How often to change strings

[yankees1]

Sooner is better, but certainly when you have the thought of needing a better mandolin.

. I agree ! ��

[Caleb]

Different instruments are funny when it comes to strings. I have two guitars: the Larrivee will not perform with old strings, but the cheap old Takamine will do fine with them indefinitely. I've noticed on my Collings mandolin I have tuning issues when the strings get older.

[John Adrihan]

If you play Jazz you never have to change them😂

[Mark Gunter]

We're supposed to change the strings?

[David L]

We're supposed to change the strings?

If you ever want to sell it as an antique, then don't change strings. They like all original parts.

[Mark Gunter]

On a serious note, I really don't change strings often enough. Once they start going dead, color has changed, tone is suffering, I'll acquiesce and change them out. Usually, a couple times a year.

[RickPick]

Really?

I might have “understood” that, but I was dead wrong! Thanks for questioning my “understanding,”whatever I had based it on. To set the record straight (since I had started it on a crooked path....), I asked a string manufacturer who makes both violin and mandolin strings. According to him, mandolin strings have somewhat greater tension than violin strings. So please follow my wife’s lead and never listen to me!

[DHopkins]

On a serious note, I really don't change strings often enough. Once they start going dead, color has changed, tone is suffering, I'll acquiesce and change them out. Usually, a couple times a year.

I probably don't change strings often enough because I hate changing strings. It's not difficult; it doesn't take long; it's not a particularly expensive proposition; I just don't like doing it. I do, however, deduct them on my taxes since I list my occupation on the tax forms as musician. Fully realizing that the jury is still out on that assessment, the IRS has never questioned it,

Anyway, as I've said before, I'd rather be set on fire for 15 minutes or spend a weekend in jail than change strings but periodically, I bite the bullet and do it anyway.

[mbruno]

One note - do yourself a favor and buy a mandolin string winder like this https://themandolinstore.com/product...-for-mandolin/

It's worth it's weight in gold IMO

[thecelloronin]

The great cellist Pablo Casals may or may not have said a string sounds the best right before it breaks. He also may or may not have been referencing the wear properties of catgut. YMMV, but I tend to play strings until they break on my larger-scale instruments.

[Doug Brock]

One note - do yourself a favor and buy a mandolin string winder like this https://themandolinstore.com/product...-for-mandolin/

It's worth it's weight in gold IMO

I bought one of those from the Mandolin Store a month or so ago. It seemed crazy expensive when compared to the $3 string winders I see at music stores, but having a smaller winder that fits the smaller mandolin tuning buttons does significantly improve the string changing process.

This winder has also made it easy to throw quite a few extra spins on the stiffer tuning machines each time I change strings. I also bought an attachment to connect to a nut driver or drill, but this wooden string changer is already in my gear bag and I don't have to go get my drill. The MD315 tuning machines are definitely smoother now than when I got the mandolin in December.