Best way to care for your steel guitar strings?

[tonyo]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

I use Elixir Nanos, so nothing. I play probably an hour a day average and change them every 6 months whether they need it or not.

Same here. I pick up and play my guitar throughout the day, if I've been doing yard or other dirty work I'll wash my hands first but usually I don't.

If care relied on me wiping down my strings I would just forget.

[EZYPIKINS]

Now, in todays world I'm changing every 1-2 months. But regardless of condition. If i have a gig. They get changed a day or two before the gig. When I was gigging regularly. They were changed every week. Without fail.

[RalphH]

I always wash my hards before I play, but mostly because I stuffer from sticky hands, not to prolong the life of my strings. Strings last me a couple of weeks if I play a lot, a month or two if I don't

I wish I was left handed; my right hands sweats glue and my left hand sweats lubricant. Be really great it it were to other way around.

[Pnewsom]

Practice, practice practice! That's what keeps my strings looking nice and sounding even better!

[Goodallboy]

I’m not interested in how they look, just how they sound.

I’ve used Kyser Dr. Stringfellow Cleaner and Extender for years. Even before they added “Cleaner and Extender” to the title, just recently, I knew it was extending the life of my strings and allowing them to sound fresh for much longer than before.

I use it after each playing session and my strings sound good until I choose to remove them, instead of when I’m forced to remove them because they’ve gotten cruddy and died.

[Keith G50]

Play them. Change when desired/needed. That’s it.

[fazool]

Originally Posted by fitness1

I've mentioned this many times on the forum in the past. One of my best friends was an analytical chemist who specialized in surface analysis.

He told me the best thing to remove "organics" from brass and bronze was simple old wool.

Go to a fabric store and buy a chunk of good quality wool, and cut some small squares off to keep your case.

Wipe down the strings after playing - and make sure and wrap the wool around the bottom side of the strings too where the most stuff builds up.

thanks for this tip !

[JERZEY]

All you can do is dry wipe your strings with a material that wont leave behind fibers. Any solvents you use will only add to your troubles.

The best way to care for your strings is to replace them when they get funky.

[davenumber2]

I just play them until they don't sound good to me anymore. Change strings. Repeat. Strings are cheap so I don't see any need to "maintain" them.

[dwasifar]

I wash my hands before playing most of the time, but that is to keep the guitar clean. If it helps the strings last longer, that's just a bonus.

[Br1ck]

Give them an early retirement.

[Dru Edwards]

Wash hands before, don't eat while playing, wipe strings down afterwards.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by phcorrigan

I'll second this.

Originally Posted by Keith G50

Play them. Change when desired/needed. That’s it.

This^^^^^^^^^^. You are way over thinking it.