How old are your oldest strung bass strings

[SH73]

It depends which bass, the oldest strings on one of  my basses is around ,estimated 40 years old, but could be older. They're flats on an unbranded Japanese made jazz bass with red thread on top. They are dead as a door nail. I even placed a foam under the strings by the bridge.

[Dood]

On the bass that I play the least, the strings arent even a year old. My job basses have strings that aren't even a week old and one will be ready to change in the next few gigs. Strings on those basses would be incredibly lucky to remain on for as long as a month when I am gigging them (lots).

[snorkie635]

I have a couple of basses with flats which have been there for 25 years +

 

Depending on rate of gigging, most round-wound-fitted basses have strings of under two months.

[alyctes]

Don't know.  Most strings I buy are second-hand, so it's impossible to tell.

[Lozz196]

About 6 months old. I generally get about a year from a set of Elixir rounds.

[Bigguy2017]

I used to change them after about 2-3 months, but since I started using D'Addario NYXL 45105 jobs they last a lot longer - still not feeling a need to change them after a year.

They start out a little dull and don't get much duller.

[casapete]

1 minute ago, Bigguy2017 said:

I used to change them after about 2-3 months, but since I started using D'Addario NYXL 45105 jobs they last a lot longer - still not feeling a need to change them after a year.

They start out a little dull and don't get much duller.

I found Elixirs the same - didn’t like the sound right from the off, but it stays the same! 
As a long time D’Addario user I think I’ll give the NYXLs a try. 

[BigRedX]

I have a bass where the strings are probably 5 or 6 years old, but that's because it's been unused and in storage for the last 5 years. The basses I play regularly all have their strings changed every 3-4 months.

[fretmeister]

I think my oldest set of flats are about 3 or 4 years old. La Bella DTF. So they've got a good 15 years left in them.

 

My oldest set of rounds is only about 6 months old - trying some Elixirs for the first time.

[diskwave]

Two sets of Chromes both 17 years old. Makes my P basses sound something like a J bridge PU but with more heft.

[Rosie C]

The strings on my jazz bass are 5 years old. I noticed last rehearsal that the wrap on the 'A' is unravelling so I'm going to have to replace it when it otherwise had years of life left! 😉 

[paul_5]

My ‘beater/bitsa’ P bass has a set of flats that are a year old - just getting settled in nicely!

[Guest]

I've a set of Chromes that have reached the grand old age of 11 weeks and 2 days. I expect they'll last into January.... 😁

[SH73]

22 minutes ago, casapete said:

I found Elixirs the same - didn’t like the sound right from the off, but it stays the same! 
As a long time D’Addario user I think I’ll give the NYXLs a try. 

I bought Ernie Ball slinky about 3 years back and still sound bright. 

[BlueMoon]

I have a Goodfellow bass still with original flat wound strings. The bass is from around 1986, if I recall correctly. 

I don't play it often but the strings are nicely broken in (i.e. dead as a dodo).

[chris_b]

My Fender Precision is still wearing the same set of rounds that were on it when I switched to 5 string  basses in 1996. 

 

I've lost count but the set of TI flats must have been on my Mike Lull PJ5 for at least 12 years. Perfect P bass thump.

 

I've had a set of NYXL rounds on my Sadowsky Jazz since 2018. They sound nice and mellow, but still have a little sparkle if I crank the treble control.

Edited October 9, 2024 by chris_b

[Bix]

I have a set of Fender flats that are about 6 years old ... they've out lasted two P basses during that time, and are now on their 3rd P bass.

[SH73]

5 minutes ago, Bix said:

I have a set of Fender flats that are about 6 years old ... they've out lasted two P basses during that time, and are now on their 3rd P bass.

I love fender flats, I had mine in for about 5 years, they are not as thick as Steve Harris signature strings 

[tauzero]

Roundwounds on my basses, mostly a few years old, although all my Sei 5s have had new strings this year.

[Reggaebass]

Nearly all my jazzes and precisions have worn in or old labella flats, probably the oldest is over 20 years old 

[Jackroadkill]

I've got a cheapy Korean Squier Jazz that has rounds that are about four years old on it.  Not a great age when compared to the average set of flats, but older than my main P bass stings, which are around two years old.

[Owen]

Clearly, we are not discussing Double Bass strings here!

[Rich]

I use Elixirs and I get at least a year out of them. More if they don't see a lot of action. I tend to put the used ones on other less-used basses as there's generally a decent amount of life left in them. The ones on my fretless, acoustic and Wal basses are at least 3 years old. 

[Kev]

3 hours ago, Dood said:

On the bass that I play the least, the strings arent even a year old. My job basses have strings that aren't even a week old and one will be ready to change in the next few gigs. Strings on those basses would be incredibly lucky to remain on for as long as a month when I am gigging them (lots).

How the other half live!  😅 I can't imagine having the disposable income to afford new strings every other week.

 

Oldest strings for me will be 2 years on a set of flats on my Jazz bass.  The NYXL worn-in sound lasts me a long while to be honest, at least 6 months with gigging and longer without, but then a zingy tone is not something I go for, even if Metal would be the genre for it!

[ezbass]

At least ten years old on my Rob Allen. They are the same strings (black nylon, LaBellas) that it came with when I bought it 2nd hand.