How many sets of spare strings you will keep?

[dave42]

Originally Posted by nightchef

You folks who keep large numbers of spare strings -- is corrosion not a factor where you live? I used to keep them around in bulk, but I stopped because I found that I was throwing too many sets away.

I see folks post about this problem, but I've never had a problem with this. So I've bought strings on sale, when you could get them on sale, and have plenty. No need for me to shop strings for a while.

[EZYPIKINS]

I have been buying by the case since the 70's.

Today strings are in a sealed package.

At least my Rotosound's are.

I still have some in the paper.

Corrosion is all a matter of how you store them,

If kept in a garage or basement. Sure they will corrode.

[rstaight]

I voted 4 but it actually changes. the shops I frequent all sell at a discount. One is flat 50% reduction off of what is on the package. The other offers a 30% break if you buy 1 set and a 50% break if you buy 2.

So basically it is a buy one get one. doesn't matter the brand. So when I purchase strings I will buy 2 sets of Earthwood, Daddario, and Elixir.

My Indiana's and the Lotus get Earthwood. The 12 string gets Daddario and the Takamine GD93 gets the Elixir. Though the 12 string may get Elixir next time.

[Highroller]

I'll usually keep 2-3 spare sets of each given type of string I use, so that's phosphor bronze acoustics for 6 and 12 stringers, nickels for 6 and 12 string electrics, some Nashville high-tension gauge for acoustic, some nylons and lately a few custom sets for New Standard Tuning.

Add to that the bulk buying thing (I'll stock up every once in a while) and it looks like a lot of strings sitting on the shelf. But I'm splitting those up between several guitars - that's to say - for each type string I use, I have multiple guitars that use them.

So it's not really that many. In fact, I'm cutting it pretty close to the bone.

[Dru Edwards]

Bruce, that's a fantastic idea. I use a shoe box.

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

I recently 'repurposed' a lovely solid wooden box originally designed to store photographs.



How sad is it that I have a section already marked for an Epiphone Hummingbird that hasn't even been delivered yet?

[Fret-O'File]

Between acoustic and electric I typically have 25 to 30 sets of strings on hand.
I have two electrics and a few acoustics I play a lot so they all get changed about every month. Then I have other electrics and acoustics that only get played every so often and if they've been sitting a while with the same strings, I will change those so they are fresh even if I know I'll only be playing it for a day or two before it goes back in the case not to be played for another month or so.

I would say I go through 50 to 75 sets of strings a year so I do try to buy them in 10/Packs to save some dough. If I see strings I use on sale or at a good price, I'll typically buy them whether I need them or not. All the strings I use are in sealed packages so no worries about corrosion.

[colins]

Originally Posted by Fret-O'File

Between acoustic and electric I typically have 25 to 30 sets of strings on hand.
I have two electrics and a few acoustics I play a lot so they all get changed about every month. Then I have other electrics and acoustics that only get played every so often and if they've been sitting a while with the same strings, I will change those so they are fresh even if I know I'll only be playing it for a day or two before it goes back in the case not to be played for another month or so.

I would say I go through 50 to 75 sets of strings a year so I do try to buy them in 10/Packs to save some dough. If I see strings I use on sale or at a good price, I'll typically buy them whether I need them or not. All the strings I use are in sealed packages so no worries about corrosion.

That's what was going through my mind as I read this thread...How often people change their strings. I used to do it every month or so like you, but the time between changes has stretched out these days. Maybe our mild climate helps.

Do you use the same brand/type of string on all your acoustics?

[TRose]

Hi.
My name is Tom and I’m a string hoarder.

But by the forum standards maybe not so much?
Presently I’ve got 32 packs of strings. Roughly 2/3s of those being classical sets.

[TBman]

I have 11 sets of steel strings and 5 sets of classical strings. (3 from Tom {TRose}, )

[nightchef]

Originally Posted by Rad

I use D’Addario, they come vacuum sealed.

I use D’Addario too. In my basement, the vacuum packaging seems to protect them for less than 6 months. Eventually they’ll corrode regardless. So I try to avoid keeping strings around that long. I only change strings about once every couple of months unless I’m gigging a lot (I’m not one of these “new strings for every gig” folks, because I don’t actually like the sound of new strings). So for me, keeping 2 backup sets per guitar is about right.

[rllink]

It just depends. I use the same strings on both of my acoustics and I always like to have a spare set or two on hand just in case. And while I don't buy them in bulk quantities, I never buy just one set. So sometimes I have more and sometimes less. There is no magic number. But if I get down to one set I'll pick up more. But for poll purposes, at this moment I have two on hand for my acoustics, three for my ukulele, and one for my electric.

[EZYPIKINS]

I use Rotosound's on my Electrics, Roto Yellow's, Roto Pink's, Acoustics, Super Bronze, Bass, 66 round and 77 flat as well as Mandolin, RS80.

[RXMoore]

At this moment, I have 55 complete sets for the 8 guitars I regularly play, four acoustic and four electric. I have an assortment of brands of strings for acoustic but they are all 12 - 53/54 phosphor bronze, mostly uncoated. I have a mix of 9s and 10s for the electrics, again, mostly uncoated.

I'm not wedded to a particular brand or string type at this moment. I pick them up en masse when they're on sale. For example, I have 18 sets of Darco brand strings that I bought in increments of 6 when they were on sale for an indecently lo price not too long ago. I change them fairly regularly but I'm not OCD about it, maybe every two months or so.

I'm re-stringing my Alvarez in a few minutes, so make that 54.....

[Pura Vida]

I've got ~60 sets of strings in the music room, which is used for ~20 guitars. It breaks down like this: 30 are for 15 acoustic guitars, which get one guitar/set changed every 1-2 weeks, so that's about 6-9 month supply. 20 are extra sets of strings that I tried, but decided I didn't like. And 10 are for my electric guitars, which either have Elixirs (I can't play coated on acoustic, but don't mind on electric) or NYXL on them; rarely get played, so rarely get changed.

So, 30 of the 60 will last indefinitely b/c they probably won't get used. The other 30 will get consumed in the next 6-9 months, and I'll stock up again on Black Friday / Cyber Monday, when Strings & Beyond has their sales.

Finally, I'm playing mostly GHS and DR Rare, so the strings stay fresh in their packaging (esp. GHS packaging).

[blindboyjimi]

Bruce, that’s a great idea. I have an old humidor with cigars from 20 years ago that I’ve been humidifying forever since I don’t smoke. They’re all Cubans as that used to be a thing, but I think you can buy them wherever now. I think I’ll turn it into a string holder.

I use Martin Monels or Elixir nanowebs. In rotation in the collection I get about 4 months from the Elixirs and about a year from the Monels. I buy them whenever there is a sale code at Strings & Beyond. So I routinely have 15-25 sets on hand.