@@u2be1201 D'addario Hydrate functions as both cleaner and hydrator but that is only meant for fretboard. For the body alot of ppl just use low-grade household cleaner. Get some lemon pledge on there
@@u2be1201 I'm using a micro fiber cloth and Dunlop Formula 65 guitar polish. Lemon oil for unfinished fretboards. Haven't really tried anything else, as the bottles seem to last forever.
I thought fast Fret was great until I've tried Dunlop 65. It slides even more, fight oxydation a lot more and so the strings last longer. Give it a try, you won't regret.
I find the clean arpeggiated chords Rabea does on his baritone so inspiring (around the 9 min point in this video). Baritone guitar can do a lot more than just heavy riffs.
I have very dry hands, so no re-stringing every gig! I have guitars with strings 3-4 years old, mostly my around the house beaters. Guitars to gig with (mostly acoustic) I change more often but still stretch it out quite awhile. Sound does suffer a little but amped and through a PA I can live with it. I am way too lazy to re-string as much as most people. I now make the habit of only changing the wound strings, and leave the B, E. This leaves me with more spares of the ones I break the most. I change more often, once I have a personal guitar tech...LOL
I had been noodling around on guitars for 30+ years until I started using Fast Fret. It is now part of my process. I hasn't improved my playing, but it sure has given me something new to obsess over. I have you and Uncle Ben to thank for that.
I read in user comments that Fastfret type of products shouldn't be applied on new strings because they would age faster. Could be interesting to do the zing test before and after.
I'm a recent subscriber. Tucked away in the middle of no-man's land, I just want to say it is a pleasure to hang out with you. I learn some stuff, but I mainly just feel good for having done it. You're solid. Keep up the great work.
Bro I've had that same restringing tool for 12 yeaars and never have I known that you can stretch the strings with it as well! Absolutley blew my mind!
Other than your original songs, I think these are my favourite videos of yours, mate. Love hearing you chat about guitars and your personal approach to things!
Love the NYXL 11-56 set for anything Drop C on my PRS Guitars. 10-52 for Drop D. I have six guitars and will typically restring every two months, all of them in a afternoon. I enjoy the process and use it as an opportunity to tighten anything that needs an adjustment, give them a deep clean, etc. That first Drop C power chord with fresh strings is always glorious.
Three things: First, as Martin Hervy said - doing a dry wipe down every time you play is key. I use one of those micro fiber cloths that come with your guitar. Second, is if you’re not changing strings constantly don’t use one of those string stretchers. They open up spaces in the strings for dirt, dust and grime to get in-between the windings. Instead (I learned this from a Rob Chapman video) is to pull up on the string at the base of the bridge area. It will stretch them without opening those spaces. Also, I use an air blower to clean my strings and guitar every couple of days. I strum them hard enough so they vibrate then blow the air. It works like a charm and will give your string way more life. After all, who actually changes their strings that often unless they’re gigging or playing in a band (where you tend to sweat more)? P.S. D’Addario and Ernie Ball make great coated strings that don’t mess with tone like they used to.
I change my strings about once every month on each of my guitars. I have 7 and play them all. Do i need to? No but i can afford it and have the time don’t judge me And coated strings sound great always have its the feel i hate
@@Ottophil no judgement here. Change them as often as you need to. I meant not many of us change our strings daily or even weekly, that’s all. Also, many of the newer coatings are way better these days. I couldn’t stand the Elixers when they came out. But now, the Ernie Ball & D’Addario’s feel pretty great.
The trick of slapping the strings against the fretboard is something I use whenever I want to record but my strings are old. It works a charm. For any guitars that don’t have locking tuners (which is all of mine sadly) I measure the length as one tuning peg further than what tuner you’re putting the string through. Massively important for me is giving my guitar a good clean when I restring it.
7:34 when I started tuning my Telecaster to baritone, I used the Ernie Ball Mammoth Slinky set (12-62) and I grew to really like the wound G. It makes it feel like a different instrument, almost.
i once saw a guitarist change his strings right before his Pantera tribute went on stage..that was crazy to me.... i always change a day before a gig...NYXL
I have six electrics and two acoustics. If I constantly rotate my guitars the strings last a long time. Before using TUSQ nuts & lubricating the saddles I would break strings a lot. Reducing the friction points will greatly extend the string life. I also apply some lubrication to the saddles before I tune. All of this means I don't have to change strings very often.
My restringing intervals are mostly in line with what ye do. Leisure/self-only gets changed only when absolutely needed (basically when they break, LOL). Display guitars gets changed when strings goes visibly rusty. Recording/tracking guitars gets changed occasionally as needed (on order of quarter annually @ ~2-3 months). Guitars that I reach for often gets changed about 3-4 weeks. Gigging guitars gets changed every gig... it's too much of a pain having a string fail mid gig (Murphy's law: it usually breaks on the 2nd piece right at the beginning). Not to mention embarrassing. 😉😁
I stretch my strings with only my hand. I also use the "2 tuning machines for cutting length". Changing strings depends on if you sweat, what you do, etc.... But if you give your guitars to a Luthier (which I am. ;) )it's better to change often strings to preserve the work of the set-up. Because of the initial tension. Go and discus with guitar/bass makers to get the best gauge for each of you guitars.
I have 17 guitars, so strings need to live a long time. I cook the strings in vinegar. Cleans them up really well. Cleaning the unwound strings with metal polish will make em shine again. Not that they will sound new, but it takes a lot of the dullness away. Believe it or not, I have a strat with 40 years old strings, and they still look and sound ‘decent’ !
Just got a string winder that goes in a battery drill! Literally takes seconds to wind new strings on! But yes, for other guitars I've put the locking tuners on!
I also have that string winder and I didn’t know about the built in stretcher! So thanks for that! I have been using finger ease which is a spray on string coating and lubricant, for about 25 years and it also get sprayed on the back of the neck and it can be messy so I might give the fast fret a try.
I will try fast fret. I do use my old strings for my model building. Like antennas and other stuff. Thank you for saying the string gages. I use my les Paul for my drop tune playing. It is my only humbucker guitar.
