Any goo tips on aging guitar strings quickly?

[mxandmyax]

I recently restrung my guitar, I need to play it tomorrow, and I hate the way new strings feel.. It's an important gig so I don't want to just deal with it. Just wondering if other than just playing the crap out of it if there are any tricks to getting the strings broken in feeling more quickly.

[aziltz]

stretch them extensively. That should keep them from going out of tune as you play.

Personally, I prefer how new strings feel, so I don't know how to get rid of that other than not washing your hands.

[this1smyne]

work on your car engine, and than play. work a little more, play again. works everytime.

[circusinthesky]

Lemon Pledge. Just spray directly onto the neck, and let it soak into the pores on the metal for about 10 min, then wipe it off with some sand paper.

I wonder if medical boards are helpful in this manner.

[Flying Panda]

Sweat.

[guitarnoize]

I read somewhere EVH boils his before he puts them on, personally I just give them a good stretching and play for half an hour job done.

[BeowulfKingsley]

Pull them off the fingerboard and let 'em slap back down. Several times. Then play ridiculous bends on all strings and pick hard for a good long time. If you need extra mojo after that, go get some good fried chicken and eat it. Don't wash your hands, just play that guitar. Wipe down with a soft cloth. You should be good.

[Kaji13]

Stick your hands in bacon grease and then play.

[Flyin' Brian]

Steve Cropper used to put chap stick on the wound strings.

Or

Just use flatwounds.

[circusinthesky]

Originally Posted by Kaji13

Stick your hands in HOT bacon grease and then play.

corrected

[jazzandmetal?]

Originally Posted by this1smyne

work on your car engine, and than play. work a little more, play again. works everytime.

I bet that is the secret to Jeff Becks tone!

[Jim Moulton]

elixir

[tjmicsak]

Remove old strings and clean guitar
1. Lubricate the nut slots and string trees
2. Install strings
3. Tune strings
4. Pull strings out away from guitar to stretch
5. Retune

Repeat 3, 4, and 5 taking notice that each time there is less tuning needed, until there is no change.

Stretching takes about 5-10 minutes tops with the right lube done unless you want to check and reset the intonation.

[Marble]

i agree with the other people who say grease your hands up. One person said fried chicken, I was gonna say eat some pizza and don't wash/wipe your hands off and play.

That shits nasty though dude, just play your guitar for a couple hours and they will be alright. I know what you mean, new strings feel all metal-ly and too tight. Just play for a little bit, do your thing, you know a little more practice never hurts. You'll either get used to it, or they will break in. Good luck.

[BluesHarp]

The "feel" of the strings are not the problem, its the "sound" of new strings that you dont like. If the new strings are at the exact same tension as old ones then other than being clean they should "feel" the same.

Going out of tune? Like said, pull and snap and then do some big bends all over ( around 2nd and 12th frets mostly ) and that should at least settle them in. Sound too bright? Turn your tone or volume knob down a small bit on your guitar. These 2 things are what I dont like about new strings... especially the going out of tune halfway in the first chorus part.