Guitar & Musician Forums

Hey everyone, I’ve been playing a few times a week for a while now, and I’m starting to wonder how often I should really be changing my strings. I’ve heard everything from once a week to once a month, and it’s all a bit confusing. I tend to sweat quite a bit when I play, and I’ve noticed my strings lose their brightness pretty quickly. I’m using standard uncoated strings right now, but I’ve seen some recommendations for coated ones that apparently last longer. Should I make the switch or just stick to changing them more frequently? What do you all think works best for you?

Hey UKPete24, the general rule of thumb is to change your strings every 1-2 weeks if you’re playing regularly, especially if you sweat a lot. The sweat can really wear them down. Coated strings might be worth a try since they tend to last longer and resist sweat better, but they can feel a bit different under your fingers. If you prefer the uncoated feel, just keep an eye on their brightness and change them when they start sounding dull.

I used to play a lot and also found my fingers would sweat a lot. I found that I was having to change strings almost every week. Because I was young and money was very tight this led me to buy cheaper strings which I would imagine would have worsened the issue.

These days I am mainly playing acoustic guitar and I use some of the Elixr coated strings or the D'Addario XS and even though these are quite expensive strings, I do find that they last months even with quite regular playing.

So it might be worth giving them a go and see how they work out for you.

I totally get where you’re coming from. I used to change my strings every week when I was gigging a lot, but now I do it about every couple of weeks. It really depends on how often you play and how you like your tone. Coated strings are great for longevity, but I still love the sound of fresh, uncoated ones. Maybe try a set of coated ones for a change and see how you like them!

Fresh strings do make a noticeable difference in tone and clarity so bear this in mind if you are planning to record. I’d recommend changing them before a session, but for practice, you could stretch that to 2-3 weeks, especially if you're using coated strings. Just keep an eye on the tone, and don’t hesitate to change them sooner if you notice they’re sounding off.

I’m all for changing strings regularly. If they’re losing brightness quickly, you’ll want to change them more often. I usually change mine every week or after a heavy practice session. Coated strings? Definitely give them a go, they can handle the high gain a bit better without getting all grimy.

Thanks for the replies! Just to clarify, is it bad if I don’t change them often? Like, will I damage my guitar or something? I just want to make sure I’m doing it right.