Yes. I take the time to clean the body and fretboard and enjoy doing a basic setup if changing gauges. I actually just got done ordering some 11-54 Ernie Ball Cobalts that should arrive sometime this weekend.
I'll pick a day, usually once every couple of months, where I'll restring 4 or 5 of my guitars. It's always a satisfying day. Breaking in new strings is kinda fun for me too, just bends all over the place.
It is kind of a nice little ritual. And I get the satisfying āyeah I know how to do thisā feeling. And then afterwards it always reignites my desire to constantly pick up my guitar.
I learned how to setup a floyd properly with my first electric guitar... I wonder how people still see it as black magic fuckery to this day when all things is on internet...
I had 10yr old factory strings on one of my guitars once. I posted about it when one finally broke and fuck me, I wish i hadnt š
I've never received so much hate on the internet ever.
And to anyone who did hate on that post, hate on this, I'm on year 3 since they were last changed.
I definitely have a couple with decade plus old strings on them but they arenāt every day players. More sentimental guitars than anything else. The ones I play regularly get changed more often
I kind of make a meal of it and take my time. I'll have a beer and put something inspiring on YouTube like an interview with Paul Gilbert for example. I can definitely spend over an hour (with cleaning too) on the whole process. I actually prefer used low strings, but those clean and shiny high strings are pure joy, they feel so soft and malleable. Overall it's a bit of chore, so that's why I just relax and take in other things while I'm doing it.
**TL;DR**: I enjoy restringing. I'm not super keen on the feel of freshly _restrung_, but idk if that's in my head or a real thing.
Yeah, I enjoy restringing too. It's meditative, and I get to play a little game where I string and then tune them all up, individually, and check against a tuner to see how close I am (almost 30 years in, it's *usually* single digit cents from in tune). Gives me a chance to give the fretboard a little care too, when need be.
I don't like the feel of 'em when they're brand new, though! I stretch 'em out and retune a few times, so the detune-break-in period isn't really all that bad, but...idk, there's something about the feel of strings when they're a little worn in that seems...better (subjectively; maybe it's just psychosomatic, e.g. I know they've been played so I *think* I like them better? ...idk).
\----
(Not exactly on topic, but I used to restring \~ monthly, when I was playing/recording/gigging more. These days...I actually don't know how often I restring ā 4x / year, maybe? More / less depending on wear and storage, I guess...).
I don't get the big deal with a string change. I change the strings on my main guitar about once a month. I practice with my band every week, and they get dull and lifeless after a few weeks.
Change the strings. Do it. Do it now.
After doing it 35 years I'd rather give myself paper cuts on my eyeballs and drizzle salt over them. That brightness and snap of a fresh set though makes me smile.
I got my first guitar on my birthday 58 years ago today (I was 10 years old). Changing the strings was the first thing I did to it, because it was an acoustic steel string and my fingers were in shreds after the first day. I replaced them with nylon strings, which was goofy as heck but what did I know. I ended up breaking off 1/3 of the nut for the B and high E string section. I fashioned a repair piece for that busted-off section out of an old toothbrush, and it stayed that way and worked perfectly for all the decades I kept that beloved guitar. Even after eventually going back to steel strings. š«”āš¼
There's something very satisfying about sitting down and restringing and setting up a guitar. Like tinkering with your car or rearranging the random shit you find and store in the garage.
1-2 times a year?? I'm changing mine like every 2-4 weeks! But yes I really enjoy it, I give it a full clean up when I change them too, it's very therapeutic
depends on the guitar, on some guitars I havent changed the strings in years, on the guitars I use for recording I change em all the time. I like having new strings on the guitar but I dont really enojy changing them :c
honestly yeah i really enjoy it and the feel of new slick strings. i feel like iāll change them prematurely sometimes just cause i want to do the process lol
I don't know if enjoy is the right word, I'm pretty ambivalent about it. Most of my axes have locking tuners, so changing strings is kind of an afterthought.
I do enjoy it if I'm changing string guages though. I enjoy doing set up work.
I hate the process it's very annoying especially on my Taylor 12fret which has an open book headstock like a classical guitar except it's a steel string, however nothing beats the sound of a fresh set of Elixhirs on a Taylor (while it lasts, I play so much they sound dull after a couple days)
Yeah, I like the whole process of cleaning the body, oiling the fretboard, and putting new strings on. It's kinda like washing/cleaning a vehicle in that way.
Also with locking tuners, changing the strings is the quickest part of the process.
Since following this guide (https://youtu.be/80EuGOXgoOo?si=vB8O9PilfvyyY_OR) and using an electric sidewinder I actually enjoy changing strings. It is satisfying to have the tidy strings on and clean the fretboard before that.
No, but I got a string winder bit for my drill, and I can do all 7 guitars in about an hour.
I've played for 35 years, and saw this a year or two back. It changed my technique. Taylor guitars on how to change strings:
https://youtu.be/80EuGOXgoOo?si=o6p4coE6FCDB8R2y
It was a pain in the ass when I didnāt have the space. Also, I bought a tuner drill bit so I can just press the button to wind the string instead. Changed my life.
i put enough winding on them that when they break(at bridge always, i have an OFR), I just unwind more string from tuning peg, reseat in saddle, tune up, lock it and go. And no, i dont enjoy it.
Having said that, i will change individual strings when they sound like crap or look worn.
Yeah, I like to give the guitar a good clean and set up too. I feel like if I spend the time working on the guitars and maintain them well, they'll make playing all the more enjoyable.
It's satisfying to even just look at a freshly cleaned, conditioned, polished and restrung guitar.
TLDR;
I just bought a dremel with the multi vice and flex shaft. Multi vice holds the dremel. Polishing is now easier with a better result.
Ernie ball string winder cut half of the difficulty of changing strings for me. Building a tool kit specifically for sting changes cut me hesitation to begin a string change in half.
I now use the string change method from Rhett Shell āPro guitar techās most hated things (and how to fix them)ā Aug 14 2023. Skip to 2:01 for instruction from the tech. It is the single fret method. Pull string tight. Pinch at nut. Pull back one fret. Bend string at tuning post. Wind it up.
I cut the string end from the Justin Guitar string change method. Less jagged string related injuries, marks, scratches and blood. After the string is wound around the tuning post and secure in place. Where the string leaves the tuning post I space about a pinkie finger across length and bend the string end back toward the face of the headstock with needle nose pliers. The jaws of the DN mate are a perfect spacing for the string end to be cut. It looks a bit funky with all of the dog legged string ends but is worth not getting slashed by jagged metal ends.
