something to correct it. New strings shouldnt break so soon, if you conclude that you break just old strings. But sometimes you get new strings that are crappy, and you just have to change them out as well.
I bought a set of Ernie Ball strings when I was younger, and got them home to find the 1st string missing......be sure to look through the (open) string packs before you leave the store (Did the repairman borrow a 1st string and not replace it before I bought the pack?!).
Changing strings is fun if you drink a beer with it... just one.
I use graphite powder in my guitar nut (or pencil lead I guess), when I get pinches. I will also lube the underside of the string where it travels through the nut with Kyser lube/cleaner. Thick lubes will deaden wound strings. So graphite may work best overall.
Does the "Nut Sauce" product work well? And how thick is it...does it stay in place? >> DAN
Does the "Nut Sauce" product work well? And how thick is it...does it stay in place? >> DAN
I've used Nut Sauce for a few years now, it works very well. It's pretty thick,and stays in place. Very expensive though...graphite probably works just as well.
I think I read that Joe's tech uses it also.
I would recommend changing them before a gig, when they sound flat, or have been used for too long. Guess that depends upon your playing style. Also, try to buy "fresh" strings and no more than you'll need for the next month or two. I don't believe strings have a indefinite shelf life. JMHO
I've used glycerin in the past in the nut, which is a thick, clear alcohol based "lube". The one thing to be carefull about is using these kinds of lubes on wound strings...it deadens their tone. So for wound strings, use graphite. I wonder in Nut Sauce is primarily glycerin, which you can buy at the drug store. If you get too much pinching in the nut, try lighter strings before taking a file to the nut.
For playing out, and you want to save some money, just change out your first 3 strings after every show, and change the wound strings ever 2 shows perhaps.?
I like the Ernie Ball Super Slinky's (pink wrapper), and they are not/never were vacume sealed. Degradation of the strings is a concern. I always store all my strings for electric and acoustic in a gallon zip-lock bag with a desiccate packet inside.....if in doubt, use TWO zip-lock bags.
I date the spare strings in my cases with the date I purchased them, and try to rotate them in when I change strings sometimes.
The Guitar Center "string deals" are great at knocking off close to $2.00 a pack, bringing Ernie Balls to $3.50 a pack. That makes you feel better in changing strings more often. I feel sorry for the private guitar shops that charge $6.00 - $7.00 for a pack of Ernie Balls. Just remember to ask at G. Center next time for any sales.
Start a string savings account in your car with all the spare change you younger guys for some reason today dont keep in your pockets anymore or spend at the store....I'm not that old, but do use my spare change.
I remember in the 80's the sales pitch was to buy bulk strings....20 single individual strings in a box. So you buy 6 boxes of 20 straight strings, cause they said that coiled up strings in a pack messed them up. That was their pitch...I believe Martin. I didnt go for it, and couldnt afford it anyways. The great palyers form the 60's sure got great tone from coiled strings and wound "G" strings.! >> DAN
Well, I used to leave the strings on for like 4 months. But at a time I realized that after a month or a month and a half the strings begin to be rusty, they don't play well anymore and you're going out of tune. And if there's one thing I can't stand is if your out of tune. So now I change my strings every month. Of course only on the guitars I play at that time. There is no reason to put new strings on a guitar you hardly use....
If your guitar is properly ''set up'' correctly with the intonation right on, your new strings can still be in tune after storing the guitar under your bed for months.
I cant say enough about proper intonation, and good ear training.
I really frustrated over tuning issues when I first started playing, until I learned about intonation.
New strings do not matter if you are not in tune all the way up the neck. Thanks >> DAN
All depends how you play, for gigs we restring every guitar. For noodling at home, just leave them on until tuning gets tough. Use Nut Sauce, it makes a huge difference and also quality of strings.
We have an endorsement with Dean Markley and use their Blue Steels, stunning strings, they do last much longer than other quality strings we have used.
All depends how you play, for gigs we restring every guitar. For noodling at home, just leave them on until tuning gets tough. Use Nut Sauce, it makes a huge difference and also quality of strings.
We have an endorsement with Dean Markley and use their Blue Steels, stunning strings, they do last much longer than other quality strings we have used.
All depends how you play, for gigs we restring every guitar. For noodling at home, just leave them on until tuning gets tough. Use Nut Sauce, it makes a huge difference and also quality of strings.
We have an endorsement with Dean Markley and use their Blue Steels, stunning strings, they do last much longer than other quality strings we have used.
I use the Chrome Frets Silky Strings string cleaning system when the strings are new. Works like a dream. Strings last months instead of weeks. Puts a teflon based coating on the string and reduces contamination to almost zero. See demo video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDa9bUlBIRM
I just don't like the feel or sound of worn out strings, so I switched to Elixer Nanowebs years ago and never looked back. My sweaty fingers tend to tear through strings in a couple days if I'm playing a lot. They don't sound quite as good to me as a quality set of non-coated strings, but the difference is minor, and convenience more than makes up for it for me.
Normal strings: great feel/tone for a couple days, good feel/tone for a week, garbage after that
Nanowebs: good feel/tone for months
Not a huge fan of Nanowebs on acoustics - too much of a tone difference. They sound a little thinner and more trebly. I still have them on my acoustics because of convenience and I'm just not playing much (if any) acoustic these days, so the guitars might sit for a month or more. Nanowebs are great for that. When I do take the acoustic out it's going to feel good even if it's been sitting in the closet for three months.
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