When Should I Change My Strings?

One of my favorite things is the sound of brand new strings.  Unfortunately one of my least favorite things to do is change my strings.
There are a few signs that will tell me it’s time to get those wire clippers and string winders out.

• Tone.  For me this is the biggest reason to change my strings.  When they lose their brightness that’s a big sign for me.  That is because I love the brightness of a new string, which is not for everyone.  Some people prefer the warmer sound of more worn in strings.  There is no right or wrong here, use your ears.
• Tuning Stability.  If it gets hard for your tuner to register the notes or your guitar just won’t stay in tune that can be a sign that your strings have outlived their usefulness.  Keep in mind that brand new strings will stretch at first and it’s a good idea to give them a few tugs to help keep them in tune. 
• Rust and corrosion.  If you get this far it’s definitely time to grab a new set of strings!  Wiping down your strings after each use will help to prevent corrosion and will help to lengthen the life of your strings.  Strings that are showing signs of corrosion will break quicker.
• Dents in the strings.  After use you can feel dents in the wound strings where they come in contact with the frets.  As soon as I feel that I grab my string changing tools.

There are a lot of factors in determining how long you should go between string changes.  How often you play and how hard you play are factors.  Also keeping your instrument out on a stand all the time and exposing the strings can shorten the lifespan of the strings. 
The best thing to do is to keep your strings clean and use your ears as well as keeping an eye out for the obvious signs of wear.