A couple of my habits were learned from you; Fast Fret and washing my hands before I play. I use a cordless drill adapter, I got off of ebay, to unwind and rewind the strings on my non-locking tuner guitars. I just stretch them by hand.
What's cool about Fast Fret is that it's pretty much just mineral oil, which means in a pinch you can sub it in with some from the hardware store, or even baby oil from the supermarket. Great for conditioning fretboards as well. I love the applicator though - might be time for me to head out and grab a few cans just for that alone!
Fast Fret is the best way to make your strings last longer! I’ve used it for over 20 years. I also rub it down the back of the guitar neck as well, makes it super fast and slick to play! 🤘🤘
As someone living in Singapore, uncoated strings really don't last more than a week due to the humidity (and my sweaty hands HAHA). So I use Elixir Optiwebs, but man they're expensive. I have 4 electrics and I can't play all of them, so I usually leave some of them to rust while I play the restringed ones. I know, bad practice. I find that I play about 2 guitars for 3 months before I get bored anyway lol. Also saves cost. Anyway thanks for doing what you do bea, your demos have inspired me to record and mix my own songs. Cheers from Singapore :D
This video is so nice. I was noodling away with his atmospheric playing in the backgound. And with the chat it feels like hanging out with a friend. Thanks Bea, lovely 20 min :)
Here's the thing, I don't sweat crazy amounts so keep that in mind lol. I keep strings on for months, each time after I play I wipe down the guitar and wipe the strings down with a Blitz cloth. It keeps the strings clean and slippery for long periods. I've used Gibson pure nickels for 20 years or so, and pretty much keep in the standard tuning sometimes drop D with .10 to .46 strings. I picked up the Blitz cloth idea from an old guitar repair book, where one of the techs mentioned that BB King use to use it and it stuck with me ever since. That was over 30 years ago lol
I’ve been using Fast Fret for more years than I can remember. I use it for cleaning and conditioning the fretboard at every restring and wiping the strings after every use. It works a treat!
I started using fast fret after hearing you mention it in another video and decided to try it out. I have to say that I'm very happy with it and will probably use it for the rest if my life.
I’ve used D’Addario strings almost all my life. They were good to me. I tried Ernie ball once and they were not for me. But in the last year the NYXL have let me down. They were rusting and breaking as they are not (less likely to) supposed to.Don’t know if I had a bad batch or their quality is going down. So I tried the Elixir nano web 12-52 (drop c) and wow these are my new go to. Doing a lot of rehearsal and shows they hold up very nicely.
I had a bandmate that would use one of my spare guitars. He had some weird chemical composition in his skin oil that would gunk up strings after like 30 minutes. Like fresh strings that sound dead after 20-30 minutes, it was nuts, and expensive. When I got that guitar back, the fretboard had a THICK layer of hand gunk on it, I had to scrape it off. Now I don't let people borrow my guitars LOL
Same here. It’s something I do every session. Also, I stretch the strings only at the bridge. Rob mentioned this in a video as it prevents the coils from opening up and allowing dirt into the string.
I gig almost every weekend as a hired gun guitarist for churches in the Baltimore/DC area. I change out my strings every month. I don’t typically break a sweat with worship sets lol typically 3 to 4 songs tops. I change out my strings every month or so. I also only use pure nickel strings. I started noticing wear and dents on the frets to two of my main gigging guitars. Pure nickel with nickel core is supposed to prevent the wear of said frets. Discussion for another time. I suppose the kind of player will dictate how often strings should be changed. The kind of gigs I play aren’t exactly intense. However I do play a lot more often than most.
I like to remove the dust and grime, and polish any of the chrome and remove the schmutz on the saddles, so that’s why I change strings. They’re usually half dead by that point, always get a nice clang from new ones, and polished frets and a clean board is more inviting. My Fast Fret is a little older, the original can was one color print. Rock on Rabs.
So for your baritone, you can buy the off the shelf 11-49 set, throw the 11 away and use a low 68... not as complicated as made out :) love your music Bea
I’ve been oscillating between the NY and EB Cobalt. I’m on the Cobalt train now. All guitars 10-42. I used to change strings once a week. Now more like once a month. I don’t sweat on them much. A friend of my had to change his after every playing event, no matter how short a stint. His sweat was like Alien secretion. Literally would dissolve strings, bridges, springs. I used to use String Ease, but don’t any longer.
I do it quite similar. Always for live shows, if necessary (most of the time) for recordings, rarely for home jamming. Sometimes, though, I get a strange urge to do something good for my guitar and just put on new strings, usually combined with a certain cleaning routine. Love your vids & music! Cheers, Axel
Another awesome video Rab. Thanx again. I do a lot of 12 string acoustic, 2 different guitars tuned either 1/2 step lower or at standard. Both these guitars get Elixir Polywebs. My 6 string guitars always get the Paradigm, various mixed sets similar to what your with but not as heavy. My 5 string bass gets LaBella deep talkin golds. Occasional alcohol wipe works for me. No issues with acidic sweat. I have lockers on 2 Strats. The others I do the sting lock tie thing and 4 winds, I've done that nearly 40 years. I've used fast fret once, keep forgetting I have it in one of the cases. Its been many years since I've had a string snap. Usually its in the bridge of a Strat that has the issue. Easy fix with wire insulation casing..
Nice Idea, saving the strings from a milestone gig as a souvenir from said gig! AND I already know of a perfect container for them too: those paper CD/DVD envelopes with a clear window in the front. Write the venue info on the back and slip the string into the envelope and yer good! And ye could use those clear CD 3-ring binder pages that allow ye to hold 4 discs per page. Store those strings there and they're not going to get lost.
You say no one likes wound g-strings? Here I am: on my G&L ASAT special from 1998 I prefer 11th with wound g-string since more than 15 years ;) All the years I prefered high string gages till april this year. My Les Pauls have 12th. 20 years ago I had 13th on a LesPaul. I bought my first PRS in April 2022. It had 9th on it and I thought about changing, but it was so good, easy to play and sounded so great. I had to practise a little bit for less pressure and staying in tune. The PRS became my main working horse. There was an intersting youtube with Ricke Beato and Rhett, long time ago about string gages. I had forgotten it but I remembered with a new guitar with 9th, it made my playing more easy with less pressure. Now the PRS with 9th is my main working horse. Sometimes it opens your mind with something new. To me it was lighter sting gage.
