How often do you change your strings?

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spookelele

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With steel string.. they get cruddy visibly, so its a reminder.
But with plastic strings, they always look pretty much the same, and I don't think I can honestly say I feel them getting thinner as they stretch.

How often do you change your strings?
And when you do, if it's not because something broke, why?

Also.. I've read that it's bad to re-use a string that's been detensioned, and I've heard Jake say as much in an interview. But I've re-used strings after trying different sets switching back and forth and they don't seem bad. Am I missing something or am I just not hearing it go "bad' because I don't have an A/B situation?
 
spookelele said:
With steel string.. they get cruddy visibly, so its a reminder.
But with plastic strings, they always look pretty much the same, and I don't think I can honestly say I feel them getting thinner as they stretch.

How often do you change your strings?
And when you do, if it's not because something broke, why?

Also.. I've read that it's bad to re-use a string that's been detensioned, and I've heard Jake say as much in an interview. But I've re-used strings after trying different sets switching back and forth and they don't seem bad. Am I missing something or am I just not hearing it go "bad' because I don't have an A/B situation?
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I've changed mine twice in ten months. I run my finger down the underside of my strings, and there comes a point where I can actually feel little groves where the strings go over the frets. When I can actually feel the groves, vs thinking that maybe I can feel the grooves, I change them. Don't ask me where I learned that, but I heard it somewhere and have used that to determine when to change them. I'm not sure if it is an accurate determination though, so take it for what it is worth.
 
I've switched back and forth a bit too, and haven't had any issues. I've also de-tensioned and re-tensioned to remove a saddle, etc. Did I weaken the strings? Possibly ... I'll find out when one breaks, starts buzzing or when I decide to throw on a new set. I would "think" a set that is installed, tuned and then just played will last several months if not more, And, I'd also think that some of the tonal changes that occur may actually be positive ones. My problem is I often get curious (and bored) and just change strings for the heck of it. :cool:
 
Barring a break or something random, or a new set I want to try out, I generally change them every few months.
 
deschutestrout said:
I've switched back and forth a bit too, and haven't had any issues. I've also de-tensioned and re-tensioned to remove a saddle, etc. Did I weaken the strings? Possibly ... I'll find out when one breaks, starts buzzing or when I decide to throw on a new set. I would "think" a set that is installed, tuned and then just played will last several months if not more, And, I'd also think that some of the tonal changes that occur may actually be positive ones. My problem is I often get curious (and bored) and just change strings for the heck of it. :cool:
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When are you going to change my strings? LOL I am still hiding with fear.....
 
Indeed - I'm neurotic at the best of times, and the Cordoba tutorial encouraged me to give it a go. Now I do all my tie-bar bridges, no problem.
 
Brenda Wong said:
When are you going to change my strings? LOL I am still hiding with fear.....
Click to expand...

Brenda...question...are you absolutely sure that you're putting the correct string in the correct spot? Sometimes packaging can be confusing ... 4th string is closest to the top when you're playing, 1st string is at the bottom. If you're sure you have the correct string set for the uke size, and the strings are going in the correct places, absolutely nothing to fear. Your uke is expecting new strings ;)
 
kmac66 said:
Hey Brenda.

No need to be afraid of changing Nylon Strings. Cordoba has posted an excellent tutorial on YouTube;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cw84_0KHTI

I practiced with some fishing line and now I can change strings with confidence.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the video . I know how to change that kind of strings. It's the kind with a pin on the bridge that scare me to death at the moment. LOL
 
Like so many things in life, it depends...
How often do you play? How aggressively do you play? How are your ukuleles stored?
I have ten ukuleles. Some I play more than others. The ones that get more play, obviously, get changed more often. There is a crispness with new strings that fades over time. If you like that crisp sound, then you need to change strings more often.

So, my main players get new strings I would guess every 60-90 days, others that don't get played as much maybe only once or twice a year.

Totally agree with checking the underside of the strings. You can have a set that still seems fine, but is really grooved out underneath, particularly if you do lots of bends and vibrato.

The nice thing about ukuleles is the strings are pretty inexpensive!

Oh, and I try to get all plain sets if possible, because that wound string seems to corrode and wear rather quickly. Lately I prefer Worth browns for low G without any wound strings.
 
I change strings constantly. Not because I need to but because I get an itch to change. String manufacturers love me. If I ever stop playing their stock will drop. Southcoast Ukulele and Juststrings.com and Stringsbymail.com rely on me to stay afloat.
 
Other than doing a string walk, trying new strings or replacing strings my son cut with a scissors (there's a madeline episode you should never let a 3 year old watch) I haven't yet tossed out strings.

My main playing uke (lu21p) has the same set of martin m600s on it for probably 18 months now. The 'a' string has plenty of fret dents on it, and honestly in the last month I noticed the 'a' string intonation has gone flat up the frets (I just stretch it when playing). I may gift this ukulele to my sister in law at which point I'll definitely put on new strings.

I put some Worth CH's on the rubin sopranino I bought about 4 months ago, the a string there has some serious dents as well. I guess that will need new strings sooner than later. Time to start searching for a good replacement set.

Play 'em till you hate 'em or they break right?
 
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Brenda Wong said:
Thanks for the video . I know how to change that kind of strings. It's the kind with a pin on the bridge that scare me to death at the moment. LOL
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Those are the easiest to change Brenda. Loosen the string, pull the pin and pull out the old string. Tie a knot or two, as long as it goes thru the hole and not so small that it'll slip back out thru the groove in the pin. Put the pin back in and string thru the tuner. While tightening the string, gently hold the pin in with the other hand. As the string gets tighter it will put tension on the pin and it won't raise or spring out.
 
Pretty much every three months on my two main players. I don't notice anything that tells me when they need changing, but when I do change them, I immediately notice a difference in volume, which I guess is as good an indicator of "it's time" as anything!
 
Patrick Madsen said:
Those are the easiest to change Brenda. Loosen the string, pull the pin and pull out the old string. Tie a knot or two, as long as it goes thru the hole and not so small that it'll slip back out thru the groove in the pin. Put the pin back in and string thru the tuner. While tightening the string, gently hold the pin in with the other hand. As the string gets tighter it will put tension on the pin and it won't raise or spring out.
Click to expand...

Let's me try once I get over this fear. LOL It was quite scary when the pin shoot up almost hit me in the eye. Glad it didn't make any mark on the wood.
 
-3 months if you strum much they lose their brilliance !!
3-4 weeks seems to me for my game aproprié
 
I check for fret wear, but they probably need changed before that happens. On my main player the intonation gets wonky, but again I should change them before that happens. I think I wait too long (4-5 months). I hate changing strings, I have to make myself do it.
 
Ashamed to say, but when I find the right set, almost never, unless there is breakage. The worth clear sets (and especially the A) do seem to wear and shred a little quicker than other fluorocarbon strings, but that said, I left a set on a Mya Moe soprano for almost 5 years...just kept sounding great and I couldn't see the need to fix what weren't broke.
 
I change at least one set of strings whenever a thread like this appears.
Just changed a baritone to Mya-Moe strings and I changed a 12 fret tenor to GHS Craig Chee re-entrant.
 
Hippie Dribble said:
Ashamed to say, but when I find the right set, almost never, unless there is breakage. The worth clear sets (and especially the A) do seem to wear and shred a little quicker than other fluorocarbon strings, but that said, I left a set on a Mya Moe soprano for almost 5 years...just kept sounding great and I couldn't see the need to fix what weren't broke.
Click to expand...

Five years? Hard to believe you owned one uke for longer than 5 months Jon.
 
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