son of frog Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Right, basically i have just put a set of Ernie Balls on my bass, and it sounded great, put them on last friday, And now to me they sound near dead!? Dull and lifeless, or any high tone they have is just nasty, well to my ears anyway. I know people say about cold conditions, but it has been in its hard-case upstairs, and about dirty fingers \ hands, well i do try to wash hands before use, but even the dirtiest hands couldn't ruin strings this fast, Before i had these strings i had some Stadium Elites on there, which died relatively fast too, but not as bad, Note also that the EB strings i got were the hybrid variety, but did not come in the vacuum pack that you usually come to expect with Ernie Balls. I dont know if it would make a difference but the Bass is a Fender 1956 re-issue MIM. I just really cant afford to be dishing out another circa £20 for more strings, but for gigs i really have to, I'm very paranoid about these things, I've seen kits to help maintain string life? but no longer see them anywhere, what happened? Is there any preference for long lasting strings that maintain that punchy crisp sound for longer? I will upload a Video or sound demo later today, keep in mind that they were changed about midday friday, so its only been about 5 / 6 days. cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Have you ever tried using fast fret? If you put it on before playing it coats the string in a fine protective layer to prevent as much dirt and sweat from getting in the windings. As an added bonus you cna also use it to clean your strings to get back a little extra brightness.. and it lubricates them a little so they don't feel as rough to the touch, or as it says on the pot 'Lets you play faster'. It's only about £6 for a pot and it'll make many sets of strings last a lot longer. Well worth a try Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRBboy Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 (edited) [quote name='chrismuzz' post='1206671' date='Apr 21 2011, 03:19 AM']Have you ever tried using fast fret? If you put it on before playing it coats the string in a fine protective layer to prevent as much dirt and sweat from getting in the windings. As an added bonus you cna also use it to clean your strings to get back a little extra brightness.. and it lubricates them a little so they don't feel as rough to the touch, or as it says on the pot 'Lets you play faster'. It's only about £6 for a pot and it'll make many sets of strings last a lot longer. Well worth a try [/quote] +1 I've had a pot of Fast Fret for about 5 years now and it's still fine!!! It will help to keep your strings clean and fresh, but usually IME when you're getting a recurring problem like this, there's something else afoot. For instance, I had a similar problem a while back and eventually traced it to the nut. As the slots had worn over the years, and the string was no longer a snug fit, it was killing the vibration of the strings and not transferring it cleanly, resulting in decidedly dull sounding strings. Edited April 21, 2011 by TRBboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Did you gig them? I only change strings about twice a year when not gigging, but two hours on a sweaty stage used to completely kill my strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son of frog Posted April 22, 2011 Author Share Posted April 22, 2011 [quote name='RhysP' post='1207487' date='Apr 21 2011, 08:14 PM']Did you gig them? I only change strings about twice a year when not gigging, but two hours on a sweaty stage used to completely kill my strings.[/quote] Yeah the day after, usually i replace them before every gig, but now i'm doing maybe 2 / 3 gigs a week so its not so financially viable, haha, And thats true, may have been the sweat, hopefully this fast fret stuff will prevent that a bit. But yeah i will get some Fast Fret, they sell it in my local guitar store i just found out, Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 When I started to learn properly,I started to attempt 'pop/slap/tap etc. Bought a few sets of cheap Trace Elliot strings at a music fair , which went dull pretty quickly. My first 'proper' bass was a Washburn Status, so I was used to the bright twangy sound. I was under the impression that when you gigged , you should always play with new strings. Sometime later , I realised that I shouldn't change strings so often now ,and I leave them on as long as I can . I gave up the pop/slap also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Try DR bootzillas or D'Addario EXP Coated - others are probably available. I used to go through strings really fast like you but the DRs especially last for ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Right, firstly, there should be no need at all to replace strings before every gig, virtually no-one does that as far as I know. Do you sweat? Acid sweat can kill strings very quickly. I would suggest DR Strings Black Beauties, but get them from the USA on ebay, they work out a lot cheaper. DR coated strings have a very durable coating system which should cure your problem. They are black, they sound fantastic too. They also do DR Neons which are in a variety of colours and are flourescent and glow under black light. [url="http://www.drstrings.com/catalog/extra-life-bass-strings-black-beauties"]http://www.drstrings.com/catalog/extra-lif...-black-beauties[/url] I use black silk gloves to play. From Jasmine Silk on Amazon. They are durable and are absolutely no hinderance to my playing, even fast passages. In fact I get a smoother, more even tone. Etienne Mbappe uses them as his acid sweat kills the strings in three songs. I use them because I can pretend I'm Audrey Hepburn on stage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fudge Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 [quote name='silddx' post='1238867' date='May 21 2011, 12:18 AM']I use black silk gloves to play.[/quote] April 1st? Just like my favourite w*** is wearing a pair of boxing gloves .. right .