wafflejack
Joined: Jan 08, 2012
Posts: 42
Minneapolis
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Posted on Jul 27 2012 09:41 PM
Here's my situation, I play in a surf band that has a gig tomorrow evening with an expected big crowd. I recently had to sell my backup guitar, and thus will be going solo on stage (risky i know).
I play with flatwounds, 11's to be specific, and changed them last five days ago. In that time I've had one other gig, and a extended practice (3-4 hours of play).
I've put it off to the last day. Do I change the strings and risk fluctuating out of tune? Or do I go with the old ones, knowing that a broken string (however unlikely) will mean disaster for the show.
If you were at the helm of this surf machine, which way would you go?
Cheers,
waffle
— Dark City
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Jul 27 2012 09:56 PM
They aren't old enough to break as a result of string fatigue. They may break if the bridge/nut has flaws, but that isn't related to the strings.
And even if you replaced them the day of the gig you should be fine. If you stretch strings lightly right after you put them on, you shouldn't have any trouble.
Flats last a long time, you should change your non-wound strings every month or two, but the wound strings will last and last. I like dull strings myself. Don't like flats, but I like dull strings... weird.
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Matt22
Joined: Feb 15, 2007
Posts: 2858
Fredericksburg, Virginia
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Posted on Jul 27 2012 10:07 PM
I wouldn't change them at all. Flats last a LONG time.
— Matt "tha Kat" Lentz
Skippy and the Skipjacks: 2018-2020
Skippyandtheskipjacks.net
https://www.facebook.com/skippyandtheskipjacks
Otto and the Ottomans: 2014-2015
The Coconauts surf band: 2009-2014
www.theamazingcoconauts.com
Group Captain and the Mandrakes 2013
http://www.gcmband.com/
The Surfside IV: 2002-2005, 2008-2009
the Del-Vamps: 1992-1999, 2006-2007
http://www.dblcrown.com/delvamps.html
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peterbright
Joined: Feb 10, 2012
Posts: 233
Near the Swamp In Louisiana
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Posted on Jul 27 2012 10:55 PM
5 days? 5 years is closer to reality
Last edited: Jul 27, 2012 22:58:19
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ChazSurf
Joined: Nov 25, 2010
Posts: 191
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Posted on Jul 28 2012 01:58 AM
The strings on my 1969 Teisco ET 220 were put on in 1996, and have hardly been played on. I bought the guitar a month ago and haven't got around to changing them yet. I'm trying to figure how I feel about vintage strings.
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revmike
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3857
North Atlantic
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Posted on Jul 28 2012 09:10 AM
When I was using Lorenzo "Surfer Joe's" guitar on a tour a while back, the strings were only changed when they broke...usually in the middle of a set 
The Antiguan climate seemed tough on his strings.
Rev
— Canadian Surf
http://www.urbansurfkings.com/
Last edited: Jul 28, 2012 09:10:47
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Jul 28 2012 09:24 AM
ChazSurf wrote:
The strings on my 1969 Teisco ET 220 were put on in 1996, and have hardly been played on. I bought the guitar a month ago and haven't got around to changing them yet. I'm trying to figure how I feel about vintage strings.
I'm shocked those strings still intonate. I've kept some strings on so long that they stopped intonating.
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LoeD
Joined: Feb 29, 2012
Posts: 310
Germany
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Posted on Jul 28 2012 09:28 AM
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Klas
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 2309
Stockholm, Sweden
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Posted on Jul 28 2012 06:34 PM
Any real flatwounds take more than five days of playing before they start to sound good.
— T H E ✠ S U R F I T E S
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wafflejack
Joined: Jan 08, 2012
Posts: 42
Minneapolis
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Posted on Jul 30 2012 11:55 AM
Hey fellas, thanks for the responses. I left the "old" ones on, and they sounded great. Really I suppose this isn't about strings, but about my anxiety taking only one guitar into a show. I've only broken a flat once, and it was after a few weeks, but that fear of a fluke break can be detrimental to the show, like if I'm holding back on the tremolo or bending. Not conducive to high energy surfdom.
Thanks for patronizing my paranoia.
— Dark City
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