Problem: Broken Strings
03/02/09 03:08 Filed in: Instrument Care
When and How Often to Change Strings?
I was hanging out at the music store when in storms an angry mother making a beeline towards the first person with a store polo shirt to make eye contact with her. She’s got a guitar in one hand her receipt in the other and junior marching double time trying to keep up.
She shouts, “How dare you sell me a defective product knowing full well that Little Johnny’s just a beginner!”
“It’s just a broken string lady, relax!” Rebuts the store clerk then turns away without telling Little Johnny’s mom that he’s off to fetch a replacement string.
At this point, she looks directly at me and pulls me into the drama to which I calmly tell her that broken strings are—not only a positive sign that Little Johnny’s practicing but—a common occurrence. In addition, there are steps that can be taken to avoid broken strings; however, it’s more than likely that it will happen again.
James, the store clerk, returns with a replacement string and is visibly agitated at the unexpected theatrics. So I made myself at home and asked James if I could impose and give Little Johnny a string-changing lesson. I took off the remaining old string and showed him how to measure and tie off the new string so that it locks in place. The mother was grateful, Little Johnny excited, James was cooling off, and the world went back to spinning on its axis.
Facts: Strings break!!! Sometimes due to normal wear and tear, and rare other times when you get a bad string.
When strings wear out they lose there tone. As budding guitarists learn what to listen for, they will begin to tell when strings are starting to wear out. The proper term for this is “dead strings.” At the beginning, you can simply feel the rusty buildup that old strings get by gently touching the string with the pads of you fingertips.
There are other problems presented by “old” strings: they won’t stay in tune and are more susceptible to breaking.
Dilemma: What kind of strings to buy? There is no simple answer to this question. I usually tell my students to try a few different brands during their first year or two. The more they play, the more they’ll gravitate towards one particular brand.
How often between string changes? For the typical student, I would say every six to eight weeks. Again, the more they play, the more they’ll realize when it’s time to change their strings. I often look at my students strings then run my fingers over them as they sheepishly say, “I know, I know, it’s time to change my strings.”
What size strings should I use? For electric guitar: 0.10 (or, “tens” as is the proper lingo) which is the diameter of the first, or thinnest, string. The remaining strings are balanced gauge-wise to the first string. Thicker strings (11s, 12s, or 13s) provide more tension and better tone. Thinner strings (9s and 8s) provide less resistance making them easier to bend and play faster. There are pros and cons to each gauge. Again, the more they play… They’ll begin to gravitate towards the gauge that best suits them in time.
For acoustic guitar I would suggest (11s or 12s). These gauges are light enough for beginners to play and enjoy the experience while they’re still building calluses. 13s, for me, sound the best but you need strong fingers.
How often do “you” change your strings? I’ve included this question because it is the number one question that I get asked regarding this topic. And the answer is: Once a week or before a gig, whichever is more frequent. I had an angry mother tell me that I must get a kickback from the music store because I told her child that I changed my strings that often.
First of all, I have the guitar in my hands for about 40 hours per week if not more. Secondly, I love the feel and sound of new strings. And finally, it turns the odds in my favor that I won’t break a string at the gig.
Check out these links for more info on changing strings: http://guitar.about.com/od/guitarlessons/a/changingstrings.htm http://www.wikihow.com/Change-Guitar-Strings http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com/stringing.htm http://www.ehow.com/how_2210608_change-guitar-strings.html http://www.cyberfret.com/gear-tech/changing-strings/index.php
How did my story end? The mother ended up buying replacement strings along with some string-changing accessories. She thanked me and asked if I worked in the store. I said, “No, I’m a guitar teacher.” Then I gave her my card. Little Johnny is actually Lisa and I ended up teaching her for three years until she went to college where she formed a band and gave guitar lessons on the side.
I was hanging out at the music store when in storms an angry mother making a beeline towards the first person with a store polo shirt to make eye contact with her. She’s got a guitar in one hand her receipt in the other and junior marching double time trying to keep up.
She shouts, “How dare you sell me a defective product knowing full well that Little Johnny’s just a beginner!”
“It’s just a broken string lady, relax!” Rebuts the store clerk then turns away without telling Little Johnny’s mom that he’s off to fetch a replacement string.
At this point, she looks directly at me and pulls me into the drama to which I calmly tell her that broken strings are—not only a positive sign that Little Johnny’s practicing but—a common occurrence. In addition, there are steps that can be taken to avoid broken strings; however, it’s more than likely that it will happen again.
James, the store clerk, returns with a replacement string and is visibly agitated at the unexpected theatrics. So I made myself at home and asked James if I could impose and give Little Johnny a string-changing lesson. I took off the remaining old string and showed him how to measure and tie off the new string so that it locks in place. The mother was grateful, Little Johnny excited, James was cooling off, and the world went back to spinning on its axis.
Facts: Strings break!!! Sometimes due to normal wear and tear, and rare other times when you get a bad string.
When strings wear out they lose there tone. As budding guitarists learn what to listen for, they will begin to tell when strings are starting to wear out. The proper term for this is “dead strings.” At the beginning, you can simply feel the rusty buildup that old strings get by gently touching the string with the pads of you fingertips.
There are other problems presented by “old” strings: they won’t stay in tune and are more susceptible to breaking.
Dilemma: What kind of strings to buy? There is no simple answer to this question. I usually tell my students to try a few different brands during their first year or two. The more they play, the more they’ll gravitate towards one particular brand.
How often between string changes? For the typical student, I would say every six to eight weeks. Again, the more they play, the more they’ll realize when it’s time to change their strings. I often look at my students strings then run my fingers over them as they sheepishly say, “I know, I know, it’s time to change my strings.”
What size strings should I use? For electric guitar: 0.10 (or, “tens” as is the proper lingo) which is the diameter of the first, or thinnest, string. The remaining strings are balanced gauge-wise to the first string. Thicker strings (11s, 12s, or 13s) provide more tension and better tone. Thinner strings (9s and 8s) provide less resistance making them easier to bend and play faster. There are pros and cons to each gauge. Again, the more they play… They’ll begin to gravitate towards the gauge that best suits them in time.
For acoustic guitar I would suggest (11s or 12s). These gauges are light enough for beginners to play and enjoy the experience while they’re still building calluses. 13s, for me, sound the best but you need strong fingers.
How often do “you” change your strings? I’ve included this question because it is the number one question that I get asked regarding this topic. And the answer is: Once a week or before a gig, whichever is more frequent. I had an angry mother tell me that I must get a kickback from the music store because I told her child that I changed my strings that often.
First of all, I have the guitar in my hands for about 40 hours per week if not more. Secondly, I love the feel and sound of new strings. And finally, it turns the odds in my favor that I won’t break a string at the gig.
Check out these links for more info on changing strings: http://guitar.about.com/od/guitarlessons/a/changingstrings.htm http://www.wikihow.com/Change-Guitar-Strings http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com/stringing.htm http://www.ehow.com/how_2210608_change-guitar-strings.html http://www.cyberfret.com/gear-tech/changing-strings/index.php
How did my story end? The mother ended up buying replacement strings along with some string-changing accessories. She thanked me and asked if I worked in the store. I said, “No, I’m a guitar teacher.” Then I gave her my card. Little Johnny is actually Lisa and I ended up teaching her for three years until she went to college where she formed a band and gave guitar lessons on the side.
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