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Post by granty on Oct 11, 2018 6:04:34 GMT
Hi I have had the same strings on my guitar since I got my guitar off Francis some 11 months ago,the strings I got put on were elixir's,the thing is they still sound pretty good to me should I get them changed or keep on until they are sounding crap. Whats the average age to keep elixir strings on guitar ?
granty
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leoroberts
C.O.G.
Posts: 24,503
My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Oct 11, 2018 6:50:57 GMT
If they still sound good to you there's no need to change them. What would be the point?
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Post by andyhowell on Oct 11, 2018 7:00:55 GMT
If they are sounding good then keep them on. I tend to change mine when a string breaks but as I’m tuning to different tunings often that third string doesn’t last long.
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Post by oustudent on Oct 11, 2018 7:37:18 GMT
I am a compulsive string changer, three months is my target life cycle but that is probably unnecessary.
If you change now and it sounds better then you know for sure that 11 months is too long for those strings.
There is also the psychological element to consider if you are in a rut a string change can sometimes give you a boost
J
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Post by fatfingerjohn on Oct 11, 2018 8:08:59 GMT
If they are sounding good then keep them on. I tend to change mine when a string breaks but as I’m tuning to different tunings often that third string doesn’t last long. I know I don't play hard but I haven't actually broken a string for over 10 years. Starting to feel inadequate ... what am I doing wrong? FFJ
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Post by lavaman on Oct 11, 2018 8:16:31 GMT
I keep a spreadsheet of when I change strings. Yes I know that's sad but I have accumulated a few guitars now and I can never remember what gauge they are or when I put them on. On my guitars and with my playing, Elixers last 6 months and D'Addario's 3.
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 2,319
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Post by colins on Oct 11, 2018 8:23:56 GMT
I would humbly suggest that yes time for a change. The strings still sound OK to you, but it's like the going grey thing, you don't really notice it, as it's a gradual change, but boy would you notice the difference if you dyed your hair black again! You'll probably notice a big difference in the guitar if you put a new set of strings on. New strings put on every 3 months or so would only come to about £1 a week. Buy three sets at a time and change regularly. Francis is a very good guitar builder, his guitars deserve to be maintained at their best. Lecture over.
Colin
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Post by fatfingerjohn on Oct 11, 2018 8:40:13 GMT
I keep a spreadsheet of when I change strings. Yes I know that's sad but I have accumulated a few guitars now and I can never remember what gauge they are or when I put them on. On my guitars and with my playing, Elixers last 6 months and D'Addario's 3. I keep the new outer packet and write on which guitar and date of change. Then on the old packet, if it was a different type of string I write on how long before I changed and any comments e.g. sounded a bit dull, or didn't last very long etc.
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Post by scorpiodog on Oct 11, 2018 10:03:23 GMT
I keep Elixirs on most of my guitars until they look furry. That's the coating coming off, and, in my experience, it means I'll have intonation problems soon afterwards. But I have changed sooner if they start to sound dull (in one case, just one string went dull, but I changed all the wound strings). I change the unwound strings about half as often as I change the wound. Having said all this, I fully agree with colins. I don't think I've ever had strings on a guitar I play regularly for 11 months. A change now will give you pleasure, I am sure.
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Post by Onechordtrick on Oct 11, 2018 10:23:02 GMT
I would humbly suggest that yes time for a change. The strings still sound OK to you, but it's like the going grey thing, you don't really notice it, as it's a gradual change, but boy would you notice the difference if you dyed your hair black again! You'll probably notice a big difference in the guitar if you put a new set of strings on. New strings put on every 3 months or so would only come to about £1 a week. Buy three sets at a time and change regularly. Francis is a very good guitar builder, his guitars deserve to be maintained at their best. Lecture over. Colin Yes, the deterioration is quite gradual. In the picture below the first 3 courses are new, the right hand pair are about 3 months old. The improvement in tone when I changed was noticeable even to my cloth ears. Which reminds me, they're now overdue a change I think
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David Hutton
Cheerfully Optimistic
Posts: 1,179
My main instrument is: The Colin Symonds All English Guitar
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Post by David Hutton on Oct 11, 2018 11:46:59 GMT
I would humbly suggest that yes time for a change. The strings still sound OK to you, but it's like the going grey thing, you don't really notice it, as it's a gradual change, but boy would you notice the difference if you dyed your hair black again! You'll probably notice a big difference in the guitar if you put a new set of strings on. New strings put on every 3 months or so would only come to about £1 a week. Buy three sets at a time and change regularly. Francis is a very good guitar builder, his guitars deserve to be maintained at their best. Lecture over. Colin Crikey, now I need to change my strings and dye my hair!
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Post by Onechordtrick on Oct 11, 2018 12:22:41 GMT
I'll probably just dye my strings and change my hair
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Post by littlemart on Oct 11, 2018 13:12:33 GMT
I would humbly suggest that yes time for a change. The strings still sound OK to you, but it's like the going grey thing, you don't really notice it, as it's a gradual change, but boy would you notice the difference if you dyed your hair black again! You'll probably notice a big difference in the guitar if you put a new set of strings on. New strings put on every 3 months or so would only come to about £1 a week. Buy three sets at a time and change regularly. Francis is a very good guitar builder, his guitars deserve to be maintained at their best. Lecture over. Colin Crikey, now I need to change my strings and dye my hair! Reading this, had a quick look in the mirror. Yikes - not only has it gone grey but most of it has fallen out as well. When did that happen!!
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Post by ghnarumen on Oct 11, 2018 14:13:49 GMT
Crikey, now I need to change my strings and dye my hair! Reading this, had a quick look in the mirror. Yikes - not only has it gone grey but most of it has fallen out as well. When did that happen!! Probably when your strings started going dull; change your strings and, well, who knows...
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Post by littlemart on Oct 11, 2018 20:03:49 GMT
Reading this, had a quick look in the mirror. Yikes - not only has it gone grey but most of it has fallen out as well. When did that happen!! Probably when your strings started going dull; change your strings and, well, who knows... ....no, maybe not.
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