Everyone wishes for their strings to endure as long as they possibly can. If a pair of strings with a year’s worth of life were available, I’d be first in queue! But, as we wait for technology to close the gap to our aspirations and desires, here are five simple techniques to extend the life of your strings. Any plucked instrument, not just guitars.
Clean Your Hands
Your hands are caked in perspiration and grime (along with whatever else that may have gotten on them while you were “trying to practice” in your room). One of the key contact places on your strings is your hands. As a result, when you first start playing, you’ll cover the strings in grime and humidity, enabling them to rust away.
Wipe Your Strings Down
Next time you end playing, wipe off your guitar strings to prevent any lingering humidity from harming the strings. When you’re finished, simply slide an old cloth or towel down and up the fingerboard a bunch of times. This easy modification to your practice will keep your fret board clean and extend the life of your strings.
Wipe Your Fret board
Maintaining your fret board is critical for extending the life of your strings. Your fingerboard is another important point of touch with your string instruments, so keep it clean. If you’ve ever encountered an ancient, ignored fret board, you know how much dirt may accumulate, so you should clean your fingerboard every time you replace strings. Most fingerboard oils should not be used at every string change because they can end up doing more harm than benefit.
Pick The Right Strings
Protected strings should last longer than non-coated strings, but there’s one more step you can take. Ernie Ball claims that their Cobalt Strings survive longer than others, however I didn’t like them. D’Addario, on the other hand, has raised the stakes with its NYXL line. Modern manufacturing procedures are used by the NYXLs to provide the best sounding strings on the marketplace. They have a longer lifespan and a fantastic sound.
Make sure you get a good set of strings when you buy acoustic guitars.
Invest In a String Cleaner
Not only will a string cleaner improve the lifespan of your strings, but it will also smooth down the fret board. Regrettably, not all string cleaners are created equal. As a result, you must exercise caution when making your selection.
Even though the strings appear to be free of dirt and grime, they clean them dramatically. You don’t need to apply a string cleaner each time you pick up, but it’s a common practice to get into of using one once a week (or more based on how frequently you play).
User A Guitar Case
Finally, maintaining your guitar in its case will extend the life of your strings. Your guitar case protects your strings from dampness, which causes them to wear out faster. In humid conditions, this has a greater impact than in drier ones. While storing your instrument away after each usage may seem like a bother, it is well worth it.
That’s all there is to it. These are some simple ways to extend the life of your guitar strings to ensure that;
- There are fewer string changes.
- Better clarity and a smooth feel
When it comes to guitar maintenance, there are no excuses, and following these recommendations could save you effort and dollars in the long run, so get started!
