pressure Posted February 23, 2020 Posted February 23, 2020 My Heritage Johnny Smith has been getting harder and harder to tune, a sure sign of old strings. The final straw was that I couldn't get the high E string to tune to pitch... then it snapped and flew off the guitar. I have never had a string break while tuning up, so I thought, probably time to change all 6 strings. After changing the strings I looked into the neck pocket of the JS guitar case and found the string packet from the last string change. Yea it was time definitely to change the strings.
LK155 Posted February 23, 2020 Posted February 23, 2020 Pressure, how vital is it to record the day of the week on the string package? I'm with you on writing down (and keeping in the case) the date on which the strings were changed, but now I'm worried that I may be missing something important. This may well explain why my playing isn't better than it is!
Gitfiddler Posted February 23, 2020 Posted February 23, 2020 I'm sure Johnny Smith appreciated the string change. Those are one of the best archtops Heritage ever made.
pressure Posted February 23, 2020 Author Posted February 23, 2020 The day of the week isn't vital. You'll see on the new string package I've streamlined the date. Onward into the future. I forget how quickly time passes when your having a Fab time.
Spectrum13 Posted February 23, 2020 Posted February 23, 2020 Why do you need the 4 digit year? would not '16 and '20 also streamline the process and provide more playing time? Johnny Smith models were not available in 1916 and 1920.
rwinking Posted February 23, 2020 Posted February 23, 2020 String Change Friday 02/21/2020 It was a cold sunny day. My wife left me again
LK155 Posted February 23, 2020 Posted February 23, 2020 Or....... Sunday 12/21/2019 It was a dark and stormy night.......... (actually, it snowed like a bastard)
TalismanRich Posted February 24, 2020 Posted February 24, 2020 I spent about 40 minutes playing my G&L Legacy Saturday morning. After I put it back in the case, I looked at my finger tips and they were are really dark grey, almost black. Maybe its time I pull those off as well. It did sound a little bit on the dull side. I'll have to try that "dating the box" thing and see how long it goes.
EllenGtrGrl Posted February 28, 2020 Posted February 28, 2020 Wow pressure! You keep your strings on waaaay longer than I do! I don't think I've ever gone longer than a year between string changes. ? I'm surprised at the string sizes. I've used 12s, and typically when I have the 2nd through 6th strings have been significantly thicker - other than the High E, all of the strings on your Thomastik-Infeld set are even lighter than the Ernie Ball Cobalt 11s I have on my H-535 (I use Ernie Ball Cobalts, due to having a severe allergy to nickel, and a major allergy to chromium - for the G/3rd string I used a wound [I don't like plain 3rd strings] Cobalt .022). I've seen light top/heavy bottom sets, but never the reverse like the Thomastik-Infelds you use. Out of curiosity, what's reasoning for this (heavy top string, and light gauge strings for all of the rest of the strings)?
pressure Posted February 28, 2020 Author Posted February 28, 2020 Easier to play and bend with light strings. There is a volume loss when it's played acoustic only but the ease of playing is worth it. Less pressure on the arched top helps the guitar as well.
big bob Posted February 28, 2020 Posted February 28, 2020 Good thing you had your safety glasses on! You could have lost an eye!
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