Well, here I am again, changing strings after it's much too late.
I noticed about a month ago that it was getting harder to quickly change from G to A via the capo, and thought to myself "Self, you should take some time off of PRACTICING the banjo and actually TAKE CARE of it."
Now I'm changing the strings, and applying lemon oil to the fretboard, and I see once again that each string feels like a chainsaw blade as I run my fingers over them, and they are black as can be where I need to fret them. I know I should have done this sooner.
When I was a maniac banjo player, I got to where I'd change the strings monthly.
How do you fellers know it's time to change strings?
I haven't changed strings on my Stelling in over 8 years. It is getting to the point where I may have to one of these days. Still stays in tune unless there's a drastic change in the weather, still sounds okay, so why change? Of course, I don't play it as much as I used to, don't go to festivals or jams any more, just pick it almost every day at home and that may have something to do with the strings staying good for so long.
When I have difficulty tuning accurately.
If I’m playing regularly, I’ll change the 4th every 3-4 weeks. Otherwise when a string breaks, I’ll change all of them. If the 5th breaks I will change others only if they’ve been on a good while.
In general every three months. For some reason I cannot explain, there are times I can be playing a banjo at home and trying to make strings last as long as I can perhaps I don't realize they are going bad because closet picking they still sound ok. But will take that same banjo to a jam and totally embarrass myself because the strings need changed and won't stay in tune. Hopefully I've learned my lesson.
Every decade or so, whether they need it or not. 
As infrequently as possible.
If they're not corroded and still sound good, I leave 'em on.
I think it was Reed Martin who said a broken string is God's way of telling you to replace it.
Strings are relatively cheap , and I really like the way new strings sound and play . I change every month or so , but it’s all in one’s own preference. Best of luck
I thought I was bad at 3 years
LittleGoomba,
Each time you finish playing your banjo, take a soft rag and run it up and down each string. It only takes about 30 seconds to do it. You'll be amazed at how long your strings last and how much better your instrument will stay in tune. I learned this from watching Tony Rice when he was playing with J.D. Crowe back in the Seventies. Tony did this after each set, not just at the end of the night.
About the only thing I notice on old strings is that the intonation starts getting gradually worse. But, if you're not playing much up the neck it don't matter much. I probably average about twice a year.
Rick
I’ve never heard anyone else say this, but I change mine when they start to feel “rubbery.” They bend more, choke easier and, barely noticeable, they sound a little dull. Based on how much I play, I now regularly change them every three months.
It’s still significantly cheaper than fishing, or golf, based solely on how often I lose a lure or golf ball!
In the beginning. changing strings was a daunting task. I cannot count the times I wound the turning peg backwards! Or got the string nice & tight, only to realized it had slipped off the side of the tailpiece. Or I had two strings in the same bridge groove.
But we all live & learn.
Finally, new strings sound great & play better.
I didn't know you had to change them. This banjo lark is gonna get expensive!!! 
Edited by - GS on 03/18/2025 04:42:31
Old strings can make a great banjo sound like a cheap banjo. New strings are easy to tune and have a crisp sharp evenness of tone as well as an ability to sustain longer and more evenly. Old strings turn muddy and lifeless and don’t hold a true note as long.
A good quality banjo costs a pretty penny so why would anyone cheese out on keeping it sounding and playing as good as it can. Kind of like buying a new vehicle and never changing the oil or tires.
You know those color-coded stickers that come on D'addario strings? Well you can always tell it's time for new strings when they finally fall off.
I play Irish trad on tenor banjos and can easily go a year or more before they need to be changed. I hate new strings and will only change them when one sounds dead. My friend is probably going on 4 years now with the same strings that I set him up with and they still sound great.
I usually change them only a couple times a year, often when they have been on a while and I have one or two special gigs coming up. They seem to last a long time, and sometimes I skip changing the 5th string because I don't fret it. As long as they sound good and stay in tune I keep playing them, and if I changed more often in the past it was because I thought it was what you were supposed to do. I often divided my playing and performing time pretty equally between banjo, guitar, and mandolin, but now I am playing banjo probably 90% of the time. More playing, but less string changing, and it seems to work.
When they won't stay in proper tune
When they start to sound "off", dull, or dead
When the 4th string just doesn't "have it" anymore
When you can see rust on 'em !
Oil attracts dirt and holds onto it creating a "cutting oil" when mixed with your sweating hands.
I never let any kind of oil or polish anywhere near my fretboard.
Dry,cotton rag or paper towel between strings and fretboard when you put it away works great with no "attraction".
Steve, when I read your reply I got to thinking:
I put some lemon oil on my fretboard if I'm changing strings and it's been half a year or so. I make sure whatever is going to soak into the wood does so, then wipe it off as best I can. I also take a lint-free microfiber cloth to my strings before I put the banjo in it's case. And I also wash my hands before taking the banjo out of it's case, to reduce the amount of dirt and oils the strings have to deal with.
I'm going to guess you are not a fan of lemon oil on your fretboard. I'm doing it so my banjo has a better chance of outliving me.
If the cloth that you wipe your strings with picks up dark marks those marks are from the fingerboard wood and frets.
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