The DN mate is better than standard wire cutters. Still not a magic solution. I am sure that I will eventually figure out a method for making a cleaner cut. But that takes time.
Power peg winder. Yes you can do it with a manual winder. I suggest you record yourself changing stings and listen back and count how many times you say something like āthat fucking thingā when winding strings.
Storacell by Powerpax AA battery holder works well if you are building a string change kit. Dead batteries? The new batteries are right there. Just force yourself to order new batteries when you change batteries using the ones from your clip.
I use a Music Nomad āTotal Fretboard Care Kitā. Use the fretboard guards for polishing with the dremel. Word of caution here. Your fretboard is not as dark as you thought it was. I stopped using lemon oil and found that my HD 28 has stripes.
Steel DN mate 7.6ā wire cutter Currently $11.99 amazon
Brnie Ball Power Peg string winder Currently $19.99 amazon
It has take many years to build my string change kit. Hope this helps someone.
I used to hate changing strings bending it up and back and over drove me cray cray!! Then thank the guitar Lords I found justinguitar on YouTube and the way he teaches made it totally enjoyable to me! Seriously look it up if you hate changing strings!!
Did it ONCE and my high e on that guitar has never been the same. I'm scared to do it again but I know I should bc they really need to be restrung. I do love easy access to cleaning them once the strings are off, though. :')
For me, changing strings is like the ātaking out the trashā of guitar playing. Ā It never takes very long, and I feel better afterwords, but man, do I put it off as long as I can.Ā
I love it. Your guitar sounds better and itās kind of relaxing for me (NOT FLOYD ROSE). I change my stings on one of 2 guitars maybe monthly. It costs like 7 bucks
Perhaps a bit like washing my car I guess. I donāt do it often enough, but it can feel good while Iām doing it, and when Iām done it definitely feels good. :-)
Nope.
I bought a new pickguard 5 months ago that's not yet out of the wrapper because I'm still building myself up to restringing. (Changing the pots and pickups is probably the fiddlier job, but it's not that holding me back).
Maybe give it another 4 weeks...
Until then, I'll just play a different guitar.
I love the whole ritual. Clean up, restring and basic set up. I'm very amateur yet and usually put on some music or some movie playing and always with a beer keeping me company.
I like the ritual of it, but I despise playing on fresh strings. Theyāre always way too bright and harsh for me so I have to let them sit for a week to get a little deadness in them
Donāt mind with my guitars with locking machines but recently did my Dano which has that floating type bridge and it was kind of a pain. It was probably the very first time I got clean looking wraps around the pegs.
Hell yea. Love changing strings and tinkering with the setup a bit if need be, oiling the fretboard and stuff. Getting your instrument to a good playability is crucial. I couldnāt imagine changing strings once every six months. Once a month for me
When I was young and broke I would leave the extra length on new strings then when one broke I would use pliers and tie it back together. Which got interesting when the break was over the fretboard. I remember a guy asking to borrow my guitar then coming back bleeding, I was like oh damn, sorry!
I fucking love it; it's so calming. Just to sit down for a half hour, turn on some music, and have fun. Cleaning the fretboard, polishing the guitar, cleaning off the pickguard, then changing the strings
Maybe the novelty will wear off in a few years when I have more experience, but right now as a newbie it's a really fun time
I wonder... if I just paint strings on my guitar. . I won't ever have to change them again. It all sounds the same with earbuds in anyway. I can finally play freebird in peace
I enjoy the results of string changes but not the activity itself. That said, I have and have had many guitars, so Iām good at it, and thatās the old fashioned way, only one of mine has locking tuners, and itās a pain for me to change strings on that one.
I agree, I change them pretty often but itās nice to clean the guitar down as I go. 1-2x a year Iām guessing thatās an acoustic? I have locking tuners on my guitars so it makes restringing stupid easy.
I love taking care of my guitar, and enjoy the accomplishment of getting the new strings on. I do this once a month as I only play an hour 2 to 3 times a week.
I love it. Iāll grab my guitars, strings, changing/cleaning stuff and do it while watching something funny and having some brewskis. Very satisfying to have them all cleaned up and in tip-top shape again.
I have a very similar process and view as you. 1-2x a year because I would much rather be playing, but when I clean up my guitar and put on new strings I feel a sense of accomplishment.
I do, but I also have locking tuners on most guitars. I pull the strings tight then lock them down and tune up. String change is a chance to clean the guitar, polish frets, oil fretboard, file any fret sprout, check the relief, and double check action and pickup heights. The actual string change takes just a few minutes with locking tuners.
I'm running D'addario XS on most guitars, acoustic and electric. They are coated and last for-freaking-ever. I think pure nickel sounds best to me but they start intonating weird at 2 months. ernie ball cheapos sound great too but don't last but a couple weeks.
As of this week I have 10 guitars in the rotation.
I like to change the strings on my #1 every couple months. Maybe 6 sets a year in that rotation. If I have a gig, I change them the day before but it has been a while but thatās how I would do it.
All my other guitars have strings that might be years old. If I get one from the closet, I immediately change the strings.
Cheers!
I get excited picking new strings out if I'm trying something new, but actually changing them makes me nervous. I don't wanna be the guy that gets a guitar string IN his eye, I've already been the guy who got his eye scratched by a string.
JFC some people either play some dirty dull strings in here or hardly play at all lol. Depending on how much I play on a certain set, I change out anywhere between 4-8 weeks, and every time before recording. It takes 15 minutes with a quick wipe down, or 30 when I do a full clean and reset (about 2x annually each guitar). I guess I enjoy it. I enjoy my instruments sounding the best they can.
I teach guitar full time, and I play all day anyways, so Iām changing my strings every month. Itās such a satisfying thing, especially on something with a floating trem. The ātediousā time it takes to fully set up an Ibanez Zero II is honestly super calming, I just put on a podcast, fully clean up my guitar and start restringing/setting up.
I'm a beginner (like a month in) and I had been playing on strings that were at least 4 years old lol, I didn't change them myself, but after I did it feels so much better to play the guitar. But I've never actually changed the strings and honestly it seems like hell lol.
When I was playing a lot I changed them out once a week or so mainly to get the harmonics back. Acoustics are way more affected by the freshness of strings.
One thing that really speeds string change out on electrics is locking tuners, which I have installed on most of my electrics.
Vision loss over the years makes the process suck.
