Do you like stringing a classical guitar?

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by jdlaw

I have two nylons that require string changes every week. A Godin Multiac Duet, and a Cordoba Fusion Orchestra 12. I agree with the earlier poster. I becomes a ritual that you learn to love.

You change them every week? Wow. Do they need the weekly change or do you just enjoy it?

[jdlaw]

Believe it or not, that's how quickly I go through them. I know it's crazy. I must have some alien excretion that eats away the strings. I wait until the outer coating is worn off on the D and A strings. Takes about five days.

[scottishrogue]

Here is something you might want to try...it's best to wash your hands before beginning to play, and the wipe down the strings after you finish with a 10% ammonia/water solution (room temperature), so body oils are removed from your strings. I would also try several different brands to see if the problem can be eliminated...or try the same brand with different windings if you have a choice.

How do you determine when your strings need to be changed? Do you stretch the strings when you install them, so they will settle faster? You might want to see a dermatologist, to identify exactly what is causing the problem. If I had to change strings every week, I'd go broke!

Glen

[johnny196775]

I take no pleasure in changing my guitar strings.

[Garthman]

Originally Posted by jdlaw

Believe it or not, that's how quickly I go through them. I know it's crazy. I must have some alien excretion that eats away the strings. I wait until the outer coating is worn off on the D and A strings. Takes about five days.

Do you use strings with traditional silver-plated copper basses? These tend to wear out quite quickly - the silverplating wears away exposing the copper underneath which soon corrodes.

I switched to strings with bronze-wound basses several years ago (La Bella 850 and 900 series) - these last much longer than the silver-plated copper sets.

Give them a try.

[Windminstrel]

Just done my first Classical Guitar string change, a little tricky at first, but as a learning curve it was a useful task.

Actually looking forward to doing it again next time.

[Portland Bill]

Yes i do,and always set aside an hour and make a little ritual of it,big mug of tea to hand,give the box and fingerboard a clean,and once finished i never play it for 3 days,i put it aside and periodically bring it up in tune.
This extends life of the strings greatly.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Windminstrel

Just done my first Classical Guitar string change, a little tricky at first, but as a learning curve it was a useful task.

Actually looking forward to doing it again next time.

That's great! Did you follow Youtube videos or text based instructions?

[Windminstrel]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

That's great! Did you follow Youtube videos or text based instructions?

Well, I did both (and still struggled at first), I was more concerned with the idea I would be ordering another set if they all started getting beyond use after constant fiddling and re-tying. I initially saw a You Tube video and was under the mistaken idea it was just so easy and straightforward.

Anyway, I went back to the drawing board, picked up my wife's ipad and followed the instructions from the video below:

http://youtu.be/4Cw84_0KHTI

One of the things I noticed while Googling my fingers to stumps looking for a good, informative page about re-stringing, was that some said to put the loosely wound part of the bass strings at the bridge end, some at the tuner end. Mine went through the tuner end as it seemed a more viable option due to flexibility. Also next time I won't be so quick to trim back the excess string!

I found the video informative and the use of the large models of bridge and strings took me back to my childhood, during which time I found good use of a large plastic hammer and a block of different shapes to hammer other plastic stuff into.

In this case it enabled me to put strings on a guitar