Well I can't say I notice a huge difference in tone or feel but maybe that's just from being such a newbie. But I do check them for signs of wear and corrosion. Haven't seen any yet and I put them on back in June. I practice 30 minutes to an hour every day usually except for a 10 day stretch in July when I was away on vacation. Maybe it's time for a change. Not a huge expense anyway so I'll probably bite the bullet