Originally posted by David Arnold on October 30, 2016
Keeping fresh strings on your guitar is one the simplest and least expensive ways to keep your guitar playing and sounding its best. Replacing a string is something that all guitarists can do. In fact, strings should be changed every 1-3 months depending on how often you play. Below are 3 major benefits from keeping fresh strings on your instrument.
Better Tone – As strings age they develop a coating of oil and dirt that prevent them from vibrating freely. This gradually decreases the brilliance of your sound, making your guitar sound dull. The strings will also start to get notches where they come in contact with the frets. This will eventually cause an increase in fret buzz.
Tuning is Easier – It is as simple as that. Fresh strings are easier to get and keep in tune. Once they are broken in, they have a much more stable pitch center than old strings. As the strings are used they are stretched to the point where there is not much tension to keep the pitch centered.
String Breakage – Over time the metal strings will develop weak points. This is made worse by excessive bending or heavy strumming techniques. Regular string changes will greatly reduce your chance of breaking strings.
How often you change your strings will depend on how much you play and many environmental factors. Humid conditions will dramatically reduce the life of your strings. For this reason, there are strings that are coated to prevent corrosion. This does extend the life of the string. However, these strings are typically more expensive than standard strings.
Strings are relatively inexpensive and a little preventative maintenance will go a long way. With fresh strings you will notice an instant improvement in how your guitar sounds and plays.
For more information or to sign up for lessons you can contact Marion Music Academy at 319-377-3343, or click here to sign up for a free trial lesson.