Tips on Strings

Discussion in 'Guitar Tablature Discussion' started by HellRazor, Aug 8, 2003.

  1. HellRazor

    HellRazor New Member

    USE THE RIGHT STRINGS AND CHANGE THEM OFTEN


    Choosing the right string can be tough

    There are some common guidelines that most guitarists who have been playing for awhile are aware of. But if you are just getting started, be sure to refer to the list of do's and don'ts at the bottom of the page.


    Change your strings often
    When buying strings there are only a few questions you have to ask yourself in order to determine the answers to the above questions:
    1. How often do I plan to change my strings?
    2. What's most important to me- tone quality or ease of playing?
    3. What kind of sound do I want, bright, warm, etc..
    On to the answers:
    How often you should change your strings depends on how often you play your guitar. Professionals tend to change their strings every few days depending on how many gigs they have that week. If you pick your guitar up every day and play a little bit and then put it down you can get away with maybe once every week. If you only pick it up once or twice a week, you can probably get away with changing them every month or two.
    If you are an aspiring blues or jazz player, you're probably going to be more interested in a thicker, or fatter tone from your strings. The only way to get that is to buy a heavier guage string, like those that start with a .012 1st string. Stevie Ray Vaughan used a really heavy guage string and tuned his guitar lower than the standard tuning. Doing that gave him that really fat sound but relieved some of the extra tension that results from using a heavier guage string. One word of advice- If you currently use a light guage string and want to try a heavier guage, be sure to take your guitar to a reputable repair person to reset the action and intonation to better suit the heavier guage strings.
    Strings are made from steel, brass, nickel, etc..



    Do wash your hands prior to playing. Every time if possible.
    Do clean each individual string with a soft clean cloth after playing.
    Don't overly "pre-stretch" your strings when changing them. Some people do this because when you first change them, guitar strings will continue to stretch until they settle in, making it hard to keep your guitar in tune at first. Which leads us to the next do...

    Do change your strings well ahead of a performance or practice time so they have plenty of time to settle in prior to playing.

    Check back every week for a new tip!
     
  2. Redalert

    Redalert New Member

    Nice tips man!
     
  3. esgallindeion

    esgallindeion Minstrel Knight

    And make sure you cut the ends of the string with a set of pliers. :rolleyes:
     
  4. FinalPhase

    FinalPhase New Member

    Unless u wanna poke everyone in the eye:D
     

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