Shadowman Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Hey guys , I have read that you should change your strings every 2 months even if you dont play it. Any truth 2 this satement. I ask cause my LP is 2 months old. Should I get rid of the stock strings even if its not true ? I'm sure they can't compare 2 some ernie balls. Also should I stick with the stock 10s? Thanx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Sounds like a lot of nonesense to me... Different guitars and guitarist require string changes at smaller or larger itnervals depending on how much it has been played, how much it has corroded, how new you like your strings, how acidic your sweat is etc etc etc If your strings feel playable I wouldn't change them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I change mine once a year whether they need it or not. Sort of like my underwear. Seriously? If I'm playing with others (which I don't do much any more) I sometimes would change the strings on the guitars I'm using every week or two. If I'm not playing them....I tune them occasionally and they sit. After 47 years of playing it's never ruined any of my guitars. Like Clarkuss said....Acid hands or for that matter...living in the tropics....ya da, ya da.....maybe? Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigneil Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I just wait until they feel cruddy and sound lifeless, could take anything from 2 weeks to a year depending on usage. If I was a pro musician I,d change them before every gig or recording session. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 On average I play about 3 shows a week plus a 3-4 hour rehearsal and I use Elixirs on my Casinos and acoustic and Compressed rounds/Flats on my other 3 guitars. The Elixirs I change every 3-4 months. The non coated strings I probably have to change every 6 weeks to 2 months if I'm dilligent. I corrode stings pretty badly so have to remember to wipe down my guitars after every show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfox14 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 It really does depend on how much you play not how long they've been on the guitar. Once every 2 months is fine if you play a little - even a little bit everyday. You should try and train your ears to know when strings have gone dead. It should be pretty obvious when you play with dead strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I recently went over a year without changing the strings on any of my guitars. D'addarios FTW. Not even one string broke and I tend to do a lot of bending. They all have fresh strings as of December. I havent changed the strings on my Ocean TB75 bass in almost two years and I have no intentions to. I dont know what the stock strings are on that bass, but they still feel and sound great and hold tune perfectly. Of course, I dont like my bass strings bright and I really dont like new bass strings...so there is that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diverden Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Sounds like advise from a string salesman. I use Elixir Nanowebs and usually go 6 months. However I just realized this weekend that the Elixirs on my EJ160 were over a year old. So i put on D'addario Chrome Flatwounds. The year old Elixir strings sound better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-poland Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Hey guys , I have read that you should change your strings every 2 months even if you dont play it. Any truth 2 this satement. I ask cause my LP is 2 months old. Should I get rid of the stock strings even if its not true ? I'm sure they can't compare 2 some ernie balls. Also should I stick with the stock 10s? Thanx I read a article on Roy Buchanan,it said he changed strings as they broke!? If your just starting out why not just leave'em on until you can't stay in tune or get rusty then chang'em at least by then you'll have a good reference old vs new from then on! just my opinion I'de stay with what size it came with for a while if for no other reason than to gain some experience with one size so when ya do go to different size you'll notice right off!! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilm3 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Fiction. A lot of factors come into play. Type of strings, how often you play, climate where you live, your type of sweat. My strings, and I play for hour everyday, last me 6 months to a year. Occasionally I change them just because or if I want to try a different brand. One of my sons has extremely acidic sweat or oils in his hands. If he touches my guitars without washing his hands first and wiping off the strings when he is done, you can actually watch the strings rust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I hate the sound of new strings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabar Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Robbie Kreiger of the Doors recently said in an interview that during his entire tenure with the Doors, he only changed strings when he broke one. I have quite a few guitars; a few I play regularly, the rest only occasionally. The ones that get played infrequently are kept in cases, and the climate I live in isn't exceptionally humid or salty, so the strings can go for a year or longer without losing either tone or flexibility that I can detect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I know, when my strings won't keep intonation, that it's time for a change. I notice that, especially on the G,B,& high E strings, first. When they've stretched, as much as they can, etc. Or, as other's have mentioned, if they are corroded, and/or "lifeless." That point, varies, depending on string type, and even brand. So, accordingly, I have no "set rule" for when I change them. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midiman56 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Really, just about the only "hard and fast" rule I have for strings applies to the ones that come with a new guitar ... get rid of 'em! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strat-o-steve Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 If it were my only guitar, then yes, I would change strings maybe twice a month, and likely more often if I were playing out. Otherwise, I leave the strings on guitars I am collecting just to keep proper tension on the necks. If I get them out and desire to play them, I will put on a fresh set of strings. