One to Three Months Is the Usual Range
D'Addario recommends changing acoustic guitar strings every one to three months, and sooner if the tone gets worse. That range is the most useful starting point for anyone asking "how often should you change acoustic guitar strings", but the guitar itself has the final say. Ernie Ball advises judging strings by their condition rather than the calendar. A guitar played every day is likely to sit at the short end of that range, and one played once a week can sit nearer the long end, as long as the strings still look, feel and sound right.
Signs a Set of Strings Has Worn Out
Strings are ready to replace when they sound dull, will not hold their tuning, or look and feel rough. Ernie Ball lists tarnish or rust and a rough feel under the fingers among the clearest signs, and notes that bronze strings which still look dull after cleaning should go. A loss of brightness and sustain is the other giveaway, where a chord that once rang out now fades quickly.
Other signs are worth a close look. Small dents or kinks where the strings press against the frets, windings starting to separate near the bridge, and tuning that drifts during a single session all point the same way. A broken string is the plainest sign of all, and when one goes, the rest of that set may not be far behind.
Tired Strings Cost Tone, Tuning and Comfort
Old strings do more than sound flat. A string that has corroded and collected grime tends not to vibrate as evenly as a new one, which is why worn sets can struggle to stay in tune and to play in tune further up the neck. Rough strings are also less comfortable under the fingers, and a corroded string is more likely to snap mid-song. Some players genuinely prefer the mellower sound of a set that has settled in, and that is a fair choice, but once the tuning starts to wander the strings have gone past mellow.
Matching the Schedule to the Player
The question "how often should you change acoustic guitar strings" has a different answer for a beginner practising most evenings than for a gigging player or a guitar that lives on a stand. Playing time, sweaty hands and the type of string all move the interval, so the D'Addario range works best as a frame, with the signs above deciding the exact day.
A player who performs or plays for long stretches most days will tend to sit at the short end of the range, and some gigging players fit a new set before an important show so it sounds its brightest. A weekly jammer can usually stretch toward the long end. A guitar that rarely leaves its case still needs checking, because strings are exposed to air and moisture whether or not they are played.
Beginners, Students and Children's Guitars
For new players, fresh strings are as much about comfort as tone. Rough strings that will not hold their tuning make an instrument harder to enjoy, and that can take the fun out of practice. Students at the Joondalup School of Music (08 9300 0965) can keep it simple by checking their strings regularly and changing the set whenever the signs above appear. Parents fitting out a younger player will find more help in our children's guitar sizing guide and our beginner acoustic packages guide.
Coated Strings and Nylon Classical Strings
Coated strings carry a thin protective layer designed to keep sweat and grime off the metal, so they generally hold their tone for longer than uncoated sets. Some players find the feel slightly different, so they suit players with sweaty hands or anyone who would rather change strings less often. We stock strings from Elixir, D'Addario, Ernie Ball, Martin and Stringjoy, along with 3-pack strings for players who change often. Our Joondalup store is on 08 9300 0033. Nylon-string classical guitars follow the same principle. On a classical guitar the condition of the strings is the guide: change the set when the sound turns dull or the strings stop holding their tuning.
Perth Summers Shorten String Life
Hot weather is hard on strings. Taylor Guitars advises changing strings more often in summer because sweat wears them out faster, and recommends wiping them down and watching for grime on the fretboard, which can hurt tone and tuning. Through a Perth summer, a set played in a warm room or at an outdoor gig should be expected to tire sooner than it would in winter.
Storage matters as much as the weather. Taylor recommends keeping a guitar at 45 to 55 per cent relative humidity, checked with a digital hygrometer kept in the case. A case also shields the guitar from rooms that swing between air-conditioned and hot, and our hard case vs gig bag guide compares the options. The simplest habit of all is washing hands before playing and wiping the strings, top and underside, with a dry cloth after each session. A string cleaner or conditioner can help between changes.
Changing a Full Set Step by Step
Change the whole set at once rather than a single string. One new string sounds brighter than its worn neighbours, so the set will not blend, and a full change opens up the fretboard for a proper clean. The routine runs in five steps.
1. Loosen and remove the old set. Wind each string down until it is slack, then lift the bridge pins out carefully and unwind the strings from the tuning posts.
2. Clean the areas the strings usually hide. Wipe the fretboard, the frets and the top of the body under the strings, which are hard to reach with a set fitted.
3. Fit the new strings. Seat each ball end firmly under its bridge pin, then wind the string onto its tuning post with a few neat turns.
4. Tune up and stretch. Bring each string to pitch, gently pull it away from the fretboard along its length, then retune. Repeat until it holds.
5. Allow for settling. New strings keep stretching over the first few sessions, so a fresh set that drifts out of tune at first is normal rather than a fault.
Players who would rather not do it themselves can bring the guitar to our Joondalup store for Re-strings & Parts, with free quotes in-store, or call 08 9300 0033 first.
Problems New Strings Will Not Fix
A fresh set cures dull tone and a worn feel, but not every problem. Buzzing that persists, strings sitting high off the fretboard, or notes that go out of tune further up the neck once a new set has settled can point to the neck, frets or nut rather than the strings. Moving to a different string gauge can also change how the neck sits, so a guitar is worth having checked after a gauge change. Our Services & Repairs team can look at these issues, with free quotes in-store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do strings go stale if the guitar is not played?
They can. Strings on an idle guitar are still exposed to air and moisture, so a set can tarnish on a guitar that has sat untouched for months. Before playing a stored guitar, look for rust or dull patches and run a finger along the underside of each string. If they feel rough or the tarnish does not wipe off, fit a new set.
Can one broken string be replaced on its own?
As a stopgap, yes. If the rest of the set went on only recently, a single new string will blend in quickly. If the set is older and already showing the signs of wear described above, replace all six so the tone and feel match.
Is it better to restring at home or bring the guitar in?
Restringing at home makes sense when tired strings are the only issue and the five steps above feel manageable. Bring the guitar in if it buzzes, the action feels high, the tuning problems survive a new set, or a gauge change is planned, since those point to the guitar rather than the strings.
Are coated strings worth trying?
If sets regularly go dull well inside the one to three month range because of sweat or summer heat, coated strings are worth trying. If a set usually lasts the full range, uncoated strings do the job.
Does a secondhand or long-stored beginner guitar need new strings first?
If its strings show any of the signs above, a fresh set is the first thing to fix before lessons begin, because old strings make learning harder than it needs to be. Our guide to buying a second hand guitar in WA covers what else to check on a used instrument.
Contact information: Joondalup Music Centre, Unit 4/101 Winton Rd, Joondalup, ph 08 9300 0033, open 7 days. We have served the Perth music community for 20 years, handle re-strings, services and repairs in store, and ship Australia-wide.