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Author Topic:  restringing frequency question
Ron Victoria

 

From:
New Jersey, USA
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2006 1:13 pm    
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What is the main reason that creates a need to restring? Is it simply age or more so oxidation? My strings are about 18 months old and I only play several hours a month. They hold tune, so are they ok?

Thanks, Ron
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Bill McCloskey

 

Post  Posted 23 Feb 2006 1:24 pm    
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Interesting question.


I realized recently that I hadn't changed the strings on my superslide since I got it. In advance of the event at Howard's I decided to restring.

MAN: the difference was like night and day. It was like a completly new instrument. Restring. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
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Keith Cordell


From:
San Diego
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2006 1:27 pm    
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I like old strings, always have. I have an old gibson polishing cloth that I wipe down with now and again and I use pretty heavy strings. But I can tell when they are too dead to go on, and change them if it seems necessary. I hate it when they are brand new though, I'll usually play it unplugged for a couple of days to get a little stretch on them and kill the brightness.
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Rick Garrett

 

From:
Tyler, Texas
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2006 1:29 pm    
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I just re-strung my 12 string super slide for the first time and I've been playing it about 6 or 7 months. When the strings get hard to tune time for new ones.

Slap a new set on it. Chances are you'll really like what you hear.

Rick
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Kenny Brown


From:
Auburn, Alabama, USA
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2006 1:30 pm    
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I like to restring at the *very* least once per month.

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Brad Bechtel


From:
San Francisco, CA
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2006 2:25 pm    
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I change the strings when I hear the tone go away. If you play your guitar regularly, you'll hear when the strings stop producing a good tone. If you don't play your guitar regularly, then you probably won't notice much of a loss UNTIL you change the strings. Suddenly your guitar will sing again!

Seriously, some folks change their strings much more often than I do. I change them whenever I think they need it, and whenever I have a block of time to devote to this task.

------------------
Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

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Tony Davis


From:
Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Post  Posted 24 Feb 2006 3:11 am    
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I spend about one hour a night on my dobro..maybe half an hour on Pedal steel...just at home...........last week i could hear one of the bronze strings sounding a bit dead..prob about 4th string...as I have just one spare set of Dobro stings but heaps of sets and singles of Pedal steel strings....I put on a wound steel string........didnt want to change the whole lot......that string ..Barks....sounds great...has more bite than all the others.bite than the .bronze ones.....I will be cahnging the whole set when I get back from USA in a couple of months time
Tony
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basilh


From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 24 Feb 2006 5:01 am    
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There is a very interesting article HERE on the Forum http://www.b0b.com/infoedu/steelstr.htm

When I was touring with Foster & Allen, we changed the acoustic guitar strings every 3 nights (Shows) and the Pedal Steel every week.
The exception was the Bass player (As it almost always is)

In the studios it's slightly different. Once every 3 hour session for the acoustic guitar is the norm and about every 4-5 sessions on the steel guitar.
You will find that it's the cheapest way to improve your sound..

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Quote:
Steel players do it without fretting






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Rick Collins

 

From:
Claremont , CA USA
Post  Posted 24 Feb 2006 8:40 am    
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Why do pianos always sound the same, year in and year out, when they are in tune?
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Randy Reeves


From:
LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA
Post  Posted 24 Feb 2006 8:48 am    
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I listen for the tone. if it diminishing I change strings.
since I have a few instruments Ive lost tack of hours pl;ayed on them.
when gigging and rehearsing over twenty hours per week I changed strings quite often.

so its tone not tune for me.
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Kevin Bullat

 

From:
Huntington Beach, CA
Post  Posted 24 Feb 2006 9:16 am    
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I practice and gig about 20 hours per week. At that rate I find I must change mine about every 2 months or so. Even that isn't often enough, but with a total of 24 stings, it's enough for me.

I always think of changing strings like getting a haircut. As soon as I do it I say "damn, that's better, why didn't I do that sooner?"

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Gene Jones

 

From:
Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)
Post  Posted 24 Feb 2006 9:51 am    
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When I was playing full-time I never had time to regularly change strings, so I changed them only when they "broke".

Later, when I played weekends or for recreation or just when I wanted to, I only changed strings when I was bored and needed something to do.

It's not rocket science....just do what you feel best doing!

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