In this comprehensive string changing course, James takes us through how the pros change strings! We begin our course with an introduction, talking about how often to change strings and which strings to use.

Summary: How Often to change

Our first line of conversation is the all-important question, "How often should I change my strings?". Well, as James so perfectly puts it, the answer is "probably more regularly than you do now!". Changing your strings regularly has a number of benefits, such as:

• 1. The guitar will feel nicer to play, and you will therefore play more!
• 2. The strings are less likely to snap when playing.
• 3. The tone of your guitar will improve, sounding brighter and louder.
• 4. Your guitar will stay in tune better.

So, to put a rough figure on it, be sure you are changing your strings at least once every 4-6 weeks if you are playing regularly. Even if you are not playing regularly, your strings still absorb dirt and dust and deteriorate, so be sure to still change them when you pick up the guitar after a break. If you gig with your guitar, you will need to change them even more regularly if you can.

String Types: what is String Gauge?

String Gauge is a measure of the thickness of your strings. Which string gauge to use is mostly down to personal preference. You will here people talk about 'nines' or 'tens' for example, which simply indicates the thickness of the thin E string. A set of nines, for example, refers to a measurement of 0.009 inches. The rest of the strings in the set will get progressively thicker, but we tend to always use the thin E string as the basic measurement for the set.

Which Gauge to use?

As we said above, string gauge is a personal choice. Great guitarists through history have used anything between very light eights (Santana famously used light strings) up to fourteens (SRV famously used heavier strings). There are a few things to bare in mind when choosing.

• 1. The heavier the string, the harder it is to bend.
• 2. The heavier the string, the richer the tone (hence why blues players tend to love heavier strings).
• 3. The type of guitar you have will have an influence. Short scale necks (like Gibsons) will allow you to get away with a heavier string than long scale necks (like Fenders).

It's generally a good idea to start on nines or tens and then gradually work through different sets to see what works best for you. Before too long you, will settle on a gauge that suits your playing.