I just picked up a strat with that finish.I saw it when I was a kid and thought it was way cool 🤘🏿😎. When I saw yours a while back it took me back to my childhood.So I had to get one🤘🏿. I'm gonna get your sig Baritone as things improve.Thanks for all you do dude 🤘🏿😎
Elixir strings are all I need. They sound great, stay in tune and they don’t need changing until they’re like 6 months + old. Any untreated or uncoated string just goes dull and begins to rust badly after about a week. I save so much money using elixir
Currently rocking my daily guitar with elixers for 18 months kind of getting yucky but no real rust besides one spot on the G 🤣 keeping it more for fun
Ibanez used to have those speedy loader things on their trems back in the late 90s/early 2000s , on their RG270 models (I'm sure some other models may of had them). They don't use them anymore, sadly! Thanks for the cracking tips in this video! And yes...Fast Fret is a life saver haha! Cheers!
Didn't discover Fast Fret till a couple of years in. So probably using it 28yrs or so. Roughly doubled in price in that time, but so useful. Wipe down your strings after playing with the cloth and reapply to prolong their life. That it still smells the same is kind of comforting!
When I played every day for recreation I would change my strings once a month, both my bass and guitar, when in the band, as often as I could afford it. strings ain't cheap, especially changing them regularly like we need to. Hope you have had time to spend with your family abroad since this C 19 storm hit, lots of love mate.
Used elixers for years as loved the feel and silkyness that you got for longer, i mainly change because either sound dead or feel horrid under the fingers. Fast fret helps though love that stuff too. Recently actually been using old school ernie balls as needed some cheap to just play around with set ups and found i actually really enjoyed them
In 1979, I bought a can of “finger ease”. It’s finally on empty, and I’m not sure what to do😳. You reminded me of its replacement, “fast fret”, thanks🙂. Hand sweat on a gloss neck, ugh! I have a very intense fan that puts out a beam of air to 10’, pointed at my feet hand, the only other thing that works!
Rabea, what a kool video. Never thought about how much time between string changes, I just did it when I felt it needed to be done. Good info here. The NYXL love those strings
I switched from Fast Fret to Music Nomad String Fuel. With their applicator, you can cover all the strings in one swipe. (Looks like a deodorant stick).
Had the same problem with string changes constantly... My luthier introduced me to elixir strings and now I change them once every 6 months 😅 Never broke a string and the fresh sound lasts for months!
Same, Ernie 10's constantly broke on my main on the bridge which didn't happen with the Elixir's, I also like the more bass sound they give after a while. Just their string gauges are a bit weird, I would love something like a 11-52 or 54 set but they only make 10-52, 11-49 or 12-52. I have a Jazzmaster with I guess 4 or 5 year old Elixirs on for home use/noodeling and they actually feel not like old strings at all (beside some missing coating from the pick but no black spots or rust anywhere). Still using on a specific guitar Ernies because of a higher string gauge but they seem to go way to quick dead for me in less than a month, I wash my hands before playing, wipe it down and have not really acid sweat or do a lot 🤨.
@@g.koch. Weird 😅 10-52 is exactly what I want for my les Paul but I always seem to only find 9-42, 10-46, 11-52 readily available... 10-52 is actually a hybrid 10/11 kit... Again, weird... I also like 9-46 for my superstrats and they are also hard to find for me 🤣🤣 Try 10-52, it ain’t bad... Chunky stable lower strings while having easy to bend - comfortable higher strings 😇
I use the Daddario XT cause according to daddario they are treated. I change my strings when they are dead wich happens after maby 6 months or so. I like regular 10-46 and a heavy bottom set 10-52 for my les paul and my jackson V. I play in standard or drop D. Those 10-52s are great for drop D tuning. I also have one guitar tuned down a whole step.
As many others have said, I have no idea that string winder was also a string stretcher, great tip. Fast Fret is also really nice, but I don't put it on more than every couple of weeks because I like to have to bite down a little bit on my strings, otherwise I get sloppy with articulation. I have 2 electrics. One for E standard down to D standard, and I use 10-52s for that. My other one is C# standard or lower (I usually leave it in drop B), and I actually use Martin 80/20 Bronze Acoustics in Medium (13-56), because they are so so bright and still sound great with tons of distortion. My guitar teacher at that time was telling me that I might want to try using a wound 4th because I was complaining about how the unwound G string would never stay in tune. He handed me his acoustic to try the feel and I insisted on using the same strings.
I use an Evertune bridge. The system works best with not fresh strings, because the natural oxidation of the string at the contact with the air changes the mass of the string for several days after changing them. After about a week , the tuning is completely stable. Then you can go on with the same set of strings for months without ever needing to even touch the tuning pegs. Of course you loose some brightness on the strings but that's easy to compensate for in the rest of your singnal chain from the pickups to the amp.
i use NYXL 13-56’s, generally tuned Eb-standard, but occasionally will drop to D-standard. i find that that gauge set works for both tunings well, and i can go back and forth between those tunings without issue. NYXL really are the top of the shelf as it relates to tuning stability. i stretch them once, and they’re good to go.
I have a ESP LTD Benjamin Burnley sig baritone 27" and I use Daddario .14-.68s on it too! Left it in its case for 3 months and it was still perfectly in tune! Amazing
I default to changing my strings once a month. But I also change them before every gig and before any recording session. I also love Fast Fret. I don't know if it actually does anything, but it feels right to clean up a bit after playing.
I've been playing a standard set of NYXL 11's on my LP since the NYXL's were released. I tuned to Drop D and Standard most times. We have band rehearsal once a week and I play it most days with demo recording and home practice. i usually only change the strings when we have gigs or when we are recording properly.
I LOVE the NYXL Chrome Flatwounds! Altho of late the prices for them has been steadily rising. I may have to consider using a cheaper alt to them soon if prices continue to rise.
