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Regulars
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I Have a D string that just seems kaput..caupit? cawpoot..
anyway.. looked back at my order history at fiddlershop and its been a little over 10 months now. and thats with pretty regular playing.
Think its time for some new strings.
How long have you been using your current set of strings and whats the longest youve went with regular playing and not changing strings?
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Current set: about 8 months, which is already the longest I've gone in more than 10 years on a single set without taking a break in playing. I was originally planning to change them last month, but then I thought I could probably get a little more out of this set and decided to put it off until the second week of December (right after my next orchestra concert), which will make the next set of strings a bit fresher for my quartet performance in January.
I went a full year between string changes from March 2020 to March 2021, but I was only playing regularly for about six months of that time. I stopped playing for two months after getting rear-ended on a freeway offramp at the end of July 2020 and played very little for another four months after that.
For the first 9 years I played violin and viola, I tended to use strings right up until a string broke, which meant I'd go 2-3 years between string changes. I started getting more conscientious about changing strings at least once a year some time around 2008, and have usually changed them every 6 months since I joined my current orchestra in 2011.
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10 months is about the longest I've gone. To find out when I put the current ones on might be possible after some trawling on this site, but I guess it was about April. But I think it only makes sense to change them again after the round of Christmas gigs is over. Then again next summer after the round of summer gigs is over!
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
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Ten months is a good clip!
Think I could be around 6 months now & not sure I can check (also had several weeks of very little practice). I usually don't like going past 4 months on the G, D, A, E - cost makes me push my F & C longer.
I start to feel things, like strings don't ring as nice & stop reacting to each other sympathetically - also makes me feel like I need to play differently/more effort.
I've been feeling these for a while, again - itching to change my strings, especially after watching the section in Jonathan Taylor's video (Things That Can Help Practicing Intonation Thread), where he explains how old strings can cause problems with intonation. Only hesitating because afraid a previous issue with my pegs could mess me up as I'm close to recording.
Keep thinking I might be happy with my strings for a longer period if I switch over to only playing with my amp, but lately I've been working on things that need to be acoustic.
Regulars
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Depends on the string. Dominants die quickly. Visions last a long time, but it's still worth having a calendar régime rather than waiting for your strings to drop off the violin, as some do. If the windings unravel, they can cause nasty injuries. And if you have good tone, senile strings can detract from it without your noticing (my Vision Solos have been on for 7 months, and my teacher likes my tone). I'd support an amateur who wanted to change Visions once a year*, but that's pushing limits.
* Strings are a nice idea for a Christmas present, especially as a stocking-filler.
Andrew
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I've been using visions (standard or solos) on my viola fore some time, I change them once a year without thinking too much about it. I don't play a lot anyway, maybe I could wait longer.
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Viola and cello strings, I assume, have a longer life-expectancy, being thicker?
Andrew
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I don't find that to be the case. My cello strings don't last any longer than my violin strings. They may be thicker, but I find I need a little more oomph to bow my cello and viola. I don't do the viola as much now, but, when all did all three pretty evenly allotted for time, I don't see where the cello and viola lasted longer.
They all last a while. I do not play as much as most of you, no performing, no orchestra or group playing.
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I don't think viola strings last any longer. Usually I notice the strings starting to become less responsive after 5-6 months, and I hear a larger difference in tone between the synthetic D string and steel A string at the same time.
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My thickest string (F) lasts the longest just because I still don't play on it as much as the other strings.
There's also been some stretches of time I've had to practice very lightly/softly, to not disturb anyone. I'm sure that can help with string longevity.
...and yes, time sure does fly! Think I've had my 'Maezarine' about a year already!!!
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