Do you change your flats regularly?

[Ripper75]

I am new to using flats and really like them and never break strings. I was just curious if people normally change flatwound strings? I've heard they sound better with age, but that might be a myth?

[bassmodder]

No, I don't change them nearly as much as I did with my rounds. I converted about three months ago to flats and am still on my 1st set. I clean them with windex on a rag when they get sticky. Seems to work pretty well. I would think that you should be able to leave those on for at least a year before they start to disintegrate.

[whoapower]

Some have had the same flats on for decades. I'm in a similar boat as bassodder, I got turned onto flats about 6 months ago. Still on the same set of LaBellas, got a spare set, but will probably not change for a few years.

[dunamis]

Never.

Well, I guess I shouldn't really say never but I wouldn't be inclined to change them unless A) one were to break or B) they won't stay in tune well.

[Darkstrike]

When they break.

[nasaldischarges]

i dunno, i like the thumpy sound of old flats, but theres something to be said so the springier, but not bright, sound of fresh flats

[Phalex]

I'm wrestling with this right now. The set I have on my bass has been on there for just over a year. They sound great, and better yet, they feel great, but one of these days I'm going to have one break on me. I have a new set ready to go, but it's going to take a month or more to break new ones in. I really don't want to have to break a new set in, but I know when I do snap a string it'll be about 5 minutes into the third set with a capacity crowd.

[unclekebm]

i've had some 9050 ml's on my P for over 3 years...
the set before these i had on for 7 years...believe it or not, i broke the E string

[markjazzbassist]

i don't change them at all, unless one breaks. like a fine wine they get better with age, and i intend to make them as best as they can get.

its not a myth

[walruswaspaul]

Originally Posted by nasaldischarges

i dunno, i like the thumpy sound of old flats, but theres something to be said so the springier, but not bright, sound of fresh flats

I love the sound of fresh flats , they have a brightness that is somewhat different to rounds more upper mid bite than treble zing , I actually change my flats monthly to keep that sound

[Bassist4Life]

I don't change mine.

If the intonation goes bad (even after adjustment), then I'll change them.

Joe

[saxofunk]

I just took off some D'Addario Chromes after four months. I loved them in the beginning, hated them at the end. They were just too dead for me. Broken-in flats may sound great on certain basses, on my bass I have to go with the idea of changing them frequently.

As it stands, I replaced them with a very broken in set of Fender 7150s that will stay on until they're all dead.