Bass Strings - How Long Do Yours Last ?

[xgsjx]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1336216565' post='1642593']
Strange. Won't that leave an oily residue, which is exactly what you are trying to get rid of in the first place?
[/quote]

Not that I'm aware of. I used to clean my strings with it & it even loosens up your fingers! Worth trying on an old set of strings to see what you think (that's if you have any spare WD40 lying around)

[Grand Wazoo]

Well it really depends on the usage (frequency of use / play) how hard you play them and if you have very sweathy hands.

I am lucky that my hands don't sweath at all, infact at times they are almost too dry, and I have been keeping a log on my string changes dates on all my basses (shown below) to see if there is any possible average to go by, but it's useless because there is no pattern at all and this shows you that it depends entirely on how often you play them. Some last me as little as 3 months some last me more a year.

I use different makes of strings, Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (45/105) on my PRS, Fender 8250M (45/110) on my Fender's, original Dingwall strings for the Dingers. and Kubicki only strings for the the Ex Factor. (The reason why the strings on the Kubicki were changed so quickly is that I bought it 2nd hand and I didn't have the original strings so I fitted some Ernie Ball but they didn't work well with it so less than 1 month later the original strings arrived and I fitted them and its being going great ever since.)

Edited May 5, 2012 by Grand Wazoo

[stingrayPete1977]

WD40 removes oil so it wont leave any behind, thats why you should always oil things after you have free'd something off with WD40 using 3in1 or similar

[stingrayPete1977]

OT but its also the best thing for cleaning tar spots off your car, much better than a dedicated and expensive tar spot remover!

[MrTaff]

I haven't noticed any residue on mine from the purple meths, cheep & saves buying strings all the time.

[kevin_lindsay]

I've never boiled my strings or cleaned them with meths or the like. Maybe I have gentle sweat or something?

I need to change my strings around once a year, they've started to lose the top end "zing" by that stage. If I've been gigging really hard I might need to change them a few months earlier. In fact, I sold a bass on here with 3 month old strings on there and the buyer emailed me thanking me for putting on a new set of strings on the bass before sending it to him!!

[Bobo_Grimmer]

[quote name='Gordon 'Thudmaster' May' timestamp='1336216503' post='1642589']
[b]It's all down to personnal choice! I for one wouldn't boil or soak, but IMHO the longer you keep your strings the better they get![/b]
[b]Either that or do I what do, when I think the strings need changing, I buy another bass! [/b]
[/quote]

Awesome answer!

I I'm a D'Addario EXL165's man. I find if i gig twice or three times a week for a month in sweaty pubs and clubs then they need changing by the end of that time. but if i wash my hands before i play and rub the bass down after a show before i put it away i can get a bit longer out of them

[Sean]

Anyone used ACF50 on bass strings? It'd probably work a treat. http://www.acf-50.co.uk/motorcycle.htm

[Judo Chop]

About six months for me, mine are GHS half rounds and they lose that zingy sound after a week or two, and then sound like flats until they just lose all definition and clarity over night when they die a few months later.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Gordon 'Thudmaster' May' timestamp='1336216503' post='1642589']
[b]... [/b][b]when I think the strings need changing, I buy another bass! [/b]
[/quote]
I've seen Carol Kaye quoted as saying she never changed strings but if she did need to then she bought another Fender Precision because she was so busy there was no time to change strings.

[Sean]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1336223802' post='1642745']
I've seen Carol Kaye quoted as saying she never changed strings but if she did need to then she bought another Fender Precision because she was so busy there was no time to change strings.
[/quote]

Busy doing what? Claiming that she played all Jamerson's lines?

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1336224313' post='1642753']
Busy doing what? Claiming that she played all Jamerson's lines?
[/quote]
... or busy playing them?

[amnesia]

Looks like I'm on my own here...


...1.5 hours and I can kill a set of strings stone dead - but then I like a bright new-string sound and I don't tickle them.

Boiling them does work to breathe almost-new short term life back into them, but I don't really trust them live at that point.

[Judo Chop]

[quote name='amnesia' timestamp='1336230426' post='1642870']
Looks like I'm on my own here...


...1.5 hours and I can kill a set of strings stone dead - but then I like a bright new-string sound and I don't tickle them.

Boiling them does work to breathe almost-new short term life back into them, but I don't really trust them live at that point.
[/quote]

An hour and a half? Do you have files for fingers?

[Lozz196]

Rotosound Roundwounds - at least a year, possibly two. But then, I don`t like new strings. I Fast-Fret them once a week, but other than that, no special treatment. I`d play flats, but can`t get on with the feel of them.

[MrTaff]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1336240365' post='1643040']
Rotosound Roundwounds - at least a year, possibly two. But then, I don`t like new strings. I Fast-Fret them once a week, but other than that, no special treatment. I`d play flats, but can`t get on with the feel of them.
[/quote]

Stainless or nickel? I could never get the nickels to last more than 6 months, although I'd imagine they would last longer if you only play with a pick.

Edited May 5, 2012 by MrTaff

[Lozz196]

Stainless, and yes, a I`m strictly a pick user.

[RockfordStone]

i get months out of my ernies, but i generally prefer a less bright sound.

i find cleaning them every month or so helps, boiling or water or wd40 normally does it for me

[skankdelvar]

I'm pretty sure the Elixirs have been on my Jazz for about 6 years now. I play with a pick, so they're a bit flaky over the scratchplate, but who cares.

Then again, I'm not that into 'zing'. If I wanted zing, I'd buy an autoharp.

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Edited May 6, 2012 by skankdelvar

[chrismuzz]

I play stainless steel strings, fingerstyle. I try to look after them well by washing my hands before playing, using fast fret, and keeping my basses in a bag/case while not being used. I have managed to get them to last up to a year until they start to sound less desirable... and I like that fresh out of the pack sound!

[BassMan94]

I guess its a matter of trial and error, nevertheless I'll keep on trying !

[chrismuzz]

Wear gloves?

[BB3000S]

+1 on keeping your hands clean and everything.

The two best brands I've found in terms of keeping the zzzzing are DR (Fat/Hi Beams) and a hidden gem: [b]Newtone[/b]. I have Newtones (a custom wound for Unicornbass of Sweden, but all the same wound by Newtone) on my Unicorn (a true slappers dream bass) and those darn strings are into their third year now and still sound like new. Mind, I don't sweat and always clean my hands before playing, but the Newtones are way way more long lived than anything I've ever tried (including DR, they typically last me 6 months before the zing starts to fade).

[amnesia]

[quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1336234147' post='1642928']
Do you have files for fingers?
[/quote]

Dunlop 1.6mm picks.

Strings will stay on my basses for a couple of months in rehearsal, because I don't generally care too much about the tone. In the studio or live is different though, and 1.5 / 2 hours playing is enough to take the shne out of them.

[deanovw]

I can do x4 rehearsals and x2 gigs on one set of strings, after that I am boosting eq and getting annoyed. I have been using Bass Centre elites forever!

I used to boil strings and could get one more gig out of them but I can't be bothered anymore. These elixir nano web strings seem very interesting though. I may try them out.

However, I fear change .......