When Should I Change My Guitar Strings?
It’s time to change your guitar strings if they don’t stay in tune or produce a clear tone. Strings can also become grimy and rusted, which make them unpleasant to play.
But how often you should change your strings will vary based on what kind of guitar you play and how much you are practicing.
Steel String Guitars - Acoustic and Electric
A general rule of thumb is that strings need to be changed every 3 months even if you have not been playing! Steel strings will become worn down by moisture in the air, oils from your hands and fingertips, and tension from being pulled in and out of tune.
Steel strings need to be replaced much more frequently than nylon strings.
Nylon String Guitars / Classical Style Guitars
Nylon strings have a much longer life than metal/steel strings. For classical style guitars, it’s best to replace one string at a time as needed.
If you’d like your strings to last longer make sure to keep your guitar in a climate controlled room where the humidity and temperature is stable.
You can also put your guitar in its case after every practice session to maintain temperature and humidity.
After every practice session, you should wipe down your guitar strings with a string cleaner designed specifically for extending string life:
Steel String Guitar Strings
For young guitarists and beginners, I’d recommend a light gauge steel string:
Classical Style Guitar Strings
