Anyone changing strings?

[ThoughtExperiment]

On the other hand, a good non-political reason to avoid buying US strings is they now cost a fr!ggn fortune in the UK. Can't imagine why....

Another good reason to use coated strings. Even if they’re double the price, they can last 12 times as long (1 year).

Good point. I've thought about giving coated strings a try again. I did try some a few years ago but I couldn't get used to the feel of them. They felt weirdly sticky. Maybe they were a bad batch or brand (Elixir) or maybe the technology has improved in the intervening years?

[mystran]

On the other hand, a good non-political reason to avoid buying US strings is they now cost a fr!ggn fortune in the UK. Can't imagine why....

Another good reason to use coated strings. Even if they’re double the price, they can last 12 times as long (1 year).

Good point. I've thought about giving coated strings a try again. I did try some a few years ago but I couldn't get used to the feel of them. They felt weirdly sticky. Maybe they were a bad batch or brand (Elixir) or maybe the technology has improved in the intervening years?

I don't really like coated strings either due to the sticky feel. If anything Elixirs might be a bit "less bad" compared to some others I've tried, but I've found that some of them can even make it difficult to play where if you lift your finger from the string too quickly, the string can stick to your finger just a bit and cause this sort of "micro pull-off" effect.

[Uncle E]

Elixir has 3 different versions of coating. The Optiweb’s feel like traditional strings.

[jens]

James Jamerson played the bass.

Even more specifically he played flatwounds, which much much less suffer from all the same kinds of deterioration roundwounds do.

[jens]

I tend to swap strings pretty close to the "100 hours" rule, so about once a month.

Speaking of strings... does anyone have any recommendations for strings that are not made in the US? Trying to avoid buying any US products if there are reasonable alternatives.

Rotosound - UK

Thomastik-Infeld - Austria

Pyramid (these - their pure nickels - are my personal favourites) - Germany

Optima - Germany



These all - and especially the three (linguistically) German ones - have an excellent reputation, to say the least.

[ThoughtExperiment]

Elixir has 3 different versions of coating. The Optiweb’s feel like traditional strings.

That long-life argument is pretty difficult to ignore, even at my rate of changeover (strictly home use only these days, so conventional strings last quite well for me) - maybe I'll give those optiwebs a try, thanks for the advice

[tapper mike]

When I had less guitars it was faithfully every two weeks. If you get good at changing strings it doesn't take too long. Put on some background music in your life. I used to be amazed at how fast techs at guitar shops could change a set of strings and do so very casually. So I learned from them.

These days I think about it often but never follow through. About 12 years ago I'd buy in packs of 12 sets.

[Cranky Man]

Tommy Emmanuel changes strings before every concert.

[tapper mike]

Tommy Emmanuel changes strings before every concert.

It may be a superstition thing. Sports figures have routines that they follow which allegedly keep them on top of game for performance.

[Daimonicon]

Tommy Emmanuel changes strings before every concert.

So? Famous guitarists have changed strings before every concert for years now. Well not them but their guitar tech do it for them. They are sponsored by the string brand so it doesn’t cost them anything.

[lfm]

About 12 years ago I'd buy in packs of 12 sets.

Lookout doing that, I learned a lesson beginning 2000s.

Here in europe string sets were rather expensive then, so found a place, if StringsAndBeyond or similar and bought 10-15 sets or so. Ernie Ball did not have closed packages then, just a bag for each string. Surrounding humidity "hit" unused strings sets.

So over time I swapped strings on a guitar, and got this strange "bzzz" extra harmonic noise, and then E would not sound a proper tone.
- probably everybody encountered that some time
- either playing guitars in shops or even at home like for me
- guitars on the wall hangers for years

Looked closely and there were tiny uneven feel dragging finger over string length.
- there were starting rust, corosion
- these spots created unwanted extra harmonics in the string
- physical anomalies on string do that, uneven manufacturing could too

Could fix it partly having a piece of fine sanding paper, 800 grit or so, that I used fretleveling at some time. Dragging that along the string, most of these anomaly went away.

But I swapped a string from another new set, and all was fine.

I actually experienced the same yesterday, about to restring my new Modern Lite so I know which sets I do setup from, not stock from factory.
- music store picked a couple of set from a 10 pack for me, since he did not have 3 packs in store, so got 3 pack price
- high E got this "bzz" extra harmonics something
- and some on G as well, sounded dull as well
- so that 10-set he picked from probably been lying around for some years, I assume at least
- but basic problem is D'Addario don't have proper closed bags
- change in humidity in surroundings, you risk getting rust corosion on strings
- at least my conclusion of what's happened, these plastic strips does not properly create a confined space as Ernie Ball sets are packed in.

So swapped to unopened bag that I purchased a few months ago, same strings.
- and this was fixed, just picking these individual strings

So now testing out D'Addario as a change to Ernie Ball that I used for 20 years, since D'Addario does not have closed bags that make them more sensitive to humidity.
- so might change back to Ernie again when I used up these I have if this happends again

Ernie started using these closed bags that does not let air in long ago. At least 7-8 years or so, maybe longer.

[mystran]

Tommy Emmanuel changes strings before every concert.

It may be a superstition thing. Sports figures have routines that they follow which allegedly keep them on top of game for performance.

I kinda doubt it's superstition thing. More likely it's a matter of "always change strings before a gig" being a much easier rule to follow and keep things consistent (since fresh strings tend to sound brighter) than trying to figure out when the strings should and should not be changed.

[Uncle E]

Wiping strings with food grade mineral oil or lemon oil helps, too. You can buy a gallon on Amazon for $23 and that could last a lifetime.