Bass Strings... How Often Do You Change Them?

Hamerhack

Hamerhack

New member
We just became the current curators of a neighbor's drum set, so now our basement is the place to be for my son & his friends to jam! (Luckily we have musician earplugs!)

Anyhoo, we have an old cheapo Hondo bass (rarely played), which will be used with the drums in his "band". I've had it for maybe 20 years, and I don't think I've ever changed the strings!

How often do you bass players change strings?

 
Back when I was playing out I used to change them every 4 nights/2 weekends. Generally, I thought they started to sound dull after the first weekend, but replacing them every weekend would have been 1) expensive, and 2) a pain.

 
I gig almost every weekend and rehearse once a week. I change them maybe twice a year. /emoticons/default_laugh.png/emoticons/default_laugh.png

 
If I'm not gigging I just change them about every 6 - 9 months. When gigging I'd change them every couple of nights, possibly longer depending on how dead they'd become.

If you don't want a bright sound (many don't) then you only really need to change them when they become difficult to tune. If you use flatwounds they'll sound pretty dull from the moment you put them on & you could probably leave them for years.

 
I play with a pick so the type of "wear" I put on 'em is probably different from fingerers and thumb-poppers (unsure how, though). I change about every six months....but that's having used a specific brand and a usual gauge for almost a couple of decades now. My perception (again, considering the way I play) was that GHS Boomers started off sounding great, but didn't last...for me. Ditto D'Addario Reds (which aren't available anymore)---I used a set of the as-shiny-as-a-new-penny Reds on a recording session and they worked great (bass went direct thru the board). At least those would tarnish, i.e., when they got dull visually it was kind of an indicator they were getting dull sonically (so that's another reason, albeit off the wall, I liked 'em)

 
I gig about 6 to 8 times a year and don't practice much between. /emoticons/default_laugh.png I wind up changing strings every 6 gigs or so.

Scott M.

 
i change once a month. if i wait any longer than a month the strings sound dull and they just don't ring at all. if you do need to wait longer than a month, fender strings seem to last the longest. at least for me

 
When I played often I would only change bass strings when they were not able to hold tuning. I like a dull tone in my bass strings, and even a dull tone can "ring out." I would go through maybe three sets in a year at most.

With the 8 string it is different. I want the octave strings to be bright.

 
When I used roundwound strings, I changed them every other month. Now that I've switched to flats, I change them only if I can't set the intonation properly...and that hasn't happened yet.

 
I have wanted to try flatwounds. Hearing those early 70's bands when I was learning to play I never thought about the bass tone being due to flatwounds. Geezer Butler apparently was playing flatwounds early on in Black Sabbath's original run. I am starting to identify a flatwound sound more and more, too.

For those of you in junior high in the 60's-- did roundwound bass strings come into the picture with Roto-Sound Swing Bass strings?

 
Steve Haynie said:
Geezer Butler apparently was playing flatwounds early on in Black Sabbath's original run. I am starting to identify a flatwound sound more and more, too.
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Not sure what Geezer used, but I wouldn't be surprised if he used flatwounds. I know he used to use Picato strings in the 70s.

Another good example of a rock player using flats is Steve Harris from Iron Maiden. It's quite unusual for a rock/metal player to use them.

 
Even gigging 6 nights/week, 4hrs per night I only changed strings once a month. (Rotosound RS66)

Now I change 'em a couple times a year.

Of course I don't care for the sound of brand new round wounds myself...

Flatwounds? Only when they break...(but I change 'em all at the same time)

Dion

 
I think my bass player has the original strings on his bass (Ibanez) since he got it in high school - 20 years.

In fact, when I was playing bass for a while I had to adjust the action/truss rod as I don't think he ever did that either.

Edited to add... I did not bother checking the intonation, LOL

 
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Steve Haynie said:
I have wanted to try flatwounds. Hearing those early 70's bands when I was learning to play I never thought about the bass tone being due to flatwounds. Geezer Butler apparently was playing flatwounds early on in Black Sabbath's original run. I am starting to identify a flatwound sound more and more, too.

For those of you in junior high in the 60's-- did roundwound bass strings come into the picture with Roto-Sound Swing Bass strings?
Click to expand...
I believe Rotosound claims to have "invented" the roundwound bass string. I know I first used roundwound strings in the late 60's, before the SVT came on the market but not much before.

If you are considering trying flatwounds, I would recommend D'Addario Chromes if you like high tension strings (I do) or TI Jazz Flats if you like low tension (I don't...too damned floppy). Chromes are rather bright for flatwound strings

 
I stayed with the flatwounds till about 1974 myself. Change them when they break used to be the way it was.

Rotosounds were the first roundwounds in the late 60's. I think John Entwistle had something to do with them.

I used to change about once a month when I played out 3 or 4 nights a week using roundwounds.

 
Cruise Fretless + D'Addario Chromes = forever /emoticons/default_laugh.png

I would oil the ebony board every now-and-then, then put the old strings back on /emoticons/default_laugh.png big strings don't seem to break very often, so there wasn't really a need to change them. I don't play out on bass, so It only gets used in the studio, that's just a couple of hours a week.

but in your case, I'd change the strings, and maybe have it set-up, just to make sure it is in good shape to use.

b.

 
I used to change strings once a week... years ago. Flats wise i'd go with the D'ad Chromes. I've used the Dean M. Blue Steels for years, as far as rounds go. They are VERY consistent. Haven't had a bad one yet. Price wise.... Ernie Ball makes very decent strings. Mail order price is around 15 bucks for a 4 string set. If you want them to last without maintenance, I'd try nickel plated vs stainless. If you want the piano sound, try the stainless. If you need a set of strings... mail me and I'll send ya a new set for 34 inch scale.

 
In a previous thread I speculated that Geezer Butler may have used flatwound strings. I recently sent an e-mail to Geezer through his web site and a reply was forwarded by his webmaster.

Geezer Butler never played flatwounds on stage or any recording. He has always used round wound strings.

So, I was wrong, and I apologize for misleading anyone.

I asked about the black strings on one of he Lakland basses and he said he is using DR BKB-50 Black Beauties. I may have to try those just to see what makes them special.

 
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