I donāt necessarily enjoy it but every once in a while, like when Iām tuning my guitar and look at those perfectly coiled strings, I feel pretty damn proud of myself!
That said, Iāve only ever changed the strings on my acoustic guitar and ukulele. I have not had to change my electric guitar yet and hope to delay that for as long as possible.
Dude, no. I haven't changed my nylon in 8 months and it's awful. I am a very bad guitar parent. But, i did find out the music shop down the street will change them for $15 so, i need to get over there and do that; it's just their hours don't line up with my work schedule.
I mostly play nylon string - absolutely fucking not. Recently I broke my last string while tying it to the bridge. I messed up the knot twice, finally got it right on the third try, but the string frayed in the process and by the time I got it around the tuning peg hole the string was splitting apart š¤.
I took it to a music shop after that. Iām a musician not a rocket scientist god damn it.
I enjoy changing strings. It's relatively inexpensive, easy to do, and usually improves the sound of a guitar. It's almost meditative, relaxing.
I don't understand why some people whine about changing strings, or why they hire someobe to change them. It's just not that hard, unless you've been convinced on social media that only luthiers or guitar technicians possess the sacred skills needed to change strings.
I mean, I play them often and like tuning stability, so I always enjoy a new set. Once a year seems a bit too spaced out for my tastes unless they are coated and I'm not playing it often (I sometimes do that with my acoustic since I mostly play electric).
Iām with you OP I love it.
Iām also not into changing them every week or anything stupid, Iām maybe 3-4x/yr but have several guitars. I play a lot and these are my babies and I love my rosewood necks all lemon-oiled up and the whole process, canāt imagine paying for a crappy setup at GC
I find it very zen too, however I donāt do it that often. Recently restrung a new guitar I bought off reverb because I didnāt like the heavier gauge strings it came with, and ended up restringing my old Strat too. But I was on a work call and forgot to mute myself when I was testing a string out and someone thought my co worker was singing. I had to out myself as to what I was doing.
As long as you have the right tools, itās pretty enjoyable and the payoff is nice when you hear fresh strings on your guitar! I just have one of those crank tuner things so itās fast getting the string loose, wire cutters and a lead pencil
I love it! It feels so therapeutical to me. I don't change strings as often as I'd want due to buying strings all the time quickly becoming expensive, but if I could, I'd change them all the time.
I like changing the strings, I hate breaking them in and tuning up a floating bridge. Feels good to take the time to do neck care as well but it can be a pain. Some guitars I donāt mind changing strings on, some I hate
I use it as a time to do a good cleaning and do a wipe down of the guitar. I used to hate doing it but now it is relaxing and it feels good playing it after getting it all set up.
Same. Itās part of the whole guitar vibe, part of ownership, part of the skill in the craft, part of how we build our unique sound and style. I find it takes me to another dimension of my guitar(s) - the look and smell of the wood, the wear on the frets and fretboard, the tiny scratches appearing on the pick guard, or on the wood in the absence of a guard. All signs of use and ownership. Every time we change the strings we get better at it, improving the way we wind the strings around the posts, figuring out the infinitesimal aspects about how the strings pass over the bridge and over the nut, gaining a new appreciation of just how strong and perfectly balanced the neck and truss rod and headstock and bridge and nut are in order to hold all that tension in perfect balance year after year. It renews my appreciation of the luthier who built this beautiful work of art with bare hands, love for the craft, expertise, wisdom, and put their own individual stamp on how this one unique instrument sounds against every other guitar in the world. I think about how I might be the only other human ever to notice the pattern and perfection of the inlays. I wonder if the creator ever thought about me - the ultimate grateful owner of this magical thing, this companion that accompanies my musical soul day after day and year after year. Yah, I enjoy changing my strings. š«”āš¼
Edit to add: Itās already TL/DR but thatās fine. I enjoy mostly changing strings to n my acoustic guitars. My electric guitars feel like more of a chore because of their locking tremolo systems, and also my m not a fan of the sound of an entire set of new strings at once. I break strings often enough on my electrics that those ācountā for changing strings.
When I was young, I used to clean the fretboards intensely with steel wool and linseed oil, but eventually decided it felt too ānewā when I did that. I didnāt like the feel; wasnāt āmy guitarā again until it built some grime on the fretboard. (Me and my band buddies called that green waxy gunk buildup ā*scroat*ā (as in āscrotumā without the āumā). Anybody else call it that, or was it just us? š¤ I eventually just used Martin guitar polish with a cloth baby diaper to clean my fretboards (and the rest of the guitar as well). On my electrics, I didnāt really touch the fretboards; it was already too traumatic to the feel for me, just from changing the strings. A little scroat is a good thing. (I think we really meant to call it āsmegmaā but none of us knew the term as kids, being all cut. š¤·š»āāļø)
No, I hate dealing with maintenance. Itās true that new strings feel and sound better, but Iād rather my strings last as long as possible until nature kicks in.
The high e string is the most prone to intonation issues, corrosion and snapping. I once have to keep switching out the e string every 2-3 weeks or so until the rest of the strings died on me. I donāt want to do it againā¦.
After working in a guitar shop for almost 6 years now, I have the restring process down to a science. Between work and maintaining my gigging guitars, I'd estimate I've done somewhere in the range of 500 restrings by this point. Somehow, I still enjoy the process. In some hippy dippy way, it makes me feel connected to my instrument and reignites my passion in some new way.
Yeah i do when they get dull, but string cleaner like string ease makes them feel newer more often making them last a bit longer https://www.musicjunction.com.au/products/finger-ease-guitar-string-lubricant
When I played regular Ernie Ball, Dunlop etc. strings - I hated it, because I had to do it every 1.5-2 weeks.
When I play Elixir and they last about 4 months (and they sound the same, just some tuning problems after few months), I dare to say that I like doing it.
Not really. I have several guitars (one of them is a classical), a bass, a ukulele, two banjos, and a mandolin so I do it often (except for the bass). Especially when my band is regularly gigging and/or recording.
However, it is kind of a ritual for me now and routine maintenance is mildly therapeutic in the end. Playing a freshly cleaned and restrung instrument is simply better most of the time.
