Your friend is smart. When we have a specific task assigned to a specific day, it cuts through the mental clutter and is much more likely to happen. Many people change the battery in the smoke alarm in association with fall and spring clock changes -- a very healthy association.

- We have the right tools (hubby plays guitar) -- but I just need to get on the right rhythm for the year. It's great that the 12 month year is divisible by so many different units! Holiday String Changes? Jan 1, Apr1, July 4, Labor Day?

If you wipe down your strings before and after playing, you will get a lot of the grime and finger grease off and they'll last longer, as Cindy suggests. I find that as soon as strings start to feel at all hard or brittle I change them. New strings are much softer on the fingers. They also sound better, but since the sound deterioration is so slow, I never notice that my strings don't sound so hot until I change them and I realize how much better the new strings sound.

Since I like the feel, sound, and look of new strings, I think of it as a treat rather than a chore to change strings.

Ellen, if you wait until the cues that your strings need changing, you've probably waited too long. If you've waited a year, I bet you'll find new strings just feel much softer on your fingers and you'll want to start changing them more frequently. Professional musicians change strings at least every 2-3 months, as Guy does. I have a friend who plays gypsy jazz guitar in the SF Bay Area and has several regular gigs. One is the first Thursday of every month, and he changes strings before that gig, so he changes strings religiously once a month. I have more instruments than I play regularly, but on the dulcimers that I play regularly and on my six string guitar, I try to change strings every three months. The others I leave until I'm going to be playing one of them for a spell.

If you get the right tools, changing strings is easier. Make sure you have a string winder, a tuner, and a wire cutter handy.

Yikes! I've been playing the same set of strings all year. I can't say I've noticed grime on the strings or on my fingers. What cues are there that it is "time"?

Dusty,

I too play the autoharp. I send it to be restrung ;-)

Dusty Turtle said:

I don't change them as often as others. As long as it sounds nice and they don't break I leave them alone. Most people don't recommend this though.

I replace them about every 6 to 8 weeks but I play a lot. It sounds much nicer with new strings IMO.

I would like to add my 2 cents here regarding strings. I wipe my strings before I put my dulcimer away - I have been using "Dr Duck's Ax Wax and String Lube" for as long as I can remember. It's great alsofor polishingthe instrument, but seems to do a wonderful job of keeping strings clean and maybe I am crazy but I think they sound better longer. Slides andfancy things seem easier too. That's my story and I am sticking to it!

If they sound fine leave them alone! I've only recently got back into playing my dulcimer, actually after finding FOTMD a few months ago. So I opened my dulcimer case and pulled her out after shutting her away over 20 years ago. Not only did it sound fine but it was still in tune! And I'm still playing it with those strings though the spares I had, which were shut away in the case with the dulcimer had all oxidised to dust. I guess there's something to be said for greasy fingers!

Dean, I change strings regularly, too, but not quite as often as Ken. I probably do it about every three months on the instruments I play regularly. Not only do dirt and oil from your hands accumulate on the strings, but the metal begins to oxidize too, and they become more rigid over time. I think if you change strings you will notice that they sound, look, and feel much better.

I even changed the strings on my autoharp once. Once!

Over time strings stretch and get dirty from you fingers sliding over them. The oil your fingers leave attracts dirt. It would not hurt to change strings at this time. Much depends on how often you play. I the more you play, the more often you need to change strings. I try to play a little every day and change strings about once a month. You will probably notice a difference in the sound of your dulcimer when you change the strings. It will sound better.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."