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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by stonebobbo:
Originally posted by dark bar:
Anyone else had a set of strings that sound GREAT for like 10 days, then start to sound like crap. Yeah ... DR Strings color coated strings. The Red Devils, Cool Blues and the Black Beauties. They're good for a couple of outings, and then go dead as dirt. |
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November 2008
Posts: 400
Location: Northwest Arkansas | If I'm playing regularly every two weeks. Studio, Every day. Around the house. When they break after detuning it for the 50th time. I love open d tuning. Same as e just not as much tension on the neck. Open g too. I'll detune the same guitar 10 times a night. That's why I bought 3 more Ovations. So I could tune two of them open and leave the Adamas alone. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I finally put a new set of 80/20 on the 1681.
Damn, they sound Bright.
I imagine after playing them in the rain a coupla times they will sound normal.
I guess I'm cool until 2014 now.
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I imagine after playing them in the rain a coupla times they will sound normal. I guess I'm cool until 2014 now. Gotta love them Buskers! |
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December 2003
Posts: 13988
Location: Upper Left USA | Had the opportunity to look over a Martin for a Friend's Brother who had lost his ability to play as he turned old.
The strings had Green patina, that's old.
Some bright Phospher Bronze sets are old in a week due to oxidation.
Mostly it's the debri that collects and deadens the sound.
I just have to laugh at some of those Ebay ads with the "Original Strings" mentioned. Kind of like trying to sell a classic automobile with the "original crankcase oil" from the Factory! |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I have too many guitars to keep track of string changes. I might go months without playing one, while another is my favorite, then I switch preferences. I decided the Ute and Folklore were overdue because I could see the grungy strings from across the room. I cut one of the wound strings too short and had to reuse the old one. Some string cleaner took a ton of black gunk out of it. Gross. The strings on some of the others are probably worse. I'll have to do a couple more this weekend. My problem is I start playing one to see if it sounds dead and an hour later it's my bedtime. |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | when they rust |
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March 2002
Posts: 15665
Location: SoCal | The only correct answer to this question is that strings are old when they no longer please you either in sound, look, or touch. You are the ultimate judge so why bother asking anybody else? Al likes really old old strings. I don't. We're both right. Learn to value your own opinion and stop asking other people question which they can't answer for you..... |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Gee Moody... That really wasn't a real question.
Actually I was bragging that I had two-year-old strings that still sounded good.
It was also a random conversation starter on a slow-post day.
And many people shared their "old strings" stories...
arthurseery - 2011-12-10 3:49 PM
So, I grab my 1681 Adamas outta it's case to pluck-around with...
Inside the compartment I have the wrapper for the strings that are on it.
They are D'Addario EXP11 80/20's that I put on on 7-2-09...
It is written on the wrapper.
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October 2005
Posts: 4049
Location: Utah | Each guitar has it's own preferred string brand. Most of them go about 3 months with regular playing before they die. But the Martin Marquis tend to die sooner, get dull, and then after another month they get a second life. The Martin Marquis SP don't seem to do this, and they sound just as good to my (damaged) ears, so now I use those on the Patriot. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13988
Location: Upper Left USA | One day... this will be an old string... |
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March 2002
Posts: 15665
Location: SoCal | arthurseery - 2012-02-24 4:51 PM
Gee Moody... That really wasn't a real question.
Actually I was bragging that I had two-year-old strings that still sounded good.
It was also a random conversation starter on a slow-post day.
And many people shared their "old strings" stories...
arthurseery - 2011-12-10 3:49 PM
So, I grab my 1681 Adamas outta it's case to pluck-around with...
Inside the compartment I have the wrapper for the strings that are on it.
They are D'Addario EXP11 80/20's that I put on on 7-2-09...
It is written on the wrapper.
Sorry OMA... |
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Joined:
January 2007
Posts: 137
Location: Massachusetts | If you want your strings to last longer and sound good wipe them down after you're done playing, or between sets, if you're at a gig, and always was your hands before playing. Dirt is the number one enemy to a set of strings. I also slide a rag between the strings and the neck. |
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May 2002
Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Javaman; Right on. I always give my strings a quisk wipe down after playing as well and it makes a huge difference in the longivity.
I usually have one electric and one acoustic that I use a lot at a given time and I'll change the strings on those two about two-three times a year. Some of the others could go years between changes.
Wayne |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Depends. In the summer, with my hands sweating acid, could be two, three weeks. In the autumn, winter and spring maximum life is 9 months max. So I reckon, there's a string change in October, then May, then July then August, then October etc For the CA that would be only twice a year. Though I like the sound of dull strings. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Over the years, I have seen some really corroded strings on older guitars I have bought: the absolute worst were on the '48 D-28: a set of de-tuned flatwound Gibson strings from early '63...they were completely black ....the guitar came from the estate of the original owner and had sat in the case on a closet shelf for all those years...not any more.
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November 2008
Posts: 400
Location: Northwest Arkansas | And some folks wonder why they can't play any better than they can. You need new strings to get the sustain, the harmonics and the basic tone the guitar was meant to have. Once a month on the ones I play. If I played a gig outside and sweat a lot, the next day. New strings are like new tires on a race car. Makes all the difference in the world. |
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December 2009
Posts: 686
Location: Route 66, just east of the Cadillac Ranch | mymartind35 - 2012-03-03 9:40 AM And some folks wonder why they can't play any better than they can. You need new strings to get the sustain, the harmonics and the basic tone the guitar was meant to have. New strings will get you sustain, harmonics, and tone, but I have undisputable evidence they don't help me play any better. |
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December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | I have some flatwounds on my archtop that must be about 2 years old. I wipe em down when I'm done playing, but I swear they don't sound any different today than the did when I put them on. Maybe I'll change them and see.
Do flatwounds ever really have sustain, harmonics and tone?? |
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November 2008
Posts: 400
Location: Northwest Arkansas | Sticky old strings are nasty. I love the sound of new strings. I play, on the average, 4 hours a day. I have Spotify. I download the songs I want to learn. Make a play list and learn them all. So far I have over 100 tunes I can play "almost" exactly the way they are played. Then I put my spin on 'em. I've got 3 Ovations and 1 Adamas and all of them have strings that are no older than a month. They stay that way. I play music. No J O B!!! |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I haven't changed the flatwounds on my P-Bass for probably over 7 years....maybe longer.
Still have the same blunt thump that they had when new.....but I always wipe them down after playing. |
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April 2010
Posts: 1227
Location: Connersville, Indiana | Good question, and I guess, no I know I'm the weird duck here, for me it depends on what type of sound I want from the guitar for the song I wrote. Example, my Christmas song I aged the strings 3 months of constant playing and staying in a guitar stand to soften the sound. Other times I want a nice crisp sound with lots of sustain so I place new ones one for the recording. I do this with my acoustic and electrics also. Just depends on the sound I'm reaching for.
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November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | I am changing less often now that I am doing more open mics if that makes any sense. In addition I am playing my classical more often so my Os are getting a rest and I hate breaking in new nylon strings...they stretch out for weeks. I actually lent my pacemaker to my bro in law just so it would get played. |
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January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | Re: String threads... How old is OLD? A month seems about right. |
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Strings... How old is OLD?