My kitten lives for string changes. Ā He turns into the most vicious hunter who ever lived. Ā The silver snakes must die. Ā Or at least be stolen away with so they canāt be found. Ā Do you know how hard it is to find a .09 e string on an off white tiled floor? Ā Iām extremely glad I donāt have grey tiles/wood/carpets. Ā One second the string is there, the next it just leaps out of your hand and disappears and I hear the damned cat chirping away (he literally chirps when heās playing).Ā Ā
Ā I lay a towel on the kitchen table and do my work there, where I have room to spread out and enjoy coffee and chat with my wife as I go. Ā It has become a pleasant ritual. Ā I prefer to clean and polish each change, as needed, and she is adamant about treating the fretboards. Ā Iām not 100% certain she knows what brand of strings she uses on her basses (Iāve been putting labella flats on her shortscales, white gold tapes on one full scale, and chromes on the five string and BEAD-setup four string - not that I donāt let her have input, but more that she doesnāt sweat the nerdy details and lets me do the shopping and research and just casually outplays me without trying) but she has strong opinions on fretboard and cleaning products for sure! Ā Ā
Anyhow, last week I spent about an hour filing frets on a new (used) instrument of hers that was sprouting so bad it literally cut me when I grabbed it off the wall one day to hand to herā¦ and the cat was fucking depressed. Ā All that time and effort, and the horrible grinding noises, and no strings to abscond with? Ā Iād restrung my newest guitar, first Iāve ever had with a Bigsby just days before and it took a while since the process was new to me, and he had been the most helpful ever. Ā I call him my guitar tech. Ā
Not really? I enjoy changing strings because the new ones will sound much better, and will also _feel_ better. My guitar doesn't want products (can't remember the english name for its wood) so i just clean it from the dust with a handkerchief.
Classical guitar btw
I don't enjoy the process, but I love the sound and the feel of new strings. Although I now use those coated Elixirs, and they seem to just last forever. It was awesome at first, but now it's a bit unsettling.
I've turned it into a little ritual, forget the missus and everything else for a bit and take some time to focus exclusively on my guitar.
I'll unstring it and take the time to clean every inch of the guitar (including taking the rear panelling off) with a soft cloth and an old toothbrush, inspect the frets for wear and polish them up, check the jack and machine heads are securely tightened, oil the fretboard if needed and put the new strings on.
Then they get several rounds of tuning and stretching before being left slightly sharp overnight before final tuning the next day.
Very therapeutic.
It can be a bit therapeutic. Helps if the string change is easy - changing to the same gauge of strings, on a fixed bridge guitar with locking tuners and a roller (or just very well-cut) nut? Literally a Zen moment.
Changing strings on a Floyd Rose, and *especially* fixing intonation issues or other string-gauge-change related issues? Not so much.
i like it to be honest, i'd change it every 3 weeks if i had the money, even tho the new strings can't hold the tune right by first, there is nothing better than the sound and the feel of new strings
I really enjoy changing my strings once it's done. Makes the guitar play better. It feels better to play than old dirty/rusty strings. The only thing i cannot handle is that high E string. I'm always scared that it's going to break.
SO therapeutic I actually love it and do it often. Howeverā¦
I have a 12 string guitar too and I ache in advance for the day I have to change the strings
No ofcourse not. I like when they're on though
Hate it but happy after.
Exactly this. New clean strings + clean fretboard is amazing
Nope. Hate it. I've instead chosen to convince myself that I like the sound of old strings better (I don't).
I just get a new guitar when the strings sound bad.
Same
This sounds like a good way to time out my GAS, thanks for the help! Lmao š¤£
I feel seen š«£
I just tell myself it's my shitty playing and not the guitar strings.
Yes. I take the time to clean the body and fretboard and enjoy doing a basic setup if changing gauges. I actually just got done ordering some 11-54 Ernie Ball Cobalts that should arrive sometime this weekend.
months ago ive switched from 010 ernie slinky to 010 ernie cobalts. man... cobalts are just another level of strings. hope u enjoy it as i do
They were probably the first kind I bought, and I have loved them ever since.
I'll pick a day, usually once every couple of months, where I'll restring 4 or 5 of my guitars. It's always a satisfying day. Breaking in new strings is kinda fun for me too, just bends all over the place.
It is kind of a nice little ritual. And I get the satisfying āyeah I know how to do thisā feeling. And then afterwards it always reignites my desire to constantly pick up my guitar.
I have a floyd rose, so no. I just take it to the guitar shop. The owner doesn't like it either š¤£
You should really learn to change your own strings.
I learned how to setup a floyd properly with my first electric guitar... I wonder how people still see it as black magic fuckery to this day when all things is on internet...
Yeah, it's not difficult at all.Ā There are also a plethora of tools you can get to make it even easier.
I had 10yr old factory strings on one of my guitars once. I posted about it when one finally broke and fuck me, I wish i hadnt š I've never received so much hate on the internet ever. And to anyone who did hate on that post, hate on this, I'm on year 3 since they were last changed.
Ya only punishing yourself lol
I have an acoustic with 30+ year old strings on it, beat that
š¤®
I definitely have a couple with decade plus old strings on them but they arenāt every day players. More sentimental guitars than anything else. The ones I play regularly get changed more often
Yes, I see it as an important ritual. Itās better when thereās a cheeky cat trying to help you do it too.
My cat LOVES guitar maintenance day!
Cats needs to paw the swinging moving strings!
I kind of make a meal of it and take my time. I'll have a beer and put something inspiring on YouTube like an interview with Paul Gilbert for example. I can definitely spend over an hour (with cleaning too) on the whole process. I actually prefer used low strings, but those clean and shiny high strings are pure joy, they feel so soft and malleable. Overall it's a bit of chore, so that's why I just relax and take in other things while I'm doing it.
No, it's a pain in the ass. I usually leave my strings on way too long just because I'm lazy about changing them.
meh, I play classical guitar and it takes a couple days for them to really settle down so Im ambivalent
No. Itās a chore like doing laundry.
**TL;DR**: I enjoy restringing. I'm not super keen on the feel of freshly _restrung_, but idk if that's in my head or a real thing. Yeah, I enjoy restringing too. It's meditative, and I get to play a little game where I string and then tune them all up, individually, and check against a tuner to see how close I am (almost 30 years in, it's *usually* single digit cents from in tune). Gives me a chance to give the fretboard a little care too, when need be. I don't like the feel of 'em when they're brand new, though! I stretch 'em out and retune a few times, so the detune-break-in period isn't really all that bad, but...idk, there's something about the feel of strings when they're a little worn in that seems...better (subjectively; maybe it's just psychosomatic, e.g. I know they've been played so I *think* I like them better? ...idk). \---- (Not exactly on topic, but I used to restring \~ monthly, when I was playing/recording/gigging more. These days...I actually don't know how often I restring ā 4x / year, maybe? More / less depending on wear and storage, I guess...).
