String boxes: What do you keep your strings in?

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Addie's post about old and new strings makes me wonder: What do people use to store strings? I'd like to have cardboard dividers so I could organize strings by instrument (banjo, mando, etc) and type (acoustic, electric) and gauge. I have a long narrow cardboard box, but I want something longer. And on another forum, Coastie wants something longer, too.

 

[fronobulax]

I don't have enough strings that are not on instruments to need anything other than a place that can hold one or two string packages.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Thanks, frono. How long do bass strings last? About as long as guitar strings?

 

[fronobulax]

Surely you remember the jokes because I have used the same strings for several decades? Rational people who really like new bass strings tend to change them every few months - maybe 20+ hours of playing, but I'm still using a set of rounds that were new in the late 1970's and have been in use on one bass or another since then.

Mrs. Fro. seems to be changing strings every six to nine months and we use the occassion to visit a local shop to buy strings and "see what they have got".

 

[Bikerdoc]

I keep mine in the guitar case; normally two extra sets just in case someone might what to try some JP's.

Peace

 

[walrus]

Like Doc, I keep them in the guitar case - 4 or 5 extra sets maximum. I take them out of the cardboard outer wrapper before I put them in the case so they don't take up much room.

But since you have multiple types of instruments, Darryl, your situation seems more "complex"!

walrus

 

[adorshki]

Addie's post about old and new strings makes me wonder: What do people use to store strings?

New ones or used ones?

....hides in an attic concealed on a shelf
Behind volumes of literature based on herself....

ok, granted, for me it's a closet not an attic and I keep a fresh set in each case in the "glove box".
I think I've got just one genuine vintage set of Guild L350's left, with the .025 G string I'm always on about, and a couple more of the D'Addario EJ-16's on the shelf right now, which reminds me I really need to check to see if I've got a spare set for the F65ce which needs extralights, .010.-.047.....
I used to keep 'em with my pot until I forgot where I put that one day.

 

[billy budapest]

Thanks, frono. How long do bass strings last? About as long as guitar strings?

I once asked the late Duck Dunn how often he changed strings. His reply? "Now why would I wanna do that??".

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

 

[Ridgemont]

I have a plastic contained that contains all related guitar maintinence stuff. Keep it in the closet.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Grot's got the answer. Where would I buy one of those?

 

[12 string]

HF, get yourself a D'Addario "starter kit" (or two). It is one of those file boxes with the dividers just like you see at the music store, about a foot long. I had two old wooden ones which were stolen. In the meantime D'Addario had switched over to plastic boxes. Not as pretty but fully functional. The kit will come with a wide variety of string gauges and it will have plenty of room for you to start putting your own stuff in it right away. It may take a while, but you can probably use most or all of those greatly discounted strings and refill the box with whatever you need to have on hand. I actually use two of these to contain my 12 string inventory. They have interlocking sliding tabs so they can be attached side by side though I don't use them.

Talk to the dealers to get these or Kurt's bass string boxes.

' Strang

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Thanks, strang. Where would I find a starter kit for sale? Guitar Center, Sam Ash, etc? I just went searching on the net, including Daddario.com, and couldn't find anything.

hf

 

[SouthernSounds]

Darryl,

I've never seen one of those "starter kits", nonetheless I found this in the interweb: see the last page. There you have product numbers...

All the best,
B.

 

[12 string]

Thanks, strang. Where would I find a starter kit for sale? Guitar Center, Sam Ash, etc? I just went searching on the net, including Daddario.com, and couldn't find anything.

hf

It's been a long time, because once I had my boxes I just kept restocking. So I didn't need to buy a new kit. I was about to suggest that an indie-type dealer may be more willing to order something which ordinarily goes behind the counter. Then I noticed the link SouthernSounds gave us has "single string kits". So their product line may have changed a bit, but I think that's what you're looking for.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

I see single string kits on the last page. Maybe if I call that 800 number they'd sell me one.

 

[12 string]

I see they're also selling the index cards. I never needed to buy them because my dealer would order replacement packs for me. These came in packs of 10 for steel and 5 for wound bronze. A pack of 10 .013s or five .047s or whatever came with the index card included.

I used to get some outrageous deals doing this. Let us know how it works out, Darryl, I'm going to need to do a major multi-gauge string buy fairly soon. BTW, if you buy a kit and have some gauges you can't use I'll bet I can. For the right price I might take any such strings off your hands.

 

[Bill Ashton]

As posted before somewhere...

 

[MLBob]

One extra set in the case of each guitar. The rest in the top draw of my dresser with a billion other "important" papers and "stuff" I feel the need to save.

 

[RussB]