I use Elixir on most of my guitars because they last a long time. However my favourite gauge is 9.5-44 and I have to use Ernie Ball or D'Addario for that as I don't think Elixir does that gauge. I prefer the D'Addario to the Ernie Ball. Rotosound pure nickel strings are also good and great value.
Even when gigging heavily, I only change strings every 3-6 months... My hands don't really sweat much even when playing super energetic gigs, so it takes that long for them to start to sound dead and be more at risk of breakage. It used to be once a month, but I switched to NYXL a few years ago, and they last so much better than others I've used (except Elixir, but I don't particularly like the sound of those).
There was this great stall at Bloodstock that makes a bracelet out of your used strings! I found out too late to get it done but have some friends who did it and they're class, bass strings work really well for it. Hopefully my band will be playing again and I will be all over it next time!
Fast Fret from ghs and Ballistol universal oil. That is something I always use to clean my guitar. Every music instrument needs attention and a set up and cleaning! If you don't care about your instrument, you can hear it.
That's why I use elixirs. True, you don't have that brittle sound from a set of uncoated strings, but that sound is gone after half an hour of playing anyways! Plus due to the coating, you get less of squeeking, from the fingers moving over the fretboard! BTW, I have that string winder and didn't know it has a build in string stretcher!!
The Mammoth Slinkies are also great for super low-tuned 6 strings. Dunno what the D’addario equivalent would be, but I’m open to trying others on my drop B guitar!
I do like Fastfret and other similar string cleaning/lubricating products.. but what I hate is that after using it once on your set of strings, you have to keep using it everytime you pick up that guitar because otherwise, the strings get weird feelwise.. Not ''sticky'', but your hand won't glide as well (compared to a set of strings that has never been cleaned with this kind of product). One guitar that a found particularly awesome for string longevity is the cheap Eart GW2 headless sold on Amazon. First, because of the stainless steel frets that no one seems to realize that it helps A LOT in keeping your strings corosion-free... but also because of the way the strings are installed (the ball end goes at the head, and the cut end goes in the saddles. So when your strings start to sound dead, you can simply loose them, pop the ball end out of the slots and clean them good with Fastfret or another similar product. That way, you can wipe all around the strings, from the ball end up to the bridge... then you simply insert the ball ends back into the slots and retune. Makes a HUGE difference compared to cleaning them over the fretboard. Obviously, I wouldn't recommend this technique on regular guitars with tuning pegs on the headstock.
I've left strings on for years with no corrosion, just lucky in that respect. I go into a music store and every string on every guitar is lumpy. Yikes! When I gigged weekly I'd change strings on Thursday nights, give a gentle stretching and tuning then lock the Floyd Rose nut clamps Friday before the shows. One day of settling in and Floyd Rose on all of my show guitars...would stay almost perfectly in-tune all night, only slight tuning adjustments here and there. My belief is that "stretching" is just pulling the wrap around the tuning key tighter. Clamping the Floyds locking nut and staying in tune only one day after restringing verifies that to me. So for my non-trem guitars I blocked the Floyds, to get that tuning stability on those guitars as well, taking friction at the nut slots and the springyness of the wraps around the tuning keys out of the system.
Instead of Fast Fret (which by the way is mostly mineral oil. But who knows what the other toxic ingredients are. Mineral oil isn't as safe as people think healthwise. Its petrol based) Use what countless guitar players - including many pros have used for decades.. pure Olive oil. It has no additives, works as well or even better than Fast Fret, it's much cheaper and will not harm you as a player, your strings or fretboard.
WOW! I love your cord playing. Not sure what your playing in. Major Minor. They sound incredible. Your tone is out of this world. Thanks for this demo...
Used to have a customer who had the nastiest sweat - it got into the fret slots and rotted the maple. It was clear that he didn't wipe down the guitar after playing. Just nasty to work on and of course all the saddles were rusted solid. Keep your hands and guitars as clean as possible - your strings and frets (and guitar tech) will thank you.
![A Hang With Rabea [Strats, Pedalboard Update, Music Man, Neural, Real Amps, Stormzy & More!]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RT41cPOc1ng/mqdefault.jpg)
Dude! I have that same D'addario string winder and I had no idea i could use it to stretch strings! Thanks for the tip!!
Scotty didn't know.
Waaaait...what is string stretching?
@@ChainsawChristmas lol maybe i should have read the manual
Made it a habit to thoroughly clean my guitars every time I change the strings. Fretboards can get pretty nasty over time when not cleaned regularly.
What do you clean it with? What do you avoid cleaning it wiith?
@@u2be1201 D'addario Hydrate functions as both cleaner and hydrator but that is only meant for fretboard. For the body alot of ppl just use low-grade household cleaner. Get some lemon pledge on there
@@u2be1201 I'm using a micro fiber cloth and Dunlop Formula 65 guitar polish. Lemon oil for unfinished fretboards. Haven't really tried anything else, as the bottles seem to last forever.
I thought fast Fret was great until I've tried Dunlop 65. It slides even more, fight oxydation a lot more and so the strings last longer. Give it a try, you won't regret.
I find the clean arpeggiated chords Rabea does on his baritone so inspiring (around the 9 min point in this video). Baritone guitar can do a lot more than just heavy riffs.
I have very dry hands, so no re-stringing every gig!
I have guitars with strings 3-4 years old, mostly my around the house beaters.
Guitars to gig with (mostly acoustic) I change more often but still stretch it out quite awhile. Sound does suffer a little but amped and through a PA I can live with it. I am way too lazy to re-string as much as most people.
I now make the habit of only changing the wound strings, and leave the B, E. This leaves me with more spares of the ones I break the most. I change more often, once I have a personal guitar tech...LOL
I had been noodling around on guitars for 30+ years until I started using Fast Fret. It is now part of my process. I hasn't improved my playing, but it sure has given me something new to obsess over. I have you and Uncle Ben to thank for that.
I read in user comments that Fastfret type of products shouldn't be applied on new strings because they would age faster.
Could be interesting to do the zing test before and after.
I'm a recent subscriber. Tucked away in the middle of no-man's land, I just want to say it is a pleasure to hang out with you. I learn some stuff, but I mainly just feel good for having done it. You're solid. Keep up the great work.
