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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 888
Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | Do guitar strings go bad sitting on the shelf in your closet. Or do they only go bad when they are under tension? friend tells me he changes strings every 6 months regardless of how much he plays.
Also, what in the heck is a composite string?
It's helpful "being around" all you guitar Einstens. I've learned more helpful tips (and interesting and sometimes questionable humor)reading the posts. Apprecitate your input.
Jim |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Check out
www.stringitup.com
for answers and strings.
Bronze can oxidize and synthetics deteriorate as well. Tension does little but oils, sweat and debris take a toll on strings. |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I could be wrong about this ...
Based on my personal experience, I now doubt about strings having a shelf life. I once had a set of Dean Markley blue steels that I didn't even know existed. It must've been doing time in the closet for at least 2 years, and it was still in its sealed packaging when I discovered it. I decided to open the package and replace the strings on one of my guitars, and I was actually surprised that it was still as good as a brand new set!
After three months, however, sweat and oils from my fingers, and exposure to the elements took its toll on them that they were replaced in no time. |
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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 888
Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | Thanks guys. Sounds like Elixr coated strings last longer because they protect the metal string from the skin oil and dirt. |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 398
Location: Gig Harbor, Washington | As a self-confessed string snob, I have a bad habit of changing strings about once a week - with a half dozen + guitars in the Harem, they each get replaced every 6 weeks or so. The first 3-5 days are a "break-in" period, followed by about a month of optimal acoustic response, ending with a week or so of sub-sonic failure.
I've tried the full spectrum, prefer heavier guages with more dynamic harmonic tonal characteristics, and buy my favorites in bulk.
My new flavorite A/E 6 is a Dean Markley "Alchemy", Augustine Imperial Reds on the classical, D'Addario Chromes on the Preacher D' and Elixir Poly's on the 12...I've been known to step ouside the box and blend some Tanzanian and Ethiopian from time to time as well!
An old acoustical maxim states simply: sound and feel are directly proportional to the condition and quality of the strings...though Intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance (I = 1 / R2)...
Now I think the med's are talkin' and taking over :D |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | A snob, eh?
I've always settled for obsessive compulsive!
I have been looking through the www.stringitup.com
site and I think I'll try some stainless steel for the Limited Deacon 12 and some of the Black Diamond on the other solids.
I am still using some of the Adamas 1818's that came out of that Music123 blowout sale a while back. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I bought bulk Martin Marquis from StringThis.com that have been laying about for a year. They come laid straight in a long plastic bag. I haven't noticed any appreciable deterioration in sound. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | D'Addario packages their strings in a sealed plastic bag that is supposed to prevent corrosion. I would think that they'd be good in the sealed package for a long time.
I doubt that unused Elixir strings would go bad with normal storage. |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | I use D'Addario strings and they seem good after 12-15 months (the oldest I have). Even the single strings in the open-flap envelopes seem fine after that long.
I replace strings based on age AND usage....if a freshly-strung guitar doesn't get played that much, the strings seem to last 3-4 months. But if it gets played regularly, a month to 6 weeks is it, even for the D'Addario EXPs I use on many of my guitars.
My 2005-ES Collectors deep contour bowl seems to be the most sensitive to new/old strings. It seems to "want" new strings about monthly. With new strings, it is a world-beater, after a month, it is "merely mortal".
Roger |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 208
Location: Illinois | In my opinion, String life is degraded by oxidation. Once the metal, whichever kind, steel, brass, Silver, begins to degrade once the wire is drawn to dimension and hits the air. Then it gets wound around a core, then cut to length and a ball wrapped to the end. The less time it spends in contact with air the better. If you're concerned about shelf life of a coiled up guitar string in it's original envelope, do a visual inspection. If it isn't bright and shiny, it's tone will be compromised.
Once strung to a guitar air is against it constantly. More so if you don't wipe it down and case it when done playing. Add to that moisture, and body salts, it begins to age rather quickly. If you play in smokey environments with to occaisional beverage tossed your way, mores the degradation. (there's a reason Honkey Tonks have chicken wire infront of the footlights!)
You're buddy is probably right for himself. Once your guitar doesn't have that 'zing' it's time to change. Your experience with string life is your own, not his. The degradation of tone is slow over time. Sometimes you may be playing strings way past their prime and not even know it! |
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Do strings have a shelf life?