Longer lasting roundwound strings

[NancyJohnson]

Nanowebs all the way.

Because I'm a tad anal about recording when I change strings and what is on each bass, I can happily advise that I changed the Elixir Nanoweb nickels (set#14066) on my Lull yesterday with a set of steels (set#14677). They'd been on eight months. In that time I've done about 20 sweaty gigs and rehearsed (four hour sessions) pretty much every week. The D&G were still pretty good, but the E&A were just at tipping point between sparkle/whump and were losing clarity and the intonation was going off a bit.

Yes, they're expensive (£35) but I'd have probably gone through three, perhaps four sets of other brands in that time.

[gjones]

[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1496739010' post='3313476']
I played a 60 minute gig with a brand new set last week and the E was absolutely wrecked. Sounded like a flat, only with no harmonics (although oddly, the other three survived on this occasion).
[/quote]

As somebody whose strings tend to last a long time before they go dead (I just put a new set of DR Hi Beams on my bass after the old set had been on for at least 4 years) , I'm curious as to how your E string could go dead after just one gig. What on earth are you doing to destroy a string so quickly?

[radiophonic]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1499335611' post='3330786']
As somebody whose strings tend to last a long time before they go dead (I just put a new set of DR Hi Beams on my bass after the old set had been on for at least 4 years) , I'm curious as to how your E string could go dead after just one gig. What on earth are you doing to destroy a string so quickly?
[/quote]

Your guess is as good as mine. I don't slap or play with a pick. Just fingerstyle and although I do dig in a bit, it's not like I'm playing Death Metal. I suspect it could have been a dud string. Anyway, I'm playing two sets on Sunday at an outdoor thing, so we'll see how the D'Addario's last. They seem to be a superior string when new at least - very solid sounding compared to the EBs. Subjectively richer treble too. Not [i]much [/i]in it, price-wise but higher tension by the feel of it. I suspect all these things are related.

[Bolo]

[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1499338603' post='3330809']
it's not like I'm playing Death Metal.
[/quote]
Well there's yer problem!

[johnnylager]

Picato

[radiophonic]

Well ProSteels don't seem to last significantly longer than Slinky's in my hands. I really liked the sound of them when fresh - very weighty - but a few practice sessions and an hour of sweaty gigging has resolutely deadened the E. I'd describe the other three strings as 'usable but not great'. This is very surprising since I'm not a heavy E-string basher at all. I play a lot of A/D drones and I'd be amazed if the E was getting any more hammer than the other strings. Maybe my definition of 'dead' is unusual, but all I'm getting is a thud now. I must have abnormally corrosive sweat or something.

[D'AddarioUK]

[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1500536952' post='3338474']
Well ProSteels don't seem to last significantly longer than Slinky's in my hands. I really liked the sound of them when fresh - very weighty - but a few practice sessions and an hour of sweaty gigging has resolutely deadened the E. I'd describe the other three strings as 'usable but not great'. This is very surprising since I'm not a heavy E-string basher at all. I play a lot of A/D drones and I'd be amazed if the E was getting any more hammer than the other strings. Maybe my definition of 'dead' is unusual, but all I'm getting is a thud now. I must have abnormally corrosive sweat or something.
[/quote]

As a few other forum members have suggested, perhaps coated strings would be a good call? D'Addario's coated string line are called [url="http://daddario.com/DADProductFamily.Page?ActiveID=3768&familyid=24"]EXP[/url], they're nickel-plated steel and available in a wide variety of gauges.

[NancyJohnson]

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1499332286' post='3330760']
Nanowebs all the way.

Because I'm a tad anal about recording when I change strings and what is on each bass, I can happily advise that I changed the Elixir Nanoweb nickels (set#14066) on my Lull yesterday with a set of steels (set#14677). They'd been on eight months. In that time I've done about 20 sweaty gigs and rehearsed (four hour sessions) pretty much every week. The D&G were still pretty good, but the E&A were just at tipping point between sparkle/whump and were losing clarity and the intonation was going off a bit.

Yes, they're expensive (£35) but I'd have probably gone through three, perhaps four sets of other brands in that time.
[/quote]

Another little heads up, I bought some Mugig Soldier brand strings off Amazon - two sets for under £10.00. I only really wanted a set to use on a set up I was doing, but they're surprisingly good. I've done three or four long jams with them, no real reduction in sparkle.

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mugig-Strings-Nickel-Plated-Roundwound-Steel/dp/B01LWAXGT3/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500543003&sr=8-2-fkmr2&keywords=soldier+bass+guitar+strings"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mugig-Strings-Nickel-Plated-Roundwound-Steel/dp/B01LWAXGT3/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500543003&sr=8-2-fkmr2&keywords=soldier+bass+guitar+strings[/url]