How often should I change pedal steel strings?

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Accepted Answer

Change pedal steel strings when they stop sounding clear or stop returning cleanly to pitch, rather than on a fixed calendar. Players who gig or practice daily usually change much more often than occasional players. Plain strings under constant pedal work wear fastest, so replacing a single string between full changes is normal, especially the E9 3rd string. How long a set lasts depends on how much you play, your hands, your climate and how much pedal and lever work your playing involves. Pedal steel strings are moved constantly by the changer, so they fatigue in a way standard guitar strings don't.Signs it's time:The tone has lost its chime and sustain.Pedal and lever changes stop landing on pitch, or strings don't come back cleanly when you release a pedal.The strings feel rough or gritty under the bar.You see discoloration or dark spots on the wound strings.A plain string breaks, which often means the others in the set are tired too.Ways to get more life from a set:Wipe the strings and the bar after every session.Wash and dry your hands before playing.Keep the guitar covered or cased between sessions.Replace a single broken string between full changes rather than playing with one missing.Material matters too. Our stainless sets, marked with a PS- prefix such as PS-EME9TH, are brighter and stand up better to constant pedal movement. Nickel sets like EME9TH are the traditional, warmer choice. Both are in Pedal Steel Guitar Strings. For single plain strings, our Pedal Steel Plain Steel Singles (PG009 to PG012) are in Specialty Singles.

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