New strings - same guage - fret buzz?

[Magic Matt]

I have had the same strings on my bass for probably 14 years. I really liked the almost double-bass like tone from those old strings. Sadly one broke - new strings on.

I've checked they're the same guage using my micrometer, but although they sound different (to be expected - new vs old) I'm also getting fret buzz when played hard. I didn't think I'd have to adjust the truss rod or anything if they are the same guage...

...should I be altering anything, or is this just what happens when you have new strings, and they'll wear in fairly quick?

[HowieBass]

Any idea if they're the same brand? If not then it's more than likely the new set have a different tension. Check the neck relief and adjust the truss rod if necessary.

Some fret buzz is welcomed by many players, especially when you dig in; it's when it's excessive or you have note choking that it needs sorting out.

Edited November 1, 2014 by HowieBass

[Magic Matt]

Well I have a gig tonight so I'll see how it sounds through the larger amp before I start messing with the truss rod. No idea if the brand is the same - probably not given the age of the strings.

I assumed the same gauge would mean the same tension - I guess not then!

[bassmachine2112]

Hi,you might need to raise your saddles a touch due to no wear on the strings where they contact the frets,I get little flats on the strings after a while where they contact the frets,it,ll be only a couple of thou wear,this might be what your hearing but they will bed in hopefully.
Quarter to half turn on the saddles might just do it-works for me.Sometimes strings work harden over prolonged playing and don,t bounce around as much,the played in sound.

[FinnDave]

I just (yesterday) changed the original Fender strings on my Precision for a set of D'Adddarios of the same gauge (45-105) and had to back off the truss rod about 1/8th turn to get the relief correct again, also had to adjust the intonation on the A string.

[BigRedX]

Very old strings will have lost some of their elasticity and may well have worn in places from contact with the frets. Even if they were exactly the same brand and type of string the materials and method of manufacture could have changed since your last set were made. All in all it's unsurprising that changing a very old set of strings for brand new ones would require a set up.

[PlungerModerno]

As has been mentioned - there's too much unknowns to give a perfect answer - You'd better check everything.

Diameter only tells you about the overall gauge - the material, construction, etc. can all vary hugely between different string sets - even within one company.

Remember a lot of companies contract out string work (Fender? I think?) So the same stringset can vary in construction - yet come in exactly the same pack (never happened to me, but I've heard people claim it's happened).

[Magic Matt]

Ok, I've adjusted truss rod just a little - it feels different, but then given the age of the strings before that was expected.

It's very "twangy" and more metallic sounding than before... there wasn't much twang at all on the old strings but the sound seemed more wooden. Is this just a case of "New strings are going to sound like that - hard luck" ?

The strings on there now are Rotosound Swing Bass 66 ... is it worth trying a few different types of string, or are they all going to have that twangyness?

[BigRedX]

Rotosound swing bass 66 are round wound strings and are designed to be bright and zingy when new. They will eventually loose that brightness, but it will take some time and IME as they get older they become harder to intonate. I kept a set on for just over a year once, by the end it was impossible to play in tune all the way up the neck no matter what I did with the set up.

You might be better off with a set of flat wound strings. I like Thomastik Infeld Jazz Flats, but D'Addario Chromes and LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass are also favourites around here.

[PlungerModerno]

Depending on where you are financially and what you want tonally, a set of flats, as suggested - might be a great experiment.

Also consider groundwound / pressurewound strings - It depends what you like.

[Magic Matt]

The thing there is I don't know what else there is, lol. I've been playing about 14 years and never had to change the strings... hence what I'm used to is quite a dead woody sort of tone, which if anything is almost double-bass like, especially through my Peavey TKO 115S. I don't use FX or compression etc. - just direct into the amp. The only thing lately, which I suppose should have perhaps given me a clue, is I started using the "bright" switch on the amp - other than that everything's flat/off.

I've only ever really been into the music... mostly soul & blues. I've not really ever experimented with tone.

It sounds like flat wound might be worth trying if these don't bed in. Of course, it could also be to do with how I am playing them, having been used to the other strings for so long, maybe I'm just too hard on them.

[EssentialTension]

If you are into soul and blues, and you liked fourteen year old dead strings then you're a very good case for trying some flatwounds.

But whatever strings you use you should expect to do at least a little setting up when you change them.

[HowieBass]

You could just back off the tone control to roll off treble if the new strings sound too 'brittle' for you while you decide if you can get along with new roundwounds (compared to totally dead rounds) and I presume you now turn off the amp bright switch. Nickel rounds are usually warmer sounding than steel rounds and usually feel smoother to the touch for fingerstyle playing plus they don't change so much in tone as they age (since they're less bright to begin with).

[Magic Matt]

I'm being nudged towards [color=#000000][font=Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][size=3][b]La Bella 760QM [/b][/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][size=3](45/62/85/107) ... apparently the Quarter Wound thing will get the deep tones on the lower strings I've been missing, but also give me a bit of punch too.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#000000][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][size=3]Ugh... why do bass strings have to be so expensive! You can go to a guitar shop and compare instruments, but not strings. Bah![/size][/font][/color]

[BigRedX]

Unfortunately anything that isn't a standard round wound set 40-100 or 45-105 is going to be expensive. However if your next set are going to lat you another 14 years then the price per year is excellent value. Pity us people who like the bright sound of new round wounds and want to be changing them at least once a month.

Also the only way to know if a set of strings are right for your bass is to try them on your bass. IME what works for one won't necessarily work as well on anther. My 8 main basses all have different strings on them to get the best out of them.