new strings-yeah it's that time

I'm one of the unlucky ones who has to change strings quite often because for some reason, my sweat erodes strings extremely fast, regardless of whether I wipe them down or not. I changed them today on my acoustic after about 3 weeks (I play at least an hour a day, usually closer to two). I swear the strings turned black where my fingers usually land for the first four or five frets. It was disgusting.

/

Although they're more expensive, Elixer do specially coated strings which last longer.

Other makes also do similar products with varying results, for cheaper prices. Might be worth trying out a load of new strings and seeing which set lasts.

I just put new strings on yesterday and what a difference!! :D I didn't know how bad my old strings actually were until I put new ones on, and heard what they are supposed to sound like!

That's quite common. You really don't know how dead your strings are until you put a new set on. Although bass string don't need to be changed nearly as often as guitar strings, the bass player for one of the band I'm in has not changed strings on his 5-string in 4 years!!! I offered to change his strings, clean the fretboard and polish it if he'd fork out the cash for the strings. Still can't get him to get that done...

Try lemon juice. I know it sounds crazy.

Also for those that have the "acid finger problem" try Vinegar.

Do not soak a cloth, but have a cloth ( cloth baby diapers [washed at least 2 times to soften them up] work well) lighlty coated with your choice and "just a little dab will do ya'. :)

I just strings on steelstringed acoustic after 5-6 month, what a difference, but I have not changed strings on my electric for 2 years.
Is it the same major difference in tone when changing strings on a electric as on an acoustic ?
And especially if the guitar sound is modified in a multieffects processor as the V-Amp 2 !

Is it the same major difference in tone when changing strings on a electric as on an acoustic ?

Big Time 8)

"Elizabeth, I'm comin' to join ya honey!" Jimmy, quick call an ambulance. Kalle, after I read your post (hold up, let me catch my breath....) I fell straight to the floor from the mother of all heart attacks. :shock: :shock: :shock:

I have to know before I hit my grave: do you have a small budget or are young? Just curious.

I need to get some new strings myself, was practicing last night and suddenly realised how dull all the chords were sounding, yet the night before it sounded fine! I've tended to go for Elixir acoustic strings with nanoweb coating, as I find these last longer for me. The set I'm about to replace are pretty black around the places I play most, I last changed them about 4 months ago.

Anyway, I don't know if anyone else has experiance of Elixir strings but I noticed that they have introduced an 'Acoustic Phosphor Bronze Guitar Strings with ultra-thin NANOWEB coating' range. Was wondering what the addition of Phosphor Bronze really means and whether anyone uses these, or already tried them out, if so whats your opinion?

Change strings as often as you possibly can, I personally love the sound of rusted all to hell 2 years old electric strings that cut my fingers and have 0 sustain, but theyre unreliable because you cant keep that sound or get it easily and strings break... Just find a string you like the sound of new and keep them new. i usually change electric strings every 8 hours I spend playing it just because I cant STAND that sound when the 4th string starts to unwind... Arg.

Hi Corbind
I am neither young or on low budget.
I am trying make an intelligent question based on the fact the an electric guitar picks up the sound from the strings on completely different way (electromagnetic) than an acoustic guitar.
And if you then put that sound through a soundprocessor that changes the sound completely, how necessary is it to have the sound of new strings.

Very true. I think the sound of old strings is more mellow/less bright. Your point is exactly right. I don't like the feel of old strings. Can't slide as easily and they just get funky. That's in my case. I do wash my hands before playing but my strings still get funky eventually.

I suppose the other reason I change my strings is that I don't want one to break. In the 4 years I've been playing I've only broking a string maybe 3-4 times. If you can go a half year, a year, or years with the same set and it works for you that's cool.

Hi again Corbind

As I am only playing max 1 hour/ week (and done that only last year) on my electric gutair and through the V-Amp I have not noticed the change in tone of the strings. And I am not a wild bender so I am not pressing the strings over limit , the only time I broke a string was during tuning.
But I will change the strings now and probably go from 0.09 strings to 0.10 in an attempt to get a better response for vibrato on the guitar.
I have found that .11-.12 strings on the acoustic guitar, response much better to vibrato movements of the fret hand than the 0.09 strings on the electric.

Cleaning the fretboard can actually prolong the life of your strings. If there's a lot of gunk buildup, or any at all really, when you play a note it contributes towards grease on your fingers and also the string itself. I was having to change strings every 3 or 4 weeks there for a while, refusing to clean off the finger cheese. Following that old adage of "the gunk adds funk." Maybe I just made that up.

Regardless, since I cleaned it off, I've been playing 7 weeks on a set of strings and they still are fairly shiny, after playing a couple hours per day on average.

Hey Kalle, an hour a week for two years is just over a hundred hours. If you played 2 hours a night for 7 weeks it would be about the same amount of time to kill the strings. I hate how the strings turn black in the places your finger have resided most.