How often do you change your strings?

GW in Ohio · #1 04-27-2007, 07:31 AM

Here's a question for the house......

How often do you change your strings?

Do you get more life out of some strings than others?

What effect does the music you play (jazz, rock n' roll, bluegrass, etc.) have on string longevity?

Finally, how do you tell when your strings are due for changing?

pgar · #2 04-28-2007, 07:15 AM

I use Thomastik Jazz Flats on my fretless Warrior BAss and the Barker.. I have had my TJ Flats for 2 1/2 years on my Warrior, and they still sound great.... they haven't deadened up at all. Round wound strings on my 4 string fretted bass get changed about every three months or so.
Paige

Lee Barker · #3 04-28-2007, 01:42 PM

My answer begins with two anecdotes, both from occasions when I was being given driving directions. (1) This is local. "Go north on 97. When you get to the High Bridge, you've gone too far."

(2) This was in Florence, Oregon. We wanted to go to a coffee shop where a friend was working. "Go to the next to the last traffic light..."

Point is, I usually change my strings sometime beyond when I should have. I like Paige's 3 month discipline, but I'd need a way to remember. Let's see. If we changed strings on New Year's Day, April Fool's Day, Flag Day and Labor Day we'd be pretty close...

Kindly,

Lee

CamMcIntyre · #4 04-30-2007, 11:55 PM

I'm not sure if i should post this as i don't own a barker....on my Ray5 lately it's been once every 6 months or so. I'm not playing electric all that much anymore. For every 10 hours i play upright, i play maybe 20minutes of electric.

On my upright [sorry-not a barker, an acoustic double bass type upright]-once a year. I'm due for a change-i'm debating if i want to try those Thomastik Bel Canto's or stick with what's not broken and buy another set of Spiro Weichs.

pointbass · #5 05-01-2007, 07:22 AM

I change strings as infrequently as possible. I use LaBella flats on every bass I own (including the ERB's) and I have found that I can easily get 18-24 months on a set of strings. I never really notice the tone dropping off, but the strings will start to loose tension. This is very noticible with the LaBella's since they are a high tension string.

I have zero experience with rounds .....

**yodedude2** · #6 05-04-2007, 10:33 PM

once every five years, whether they need it or not...

actually, that's not so. it's whenever i buy a new (used, but new to me) bass. if they will fit, i take my old strings (off the barker) and put them on the new bass. i then get a new set of la bella nylon flats from carvin and put them on my barker.

i'm using la bella nylon flats exclusively. tres boring, no? i like them, and i'm sticking with them.

these particular strings don't seem to degrade much. they break in quickly and hold their tone for years, literally. later, ron

Leogoff · #7 05-07-2007, 07:25 AM

It's been my experience different brands of strings age at different rates. I would think the string construction and material used has an effect on the aging process. Obviously, the amount of playing time on the string is the main reason the string will be replaced. The amount of contaminates....sweat and oils form your hands, dirt, and just plain old funk...will change the characteristics of the string in an insidious sort of way.

The change sneaks up on you, and you don't realize how bad the strings really were until you change them out.

I work hard to keep my strings clean. I try to give my hands a good scrubbing before playing, and a washing between sets. A through cleaning with alcohol and a soft cotton cloth helps preserve the strings.

New strings are usually very bright, and I like to allow the string to settle down a bit before using them on a gig. But, that's just my personal preference.

I have a 63' Fender J bass that has LaBella 760's on it that are over 30 years old. It still has great tone, and the studio engineers love it! The aged 760's sound better than a fresh set in my opinion...a bit of natural compression, but a very good tone.

I've had my Barker close to a year now, and it's on the 2nd set of strings. The Barker gets used anywhere from 3 to 6 times a week. The second set of strings are DR Lo-Riders. So far I like them. I also liked the strings that came on my Barker. I do not care for an extremely bright sound on my Barker. The DR's settled in nicely after about 4 gigs. I play mostly Blues and R&B, and the combination I'm using now works well for me. My Barker is still the Bass I use most often. I expect the DR's will last about 4 months, maybe longer. That's my 2 cents worth!

Sorry for the long post...Leo

Sneckumhaw · #8 05-07-2007, 10:25 PM

I only change them if they break.

Chipsonfire · #9 07-25-2007, 12:36 PM

So it seems to me that changing strings is really just a personal preference thing. Am I right? I will probably get new D'Addario strings (I've heard good things about them) soon to replace the ones that came with the bass.

