How does one know when it's "time" to change strings?

[Popbumper]

So....changing strings.....my impression is "Not with the regularity of A/C intake filters, or AA batteries", right?

Tell you what I DO know....when I bought my used Fender Squier (first bass) almost a year ago, the strings SOUNDED dead. I could not believe the difference the new strings (Ernie Ball slinkies) made. That one was obvious.

But now, I have a G&L-2000, 2008 model, that to my understanding was played very, very lightly and then "parked" for a long time. While the bass is dam& near new in every other respect, I have to ask - does anyone here think that the AGE alone warrants the changeout?

For gosh sakes, I received the bass in its original hard case with a pack of new, unopened D'Addario half-rounds in at (as the basses were sold that way) - and it plays very, very well....

...but again, WHEN should they be changed?

Chris

[Down & Outman]

Remember how your squier sounded with new EB strings? That's how you can tell. When they loose their brightness and sound dead. No sustain.
I'm bad about that as well. My fretless is screaming for new strings right now as well, LOL!

I have on occasion pulled the strings off and soaked them in acetone, or something like that, to get the grung off them. Not quite like a new set, but will get you by.

[derridiandrift]

Salt is the real killer of strings. I don't sweat all that much compared to other guys, so I can play mine for a very long time before I change them. I typically use D'Addario strings, and I find that they still sustain reasonably well, they just slowly lose their zing. I'm OK with them as long as they still sustain reasonably well. I don't really need the zing all that much. So I can easily go a year with the same set on a bass the gets played a few times a week.

[keiththebassist]

I'm not a believer in boiling or acetone or anything like that. IMO, bass strings should be put on a bass once and taken off once, but to each their own.

It can be tricky to know exactly when to change them as they don't break as readily as lighter gauge guitar strings, they just loose all tone/sustain, which is a slow process and can be hard to track. I play about 10+ hours a week on my bass and change the strings out about once every 3-4 weeks. Sometimes I will let them go longer if I'm not playing gigs but I notice a huge difference in things like harmonics and timbre when I replace a set thats been on for a month. If you're wondering if you should put new strings on your new bass I just say DO IT. That way you know exactly what kind of age/usage they have on em. I mean hell, if you just got a new bass why would you quibble about 30-40 bucks for a new string sound? You wanna hear what that thing can do don'tcha?

Had great luck with the tone and life of most Ernie Balls, but I have yet to find something better right outta the package than DR Lowriders, those things really have a metallic singing quality to them, ain't cheap though...

[Popbumper]

Originally Posted by keiththebassist

I'm not a believer in boiling or acetone or anything like that. IMO, bass strings should be put on a bass once and taken off once, but to each their own.

It can be tricky to know exactly when to change them as they don't break as readily as lighter gauge guitar strings, they just loose all tone/sustain, which is a slow process and can be hard to track. I play about 10+ hours a week on my bass and change the strings out about once every 3-4 weeks. Sometimes I will let them go longer if I'm not playing gigs but I notice a huge difference in things like harmonics and timbre when I replace a set thats been on for a month. If you're wondering if you should put new strings on your new bass I just say DO IT. That way you know exactly what kind of age/usage they have on em. I mean hell, if you just got a new bass why would you quibble about 30-40 bucks for a new string sound? You wanna hear what that thing can do don'tcha?

Had great luck with the tone and life of most Ernie Balls, but I have yet to find something better right outta the package than DR Lowriders, those things really have a metallic singing quality to them, ain't cheap though...

NO "quibble" here whatsoever - like I said, the case had a pack of new, unopened D'Addario half rounds, so I don't even need to spend any more money if I don't want to. Thanks!

Chris

[Abner]

"How does one know when it's "time" to change strings?"

When you don't like the sound of the strings you currently have.

And then when you go down the rabbit hole of trying different brands, you'll come to realize you don't have enough basses, because you'll want at least one of each.

(One of each set, that is. You could certainly cut down the number of basses if you had just one of each string, but it might not be terribly useful. )

[darkstorm]

When theyve lost or are close to losing to much of the treble top they had once newly broken in. Or are just beggining to be a bit dull in sound overall.

[JB696]

With flats there's no need to change them unless they break or start to smell from all the sweat and chicken grease. I've got a set of seven year old Chromes that sound just as twangy as they did when they were two years old. I'm saving them for a project '51 down the road.