As a novice player, videos like this are a great resource. Thanks for putting this out!
Bro I've had that same restringing tool for 12 yeaars and never have I known that you can stretch the strings with it as well! Absolutley blew my mind!
This video came out right as I broke a string on my strat, which I've actually never replaced the strings on before so impeccable timing
Other than your original songs, I think these are my favourite videos of yours, mate. Love hearing you chat about guitars and your personal approach to things!
well said! :)
Love the NYXL 11-56 set for anything Drop C on my PRS Guitars. 10-52 for Drop D. I have six guitars and will typically restring every two months, all of them in a afternoon. I enjoy the process and use it as an opportunity to tighten anything that needs an adjustment, give them a deep clean, etc. That first Drop C power chord with fresh strings is always glorious.
Three things: First, as Martin Hervy said - doing a dry wipe down every time you play is key. I use one of those micro fiber cloths that come with your guitar. Second, is if you’re not changing strings constantly don’t use one of those string stretchers. They open up spaces in the strings for dirt, dust and grime to get in-between the windings. Instead (I learned this from a Rob Chapman video) is to pull up on the string at the base of the bridge area. It will stretch them without opening those spaces. Also, I use an air blower to clean my strings and guitar every couple of days. I strum them hard enough so they vibrate then blow the air. It works like a charm and will give your string way more life. After all, who actually changes their strings that often unless they’re gigging or playing in a band (where you tend to sweat more)?
P.S. D’Addario and Ernie Ball make great coated strings that don’t mess with tone like they used to.
I change my strings about once every month on each of my guitars. I have 7 and play them all. Do i need to? No but i can afford it and have the time don’t judge me
And coated strings sound great always have its the feel i hate
@@Ottophil no judgement here. Change them as often as you need to. I meant not many of us change our strings daily or even weekly, that’s all. Also, many of the newer coatings are way better these days. I couldn’t stand the Elixers when they came out. But now, the Ernie Ball & D’Addario’s feel pretty great.
The trick of slapping the strings against the fretboard is something I use whenever I want to record but my strings are old. It works a charm.
For any guitars that don’t have locking tuners (which is all of mine sadly) I measure the length as one tuning peg further than what tuner you’re putting the string through.
Massively important for me is giving my guitar a good clean when I restring it.
7:34 when I started tuning my Telecaster to baritone, I used the Ernie Ball Mammoth Slinky set (12-62) and I grew to really like the wound G. It makes it feel like a different instrument, almost.
Yeah wound Gs rule! Especially great for octave slides and stuff
You tuned your neck longer? Wild
i once saw a guitarist change his strings right before his Pantera tribute went on stage..that was crazy to me.... i always change a day before a gig...NYXL
I have six electrics and two acoustics. If I constantly rotate my guitars the strings last a long time. Before using TUSQ nuts & lubricating the saddles I would break strings a lot. Reducing the friction points will greatly extend the string life. I also apply some lubrication to the saddles before I tune. All of this means I don't have to change strings very often.
My restringing intervals are mostly in line with what ye do. Leisure/self-only gets changed only when absolutely needed (basically when they break, LOL). Display guitars gets changed when strings goes visibly rusty. Recording/tracking guitars gets changed occasionally as needed (on order of quarter annually @ ~2-3 months). Guitars that I reach for often gets changed about 3-4 weeks. Gigging guitars gets changed every gig... it's too much of a pain having a string fail mid gig (Murphy's law: it usually breaks on the 2nd piece right at the beginning). Not to mention embarrassing. 😉😁
Thanks bud. Great information.
I stretch my strings with only my hand. I also use the "2 tuning machines for cutting length". Changing strings depends on if you sweat, what you do, etc.... But if you give your guitars to a Luthier (which I am. ;) )it's better to change often strings to preserve the work of the set-up. Because of the initial tension. Go and discus with guitar/bass makers to get the best gauge for each of you guitars.
I have 17 guitars, so strings need to live a long time. I cook the strings in vinegar. Cleans them up really well. Cleaning the unwound strings with metal polish will make em shine again. Not that they will sound new, but it takes a lot of the dullness away. Believe it or not, I have a strat with 40 years old strings, and they still look and sound ‘decent’ !
Ive had one of those old planet wave string winders for year. Had NO idea it had a string stretcher built in. Totally blew my mind.
LOL! You beat me to it. I was gonna say EXACTLY that!!! Mine is ALSO Planet Waves.
Just got a string winder that goes in a battery drill! Literally takes seconds to wind new strings on! But yes, for other guitars I've put the locking tuners on!
I also have that string winder and I didn’t know about the built in stretcher! So thanks for that! I have been using finger ease which is a spray on string coating and lubricant, for about 25 years and it also get sprayed on the back of the neck and it can be messy so I might give the fast fret a try.
I will try fast fret. I do use my old strings for my model building. Like antennas and other stuff. Thank you for saying the string gages. I use my les Paul for my drop tune playing. It is my only humbucker guitar.
A couple of my habits were learned from you; Fast Fret and washing my hands before I play. I use a cordless drill adapter, I got off of ebay, to unwind and rewind the strings on my non-locking tuner guitars. I just stretch them by hand.
What's cool about Fast Fret is that it's pretty much just mineral oil, which means in a pinch you can sub it in with some from the hardware store, or even baby oil from the supermarket. Great for conditioning fretboards as well. I love the applicator though - might be time for me to head out and grab a few cans just for that alone!
Fast Fret is the best way to make your strings last longer! I’ve used it for over 20 years. I also rub it down the back of the guitar neck as well, makes it super fast and slick to play! 🤘🤘
I have that same string winder. I like the little grooves in it for string stretching.
As someone living in Singapore, uncoated strings really don't last more than a week due to the humidity (and my sweaty hands HAHA). So I use Elixir Optiwebs, but man they're expensive. I have 4 electrics and I can't play all of them, so I usually leave some of them to rust while I play the restringed ones. I know, bad practice. I find that I play about 2 guitars for 3 months before I get bored anyway lol. Also saves cost. Anyway thanks for doing what you do bea, your demos have inspired me to record and mix my own songs. Cheers from Singapore :D
I agree, those cheaper uncoated strings don't last long in Hawai'i as well. I prefer the NYXL Chromed flatwounds myself.
