How do i know when strings need replaced?

fonecrusher1

Stupid question but my guitar is driving me nuts. Its a basic fender acoustic.

When i tune each string, as in; finger on 5th fret, upper string sounds exactly the same as lower string, except for B string which is 4th fret they all sound great individually but when i strum all strings it sounds off.

Is it just the strings or is my guitar knackered? I only replaced the strings 2 months ago???? Lower E string (the high pitch one) is particularly awkward?

Any advice appreciated. Im a beginner.:)

-=al=-

i only get a month max outa strings on any guitar, even less on acoustics

depends on what strings you use, how much you play, what you play and how much your hands sweat

maybe the intonations off or the strings arent retaining the tension on the tuners once tuned.. get a tuner, tune the low e then high e then go down to the d and g strings, then check it all again

NoQuarter

and i dont change my strings unless they break so really theres no way its your strings!! i havent changed my acoustics strings in at least a year!

I get the impression your relatively new to guitar playing?

Try this: tune it the way you tune it and then try octave tuning, i find it more accurate.

Put your finger on the 7th fret of the A string. Pluck the open E (fattest one) and then pluck the 7th fret of the B string after. It should sound in tune. then pop your finger to the 7th fret of the D string and keep going. Just as when tuning normally you have to move to the 4th fret on the b string, this time youll have to use the 8th fret!

Just a side note, i might have read your post wrong but when the guitar is in tune, and you play all the strngs together open, it sounds crap anyways, playing all the strings open together is meant to sound terrible! dont know if you meant that but just incase!

Celly Smunt

wouldn't hurt to pick up a pack,when was the last time they were changed?

EDIT: yeah change them if they're 2 months,you'll see the difference

brownacid

Before deciding that its the strings I would say use a tuner to tune your guitar. I get th impression that you are fairly new to guitar and while I admire your willingness to tune by ear I would give it a while before relying solely on your ear as in tune as you think it might me. Two months shouldn't cause your guitar to go out of tune. If you use a tuner and it still sounds off change the strings, if that doesn help check teh intination.

You can check the intonation by using a tuner a plucking an open string making sure its intune and if you then pluck the same string but on the 12th harmonic this should also come up on the tuner as perfectly in tune. If not then your intonation is a bit off/lot off and thats what causing the guitar to sound a bit off.

fonecrusher1

Ok thanks guys. I'l have to get myself a tuner i'd say. I was using online tuning applications but i don't think thats the same as a proper tuner.

Can i also ask; will practicing the pentatonic scale help me perform quite complicated riffs like the main riff in Whiskey in the Jar? Im finding it very difficult.

Its funny i can do most of Eric Claptons Layla but i find the above riff very problematic???

Help!!!

Johnny Storm

brownacid wrote: »

Before deciding that its the strings I would say use a tuner to tune your guitar.

This certainly worked for me.

Knifey Spoony

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Can i also ask; will practicing the pentatonic scale help me perform quite complicated riffs like the main riff in Whiskey in the Jar? Im finding it very difficult.

Help!!!

Any scale will improve your movement between different strings, your finger strenght and picking. So playing scales is a good idea that will improve your general playing, but for specific riffs, I find that it is best to listen to the riff a good couple of times with the notes (or tabs) in front of you, trying to match what you hear to what you see. Then start to play the riff slowly, getting use to all the techniques that the song requires. If I remember correctly, Whiskey in the Jar has hammer-ons, pull-offs and slides, so i would be best to practice them slowly and then build up to full speed.

Paolo_M

Can you post a pick of your guitars neck?

Seems to me like your intonation is off.
You may just require a decent set up.

Old strings sound dull and lifeless, but should still be in tune.

darrenw5094

Paolo_M wrote: »

Can you post a pick of your guitars neck?

Seems to me like your intonation is off.
You may just require a decent set up.

Old strings sound dull and lifeless, but should still be in tune.

Old strings lose their intonation too, after v.long time on the same guitar.

Paolo_M

darrenw5094 wrote: »

Old strings lose their intonation too, after v.long time on the same guitar.

I hear ya, but the OP said he changed them 2 months ago, that's why I'm thinking it's got to be intonation related. Crappy saddle, warped neck, badly cut nut etc.

darrenw5094

Paolo_M wrote: »

I hear ya, but the OP said he changed them 2 months ago, that's why I'm thinking it's got to be intonation related. Crappy saddle, warped neck, badly cut nut etc.

Yep, you're right again. Probably needs a setup including intontation and maybe a tuner could do wonders for the sound.:)

Eph1958

IMHO, it's much more difficult to tune new strings than old ones and the older they are the more fixed they are in their tuning. They may sound dull and lifeless but will stay relatively in tune. If there is a problem with the setup then it will never be in tune, irrespective of the age of the strings. It can take some time to learn to tune a guitar and a tuner wouldn't go amiss.

Eph.

-=al=-

i like a day or 2 old strings, they're nice and stretched and feel nice still, thats where the moneys at

just give the strings a wipe down after use and it will help the life of them

damonjewel

-=al=- wrote: »

i like a day or 2 old strings, they're nice and stretched and feel nice still, thats where the moneys at

just give the strings a wipe down after use and it will help the life of them

Yep me too, especially on my strat, brand new strings are just too zingy and buzzy. Give them a few days to settle down and they sound great

stephenshields2

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Stupid question but my guitar is driving me nuts. Its a basic fender acoustic.

When i tune each string, as in; finger on 5th fret, upper string sounds exactly the same as lower string, except for B string which is 4th fret they all sound great individually but when i strum all strings it sounds off.

Is it just the strings or is my guitar knackered? I only replaced the strings 2 months ago???? Lower E string (the high pitch one) is particularly awkward?

Any advice appreciated. Im a beginner.:)

Lol, guitars that get heavy use need new strings every week or two at the most! In my humble opinion anyway!! :rolleyes:

Seziertisch

In a recording situation, strings have a maximum of a few of hours in them before there is a very noticeable degradation in sound quality. Though depending on the sound you are after this may not be a big issue.

jazzme

I use heavy guage strings. The older they get the better they sound on my archtop guitar. You just dont get that mellow deep tone after you replaced to new ones. I only change my strings twice a year. I always make it a point to run a cotton cloth on them after and before I play to extend their life further.