Well having just re-strung the subs on my S18 (thanks Gregg!), I can say: I do indeed hear the difference compared with the 2 year old strings I replaced. It's the same sound difference you hear with new strings on any guitar, a brighter sound with more pronounced higher harmonics, but more subtle due to the low frequencies you get from the subs. There are no frets to distort the strings, but you will build up dust and oils from your fingers, or bits of flatpick in my case, and that seems enough to dull the sound over time. So YMMV, but for me (swapping between multiple guitars, playing with a flatpick, etc.) seems like annual changes are fine, and even two years is ok if you don't mind a slight darkening of the sub tone.
Edit: Just swapped the subs on my S12 too, with a similar difference. It's a bit more noticeable on this guitar than on the S18, possibly because the strings are tuned a bit higher, FGABbBC vs. a half-step down from that on the S18.
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'17 Tonedevil S-18 harp guitar
'16 Tonedevil S-12 harp guitar
'79 Fender Stratocaster hardtail with righteous new Warmoth neck
'82 Fender Musicmaster bass
'15 Breedlove Premier OF mandolin
Marshall JVM210c amp plus a bunch of stompboxes and misc. gear
Last edited by JeffreyAK; 01-21-2019 at 06:31 PM.
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