This video is so nice. I was noodling away with his atmospheric playing in the backgound. And with the chat it feels like hanging out with a friend. Thanks Bea, lovely 20 min :)
I clean my strings after everytime I play with windex and then rub them with fast fret. They last a solid year.
Here's the thing, I don't sweat crazy amounts so keep that in mind lol. I keep strings on for months, each time after I play I wipe down the guitar and wipe the strings down with a Blitz cloth. It keeps the strings clean and slippery for long periods. I've used Gibson pure nickels for 20 years or so, and pretty much keep in the standard tuning sometimes drop D with .10 to .46 strings. I picked up the Blitz cloth idea from an old guitar repair book, where one of the techs mentioned that BB King use to use it and it stuck with me ever since. That was over 30 years ago lol
I’ve been using Fast Fret for more years than I can remember. I use it for cleaning and conditioning the fretboard at every restring and wiping the strings after every use. It works a treat!
I started using fast fret after hearing you mention it in another video and decided to try it out. I have to say that I'm very happy with it and will probably use it for the rest if my life.
I’ve used D’Addario strings almost all my life. They were good to me. I tried Ernie ball once and they were not for me. But in the last year the NYXL have let me down. They were rusting and breaking as they are not (less likely to) supposed to.Don’t know if I had a bad batch or their quality is going down.
So I tried the Elixir nano web 12-52 (drop c) and wow these are my new go to. Doing a lot of rehearsal and shows they hold up very nicely.
I had a bandmate that would use one of my spare guitars. He had some weird chemical composition in his skin oil that would gunk up strings after like 30 minutes. Like fresh strings that sound dead after 20-30 minutes, it was nuts, and expensive. When I got that guitar back, the fretboard had a THICK layer of hand gunk on it, I had to scrape it off. Now I don't let people borrow my guitars LOL
Fast Fret! Yes!!! Someone told me to use it when I first started. 30+ years and it’s still in my gig bag. Lasts for years too.
I have been questioned many times for dry wiping my strings after playing. But I bet I get an extra month out of that 😜
Same here. It’s something I do every session. Also, I stretch the strings only at the bridge. Rob mentioned this in a video as it prevents the coils from opening up and allowing dirt into the string.
@@michaelsnydermusic good call about trying to stretch the strings as close to the bridge as possible 👌 been doing that for ages.
@@ZAYAZOfficial I added a comment to the main discussion that you may appreciate. And I dig your music!
@@michaelsnydermusic 🙏thanks so much bro.
@@michaelsnydermusic Interesting. I'll try that next time I restring. I absolutely hate stretching strings. 😁
Wow. I have that same string winder from planet waves and I have not known of the string stretcher groves. Life changer.
I gig almost every weekend as a hired gun guitarist for churches in the Baltimore/DC area. I change out my strings every month. I don’t typically break a sweat with worship sets lol typically 3 to 4 songs tops. I change out my strings every month or so. I also only use pure nickel strings. I started noticing wear and dents on the frets to two of my main gigging guitars. Pure nickel with nickel core is supposed to prevent the wear of said frets. Discussion for another time. I suppose the kind of player will dictate how often strings should be changed. The kind of gigs I play aren’t exactly intense. However I do play a lot more often than most.
Been using fast fret for 20 years never gig without it, always in my guitar case👍👍
Not all strats have the same tuners as that where you can put the end of the string in. I believe it's only the 60s-style tuners or any vintage ones
I like to remove the dust and grime, and polish any of the chrome and remove the schmutz on the saddles, so that’s why I change strings. They’re usually half dead by that point, always get a nice clang from new ones, and polished frets and a clean board is more inviting. My Fast Fret is a little older, the original can was one color print. Rock on Rabs.
Gigging every gig... At home when they break... I love the sound of old strings.
So for your baritone, you can buy the off the shelf 11-49 set, throw the 11 away and use a low 68...
not as complicated as made out :)
love your music Bea
I’ve been oscillating between the NY and EB Cobalt. I’m on the Cobalt train now. All guitars 10-42. I used to change strings once a week. Now more like once a month. I don’t sweat on them much. A friend of my had to change his after every playing event, no matter how short a stint. His sweat was like Alien secretion. Literally would dissolve strings, bridges, springs. I used to use String Ease, but don’t any longer.
I do it quite similar. Always for live shows, if necessary (most of the time) for recordings, rarely for home jamming. Sometimes, though, I get a strange urge to do something good for my guitar and just put on new strings, usually combined with a certain cleaning routine. Love your vids & music! Cheers, Axel
Another awesome video Rab. Thanx again. I do a lot of 12 string acoustic, 2 different guitars tuned either 1/2 step lower or at standard. Both these guitars get Elixir Polywebs. My 6 string guitars always get the Paradigm, various mixed sets similar to what your with but not as heavy. My 5 string bass gets LaBella deep talkin golds. Occasional alcohol wipe works for me. No issues with acidic sweat. I have lockers on 2 Strats. The others I do the sting lock tie thing and 4 winds, I've done that nearly 40 years. I've used fast fret once, keep forgetting I have it in one of the cases. Its been many years since I've had a string snap. Usually its in the bridge of a Strat that has the issue. Easy fix with wire insulation casing..
Nice Idea, saving the strings from a milestone gig as a souvenir from said gig! AND I already know of a perfect container for them too: those paper CD/DVD envelopes with a clear window in the front. Write the venue info on the back and slip the string into the envelope and yer good! And ye could use those clear CD 3-ring binder pages that allow ye to hold 4 discs per page. Store those strings there and they're not going to get lost.
Thank you for the Mr. Bea. I've been playing for thirty years and I learned some new things. I hope you have a wonderful day.
You say no one likes wound g-strings?
Here I am: on my G&L ASAT special from 1998 I prefer 11th with wound g-string since more than 15 years ;)
All the years I prefered high string gages till april this year. My Les Pauls have 12th. 20 years ago I had 13th on a LesPaul.