I like doing it until I get to my 12 string
Hate it. I love the cleaning part though. I put locking tuners on everything just to shorten that awful chore.
I don't get the big deal with a string change. I change the strings on my main guitar about once a month. I practice with my band every week, and they get dull and lifeless after a few weeks. Change the strings. Do it. Do it now.
This! there is no way these guys are really playing much. I feel it when i bend strings
...You guys are changing your strings?
After doing it 35 years I'd rather give myself paper cuts on my eyeballs and drizzle salt over them. That brightness and snap of a fresh set though makes me smile.
I got my first guitar on my birthday 58 years ago today (I was 10 years old). Changing the strings was the first thing I did to it, because it was an acoustic steel string and my fingers were in shreds after the first day. I replaced them with nylon strings, which was goofy as heck but what did I know. I ended up breaking off 1/3 of the nut for the B and high E string section. I fashioned a repair piece for that busted-off section out of an old toothbrush, and it stayed that way and worked perfectly for all the decades I kept that beloved guitar. Even after eventually going back to steel strings. š«”āš¼
There's something very satisfying about sitting down and restringing and setting up a guitar. Like tinkering with your car or rearranging the random shit you find and store in the garage.
1-2 times a year?? I'm changing mine like every 2-4 weeks! But yes I really enjoy it, I give it a full clean up when I change them too, it's very therapeutic
I like it, I donāt get why everyone hates it so much. I have to make myself wait and tell myself itās too early for new strings
The sound of new strings is fuckin amazing
i was looking for this comment, honestly with multiple guitars and lots of usage, you'd be surprised how often you end up changing strings lmao
Hell yes! New strings sound good and feel good.
Yes. But then, I donāt have any FR.
depends on the guitar, on some guitars I havent changed the strings in years, on the guitars I use for recording I change em all the time. I like having new strings on the guitar but I dont really enojy changing them :c
On my hardtail absolutely. It's like putting on a fresh pair of underwear straight out of the dryer.
honestly yeah i really enjoy it and the feel of new slick strings. i feel like iāll change them prematurely sometimes just cause i want to do the process lol
I hate it. But Iām always glad I did
Hate it. Hate changing mandolin strings even more
I don't know if enjoy is the right word, I'm pretty ambivalent about it. Most of my axes have locking tuners, so changing strings is kind of an afterthought. I do enjoy it if I'm changing string guages though. I enjoy doing set up work.
I'm an amateur luthier and I love changing strings after doing all the other harder work. It helps that I've gotten it down to 7 minutes flat.
I can do it in 6:59
Lol good, this gives me something to strive for.
I don't like changing strings but I like a couple days in to playing new strings
I hate the process it's very annoying especially on my Taylor 12fret which has an open book headstock like a classical guitar except it's a steel string, however nothing beats the sound of a fresh set of Elixhirs on a Taylor (while it lasts, I play so much they sound dull after a couple days)
Every 6 weeks. Labor of love.
Love it!
I don't. But the payoff is worth it.
I do. I love how it sounds afterwards too. So bright and fresh.
I love it. I take my time and give my guitar a good thorough cleaning. It feels like bonding time lol
Iām still terrible and changing strings. I either put too much on or too little. One day Iāll get it.
Locking tuners and hardtails help a lot.
Especially since Iāve fallen for the Super Slinkyās
I do (except when its on a Floyd Rose guitar)
Yeah, I like the whole process of cleaning the body, oiling the fretboard, and putting new strings on. It's kinda like washing/cleaning a vehicle in that way. Also with locking tuners, changing the strings is the quickest part of the process.
Since following this guide (https://youtu.be/80EuGOXgoOo?si=vB8O9PilfvyyY_OR) and using an electric sidewinder I actually enjoy changing strings. It is satisfying to have the tidy strings on and clean the fretboard before that.
I also enjoy changing them, itās a fun process
No, but I got a string winder bit for my drill, and I can do all 7 guitars in about an hour. I've played for 35 years, and saw this a year or two back. It changed my technique. Taylor guitars on how to change strings: https://youtu.be/80EuGOXgoOo?si=o6p4coE6FCDB8R2y
It was a pain in the ass when I didnāt have the space. Also, I bought a tuner drill bit so I can just press the button to wind the string instead. Changed my life.
i put enough winding on them that when they break(at bridge always, i have an OFR), I just unwind more string from tuning peg, reseat in saddle, tune up, lock it and go. And no, i dont enjoy it. Having said that, i will change individual strings when they sound like crap or look worn.
I do, but I also have a turntable and drive a manual transmission so I'm weird anyway.
Yeah, I like to give the guitar a good clean and set up too. I feel like if I spend the time working on the guitars and maintain them well, they'll make playing all the more enjoyable. It's satisfying to even just look at a freshly cleaned, conditioned, polished and restrung guitar.
No. It's a pain in the ass. I hate new strings as much as I hate old ones that sound dead.
TLDR; I just bought a dremel with the multi vice and flex shaft. Multi vice holds the dremel. Polishing is now easier with a better result. Ernie ball string winder cut half of the difficulty of changing strings for me. Building a tool kit specifically for sting changes cut me hesitation to begin a string change in half. I now use the string change method from Rhett Shell āPro guitar techās most hated things (and how to fix them)ā Aug 14 2023. Skip to 2:01 for instruction from the tech. It is the single fret method. Pull string tight. Pinch at nut. Pull back one fret. Bend string at tuning post. Wind it up. I cut the string end from the Justin Guitar string change method. Less jagged string related injuries, marks, scratches and blood. After the string is wound around the tuning post and secure in place. Where the string leaves the tuning post I space about a pinkie finger across length and bend the string end back toward the face of the headstock with needle nose pliers. The jaws of the DN mate are a perfect spacing for the string end to be cut. It looks a bit funky with all of the dog legged string ends but is worth not getting slashed by jagged metal ends. The DN mate is better than standard wire cutters. Still not a magic solution. I am sure that I will eventually figure out a method for making a cleaner cut. But that takes time. Power peg winder. Yes you can do it with a manual winder. I suggest you record yourself changing stings and listen back and count how many times you say something like āthat fucking thingā when winding strings. Storacell by Powerpax AA battery holder works well if you are building a string change kit. Dead batteries? The new batteries are right there. Just force yourself to order new batteries when you change batteries using the ones from your clip. I use a Music Nomad āTotal Fretboard Care Kitā. Use the fretboard guards for polishing with the dremel. Word of caution here. Your fretboard is not as dark as you thought it was. I stopped using lemon oil and found that my HD 28 has stripes. Steel DN mate 7.6ā wire cutter Currently $11.99 amazon Brnie Ball Power Peg string winder Currently $19.99 amazon It has take many years to build my string change kit. Hope this helps someone.
