Guitar & Musician Forums

Being quite new to the guitar, I wonder what would be a normal amount of time before needing to change the strings and also what to look for to know when I should change them. Or do I just wait until one breaks?

I usually change mine every few weeks if I’m playing regularly. Once they start sounding dull or feel rough, it affects tuning stability and tone.

It really depends how often you play and even your body chemistry. Some players keep strings for months, while others need to change them much sooner.

It is actually very rare for a guitar string to snap for me. I can't rememeber the last time one did. Usually I change them when I notice the tone starts to suck a little or when they are visibly tarnished and don't feel so nice to play.

As you get more used to playing, you know will start to get a good feeling for when they need changing. Often you can still get away with continuing with the current strings for some weeks or even months before it becomes imperative!