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son of frog Posted May 21, 2011 Author Share Posted May 21, 2011 hmm all these sets are expensive... like £30 and up, i'm sure they're good, but i'm literally playing all week long... so chances are i'll kill them, i'm still yet to get some fast fret, but next time i'm in the music store i will. I need to hurry up and get a string endorsement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son of frog Posted May 21, 2011 Author Share Posted May 21, 2011 one other thing i've wondered is... Can you buy bass string sets in bulk anywhere in the UK, not cheapo brands though, Was looking to get Roto's / EB's / Fender strings, but if i can get a box of 10 / 20 sets maybe save some money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daflewis Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 (edited) Elixirs!?! Eight shows a week and i change them every six months or so (actually it has been over a year on occasion... ) Edited May 21, 2011 by daflewis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 (edited) [quote name='son of frog' post='1238906' date='May 21 2011, 01:52 AM'] hmm all these sets are expensive... like £30 and up, i'm sure they're good, but i'm literally playing all week long... so chances are i'll kill them, i'm still yet to get some fast fret, but next time i'm in the music store i will. I need to hurry up and get a string endorsement.[/quote] I use these guys, half the price of buying them here, about £18 including delivery from the States. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DR-Black-Beauty-BKB-45-Bass-Strings-45-105-/290564136077?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item43a6f8dc8d#ht_720wt_1141"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DR-Black-Beauty-BKB-...d#ht_720wt_1141[/url] Fast Fret is unlikely to help you as your problem sounds more serious. Although it might help Fudge with the friction from his boxing gloves Edited May 21, 2011 by silddx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 [quote name='Mr Fudge' post='1238869' date='May 21 2011, 12:24 AM']April 1st? Just like my favourite w*** is wearing a pair of boxing gloves .. right .. [/quote] A Pair? Do you have to ask your next door neighbour to help you take them off when you've finished? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycrowave Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 [quote name='daflewis' post='1239031' date='May 21 2011, 09:50 AM']Elixirs!?! Eight shows a week and i change them every six months or so (actually it has been over a year on occasion... )[/quote] coated strings are great if u just like to fingerbang, but if you use a pick much you wil scratch the coating off and that aint nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son of frog Posted May 21, 2011 Author Share Posted May 21, 2011 [quote name='silddx' post='1239104' date='May 21 2011, 10:57 AM']I use these guys, half the price of buying them here, about £18 including delivery from the States. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DR-Black-Beauty-BKB-45-Bass-Strings-45-105-/290564136077?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item43a6f8dc8d#ht_720wt_1141"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DR-Black-Beauty-BKB-...d#ht_720wt_1141[/url][/quote] Thats an excellent price! cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawrenceH Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 [quote name='son of frog' post='1206668' date='Apr 21 2011, 02:56 AM']Is there any preference for long lasting strings that maintain that punchy crisp sound for longer? I will upload a Video or sound demo later today, keep in mind that they were changed about midday friday, so its only been about 5 / 6 days.[/quote] Bit late to the party here but it really sounds to me like you had a duff set here if they went off that quick. I used to use EB hybrids all the time and although they go off quite quick with playing, just left strung up on the bass they stay bright for longer than a week. I've got a set on my 70s RI jazz that I put on a few months ago, but I've hardly played it in that time and the strings (fast-fretted) are still suprisingly zingy, nowhere near dead yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son of frog Posted May 21, 2011 Author Share Posted May 21, 2011 [quote name='LawrenceH' post='1239739' date='May 21 2011, 09:50 PM']Bit late to the party here but it really sounds to me like you had a duff set here if they went off that quick. I used to use EB hybrids all the time and although they go off quite quick with playing, just left strung up on the bass they stay bright for longer than a week. I've got a set on my 70s RI jazz that I put on a few months ago, but I've hardly played it in that time and the strings (fast-fretted) are still suprisingly zingy, nowhere near dead yet.[/quote] I think you're right, The pack i got weren't even in the usual Vacuum sealed foil packet either, just in a regular string pack, which is quite odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daflewis Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 [quote name='cycrowave' post='1239186' date='May 21 2011, 11:53 AM']coated strings are great if u just like to fingerbang, but if you use a pick much you wil scratch the coating off and that aint nice.[/quote] Good point... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 (edited) [quote name='cycrowave' post='1239186' date='May 21 2011, 11:53 AM']coated strings are great if u just like to fingerbang, but if you use a pick much you wil scratch the coating off and that aint nice.[/quote] The new DR K3 coating is much more durable than the previous one. You are right in that the coating wears of after a while but it's not a big problem, only cosmetic really. I actually touch mine in with a Pentel permanent marker when the coating wears off a little Edited May 22, 2011 by silddx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martthebass Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I've often wondered if the bass has an effect? Back in the day I had a Fender JV 57 reissue, strings used to die very quickly on this bass and I wasn't exactly a slap n pop artist. On every Stingray I've had - never a problem, when the first flush of yoof has gone from the strings I just bring the zing back with a little eq. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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