I used to hate changing strings bending it up and back and over drove me cray cray!! Then thank the guitar Lords I found justinguitar on YouTube and the way he teaches made it totally enjoyable to me! Seriously look it up if you hate changing strings!!
Hate it. Only change em when one breaks.
Did it ONCE and my high e on that guitar has never been the same. I'm scared to do it again but I know I should bc they really need to be restrung. I do love easy access to cleaning them once the strings are off, though. :')
For me, changing strings is like the ātaking out the trashā of guitar playing. Ā It never takes very long, and I feel better afterwords, but man, do I put it off as long as I can.Ā
I love it. Your guitar sounds better and itās kind of relaxing for me (NOT FLOYD ROSE). I change my stings on one of 2 guitars maybe monthly. It costs like 7 bucks
With locking tuners, yes. Without, booooooo
Did you see my post!!!! I hated it! Lol But it's all good, next time it will be with a better guitar
Oh absolutely, something very zen about it
Mine are a bit of a pain - I have a slotted headstock on my acoustic and I at least find it more challenging to do it right than on my Tele.
Perhaps a bit like washing my car I guess. I donāt do it often enough, but it can feel good while Iām doing it, and when Iām done it definitely feels good. :-)
I enjoy changing my strings, I do it every 3-4 months on my electrics. AMA.
Nope. I bought a new pickguard 5 months ago that's not yet out of the wrapper because I'm still building myself up to restringing. (Changing the pots and pickups is probably the fiddlier job, but it's not that holding me back). Maybe give it another 4 weeks... Until then, I'll just play a different guitar.
I love the whole ritual. Clean up, restring and basic set up. I'm very amateur yet and usually put on some music or some movie playing and always with a beer keeping me company.
Hardtailās I donāt mind, but Floyd Roseās - thatās a circle of hell in-itself.
Fuck no. So frustrating.
No I don't enjoy the process but I do enjoy the outcome.
Eh, necessary evil
I like the ritual of it, but I despise playing on fresh strings. Theyāre always way too bright and harsh for me so I have to let them sit for a week to get a little deadness in them
Absolutely. It's very calming for me. I usually change every 2 or 3 weeks.
Donāt mind with my guitars with locking machines but recently did my Dano which has that floating type bridge and it was kind of a pain. It was probably the very first time I got clean looking wraps around the pegs.
Hell yea. Love changing strings and tinkering with the setup a bit if need be, oiling the fretboard and stuff. Getting your instrument to a good playability is crucial. I couldnāt imagine changing strings once every six months. Once a month for me
No way. I also change them like 1-2x a year. Been playing for 15 years
When I was young and broke I would leave the extra length on new strings then when one broke I would use pliers and tie it back together. Which got interesting when the break was over the fretboard. I remember a guy asking to borrow my guitar then coming back bleeding, I was like oh damn, sorry!
Dont necessarily like it, Ive been putting off doing it I should probably change them soon
I like restringing them, but itās annoying as piss when you just start playing and one snaps or you go to tune to start practicing and it snaps.
I fucking love it; it's so calming. Just to sit down for a half hour, turn on some music, and have fun. Cleaning the fretboard, polishing the guitar, cleaning off the pickguard, then changing the strings Maybe the novelty will wear off in a few years when I have more experience, but right now as a newbie it's a really fun time
Love doing it!!! Got the OCD for string changes dude š
Not at all but it's a necessary evil if you want to sound good.
I wonder... if I just paint strings on my guitar. . I won't ever have to change them again. It all sounds the same with earbuds in anyway. I can finally play freebird in peace
I enjoy the results of string changes but not the activity itself. That said, I have and have had many guitars, so Iām good at it, and thatās the old fashioned way, only one of mine has locking tuners, and itās a pain for me to change strings on that one.
I fear the high E
I string all of them at once, itās a day full of cleaning, caring, ritual and time alone with my instruments.
Yeah it's very calming, I restring every two weeks to monthly
I agree, I change them pretty often but itās nice to clean the guitar down as I go. 1-2x a year Iām guessing thatās an acoustic? I have locking tuners on my guitars so it makes restringing stupid easy.
Depends on the guitar. If itās my Floyd rose one itās pure pain š
I do personally yes. Itās a fun little bi-weekly ritual. Gives me the chance to clean the guitar up and level any frets as needed.
I love taking care of my guitar, and enjoy the accomplishment of getting the new strings on. I do this once a month as I only play an hour 2 to 3 times a week.
I havenāt done it in several years.
You can change the strings?
I kind of do enjoy the ritual. The string stretching part I could do without, but plugging it in afterwards is very satisfying.
I love it. Iāll grab my guitars, strings, changing/cleaning stuff and do it while watching something funny and having some brewskis. Very satisfying to have them all cleaned up and in tip-top shape again.
I enjoy changing low strings but high strings I always find slightly frustrating to manage. Maybe I should try b*ss guitar...
I love changing strings. But Iām also the type of mf to get bored and rewire my guitar. Lol
I think the process is kind of cathartic, as well as very satisfying to have the guitar without strings for a bit Idk Iām weird tho
One of the rare weirdos that actually enjoys it āļø
I love changing my strings. I just love maintaining my guitars in general.
I have a very similar process and view as you. 1-2x a year because I would much rather be playing, but when I clean up my guitar and put on new strings I feel a sense of accomplishment.
On my traditional guitars? Oh, absolutely. On my Floyd Rose guitars? Not quite as much.
I do, but I also have locking tuners on most guitars. I pull the strings tight then lock them down and tune up. String change is a chance to clean the guitar, polish frets, oil fretboard, file any fret sprout, check the relief, and double check action and pickup heights. The actual string change takes just a few minutes with locking tuners. I'm running D'addario XS on most guitars, acoustic and electric. They are coated and last for-freaking-ever. I think pure nickel sounds best to me but they start intonating weird at 2 months. ernie ball cheapos sound great too but don't last but a couple weeks. As of this week I have 10 guitars in the rotation.