I bought my first PRS in April 2022. It had 9th on it and I thought about changing, but it was so good, easy to play and sounded so great. I had to practise a little bit for less pressure and staying in tune. The PRS became my main working horse.
There was an intersting youtube with Ricke Beato and Rhett, long time ago about string gages. I had forgotten it but I remembered with a new guitar with 9th, it made my playing more easy with less pressure. Now the PRS with 9th is my main working horse.
Sometimes it opens your mind with something new. To me it was lighter sting gage.
I swear by fast fret before and after every play, it’s kept the strings on my acoustic alive for about two years.
10-52 for me on most of mine. I got a couple 9-42 only cause I dont want to re set up! THX good vid as always!
I just picked up a strat with that finish.I saw it when I was a kid and thought it was way cool 🤘🏿😎. When I saw yours a while back it took me back to my childhood.So I had to get one🤘🏿. I'm gonna get your sig Baritone as things improve.Thanks for all you do dude 🤘🏿😎
Elixir strings are all I need. They sound great, stay in tune and they don’t need changing until they’re like 6 months + old. Any untreated or uncoated string just goes dull and begins to rust badly after about a week. I save so much money using elixir
Currently rocking my daily guitar with elixers for 18 months kind of getting yucky but no real rust besides one spot on the G
🤣 keeping it more for fun
8:34-9:34. Dang man. Its like a drug. Blood pressure immediatey dropped. Thanks man.
I love these day in the life type videos! Also your baritone playing brought tears to my eyes
Ibanez used to have those speedy loader things on their trems back in the late 90s/early 2000s , on their RG270 models (I'm sure some other models may of had them). They don't use them anymore, sadly! Thanks for the cracking tips in this video! And yes...Fast Fret is a life saver haha! Cheers!
That was a very cool idea about the strings, Bea. Wish you'd have suggested it 30 years ago when I was playing pro, lol.
Didn't discover Fast Fret till a couple of years in. So probably using it 28yrs or so. Roughly doubled in price in that time, but so useful. Wipe down your strings after playing with the cloth and reapply to prolong their life. That it still smells the same is kind of comforting!
When I played every day for recreation I would change my strings once a month, both my bass and guitar, when in the band, as often as I could afford it. strings ain't cheap, especially changing them regularly like we need to. Hope you have had time to spend with your family abroad since this C 19 storm hit, lots of love mate.
Used elixers for years as loved the feel and silkyness that you got for longer, i mainly change because either sound dead or feel horrid under the fingers. Fast fret helps though love that stuff too. Recently actually been using old school ernie balls as needed some cheap to just play around with set ups and found i actually really enjoyed them
Elixers are great, they usually last me about Six months 👍
In 1979, I bought a can of “finger ease”. It’s finally on empty, and I’m not sure what to do😳.
You reminded me of its replacement, “fast fret”, thanks🙂.
Hand sweat on a gloss neck, ugh!
I have a very intense fan that puts out a beam of air to 10’, pointed at my feet hand, the only other thing that works!
I put stringjoys on my main 2 I play every day and gig with once a week or 2. I put them on over a year ago.. lol. Fastfret is always in use as well.
Rabea, what a kool video. Never thought about how much time between string changes, I just did it when I felt it needed to be done. Good info here. The NYXL love those strings
What tuning are you using for the 14-68 gauge on the baritone?
I switched from Fast Fret to Music Nomad String Fuel. With their applicator, you can cover all the strings in one swipe. (Looks like a deodorant stick).
Had the same problem with string changes constantly... My luthier introduced me to elixir strings and now I change them once every 6 months 😅 Never broke a string and the fresh sound lasts for months!
Same, Ernie 10's constantly broke on my main on the bridge which didn't happen with the Elixir's, I also like the more bass sound they give after a while. Just their string gauges are a bit weird, I would love something like a 11-52 or 54 set but they only make 10-52, 11-49 or 12-52. I have a Jazzmaster with I guess 4 or 5 year old Elixirs on for home use/noodeling and they actually feel not like old strings at all (beside some missing coating from the pick but no black spots or rust anywhere).
Still using on a specific guitar Ernies because of a higher string gauge but they seem to go way to quick dead for me in less than a month, I wash my hands before playing, wipe it down and have not really acid sweat or do a lot 🤨.
But just to strike out confusion I usually swap but keep them as spare ones also after 6-8 months out aswell 😄
@@g.koch. Weird 😅 10-52 is exactly what I want for my les Paul but I always seem to only find 9-42, 10-46, 11-52 readily available... 10-52 is actually a hybrid 10/11 kit... Again, weird... I also like 9-46 for my superstrats and they are also hard to find for me 🤣🤣 Try 10-52, it ain’t bad... Chunky stable lower strings while having easy to bend - comfortable higher strings 😇
I use the Daddario XT cause according to daddario they are treated.
I change my strings when they are dead wich happens after maby 6 months or so. I like regular 10-46 and a heavy bottom set 10-52 for my les paul and my jackson V.
I play in standard or drop D. Those 10-52s are great for drop D tuning. I also have one guitar tuned down a whole step.
As many others have said, I have no idea that string winder was also a string stretcher, great tip. Fast Fret is also really nice, but I don't put it on more than every couple of weeks because I like to have to bite down a little bit on my strings, otherwise I get sloppy with articulation.
I have 2 electrics. One for E standard down to D standard, and I use 10-52s for that. My other one is C# standard or lower (I usually leave it in drop B), and I actually use Martin 80/20 Bronze Acoustics in Medium (13-56), because they are so so bright and still sound great with tons of distortion. My guitar teacher at that time was telling me that I might want to try using a wound 4th because I was complaining about how the unwound G string would never stay in tune. He handed me his acoustic to try the feel and I insisted on using the same strings.
I use an Evertune bridge. The system works best with not fresh strings, because the natural oxidation of the string at the contact with the air changes the mass of the string for several days after changing them. After about a week , the tuning is completely stable. Then you can go on with the same set of strings for months without ever needing to even touch the tuning pegs. Of course you loose some brightness on the strings but that's easy to compensate for in the rest of your singnal chain from the pickups to the amp.
How about an evertune ? How often do change them ?
I suggest everyone just change them often enough but, your explanation is just better lol. Also I have that exact winder/cutter (the old model).
