HELP!!! Should i change a bass string the day of a gig?!?!

[seanboy50]

Help!!

I have a gig tonight and use a Mark Hoppus signature Fender bass with seymour duncan pickups. i changed the strings last week but have been unhappy at the E string as it sounds very dead. its the first time its happened so i wanna change it but am worried that it will keep going out of tune for the gig tonight. should i do it???

[Ty McNeely]

Originally Posted by seanboy50

Help!!

I have a gig tonight and use a Mark Hoppus signature Fender bass with seymour duncan pickups. i changed the strings last week but have been unhappy at the E string as it sounds very dead. its the first time its happened so i wanna change it but am worried that it will keep going out of tune for the gig tonight. should i do it???

1.) Welcome to TB Hope you stick around!

2.) This is the "Basses" forum--try and post in the correct forum (i.e. "Strings") next time. Don't worry though, we won't crucify you.......yet.

3.) Why not? I make a habit of stretching my strings whenever I put them on. I put the bass in my lap, slide a couple fingers from my right hand underneath the strings where the neck meets the body, put my other hand across the 12th fret, and stretch them lightly. Make sure not to stretch too hard or you'll stretch them too much and they won't stay in tune, or worse yet you'll break one.

I'm not sure if anybody else here does that, but I always do it when I re-string because I know that I won't stay in tune if I don't.

Also, I personally think it'd be worse to NOT re-string and have a "dead" sounding E string than to have to tune throughout the night.

[Fran Diaz]

if you instal the new string properly it won't go out of tune. When I change strings on my basses I tune the bass, play for 5 minutes, stretch the strings a little, tune again and from that point the bass stays in tune. Check the strings forum and search for posts regarding the correct method to change strings.

keep groooovin'
Fran

[seanboy50]

ive changed the string and, following your tips, it all bodes well so far! ill keep messing around with it to make sure it stays in tune but it should be good to go. thanks for the assistance.

[Richard Lindsey]

Nah, just follow the advice above and you'll be fine.

If you want to experience a tuning nightmare, try changing a set of nylon guitar strings an hour before a gig. Ouch. Bass strings behave much better.

[Joe Nerve]

i always wind up changing all my stings on gig days. i stretch them near the nut, stretch them near the bridge - i keep going back and forth until it stays in tune. i sometimes tune it a half step higher and let it sit for about an hour, then drop it a whole step - let it sit, tune it up to normal pitch, stretch it again and go. never had a problem. the half step thing may do nothing but i use it as insurance cuz sometimes the neck tension gets weird after i take all the strings off to restring string it. i like to believe it puts it back in balance.


I'm surprised you changed only one string? wouldn't it be out of balance with the others - as in really bright?