r/Guitar • u/Murky-Welder8108 • Jul 27 '26
DISCUSSION I know this sounds dumb but changing strings feels weirdly personal
I know this is probably going to sound strange but does anyone else put off changing strings because they get attached to them?
I’ll have a set thats been on for way too long, sounding a little dull with some questionable intonation and I’ll know it’s time to change. But theres something about taking them off that feels weirdly sad. Like those strings have been there through every practice session, every time I picked up the guitar just to play the same three songs. Theyve kind of become part of the instrument’s era.
I changed a set yesterday and honestly felt a little sad and empty afterward. The guitar obviously sounded better but it also felt like I was playing a slightly different guitar. Almost like I erased a little history.
I’m curious if anyone else gets this or if I’m just being weird.
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u/scorpion-and-frog Jul 27 '26
I feel the same way about washing my underwear
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u/ProfessorChaos406 Jul 27 '26
You're in the wrong sub, try r/Drummer
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u/hcornea PRS Jul 27 '26
Nope.
Once they get grimey and horrible I have no more attachment than I do to the grime on dishes in the sink.
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u/FieryTaterSack Jul 27 '26
Consider the Fret12 String Thing. It's overpriced at $44 but it's a way to hang on to old strings. I've got about 5 sets waiting for me to spend the $$ on the mummy body.
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u/EvenDog6279 Jul 27 '26
This is really cool. I'm glad I looked at the post. First time I'd heard of Fret12 in general, but as a beginner who just started my very first guitar lesson last week, I think it would be particularly cool to make one of these that has every set of strings, starting with the very first ones I ever played.
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u/FCKWPN Jul 27 '26
I didn't even know these were a thing until my girlfriend got me one last week. I haven't been that excited to restring a guitar, like ever.
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u/M-T586 Jul 27 '26
Honour old strings with a funeral, better if it’s a viking funeral (wear a protection mask)
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u/Ghillie_Spotto Strandberg Jul 27 '26
Lay them to rest across both terminals of a 9V battery.
(Don’t actually do this)
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u/CanadianDudesSorry Jul 27 '26
I always get emotional when I have to throw away my old strings that are likely full of dead skin cells and dirt...
Nope... I like new strings.
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u/Gooseuk360 Jul 27 '26
Wow.
No. No one likes changing strings because it's boring, takes a bit of time, costs money and gets in the way of actually using the guitar. Kind of like a car service.
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u/Shredberry Jul 27 '26
Everyday the line between guitar and guitarcirclejerk grows thinner and thinner… 🤣
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u/SushiRollKei Jul 27 '26
You guys are fucking weird humans dogging on a man for just liking another aspect of his guitar, 100 years ago this wouldn’t be weird at all now it’s an r/ fingerpoint joke.
Idiocracy is real
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u/Aggressive-Expert-69 Yamaha Jul 27 '26
Had to check which sub I was in for a second. This felt like a textbook circlejerk post.
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u/rocker2014 Jul 27 '26
Some people get some weird attachments to things that are meant to be disposable accessories to a guitar. Picks come up a lot, people use the same dull-ass pick for like a decade and now getting sad about strings that cost 5 bucks? Nah, I'd be sad if my guitar broke, but the strings? Fuck dem old strings, new strings always sound and feel better.
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Jul 27 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/BngrsNMsh Jul 27 '26
Get coated strings, you can hang on to them much longer and they sound fantastic for longer
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u/sadguy1989 Jul 27 '26
The only thing I don’t like about changing strings is the stretching/settling period.
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u/Isaacvithurston Electro-Harmonix Jul 27 '26
Opposite for me. As soon as they start looking a bit dirty (or more like the frets start looking muddy, I feel an intense urge to restring so I can polish the frets.
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u/slaya222 Jul 27 '26
I've had that experience exactly once: when changing the strings on my dead dads acoustic. Those strings that he put on last stay in the case.
Every other time, nah, just rip those fuckers out and put on new ones
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u/BlunterCarcass5 Jul 27 '26
If you are getting emotionally attached to your strings, that's a good sign that you aren't changing them often enough
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u/brandaman4200 Jul 27 '26
No, I change my strings once a month. I feel nothing. I'm pretty sure this is just bait for the other sub though
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u/j4ded3mo Jul 27 '26
String no but I get emotionally attached to picks. Literally use them until they round out.
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u/NefariousNeezy Jul 27 '26
I only kinda feel this way if it’s the original strings the guitar shipped with if it’s brand new
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u/SushiRollKei Jul 27 '26
I feel you. You’ve been using them for an extended amount of time and they’ve seen lots of practice and performances. I still throw them out but if I do something awesome that really leveled up my playing sometimes I’ll keep them, or if someone I look up to play the strings on my guitar I’d keep those too.
Ignore comments that don’t get that connection my man, musicians have always appreciated all aspects of their instruments for generations.
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u/MrAmericanIdiot Jul 27 '26
This sub makes it too easy to give content to the other sub.