Breaking in strings faster - Page 2

thegreatgumbino · #16 06-03-2020, 07:30 AM

I use a ToneRite for about 24-36 hours after string changes to accelerate the break in of Martin Retro Nobel strings. Works great for this purpose.

Ralph124C41 · #17 06-03-2020, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegreatgumbino

I use a ToneRite for about 24-36 hours after string changes to accelerate the break in of Martin Retro Nobel strings. Works great for this purpose.

I was going to suggest that, too. In fact one of the criticisms of the ToneRite is that it ages your strings prematurely too much ... but if you are looking specifically for that function I think it would work fine.

I got my ToneRite used for $10 and I've used it on all my instruments. I can't say they improved the sound of the guitars a lot but it did take the "newness" out of the strings.

tnvol · #18 06-03-2020, 08:14 AM

I just put them on and give them all a good stretch and then just play the crap out of them. The newness doesn't last very long.

rick-slo · #19 06-03-2020, 08:43 AM

https://livingpianos.com/how-long-do...the%20elements.

The fatigue curve of spring steel levels out around 100,000 vibrations. So for example take a D string vibrating at 147 hertz, it would reach that after
about 11 minutes (which by the way does not even account for fatigue from the higher frequency overtones). There are different grades of spring steel
of course but musical instrument strings are at a very high level.

Some people with “acid” fingertips and can corrode the wound strings quickly. Coated strings extends the string life considerably, especially for those people.

Tannin · #20 06-03-2020, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac

Coated strings keep their initial tone longer than uncoated strings.

Good point!

boneuphtoner · #21 06-04-2020, 07:47 AM

This came up last month and one of the posters suggested the following:

Quote:

The quickest way to kill the tone of a string is to tune it up and down a few times -- accelerated metal fatigue. While I have not tried this with artificial tone aging in mind, tuning up to concert pitch, back down one whole step and then back up to pitch once (or more) should take the "zing" and overtones out of a brand new set of strings.

I don't like new string zing either, and I actually applied this suggestion on that day to my own new strings and the advice is spot on. And just yesterday I installed new strings on my kid's guitar and did the same thing with similar results.