How often do yo change your strings?

[stuco]

Well, I'm a noob and have been playing guitar for a long time and you have to change guitar strings all the time but I know of people leaving bass strings on for a LONG time. So how often do you change your strings?

[Yngwie 4String]

I leave mine on until I notice the sound going bad or some other problem. I just go by ear.

[stuco]

Originally Posted by 4StringFury

I leave mine on until I notice the sound going bad or some other problem. I just go by ear.

Is that normally weeks/months/years?

[Tony G]

I do it as needed. It would be a waste of money to do it on a schedule. I change strings when the set I have on sounds too dull and lifeless for my tastes. Sometimes this is in a matter of weeks, sometimes months.

[Phalex]

If I average 2 weekend (2 nites per weekend) gigs a month, I'll change the strings on my Rickenbacker (Nickel Rounds) about every 8 to 10 weeks.

The flats I have on my P-Bass will likely stay right where they are until they break, or are otherwise unusable.

[brianrost]

Flatwounds stay put until they won't stay in tune or they break. The set on my Danelectro has been on for 29 years!

Roundwounds I used to change every 6 months, now maybe once a year.

[nubs]

i change mine once a month.

[stuco]

Originally Posted by brianrost

Flatwounds stay put until they won't stay in tune or they break. The set on my Danelectro has been on for 29 years!

Roundwounds I used to change every 6 months, now maybe once a year.

Thats insane. Do the 29 yr old strings sound good? Do they not get all rusty like guitar strings.

[snowdan]

i get a good month out of hard rockin steels. another two weeks after dishwasher cure.

[FenderP]

At this point the strings on my basses last anywhere from 5 - 10 years depending on how often I play the bass, etc. I use flats on all my basses.

Using your ear really is the way to go - you know the sound you like, so once you are no longer getting it because your strings are dead to you, it's time to change 'em.

[mellofello]

I usually get a different bass every few years, so basically never, unless one breaks, which has only happened a couple times.

Jamerson said "The dirt holds the funk" lol, good enough for me.

[JimmyM]

I change rounds after about every 4 or 5 gigs, sometimes slightly longer. I changed my flats after 7 years, but I may go back to the 7 year old flats since the sound of the newer ones is a bit bright.

[gkbass13]

i dont change mine often enough.

[gkbass13]

i have never changed the rounds on my fretless...i love how they sound now, and im afraid that new rounds would eat up the board too much....it is mwah-riffic with those 5 year old strings!

[Pilgrim]

Change? Never have. I play mostly flats. My oldest set is 35 years old. The newest is (unfortunately) only about three months, and they're just starting to sound right. Most of the flats on my basses are from 2-4 years old.

With flats, I never change them unless one breaks. One never has.

I have rounds on only one bass - a 2000 MIM Jazz. It still has the factory rounds on it. They've lost the nasty new zing sound, so they're sounding pretty darn good.

I've lived mostly in arid climates, but I've never had a problem with strings rusting. They do tend to oxidize a bit over time and leave dark marks on my fingers, but that's what soap and water are for.

[SGT. Pepper]

Nickel wounds about every 4 to 6 months.
Stainless Wounds every 6 months or longer.
Flats once a year.

[Chad.mundt]

If I were on tour or on a heavy studio schedule, I'd change mine once every two weeks, but that would work out to almost $10,000 a year on strings alone! I therefore only change them about twice a year. I'm not so picky about age, "only" about brand, material, gauge, and tapering.

A string endorsement would help...

Please...?

[-Acid-]

Originally Posted by 4StringFury

I leave mine on until I notice the sound going bad or some other problem. I just go by ear.

same here