New strings

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New strings

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fevictor

Posts: 377
Joined: Nov. 22 2005
From: Quepos / Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

New strings

I seem to be full of what I think are silly questions, but you guys have helped me alot; how am I supposed to know when to change the strings? I normally wait for one to break, but I haven´t broken one in a while and I´ll be damned if I can remember how the guitar sounded six months ago to compare. So how do you guys tell when its time?

Thanks

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2005 1:28:28

sorin popovici

Posts: 427
Joined: Jan. 7 2005
From: Iasi, Romania

RE: New strings (in reply to fevictor)

if they were white , and now they are turning a bit red ....then u should have changed them
sometime ago.I dont know ....look at the basses ...
I supose a more experienced player can tell better, because he can play many different things on his guitar.For me it's time, when I hear the tremolo louder than the bass notes that acompany the tremolo.

Also depends on how much do u practice ...but usually I would say that after a month u
should change them.Now I dont know if u should change the trebles , that I dont very often.
Someone said changed the trebles once per two bass strings changes.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2005 1:43:32

Jon Boyes

Posts: 1377
Joined: Jul. 10 2003

RE: New strings (in reply to fevictor)

quote:

ORIGINAL: fevictor
I seem to be full of what I think are silly questions, but you guys have helped me alot; how am I supposed to know when to change the strings? I normally wait for one to break, but I haven´t broken one in a while

There are no silly questions, only silly answers

Don't wait for your strings to bring - I haven't broken a string on a nylon strung guitar in about 20 years.

You will need to change your strings when the basses no longer sound bright (the basses lose their tone long before the trebles, hence D'Addario sets with two sets of basses). If they start to discolour (go brownish) thats a sign they are dying too.

For most people this in terms of weeks - how many depends on what strings you use (some last longer), how often you play, your climate and how much you sweat to name a few variables. I doubt whether at your stage you need to change more often than every 4 weeks, possibly double that.

I use a string cleaner to squeeze an extra week or two out of my strings. It helps brighten them.

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Spanish Guitarist in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2005 8:56:45

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: New strings (in reply to Jon Boyes)

I was sleeping early the other morning (about 6 or 7am), and I heard a "TWANG!" noise come from somewhere in my bedroom. I looked around and noticed that the 4th string on one of my classical guitars had just snapped.
Now I'm a lazy kind of guy, and I don't think I've changed the strings on that classical at all in about a whole year!!! Come to think of it, the bass strings did look kind of grotty and brown...

Best not to let things get that bad...

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2005 12:32:57

sorin popovici

Posts: 427
Joined: Jan. 7 2005
From: Iasi, Romania

RE: New strings (in reply to fevictor)

that can happen because of contraction ...I also had this problem.
One morning my roomates decided to open the window to let some fresh air
at 0 celsius.My D snapped(always the D)

What I dont get is this.Why when u expose the strings to low temperature
the strings go down , i mean E becomes D# ...shouldnt the tension grow
and E should become F?I think the trebles go down ...dont know why,what's
the explanation.Am I imagining this ?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2005 12:39:54

frhout

Posts: 453
Joined: Apr. 28 2005
From: France

RE: New strings (in reply to fevictor)

Like most others, I change basses more often than trebles. Once my 4th string severed and it made a dent underneath the bridge when it broke. It was annoying as it was my only guitar. So it's better to change them before it's too late. As to how long, if you only play from time to time, they can even last for six months. Or everyday hard hitting them, once a month.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2005 18:48:49

frhout

Posts: 453
Joined: Apr. 28 2005
From: France

RE: New strings (in reply to fevictor)

An extra question, has anyone noticed one side of the nylon string is always softer than the other side, which side do you play. Somebody mentioned years ago that I should play with the softer side (i.e. towards the bridge). Apart from Savarez, when we know that the side with the red ball should be mounted towards the bridge, most other makes don't have this indication.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2005 18:53:09

gshaviv

Posts: 272
Joined: Mar. 22 2005
From: Israel

RE: New strings (in reply to fevictor)

Not s silly quetion at all. And I agree that there are no silly questions, only silly answers.

Its hard to say when to replace a string, its easy to say that you should have replaced it earlier after it breaks....

The first thing to do is listen, over the years you develop the ear for it.

Some of the signs I use are:

A string is hard to tune. Old strings tend to go out of tune faster. Of course new strings go out of tune fast as well, but after they "break-in" they should be more stable.

For the trebles, I rub my thumb underneath the string, if you feel the string is scratched - replace it. Strings get dents from the frets.

As for the basses, its usually sufficient to visualy inspect them. You can see the wear and tear where they get pressed against the frets. If the metal winding has uneven/worn out segments, its a bad sign.

Finally, if you play and you don't like what you hear, its either the player or the strings. Replacing the strings is much easier....

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Guy

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2005 19:00:42

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: New strings (in reply to fevictor)

Hmm if someone change the strings when already one broke... its not important for this person to know when its good to change it earlyer..coz if he can wait and play with these bad sounding old strings till they break without hating the bad sound of the strings..he dont need to change it coz he dont hear the difference.. I dont change my strings when they start sounding bad..not till they break. When I have only to play for class and no gig I switch the sides of the strings..and 2 days later I have to change it..coz I cant stand bad sounding stings.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2005 21:23:05

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: New strings (in reply to fevictor)

I change it when I can't stand how it sounds anymore...

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2005 21:48:49

Thomas Whiteley

Posts: 786
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: San Francisco Bay Area

RE: New strings (in reply to sorin popovici)

quote:

What I dont get is this.Why when u expose the strings to low temperature
the strings go down , i mean E becomes D# ...shouldnt the tension grow
and E should become F?

Sorin;

The laws of physics are at work here.

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Tom
http://home.comcast.net/~flamencoguitar/flamenco.html

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2005 23:25:03

fevictor

Posts: 377
Joined: Nov. 22 2005
From: Quepos / Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

RE: New strings (in reply to fevictor)

Well I´ve had the same strings on for about six months now and i play a couple of hours everyday.....I guess its time to change them!!! No wonder my playing sounds so crappy!

Thanks for ther input.

By the way...should I be worrying at this point of my learning what type of strings i should buy? Remember that I´m a beginner. Is there a certain brand or style that is easier to play for the less experienced?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 22 2005 0:27:34