I've heard you say that about ghs fast fret before and I'm addicted too! They should be sending you it! 😆
Absolutely lovely thing to do "save the strings". I wish I´d come up with the idea..years ago 🤘
i use NYXL 13-56’s, generally tuned Eb-standard, but occasionally will drop to D-standard. i find that that gauge set works for both tunings well, and i can go back and forth between those tunings without issue. NYXL really are the top of the shelf as it relates to tuning stability. i stretch them once, and they’re good to go.
I have a ESP LTD Benjamin Burnley sig baritone 27" and I use Daddario .14-.68s on it too! Left it in its case for 3 months and it was still perfectly in tune! Amazing
did you notice any neck straightness issues? as sometimes I leave mine and months later the wood seems to move a bit as they do!
I default to changing my strings once a month. But I also change them before every gig and before any recording session.
I also love Fast Fret. I don't know if it actually does anything, but it feels right to clean up a bit after playing.
I've been playing a standard set of NYXL 11's on my LP since the NYXL's were released. I tuned to Drop D and Standard most times. We have band rehearsal once a week and I play it most days with demo recording and home practice. i usually only change the strings when we have gigs or when we are recording properly.
I LOVE the NYXL Chrome Flatwounds! Altho of late the prices for them has been steadily rising. I may have to consider using a cheaper alt to them soon if prices continue to rise.
love the Stretcha. Having 7 to 9 guitars at my home you realy get pissed of by the pain in your fingers from stretching the strings xD
Restringing is a pain, but damn nothing beats the sound and feel of fresh strings
I use Elixir on most of my guitars because they last a long time. However my favourite gauge is 9.5-44 and I have to use Ernie Ball or D'Addario for that as I don't think Elixir does that gauge. I prefer the D'Addario to the Ernie Ball. Rotosound pure nickel strings are also good and great value.
@@quantumbuddhist zing?
I have acid fingers so a solid day of playing means I need to restring if I want the intonation to be good. Gotta love the sound of fresh strings too!
Even when gigging heavily, I only change strings every 3-6 months... My hands don't really sweat much even when playing super energetic gigs, so it takes that long for them to start to sound dead and be more at risk of breakage. It used to be once a month, but I switched to NYXL a few years ago, and they last so much better than others I've used (except Elixir, but I don't particularly like the sound of those).
There was this great stall at Bloodstock that makes a bracelet out of your used strings! I found out too late to get it done but have some friends who did it and they're class, bass strings work really well for it. Hopefully my band will be playing again and I will be all over it next time!
Fast Fret from ghs and Ballistol universal oil. That is something I always use to clean my guitar. Every music instrument needs attention and a set up and cleaning! If you don't care about your instrument, you can hear it.
That's why I use elixirs. True, you don't have that brittle sound from a set of uncoated strings, but that sound is gone after half an hour of playing anyways! Plus due to the coating, you get less of squeeking, from the fingers moving over the fretboard!
BTW, I have that string winder and didn't know it has a build in string stretcher!!
I’ve been saving strings from important milestones since I was a kid!
The Mammoth Slinkies are also great for super low-tuned 6 strings. Dunno what the D’addario equivalent would be, but I’m open to trying others on my drop B guitar!
I do like Fastfret and other similar string cleaning/lubricating products.. but what I hate is that after using it once on your set of strings, you have to keep using it everytime you pick up that guitar because otherwise, the strings get weird feelwise.. Not ''sticky'', but your hand won't glide as well (compared to a set of strings that has never been cleaned with this kind of product). One guitar that a found particularly awesome for string longevity is the cheap Eart GW2 headless sold on Amazon. First, because of the stainless steel frets that no one seems to realize that it helps A LOT in keeping your strings corosion-free... but also because of the way the strings are installed (the ball end goes at the head, and the cut end goes in the saddles. So when your strings start to sound dead, you can simply loose them, pop the ball end out of the slots and clean them good with Fastfret or another similar product. That way, you can wipe all around the strings, from the ball end up to the bridge... then you simply insert the ball ends back into the slots and retune. Makes a HUGE difference compared to cleaning them over the fretboard. Obviously, I wouldn't recommend this technique on regular guitars with tuning pegs on the headstock.
I've left strings on for years with no corrosion, just lucky in that respect. I go into a music store and every string on every guitar is lumpy. Yikes!
When I gigged weekly I'd change strings on Thursday nights, give a gentle stretching and tuning then lock the Floyd Rose nut clamps Friday before the shows. One day of settling in and Floyd Rose on all of my show guitars...would stay almost perfectly in-tune all night, only slight tuning adjustments here and there.
My belief is that "stretching" is just pulling the wrap around the tuning key tighter. Clamping the Floyds locking nut and staying in tune only one day after restringing verifies that to me. So for my non-trem guitars I blocked the Floyds, to get that tuning stability on those guitars as well, taking friction at the nut slots and the springyness of the wraps around the tuning keys out of the system.
Really enjoyed the comparison edits. Thanks!
I use elixir.
Some guitars i own have had the same strings for over 10 years and they're stellar.
Fast fret every time before playing and after.
Instead of Fast Fret (which by the way is mostly mineral oil. But who knows what the other toxic ingredients are. Mineral oil isn't as safe as people think healthwise. Its petrol based) Use what countless guitar players - including many pros have used for decades.. pure Olive oil. It has no additives, works as well or even better than Fast Fret, it's much cheaper and will not harm you as a player, your strings or fretboard.
For market research purposes I just purchased GHS Fast Fret, a string stretcher, and threw in a Dickies shirt for good measure.
WOW! I love your cord playing. Not sure what your playing in. Major Minor. They sound incredible. Your tone is out of this world. Thanks for this demo...
Used to have a customer who had the nastiest sweat - it got into the fret slots and rotted the maple. It was clear that he didn't wipe down the guitar after playing. Just nasty to work on and of course all the saddles were rusted solid. Keep your hands and guitars as clean as possible - your strings and frets (and guitar tech) will thank you.
Just dropping a note because you’re awesome bro!
I have the same d’adarrio winder and never knew it served as a string stretcher!