When to Replace Electric Guitar Strings

When playing an electric guitar, you will notice that over time the tone and intonation gradually change from being bright to duller and duller. This happens when you exceed the recommended time for a replacement. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know on the topic. So, when should you replace electric guitar strings?

You should change your electric guitar strings every 90 days or after 100 hours of playing. Guitar strings wear out from use and overtime due to the elements. They need constant replacement due to corrosion from moisture that remained on the strings when last played. The timeframe for replacement may be increased if your strings are properly maintained.

90 days is just the average time for most electric guitar players. However, you will begin to notice your strings wearing after as little as 1 – 2 weeks of regular practice. Therefore, playing regularly may require more frequent replacement as we shall see on the chart below.

Number of hours played	When to change
Up to 3 hours per week	6 to 8 months
Up to 12 hours per week	3 to 5 months
Up to 25 hours per week	1 to 2 months
30 to 50 hours per week	Once in 7 days to daily
50 to 70 hours per week	Daily

From my experience, since I purchased my guitar I have learned that the more hours you play in a week, the more frequently you will need to change the strings.

In some instances, a guitar string may break and that also calls for the replacement since you cannot continue to play when one string is broken. While this is unanticipated, sometimes it happens.

It is also important to note when you use a guitar, the moisture from your fingers remains on the strings and if you don’t wipe away this moisture the strings will corrode with time, even when your playtime is very minimal. It is also recommended to use a string conditioner to help reduce corrosion, string conditioner will help extend the lifespan of your guitar strings.

How Do I Know When My Guitar Strings Need Changing?

The main consideration for changing guitar strings is the length of time as we have described above. However, other obvious signs will indicate that your guitar strings need to be changed.

For professional guitarists, a slight change in sound or tone is enough to tell. While for the novice, it might take more than less-than-perfect sound quality. You can also check out an article on how to replace your guitar strings here.

There are a few different indicators that an electric guitar hobbyist should be on the lookout for when assessing whether it is time to replace the strings. These signs include the following:

When the strings become dull

If you no longer get a bright and clear tone, that is a sign that your guitar strings need replacement. This happens when you play your guitar regularly or when you leave the strings sitting in moisture for too long. The unpleasant dull sound can also be a result of moisture, dirt, or grease from your fingers. After playing consistently for a few months, you will start to notice that over time the sound deteriorates until it sounds dull and unpleasant.

Kinks along the wire

Continuous impact between the strings and the frets on the fretboard may cause kinks to appear on the strings. These typically appear in the area where your fingers normally come into contact with the strings.

It’s best to replace your strings once they have developed kinks in them. While you can still play with kinks, the sound may be slightly affected, and an expert guitarist will easily notice the change.

An additional thing to consider is that playing a guitar with kinks can be dangerous. Severely kinked wires are much more likely to snap. A wire that snaps can easily whip you and cause a laceration.

Corrosion and discoloration

Corrosion and discoloration can be a sign of poor handling or maintenance. When you leave your guitar strings with moisture for long, the strings can rust. Remember, most electric and acoustic guitar strings are made of steel and subject to rusting over time, classical guitars, on the otherhand, use nylon strings and these will not rust.

Discoloration can also occur due to the oils and grease on your fingers. The oils that you use on your skin can remain on the strings when you play the guitar. Leaving them without wiping and forgetting to use a strings conditioner can cause the strings to change color.

The strings become stiff

After playing the guitar for some time, you may notice unusual stiffness in the strings. Though you might not see visible signs of corrosion, it is an indicator to think about replacing them. The strings should always stay flexible to produce the best possible sound.

Falling out of tune

After tuning your guitar, it should typically last the entire practice session. If you notice that you are falling out of tune sooner than usual, that may be a sign that the strings need replacement.

It’s important to note, however, that string age is not the only reason why you might be falling out of tune. There are a variety of issues that can cause a tuning problem, such as (i) wrong string size, (ii) playing with too heavy a hand, (iii) improperly seated nut, and (iv) temperature variations.

Diagnosing a guitar that is falling out of tune requires the guitarist to go down the list of possibilities one by one. An old guitar string is one possibility that could be causing this problem.

It is also important to note, the tuning problem is not only caused by old strings. This is also common when the strings are brand new. In this case, if the strings are new, you don’t need to replace them but stretch them a bit and they will eventually come to tune.

Awful texture

An old string will feel awful to touch. This feeling is a good sign that it’s time to change. While you can still play your guitar, the build-up of muck due to the oxidation process will make the strings feel rough and unpleasant on the fingers.

How Long Do Electric Guitar Strings Last If Not Played?

As we mentioned earlier, whether or not you play your electric guitar, you will still need to change the strings after some period. Guitar strings come with a lifespan. This is because moisture and other environmental factors can degrade the strings over time.

In most cases, strings come with a lifespan of between 2-6 months. This is dependent on the type and quality of the strings. Therefore, after storing your guitar for more than 6 months without playing, you will likely find that the strings no longer produce a high-quality sound.

Due to the fact that strings do degrade over time, whether or not you play them, you should be careful about buying lots of guitar strings months in advance. Strings stored in unopened packaging can typically be stored for several years. The big caveat to this rule is the strings that come in paper envelopes, the longevity of these strings is largely dependent on the environment they are exposed to. If you do buy your strings in advance, do not unpack them until you are ready to play the guitar.

Which Electric Guitar Strings Last the Longest?

If you have already purchased an electric guitar then you know as well as I do that there is an endless number of brand-name electric guitar strings out there. Not all of them are equivalent, however, in fact, there are some that are far superior in terms of durability and longevity than others.

Coated electric guitar strings can typically last at least twice as long as uncoated steel strings. The best quality and most durable coated string is typically recognized as the Elixir Nanoweb string. The Elixir Nanoweb strings have extremely thin coatings which reduces the typical critique of coated strings that they dampen the sound. Elixir Nanowebs lasted five months for me after fairly heavy play (15+ hours weekly).

Coated steel strings are certainly an acquired taste for most people. Coated strings are a major tradeoff for guitarists that have not yet developed a familiarity with how they play. Coated strings will typically respond a little differently, and thicker coatings will impact the way the string feels. In exchange, coated strings keep the steel strings protected from environmental hazards. If you are interested in the Elixir Nanoweb strings you can find them here on Amazon.

Final thoughts

As we have seen, replacing electric guitar strings is inevitable whether you play your guitar frequently or not. On average as we mentioned, it is recommended to change the guitar strings after every 100 hours of playing. A healthy average for that is approximately 3 months.

However, changing the strings is not fixated on a specific time. Other indicators may point to the need for replacement. These include breaking of the strings, dull sound, corrosion, and discoloration among others as we discussed in the article.

Check out additional information and tutorials on electric guitars here.