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowman Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 Thanx for the good advice guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNick Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 I change whenever they sound dull or flat.B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Back when I was gigging I would change my strings at least weekly however now I just change them when they loose their new brightness or get corroded.There are no strict rules about how often to change strings,let your ears and hands tell you. whether or not to keep using 10s is entirely up to you also,they certainly wouldn't do any harm.I use .008-.038 because I do a lot of extreme bending in the Hendrix/Buddy Guy/Albert King vein but as I said whatever you find comfortable.Of all the strings I've tried over the years I find D'Addario nickel wound strings hold their new brightness longer and stay in tune better than most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markini Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Shadowman, I noticed the Epi Ultra in your Photo Avatar. I have the exact same model and color, MIK, Excellent Guitar. I have 4 gibbys and that particular ultra stands up well to them in quality and build and sound. Also changed out the neck pup for a Gibson 57. I put my Ultra real colse to my Gibby LP 60s tribute. Vefry 'bluesy' guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 I just wait until they feel cruddy and sound lifeless, could take anything from 2 weeks to a year depending on usage. If I was a pro musician I,d change them before every gig or recording session. It's a personal choice..........I change them as needed...When recording pro; Two days before the session...re-change after three recording days...... Otherwise, whenever...........I have a doubleneck I haven't changed the strings on in 18 years...........:unsure: ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowman Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 Shadowman, I noticed the Epi Ultra in your Photo Avatar. I have the exact same model and color, MIK, Excellent Guitar. I have 4 gibbys and that particular ultra stands up well to them in quality and build and sound. Also changed out the neck pup for a Gibson 57. I put my Ultra real colse to my Gibby LP 60s tribute. Vefry 'bluesy' guitar. Hi Markini , your ultra sounds cool , how much different was the sound w/ gibson 57? The photo avatar is one I just put in from a list I have an epi LP standered , any advice on that guitar? Thanx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSDx Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 I hate the sound of new strings Ditto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfine Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 A wide range of replies here! It really does depend on several factors--how much you play, how bright (or not) you like your sound, what kind of body chemistry you've got, etc. Back when I was gigging regularly, I used to change my strings every 2-3 playing days--I can't stand the sound of dead strings, so they'd be off of there as soon as they got thumpy on the bottom end. My body chemistry doesn't help either--I could corrode a bank vault door open by leaning on it for about 15 minutes! I've tried every type of string there is, it seems--I even used Maxima Golds for a while; they're a German brand that are actually gold-plated. I could actually get a couple of weeks (playing three nights a week) out of those, but when the price went past $11 (street), they weren't cost-effective anymore. Then Elixirs came out, and that was a godsend for me--I can get them for $10-$11 a set, and they last for months. I've actually been known to break one on occasion--the low strings don't go dead, so I'll forget how long they've been on there until one wears out (which they'll do just like any other string). I've just gone a little over a year without changing strings on any of my guitars, but I've got a good excuse--in January of '11 I smashed the little finger on my left hand and tore a tendon loose--couldn't play at all for a few months, then I had a knee replacement and was down for a few more months. The knee's doing fine, the finger's usable if a little stiff, but after 15 minutes or so of practice it loosens up, and then I can dig in and try to get my chops back up. For that first 10-15 minutes, though, it feels like I've got a baseball glove on my left hand! I really should change those strings one of these days... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexygibson Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Its all up to the individual. I generally change my electrics every 1 1/2 - 2 months and my acoustics a bit sooner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markini Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Shadowman and RSDx. To answer your question. The new pickup made the Epi sound like a Gibson LP with 57 pups. It was an improvement, a major improvement? No. The old pups were decent to begin with, I think they are the same pups in the standard. The new 57 pup made the guitar less muddy sounding when overdriven and the cleans were cleaner, the 57 pup has better range and frequency response. It does compare well with a mid range Gibson Lp. I own two Gibby Lps and the Ultra is a close third. In fact I think I will play it this weekend. I have only played a couple of Epi Standards. They were very similiar to the Ultra in sound. The Ultra is kind of a highend model for Epiphone, not that high end i think retail they were $699. I prefer the binding on body and neck and the bling. I almost purchased an Epi LP standard with a blueburst finish, but the back of the guitar had belt buckle scratches. But if you can afford it, I would upgrade the pups or least the neck pup (what I did , with a Gibson 57 classic) The old pickups were not bad and sounded ok. Same with the standard. Epiphone Les Paul Ultra Specifications Pickups: Alnico classic/Plus Hardware: Gold, Grover tuners Scale Length: 24.75 inches Nut Width: 1.65 inches Neck: Set Neck Material: Mahogany with satin finish</B> Fingerboard: Rosewood Fingerboard Inlay: Trapezoids Binding: Body and neck Body Material: Mahogany with chambers Top: Quilted Maple Tailpiece: Tunomatic, stopbar Weight: 5.5 to 6.0 lbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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