zigzag Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 Today, I changed strings on the six guitars I play. Cost me around $160. I use Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Swing (flatwounds) on all of them at $20-$25 a set. I love them. Plus, I use D'Addario coated strings for the 1st and 2nd strings (except on the Tele), because the T-I 1st and 2nd can get a little twangy and louder than the rest. Those strings will last me almost a year, especially if I use Gibson string cleaner and lube after six months. I'll get replacement sets for Christmas presents. The T-I strings come from Amazon (they're priced as good, or better, than anywhere else), and the D'Addario individual strings from Just Strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 Man, those must be some good strings. At that price it would cost me over $300 to change em all. Think I'll have to stick with my $3 D'Addario strings - which coincidentally I am doing today. Just on a few of the regular gig guits that have gotten a bit crusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Man, those must be some good strings. At that price it would cost me over $300 to change em all. Think I'll have to stick with my $3 D'Addario strings - which coincidentally I am doing today. Just on a few of the regular gig guits that have gotten a bit crusty. I have a lot of guitars and so I keep a spreadsheet that details string change date, string/gauge/mfgr used, prior date change, any other setup things i.e. fretboard oil, etc. That said, I try to do only a couple a month, based on playing time mostly, rather than a lot at one time. Kind of keeps the expense side of things down, you know? I also keep a lot of spare strings on hand so as always YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Yer supposed to change 'em? rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Yer supposed to change 'em? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 1478911567[/url]' post='1811772']Yer supposed to change 'em? rct Ha ha ha, love it but true! As a teen growing up I always thought you only replaced them when they broke, lol TRUE. At 60 when I got back into it again and came here, I was shocked that you guys changed them so much! I can still go months with a set on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar God Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Those Thomastik's are pricey! Never tried them on one of my guitars, though. Awhile back I was at a music store and the owner asked me, "Hey! Have you ever seen a $500 set of strings?" and I thought he was joking, but he wasn't. They were upright bass strings that he ordered for somebody. The guy came in and got them while I was there and I was like, "So, I hear these are $500 strings?" and he replies, "Yes!", haha. No joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted November 12, 2016 Author Share Posted November 12, 2016 I look at it this way. I like the sound and feel of these flatwounds. I know a lot of people who feel the need to change strings every six to eight weeks. That could be six sets a year... at least two or three sets a year. Most strings cost anywhere between five and ten dollars a set. Even inexpensive flatwounds that don't last as long as T-Is are around ten dollars. See where I'm going with this? The initial cost is high, but I could be saving money over the long run for higher quality (IMO) strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 I have T-I strings on one of my semis (0.11 top for me). Best flatwounds (and most long-lasting) I've ever tried. If I could afford to I'd use those and DR Handmade Blues all the time. Not these days however; I've just stocked up with some sets of much cheaper Legacy strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Yer supposed to change 'em? rct No way... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 ... As a teen growing up I always thought you only replaced them when they broke, lol TRUE. At 60 when I got back into it again and came here, I was shocked that you guys changed them so much! I can still go months with a set on. The strings currently on my guitars have been in use since between six and 41 months - I'm not kidding. They all get played regularly and sound as nice as a few days virtually unplayed right after stringing. Sets that suffer lots of sweat have to go after much shorter periods, but this has not been the case at all this year. During my younger and wilder years I used to replace the entire set when an E1st broke, and that happened every few weeks typically. However, I didn't break a string through playing since at least eight years. Some E1st were killed by post-2011 Grover machine heads though, but I only replace these in most cases, not the entire set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 When I played out regularly getting sweaty, I'd change my strings every 2-4 weeks. Now I just play at home and change them every 4 months or so. I've always used Ernie ball 10s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Ha ha ha, love it but true! As a teen growing up I always thought you only replaced them when they broke, lol TRUE. At 60 when I got back into it again and came here, I was shocked that you guys changed them so much! I can still go months with a set on. Apparently, we grew up together - 10 years apart😎 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPguitarman Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Yer supposed to change 'em? rct I always thought the rust enhanced the tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. C.O. Jones Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 Ehem.... I should read more carefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 Ehem.... I should read more carefully. Why did you edit your post while I was logging in? You were spot-on! Taken from the excellent "Fender Bass Manual" by Paul Balmer (Haynes Publishing): Carol Kaye says: "I never changed strings - hated to do that and had no time to do that. I merely ran into a music store on a break, handed in my old bass, and quickly picked out a new Fender Precision, and so every two years I had new strings." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. C.O. Jones Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 Why did you edit your post while I was logging in? You were spot-on! Taken from the excellent "Fender Bass Manual" by Paul Balmer (Haynes Publishing): Carol Kaye says: "I never changed strings - hated to do that and had no time to do that. I merely ran into a music store on a break, handed in my old bass, and quickly picked out a new Fender Precision, and so every two years I had new strings." Well I was a tiny bit embaraced because I did miss that the others were talking about stand up bass strings. I had a look at Thomann's prices for those strings, the most expensive ones cost almost 599€. On the other hand they also have a stand up bass for 549€ I think. So yes I should have let it be as it was. Jeez you are quick man, haaahaa! For those interested it was something like: Fender Precision Standard 599.99$ Why buy new strings? Throw that thing away and buy a new one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. C.O. Jones Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 https://m.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_111.htm Thats the one. With EBONY fingerboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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