JKT · #10 07-25-2007, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chipsonfire

So it seems to me that changing strings is really just a personal preference thing. Am I right? I will probably get new D'Addario strings (I've heard good things about them) soon to replace the ones that came with the bass.

To a degree yes, but what I'm getting out of this thread is that in general, flats do not go dead as fast or in the same way as roundwounds. Would many agree with this consensus?

I am considering flats of some sort on my Barker. I'm intrigued by the statement re Labellas being a "higher tension string" as I am digging the sounds I get from my Barker when played at the base of the neck yet the difference in string tension gets in the way a little.

Also while I'm thinking of it, with regards to various "nylon" strings being talked about: What does that mean exactly?
Are they not metal in construction at all? Or, is it a coating of some sort? I must admit with strings I have been somewhat of a one trick pony over the years.

JKT

Lee Barker · #11 08-13-2007, 06:57 PM

Ah, the question about what's inside the artichoke, Joel! I am not a string expert by any stretch, but I will respond here: The black tapewounds under discussion so often on this forum are usually LaBellas, and they are a flatwound string with a black nylon tape wrapped over that. The result is a silky feeling string that won't clankety clank on a fret and it by gosh has a sound all its own.

These are not to be confused with high tech products like Elixirs, which employ a very thin plastic coating whose principal task is to keep the gunkies out from between the wire wraps. They sound different from an uncoated string, but not different like the black tapewounds.

Other companies make them, including Fender and GHS.

Strings have different tensions, and I'm not the one to try to put words to that, but understand that these strings, though they look like they came from a different planet compared to, say, roundwounds, are definitely of the same family.

I hope this helps, and triggers some more insights. I know we've got the luxury of some really experienced players who visit this forum and I'd love to get their input.

I've never visited a string factory, but I played one once on TV...

Kindly,

Lee

JKT · #12 08-14-2007, 08:32 AM

Thanks Lee. Now I have clearer idea of what everyone is talking about. Maybe I will post a query on the string forum.

Joel

JKT · #13 08-15-2007, 09:12 AM

I was checkin out the LaBella tape wounds online. Didn't appear to come in my usual gauges. I decided to try a set of Deep Talkin Flats. Baby steps...

JKT

Lee Barker · #14 08-15-2007, 10:47 AM

70's: What's your sign?
90's: What's your PIN?
Barker Forum: What's your string gauge?

What end of the spectrum are you on?

JKT · #15 08-15-2007, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee Barker

70's: What's your sign?
90's: What's your PIN?
Barker Forum: What's your string gauge?

What end of the spectrum are you on?

I'm a long-time .45 to .105 kind of guy.

JKT

Lee Barker · #16 08-15-2007, 11:55 AM

That's probably the extreme center of the bass player string-time continuum.

The Tapewounds being this size: 060-070-097-115
will work fine on your Barker. The difference is less than the thickness of two dollar bills (that's "2 each") so there should be no adjustment of the nut necessary.

I applaud, however, your going for the flats first. It will be a good reference point, and you won't be disappointed in the sound. In fact, I think you should turn up...

Oh oh. I'm gonna be in trouuuuuuu-ble.

Kindly,

Lee

T-MOST · #17 08-15-2007, 02:32 PM

Once a year... whether they need it or not!

JKT · #18 08-15-2007, 03:03 PM

[quote=Lee Barker;4556246]That's probably the extreme center of the bass player string-time continuum.

The Tapewounds being this size: 060-070-097-115
will work fine on your Barker. The difference is less than the thickness of two dollar bills (that's "2 each") so there should be no adjustment of the nut necessary.

I applaud, however, your going for the flats first. It will be a good reference point, and you won't be disappointed in the sound. In fact, I think you should turn up...

Oh oh. I'm gonna be in trouuuuuuu-ble. [quote]

Would there be much intonation adjustment?

Joel

Lee Barker · #19 08-15-2007, 03:59 PM

I still remember the first time I tackled intonation. Let's see, it was the day before yesterday...just kidding.

Anytime you mess with the space-nut-time-bridge continuum you should plan to sit down with your favorite tuner, your appropriate wrenching device (usually a screwdriver of one persuasion or another) and intonate.

It's possible all will be the same. But yet...

New strings without intonating would be a little like new shoes and only one new sock.

Kindly,

Lee

pointbass · #20 08-16-2007, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee Barker

New strings without intonating would be a little like new shoes and only one new sock.

There's seemingly no end to the nuggets of analogy streaming from the great State of Oregon

All flats, all the time for me .... on the B1 5 string it's 049-069-089-109-128 .....