Buying/Using 'singles'.

[NancyJohnson]

Anyone go the route of just replacing single strings?

This isn't really anything about making economies - I was about to change the strings on one of my basses and quickly came to the conclusion that while the E string was pretty dead, the ADGs still have an awful lot of life left in them, despite the fact they've been on for a while (this always seems to be the case). The strings on the bass are EB Slinkys.

A new E is £8, a full set (of whatever brand I decide to use - generally I'm going the Elixir Nanoweb route now) is £30/35+ - it just seems horribly wasteful to chuck the whole set - so, for the first time ever I should add, I pulled the trigger and just bought a Slinky .105 for £7.50.

P

Edited January 7, 2015 by NancyJohnson

[FuNkShUi]

I've never done that before, but it seems like a good idea.
Definitely something i will consider doing next time my strings need a change!

[HowieBass]

Mine always seem to go off in the same way across the board (neck?) so in the past I've only ever replaced the set. I have however boiled a couple of old sets (roundwounds) which breathed a bit of life back into them. I'd be a bit worried the new string would seem really bright compared to the older ones.

[JTUK]

I don't like imbalance of new and old so I'd have the whole set off...clean them up and use them another time.
When I change strings, I change them all...
I just can't see strings being a few months old being sonically compatible with new strings.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1420636003' post='2651550'] I don't like imbalance of new and old so I'd have the whole set off...clean them up and use them another time. When I change strings, I change them all... [/quote]

This. I'd go mad if one string was noticeably brighter than the others.
the only time I've bought single strings have been when I over-tightened an E as an enthusiastic beginner, and when I had a duff A string and needed a replacement pronto for that evening's gig (the manufacturer of the offending string replaced the whole set for free).

[fretmeister]

I usually buy B strings separately as D'addario don't do I set where I like every string gauge.

But I still change them all at the same time.

[Old_Ben]

I will replace a whole set, but to be honest only do so 3 times a year, so £30 every 4 months isn't the worst amount to have to fork out

[Count Bassy]

What is this 'changing strings' thing of which you speak?

[Stylon Pilson]

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1420646147' post='2651693']
What is this 'changing strings' thing of which you speak?
[/quote]

I replace my roundwounds every 4 years, whether they need it or not.

S.P.

[NancyJohnson]

[quote name='Old_Ben' timestamp='1420638308' post='2651588']
£30 every 4 months isn't the worst amount to have to fork out.
[/quote]

Now factor this up by nine basses.

[Old_Ben]

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1420661219' post='2651932']
Now factor this up by nine basses.
[/quote]
how do you use 9 basses that much?

[NancyJohnson]

In my defence, two full bands (with an occasional third), recording, jamming, writing, big heavy muthafunking plectrums. I pick up whatever is close to me and I tend to play for at least an hour a day.

It has to be said that some basses don't kill the strings as much as others, which I am not able to quantify.

[pfretrock]

I worry more about my frets, I'm sure the TI flats will outlive them seem to have significant wear after 12 months. Am I playing too much, or do I need a multiple GAS upgrade?

[NancyJohnson]

Mwahaha...I think that was a raging success and I shall [b]definitely [/b]be repeating this exercise in the future. Obviously the new E is a tad brighter than the ADGs, but it'll lose some of it's zing in the coming days and even out.

Despite saying this wasn't anything to do with money saving, there's a feel good factor to be had for saving yourself £20.00 plus!
P

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1420646147' post='2651693']
What is this 'changing strings' thing of which you speak?
[/quote]

+1

Flats, dear boy, flats are the answer.

[NancyJohnson]

This may come across as a bit of a stupid question to those in the know, but flats. When I first started playing (when all this was fields), my first bass came with flats on it. I can only really remember them being shiny, flat, dull and lifeless and it didn't really occur to me that I could change them for anything else. The G-string broke one weekend and not knowing any better I dipped into my paper round money and replaced just the one string with a roundwound (and there was light - heh).

I remember hearing the [i]zingyness [/i]of that G-string and pretty much played everything on that string for weeks and frankly never looked back.

Given the music I play now (punky/noise), I ask what would flats give me now? Is it worth having a punt and stringing up one basses with flats, or will they just be lifeless mud?

P

[HowieBass]

I, like many others, like flats on a P bass, something about the combination of split coil pickup in that position and flats offering a warm round tone. I'm using Fender flats on that P and on a Cort fretless and they're not as dull as I remember the Rotosounds I used many years ago; they're quite zingy for flats. Since they don't cost much for a set it's not such a huge gamble.