Different sorts of strings on one bass...

Convectuoso · #1 07-21-2005, 08:06 PM

Hi, well I have broken a few strings and just gone out and bought a single string the last three times.

And now I have

G-Original String I got in december.
D-One roundwound brandless string.
A-Same as G.
E-And a Fender Flatwound.

Now I'm getting new strings after I might defret this bass (I'm purchasing a new bass soon) but I was wondering if it would affect my playing. Mainly because of the flawound but even the others?

Thanks in advance

Daniel Baskin · #2 07-21-2005, 10:27 PM

Do you mean a new set of strings all one kind? Well, considering the fact that you have been used to different strings, having all the same strings can only improve things. I can understand a slightly different string for each string but if it is way different, then you will really notice it in string crossing passages and it will sound weird. Having a flatwound E doesn't sound that bad though.

slap_happy · #3 07-21-2005, 11:51 PM

I tend to break strings alot, especially G's and D's. (I actually broke my low B the other day at a gig which sucked, I never thought that would happen so I didn't have a backup.) I think my bridge is a bit too sharp because that's where all the strings break but I'm not about to take a file to it. I used to just buy singles similar to the Ernie Balls that I have like D'darios but I've found something else that works. When a string breaks at the bridge, and it still has life left in it in terms of tone, I take the small end with the ball on it and unravle the winding until I can get the ball out, then I unwind about an inch and a half on the long end, do my best to reattach the ball to the core of the string as it was originally, and then wrap the twisted up core with the winding to the ball. Then I put it back on and it holds like new and I get another few weeks or even two months or so out of the string. I never cut the ends of the string down at the tuning peg when their new so there's enough length to do this twice if need be. Is it ghetto? Very. But it saves me 5 bucks every time I do it.

Convectuoso · #4 07-25-2005, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Baskin

Do you mean a new set of strings all one kind? Well, considering the fact that you have been used to different strings, having all the same strings can only improve things. I can understand a slightly different string for each string but if it is way different, then you will really notice it in string crossing passages and it will sound weird. Having a flatwound E doesn't sound that bad though.

Yeah well this coming Saturday or the day after and I'm getting another bass. So I will defret my current bass and get new strings but, I just didn't want it affecting my playing.

PilbaraBass · #5 07-25-2005, 11:54 PM

I never really gave it much thought, but...

I've been playing bass for 16 years, have played dozens of basses, have owned/own 1/2 dozen, and I have only ever broken 1 string...It was an original G-string on a Peavey B-Ninety...sometime around 1990, I think.

And I do slap and pop a bit.