Reuse Guitar Strings
Can Guitar Strings Be Reused? Perhaps repurposed, but not reused without having issues inherent with a worn string.
After a couple of months of playing, a guitar string will be damaged from grinding against the frets. It will develop small divots where the string meets the fret. Strings can pick up moisture and oils from your hand that can build up on the string. This can cause a string to rust or tarnish.
All of this has an effect on the string tone. Don’t reuse an old guitar string if you want a reliable and quality sound. JSIG
Exceptions
There are circumstances where you might consider reusing a guitar string. Such as, money.
Bass guitar strings can be quite expensive. I have known bass players to boil their strings to get the built up grime off of them, and then restring their bass guitar with used strings. I am not recommending this, but if money is an issue, it could be a temporary fix.
This is not such a good idea for guitar players, because just the act of taking a string off and putting it back on will weaken a string substantially. Particularly where the string comes in contact with the machine head. So, what can you do?
Make Your Strings Last
- Start with good quality strings
- Wipe your strings with a cloth every time after playing
- Keep the Guitar in a case or controlled environment
Start With A Good String
If you have seen one string then you have seen them all is “not” the case. Every string manufacturer has their own mix of metals that make up their brand of string. If the use a cheaper alloy, then that brand of string will break more frequently.
Keep Your Strings Clean
Keeping the grime and moisture to a minimum is a good idea if you want your strings to last, Keep your hands clean and get a good moisture absorbing soft cloth to wipe down your fretboard.
Environment
Keeping your guitar in a climate controlled environment will help give your strings longevity as well. Don’t park your guitar where the moisture or temperature is going to fluctuate. If you want to be super cautious, put your guitar into it’s case in between playing sessions. The downside of putting your guitar into a case is that it is not easily accessible. I prefer to have my guitar ready to grab for an impromptu brush of creativity.- – – . . . . . – – . . . – . . – . – . – .
If your strings feel gritty, or you can feel divots when you slide your hand up and down the strings, get rid of them and get another set. Don’t reuse them.