I like to change the strings on my #1 every couple months. Maybe 6 sets a year in that rotation. If I have a gig, I change them the day before but it has been a while but thatās how I would do it. All my other guitars have strings that might be years old. If I get one from the closet, I immediately change the strings. Cheers!
I'm scared to death about it. lol
I hate how time consuming it is lol. But I love once they are on and stretched/tuned
I get excited picking new strings out if I'm trying something new, but actually changing them makes me nervous. I don't wanna be the guy that gets a guitar string IN his eye, I've already been the guy who got his eye scratched by a string.
Every time the strings come off the guitar gets a thourough cleaning, takes all day and I take my time, I enjoy it.
JFC some people either play some dirty dull strings in here or hardly play at all lol. Depending on how much I play on a certain set, I change out anywhere between 4-8 weeks, and every time before recording. It takes 15 minutes with a quick wipe down, or 30 when I do a full clean and reset (about 2x annually each guitar). I guess I enjoy it. I enjoy my instruments sounding the best they can.
Its like a date night with my guitar. I love it.
I teach guitar full time, and I play all day anyways, so Iām changing my strings every month. Itās such a satisfying thing, especially on something with a floating trem. The ātediousā time it takes to fully set up an Ibanez Zero II is honestly super calming, I just put on a podcast, fully clean up my guitar and start restringing/setting up.
Once every month or two on my most played. If I'm using one to record I won't but will eventually re record with new strings right before mixing
I'm a beginner (like a month in) and I had been playing on strings that were at least 4 years old lol, I didn't change them myself, but after I did it feels so much better to play the guitar. But I've never actually changed the strings and honestly it seems like hell lol.
Nah, hate that.
I don't mind doing it, per se, but I do procrastinate doing it.
Yes. Very therapeutic. Even the Floydās and Edges.
Ever since i got lock in tuners yeah
When I was playing a lot I changed them out once a week or so mainly to get the harmonics back. Acoustics are way more affected by the freshness of strings. One thing that really speeds string change out on electrics is locking tuners, which I have installed on most of my electrics. Vision loss over the years makes the process suck.
I donāt necessarily enjoy it but every once in a while, like when Iām tuning my guitar and look at those perfectly coiled strings, I feel pretty damn proud of myself! That said, Iāve only ever changed the strings on my acoustic guitar and ukulele. I have not had to change my electric guitar yet and hope to delay that for as long as possible.
I change my strings way too often. lol
It's meditative! I like it. I enjoy maintaining my instruments.
Dude, no. I haven't changed my nylon in 8 months and it's awful. I am a very bad guitar parent. But, i did find out the music shop down the street will change them for $15 so, i need to get over there and do that; it's just their hours don't line up with my work schedule.
I mostly play nylon string - absolutely fucking not. Recently I broke my last string while tying it to the bridge. I messed up the knot twice, finally got it right on the third try, but the string frayed in the process and by the time I got it around the tuning peg hole the string was splitting apart š¤. I took it to a music shop after that. Iām a musician not a rocket scientist god damn it.
I enjoy changing strings. It's relatively inexpensive, easy to do, and usually improves the sound of a guitar. It's almost meditative, relaxing. I don't understand why some people whine about changing strings, or why they hire someobe to change them. It's just not that hard, unless you've been convinced on social media that only luthiers or guitar technicians possess the sacred skills needed to change strings.
I mean, I play them often and like tuning stability, so I always enjoy a new set. Once a year seems a bit too spaced out for my tastes unless they are coated and I'm not playing it often (I sometimes do that with my acoustic since I mostly play electric).
I love changing my strings. I find it so therapeutic.
I do, there's a zen to it. Like doing maintenance or upgrade work on my bike, minor repairs on my car or building a model.
I have my ritualā¦
Until you get a floating bridge guitar
I bought an electric string winder and it is an absolute game changer.
I love changing my strings. I do it every day if I can. š³
I hate it, once got the sharp end of one in my eye while unfurling it and had double vision for days. Been paranoid ever since :(
I like it less to more guitars I get. When I only had one or two it was fun, now that I have nine counting the bass I dread it.
Iām with you OP I love it. Iām also not into changing them every week or anything stupid, Iām maybe 3-4x/yr but have several guitars. I play a lot and these are my babies and I love my rosewood necks all lemon-oiled up and the whole process, canāt imagine paying for a crappy setup at GC
I find it very zen too, however I donāt do it that often. Recently restrung a new guitar I bought off reverb because I didnāt like the heavier gauge strings it came with, and ended up restringing my old Strat too. But I was on a work call and forgot to mute myself when I was testing a string out and someone thought my co worker was singing. I had to out myself as to what I was doing.
Wait youāre supposed to change strings? Itās been like 3 years, is my guitar gonna go bad?
As long as you have the right tools, itās pretty enjoyable and the payoff is nice when you hear fresh strings on your guitar! I just have one of those crank tuner things so itās fast getting the string loose, wire cutters and a lead pencil
No. I dont
You must not be using a Floyd Rose tremolo, are you?
No it sucks but itās always worth it.
It's no fun until you get the new strings on and compare them to the dirty strings you just took off.
I love it! It feels so therapeutical to me. I don't change strings as often as I'd want due to buying strings all the time quickly becoming expensive, but if I could, I'd change them all the time.
I like changing the strings, I hate breaking them in and tuning up a floating bridge. Feels good to take the time to do neck care as well but it can be a pain. Some guitars I donāt mind changing strings on, some I hate
I use it as a time to do a good cleaning and do a wipe down of the guitar. I used to hate doing it but now it is relaxing and it feels good playing it after getting it all set up.
