Yankee_Picker - Posted - 02/21/2010:  12:00:25

Okay all of you experienced folk:

When should a novice banjo player restring his/her instrument, and what is your reasoning?

I ask this because I've never played a string instrument before, but I have played tennis for about 25 years and have been restringing tennis racquets for people for the past 20 years or so, and my opinions on that differ greatly from the United States Racquet Stringers Association or the US tennis association. Both of those groups tell people to restring their racquets as many times in a year as they play in a week, so if they play twice a week, get it strung twice a year and so forth. But they also recommend it to be restrung at least once every six months. I say, if you are someone who needs to get your racquet strung by someone else, then the only time you need it restrung is if for some reason it lost its tension (like the knot came undone) or the string broke. In other words, I don't believe that a club player can truly recognize the subtleties that a TENNIS racquet restringing provides, even over a range of tensions.

But I have no experience in banjos or musical instruments. If you play a beginner banjo and you're not that good to begin with... does changing the strings have any effect that isn't psychological?

I have a new set of strings, but I've been waiting to use them until I know I need to use them. I play a beginner banjo and have had the same strings on the instrument for about 9 months or so, and for the past several weeks, I've been playing about an hour per night every day.

Brevabloke - Posted - 02/21/2010:  12:06:17

The wound 4th sometimes goes first and it just doesn't sound the same. Its hard to say how often, but if the strings are not cleaned at all and are filthy, or have rust on them, I'd replace them. Keeping your banjo in a nice case ehn its not being played, and wiping off the strings after you have played makes them last longer.

When I was playing quite a lot (for me) probably 15-20 hours a week I would replace them fortnightly. Its no great expense. And it teaches you rapid string changing.

Yankee_Picker - Posted - 02/21/2010:  12:09:50

well I do wipe them down with a clean microfiber rag every night before I put it away. I know it doesn't cost much, and I agree about the rapid restringing skill being useful to learn. I just didn't want to be unnecessarily wasteful

Axeman79 - Posted - 02/21/2010:  12:11:46

It depends on the strings, how often you play, treating or cleaning, weather, and probably more variables. That being said, you should change them when it becomes clear that new strings are needed. After you play a while you will notice that things don't sound the same. Some of that will be things like head tension, but the strings will decay and they can go fast. New strings feel different as well...I'd love to have new strings every week, but mine last 30 to 90 days, depending.

Axeman

Edited by - Axeman79 on 02/21/2010 12:12:55

Texasbanjo - Posted - 02/21/2010:  13:26:10

I agree with the above: it depends on a lot of things, those mentioned above and, when you can't keep it in tune, then it's time to change strings.

Some people don't have to change strings but a couple of times a year (if that much), other have to change them weekly -- depends on the person, how long they play, how hard they pick, the chemicals in their fingers, etc.

If your strings don't sound right and you can't keep the banjo in tune, then change the strings.

phwill - Posted - 02/21/2010:  13:46:01

I agree with Texasbanjo, when they get hard to tune change them. It's always been hard for me to gauge how they sound since I play pretty much every day and the decay is gradual, but when I start having trouble getting them in tune and keeping them there it's like their telling me they've had enough, bring in the replacements.

Yankee_Picker - Posted - 02/21/2010:  14:14:36

That all makes sense, especially the tuning part. I was attributing the tuning of my strings to be due mostly to the weather and/or humidity, or maybe to the quality of the banjo and/or tuners.

Good to know. Thanks for all of your insight!

Thor - Posted - 02/21/2010:  14:39:00

quote:

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I just didn't want to be unnecessarily wasteful

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9 months? I think you got your money's worth.

I usually go 3-6 months or so.