Noobie String Question

[Skyman911]

I know this may be a subjective topic, however I'm a fairly new player, a little over two years. How often should one change their strings? I typically play/practice 1 - 2 hours a day. Also, should I experiment with other strings, or just stick with what Taylor specs?

Current guitars:
Big Baby
GS Mini
AD17
314CE

I play them all. The 314 gets most of the playing time. Strings are the same strings that came with the guitars from the factory and have not been changed.

Thanks for helping the noobie out!

Kyle

[DennisG]

Sky,

You're right ... it's a very subjective topic, and one that's of great interest to people ... which is why it's been covered hundreds of times over the years in this forum.

Here's the subjective part:  One person's worn-out strings seem like they're just getting broken in to another person. Some people (and I'm not one of them) love the sound of strings that have been beaten nearly to death.  The only objectivity one can bring to this is that there's definitely a change in tone from strings that are one day old compared to strings that have been played hard for six months.

That's why it's impossible to tell you when you should change strings.  I don't have a set routine; I change them when they start to sound lifeless.  And it's different from string change to string change.  But here are some factors that play into turning strings lifeless:

- whether the strings are coated or not (coated strings last longer)
- how much you play
- how hard you beat the strings
- how often you go into alternate tunings and back to standard
- your hygiene habits (washing your hands before playing)
- the natural acid in your skin

With regard to your last question, yes, by all means, experiment with different string types until you find the one that feels ideal for a particular guitar.  You may discover that what sounds groovy on your AD17 isn't what works best on your 314.  And what sounds awesome to one person's 314 may not be what you want on yours.  And finally, the brand that sounded good on your 314 last year may not be the same brand you prefer today, since our taste in tone changes over time.  Which brings us back to subjectivity.

Good luck with your experimentation, Kyle.

[Earl]

Kyle, welcome!  As for when to change strings there are three basic criteria:
 - when they won't stay in tune any longer, or won't get into decent tune
 - when there are clearly worn divots on the underside from the frets
 - when you feel the tone is dead or "thunky" (few or no overtones)

The last is the most subjective of the tests.  The bass strings go first.  I am one that dislikes the overly bright and zingy tone of brand new strings, and think that most types hit their stride at about a week of play.  Other players prefer that new string zing and think that sets are basically done at 2-4 hours of play, except maybe for practice.  How a string reacts to your body chemistry is also a factor.  I can play uncoated strings acceptably for 4-8 weeks, and coated strings like Elixir's for six months regularly.  But I have run across a few people with bad (acidic?) chemistry that can kill a fresh set in a single playing session.

Tuning up and down accelerates the loss of the highest overtones.  I play in altered tunings a fair amount with the lowest being F wahine [CFCGCe] or D standard [DADFCd].  Since  there are several guitars living here, each tends to live in one tuning.  When a set is nearly done, that is when I practice going between tunings on the same guitar.  That always finishes that set off completelty.  I use cheaper uncoated strings on a guitar that might get tuned up and down, and coated strings on one that basically lives in a certain tuning.  I'm too cheap to use expensive coated strings and then kill them in a week (or less) by swapping the tunings.  Hope this helps.

Edit:  Dennis responded while I was typing, but I agree with everything he said.

[Skyman911]

Thank you both. This has been very educational so far. My guitar teacher thought the strings on my 314 sucked, and thought they were too stiff. He didn't offer a suggestion however. I'm too new to know what "stiff" strings feel like?

Kyle

[Frettingflyer]

Welcome, and yes, very subjective. That said, “stiff” is a function of the string gauge(size) and scale length. From Taylor your Mini would have medium Elixir strings and your 314ce would have Elixir lights. Taylor has a good video on how to change your strings on their website and you should not be worried about doing that on your own.
As for my preference, I keep finding myself going back to Elixir’s for most guitars because I like the tone and the long life. That said, I have found I like various other strings on certain guitars and change it up from time to time. I am pretty sure all your guitars came with PB(phosphor Bronze) strings, but you might try 80/20 bronze for a brighter sound if you wanted. Santa Cruze Guitar Company makes strings that are based on tension instead of gauge and sound great to me, especially on mahogany topped guitars.
Experimenting is low cost compared to another guitar and can really give you some different tones. As mentioned above, it takes some time to break them in. Another area to experiment if you play with a pick is the pick itself. I mostly play with fingers but was amazed at the change in tone with picks of various sizes and materials.
Enjoy the journey and let us know what you end up liking.

[jricc]

Hi Kyle and welcome.   Frettingflyer mentioned 80/20s for a brighter sound. If you want to go in the opposite direction,  I really like Martin Retros.  They are warm sounding with a great feel, by that I mean they are less stiff feeling then PB or 80/20s.
Hope this helps.

[Edward]

Thank you both. This has been very educational so far. My guitar teacher thought the strings on my 314 sucked, and thought they were too stiff. He didn't offer a suggestion however. I'm too new to know what "stiff" strings feel like?
Kyle

Hey Kyle,

Earl outlined the very criteria I go by as well.  And whether on my acoustics or electrics, I change strings when they sound or feel like they are "done" in these respects.

As for "stiffness," all strings have their own personality, and that's tone foremost, but also feel,to be sure.  A gain in one many not translate to a gain in the other, so the best advice I have to offer is:
- try different gauges, each will have their own sound and feel.
- try different compositions like phosphor bronze ("rounder" tone, less glassy) vs 80/20 (brighter with more "zing").
- try different brands
- try uncoated vs coated (your Elixir "nanoweb" is coated)

Understand, though, that whatever change you make on one may not translate to another guitar so take your time and "live with" the tone and feel for a few weeks on one guitar to assess your likes and dislikes, but know that this may change with one of your other guitars.

Fwiw, many have gone down this rabbit hole so tread lightly and simply land on which works best for you overall. I have long stuck with elixir PB in nanowebs for my acoustics because they not only last long, but their tone is consistent through age/wear and don't sonically degrade every day you play like uncoated strings do.  It's as if the elixirs are sonically excellent all the way till the very end when they're not.  Yessir, rife with subjectivity.  Go at it as string choice is arguably the single biggest sonic change you an make to an acoustic, and the differences can range from subtle to dramatic.  Enjoy the journey, sir!

Edward