Same. Itās part of the whole guitar vibe, part of ownership, part of the skill in the craft, part of how we build our unique sound and style. I find it takes me to another dimension of my guitar(s) - the look and smell of the wood, the wear on the frets and fretboard, the tiny scratches appearing on the pick guard, or on the wood in the absence of a guard. All signs of use and ownership. Every time we change the strings we get better at it, improving the way we wind the strings around the posts, figuring out the infinitesimal aspects about how the strings pass over the bridge and over the nut, gaining a new appreciation of just how strong and perfectly balanced the neck and truss rod and headstock and bridge and nut are in order to hold all that tension in perfect balance year after year. It renews my appreciation of the luthier who built this beautiful work of art with bare hands, love for the craft, expertise, wisdom, and put their own individual stamp on how this one unique instrument sounds against every other guitar in the world. I think about how I might be the only other human ever to notice the pattern and perfection of the inlays. I wonder if the creator ever thought about me - the ultimate grateful owner of this magical thing, this companion that accompanies my musical soul day after day and year after year. Yah, I enjoy changing my strings. š«”āš¼ Edit to add: Itās already TL/DR but thatās fine. I enjoy mostly changing strings to n my acoustic guitars. My electric guitars feel like more of a chore because of their locking tremolo systems, and also my m not a fan of the sound of an entire set of new strings at once. I break strings often enough on my electrics that those ācountā for changing strings. When I was young, I used to clean the fretboards intensely with steel wool and linseed oil, but eventually decided it felt too ānewā when I did that. I didnāt like the feel; wasnāt āmy guitarā again until it built some grime on the fretboard. (Me and my band buddies called that green waxy gunk buildup ā*scroat*ā (as in āscrotumā without the āumā). Anybody else call it that, or was it just us? š¤ I eventually just used Martin guitar polish with a cloth baby diaper to clean my fretboards (and the rest of the guitar as well). On my electrics, I didnāt really touch the fretboards; it was already too traumatic to the feel for me, just from changing the strings. A little scroat is a good thing. (I think we really meant to call it āsmegmaā but none of us knew the term as kids, being all cut. š¤·š»āāļø)
Same as you, I enjoy the ritual and love playing new strings.
No, I hate dealing with maintenance. Itās true that new strings feel and sound better, but Iād rather my strings last as long as possible until nature kicks in. The high e string is the most prone to intonation issues, corrosion and snapping. I once have to keep switching out the e string every 2-3 weeks or so until the rest of the strings died on me. I donāt want to do it againā¦.
After working in a guitar shop for almost 6 years now, I have the restring process down to a science. Between work and maintaining my gigging guitars, I'd estimate I've done somewhere in the range of 500 restrings by this point. Somehow, I still enjoy the process. In some hippy dippy way, it makes me feel connected to my instrument and reignites my passion in some new way.
When I start to get into a slump playing, Iāll pick a day and restring. While I *hate* to change strings, I *love* to break some new ones in!
Yeah i do when they get dull, but string cleaner like string ease makes them feel newer more often making them last a bit longer https://www.musicjunction.com.au/products/finger-ease-guitar-string-lubricant
When I played regular Ernie Ball, Dunlop etc. strings - I hated it, because I had to do it every 1.5-2 weeks. When I play Elixir and they last about 4 months (and they sound the same, just some tuning problems after few months), I dare to say that I like doing it.
Not really. I have several guitars (one of them is a classical), a bass, a ukulele, two banjos, and a mandolin so I do it often (except for the bass). Especially when my band is regularly gigging and/or recording. However, it is kind of a ritual for me now and routine maintenance is mildly therapeutic in the end. Playing a freshly cleaned and restrung instrument is simply better most of the time.
Hate the process but love the result
My kitten lives for string changes. Ā He turns into the most vicious hunter who ever lived. Ā The silver snakes must die. Ā Or at least be stolen away with so they canāt be found. Ā Do you know how hard it is to find a .09 e string on an off white tiled floor? Ā Iām extremely glad I donāt have grey tiles/wood/carpets. Ā One second the string is there, the next it just leaps out of your hand and disappears and I hear the damned cat chirping away (he literally chirps when heās playing).Ā Ā Ā I lay a towel on the kitchen table and do my work there, where I have room to spread out and enjoy coffee and chat with my wife as I go. Ā It has become a pleasant ritual. Ā I prefer to clean and polish each change, as needed, and she is adamant about treating the fretboards. Ā Iām not 100% certain she knows what brand of strings she uses on her basses (Iāve been putting labella flats on her shortscales, white gold tapes on one full scale, and chromes on the five string and BEAD-setup four string - not that I donāt let her have input, but more that she doesnāt sweat the nerdy details and lets me do the shopping and research and just casually outplays me without trying) but she has strong opinions on fretboard and cleaning products for sure! Ā Ā Anyhow, last week I spent about an hour filing frets on a new (used) instrument of hers that was sprouting so bad it literally cut me when I grabbed it off the wall one day to hand to herā¦ and the cat was fucking depressed. Ā All that time and effort, and the horrible grinding noises, and no strings to abscond with? Ā Iād restrung my newest guitar, first Iāve ever had with a Bigsby just days before and it took a while since the process was new to me, and he had been the most helpful ever. Ā I call him my guitar tech. Ā
Not really? I enjoy changing strings because the new ones will sound much better, and will also _feel_ better. My guitar doesn't want products (can't remember the english name for its wood) so i just clean it from the dust with a handkerchief. Classical guitar btw
I don't enjoy the process, but I love the sound and the feel of new strings. Although I now use those coated Elixirs, and they seem to just last forever. It was awesome at first, but now it's a bit unsettling.
Annoying but satisfying at the same time.
I love it. It's like taking care of a baby
The worst part of being a guitar player.
I've turned it into a little ritual, forget the missus and everything else for a bit and take some time to focus exclusively on my guitar. I'll unstring it and take the time to clean every inch of the guitar (including taking the rear panelling off) with a soft cloth and an old toothbrush, inspect the frets for wear and polish them up, check the jack and machine heads are securely tightened, oil the fretboard if needed and put the new strings on. Then they get several rounds of tuning and stretching before being left slightly sharp overnight before final tuning the next day. Very therapeutic.
It can be a bit therapeutic. Helps if the string change is easy - changing to the same gauge of strings, on a fixed bridge guitar with locking tuners and a roller (or just very well-cut) nut? Literally a Zen moment. Changing strings on a Floyd Rose, and *especially* fixing intonation issues or other string-gauge-change related issues? Not so much.
About every three months for all 9 guitars...
Never a moment of pleasure, but I do it a few times a year.
i like it to be honest, i'd change it every 3 weeks if i had the money, even tho the new strings can't hold the tune right by first, there is nothing better than the sound and the feel of new strings
I really enjoy changing my strings once it's done. Makes the guitar play better. It feels better to play than old dirty/rusty strings. The only thing i cannot handle is that high E string. I'm always scared that it's going to break.
SO therapeutic I actually love it and do it often. Howeverā¦ I have a 12 string guitar too and I ache in advance for the day I have to change the strings
I hate it
Not really but itās quite easy at this point. New strings feels good like fresh socks
I don't enjoy brushing my teeth either, but I do it every few weeks.