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How often do you change your strings?


jim_bass
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Hi, my name is Boris and I'm a recovering slap bass player.

[i][Hi Boris][/i]

It's been 20 years, 9 months and two days since I last played slap bass in a band

[i][Applause][/i]

Back in the day, I used to change my strings about once a month. Sometimes more. Tiny gauge things (30-90) that would snap all the time.

[i][Groan][/i]

I'd even use those piano-wound strings where you'd fix the ball-end retainer yourself, leaving a quarter-inch of core wire at the bridge before the winding started

[i][Bigger groan. Several 'hallelujah's][/i]

I'd rarely even play any gigs. Just went through a sh*t-load of strings in my bedroom

[i][Mild groan, uncomfortable laughter][/i]

But now I'm much better. I'm in a stonkingly loud punk band that plays 40 gigs a year, plus rehearsals. I change my strings once every two years or so! Haven't bust a string in 20 years!

[i][Wild applause][/i]

BB

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  • 2 weeks later...

I always change my strings before a gig so, currently, that's every six weeks or so. I fit them before the final rehearsal and they'll get me through that, the sound check and the show - after which they're done. I use two basses on stage. A four and a five but I don't change the strings on the five very often. Maybe once a year.

My preference is for roundwounds with gauges of 40, 60, 80 100 and I've used Elites Stadium, Rotosound Swing Bass 66, Ernie Ball Slinky, GHS Bass Boomers, Rotosound PSDs, Fender (!), Gibson (!!) and I once had to fit a set of Yamahas in desperation but the rules of this forum prevent me from describing them accurately. The best? Probably GHS Bass Boomers but they're difficult to get hold of in the UK these days. They just stayed brighter longer.

Advice to newbies? Always re-check your intonation after changing strings, even if they're the same gauge as the ones you're taking off and even if they're from the same manufacturer. They vary.

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[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1371745057' post='2117679']


Yay! Ive found someone else who likes the same tone as me...Thank f***. I thought I was the only one! B)
[/quote]

Me too
Lucky to get 3 gigs out of a set. Gotta have the zing.

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I tend to go along with the habit of 'hardly ever' for flats and 'a bit more often' for rounds. But having only one bass, and that strung with flats, it's going to be a while. Unless I break one. But then I haven't broken a string in 39 years of playing, so... boring, eh? :P

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm too tight to chnage strings.

I now have a dilemma as just got a new P bass that has come with decent rounds on. After converting to flats 6 months ago the rounds feel horrible.

Do I change then and bin a perfectly good set of Elites ?

Anyone want to trade some flats for some rounds ??

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I used to change mine for every gig I played. That was some time ago... I used to have a lot more money to waste then!

Nowadays, I'm not too prescriptive. Just change them when they no longer sound good. Set of D'Addario Steels on my Ricky still sounding good after several months!

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[quote name='iamtheelvy' timestamp='1373446881' post='2137581']
I used to change mine for every gig I played. That was some time ago... I used to have a lot more money to waste then!

Nowadays, I'm not too prescriptive. Just change them when they no longer sound good. Set of D'Addario Steels on my Ricky still sounding good after several months!
[/quote]

That's the thing though... Most strings don't suddenly stop sounding good, they gradually get less bright so you don't really notice until you do put a new set of strings on and then find you need to turn down the treble and high mid controls on your amp!

These days I try to change the round wound strings on my main gigging basses at least every 2 months. I can still remember the time that I left a set on so long that they would no longer intonate properly as they had developed flat spots on the windings at the contact points for all the most commonly used frets!

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1373449689' post='2137625']
Come and join us! Be free of guilt and shame! Wear your flats with pride! :)
[/quote]

Have just found that Strings Direct are doing flatwound singles... Hmmm....

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[quote name='iamtheelvy' timestamp='1373450919' post='2137651']I quite like the D'addarios, but they don't do a 45-105 set, and not a big fan of 45-100 or 50-105.[/quote]

[url="http://www.labella.com/products/760fs/"]http://www.labella.com/products/760fs/[/url]

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1373451080' post='2137654']
[url="http://www.labella.com/products/760fs/"]http://www.labella.com/products/760fs/[/url]
[/quote]

Oh, I know they're out there, just not quite willing too give up all my top end just yet!

Anyway, kinda hijacked the topic there for a bit...

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[quote name='iamtheelvy' timestamp='1373451399' post='2137663']Oh, I know they're out there, just not quite willing too give up all my top end just yet![/quote]

If you think flats are lacking in top end then may I respectfully inform you that you are quite wrong there, sir! :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

[quote name='3below' timestamp='1371581033' post='2115879']
Roto trubass on acoustic bass same set from new, that was in 1980 or thereabouts. I am serious, and they are still ok. TI flats on what was main bass, 7 yrs plus. Ti flats on current main player 3+ years. What is this string changing thing?
[/quote]
My thoughts exactly. And I've not broken a bass string ever, in 40+ years!

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  • 2 months later...
:hi: ... the string makers lobby are going to be mighty grumpy when they watch this.. :D C'mon you guys! how come I didn't know about this!?!?

[color=#333333][font=arial, Arial, sans-serif][size=3]How to get NEW bass strings in 2 minutes! Without removing the strings from your bass and without any kind of cleaning products Do try this at home![/size][/font][/color]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8OYeN9mAL4&feature=em-uploademail"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8OYeN9mAL4&feature=em-uploademail[/url] Edited by SimonEdward
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As soon as they go off... so that can be 3 weeks onwards.
I'll clean them up and put them back a few more times but I'll know
when they have nothing left to give and bin them.

Strings can fatigue but breakages should be rare.
If it happened more than once..or at all... I'd be looking at the way there were wound on..and how
the string passes through the peg, nut and bridge as these are the stress points.
You should take note of where the string breaks...

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