How Long Can You Go on a Set of Rounds?

[DavePlaysBass]

I have a set of Sadowsky Blue Nickels that I have been playing for 3 months. With an average of 30 to 60 minutes per day on them. And they still sound good. I usually replace stainless steel strings after about 1 month of play. But these nickels just keep sounding sweeter. Almost like flats breaking in. It is sorta weird. And being the string wh*** that I am, I usually switch strings out long before they die.

Anyone else run nickel rounds for a long time? If so how long?

[Mastermold]

Don't know about nickles per se, but my DR Lo-Riders and Hi-Beams both last months with regular playing.

[WayneP]

I can get a couple of years out of a set, believe it or not, thanks to a little trick I learned about 10 years ago. I detune a full step before putting away the bass. You know how fresh strings are super bright, and old ones are dead as wood – detuning after playing keeps them in that “middle ground” where they’re not as bright a new, but still have a good sound, for a very long time.

I don’t play every day like you, though, so YMMV.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Pedulla Club #45

[capnsandwich]

I only use SS rounds on my basses and during the warmer months I can get maybe a month but no more, usually about 2 weeks before I notice they really need changing. During the winter I've been known to get 2 months out of them. I myself like the new SS string sound so you can imagine that I buy strings pretty regularly.

[GeoffByrne]

I've had a set of Roto Compressors on a fretless for about 9 months and they are still surprisingly bright.

Anyone else got feedback on those?

[Ozzman]

I use Roto 66's and I usually get a month to two months on them depending on the amount of shows I have going for me.

[Gasman]

I get about 30 hours, I guess. Nickels don't go dead forever. I used to use Rotosound Nickels, and never had to change them out. Maybe i need to go back.

[johnnycat42]

I kind of like the way my DR Sunbeams sound after they are broken in. I like to keep them on for 6 months or so before changing.

[ryco]

I have a set of RotoSound 66 on my Ric that are 15 years old.

The Rotos on my P are about 7 yrs old.

These basses are in semi-retirement. I used to change 'em when recording or when I broke a string - then I'd change the entire set.

[DreadyDiggs]

If you like the sound, roll with it. I'll play them as long as I like the sound and as long as they aren't snapped in half haha.

I don't even know what brand of rounds I put on my P when I bought it (Winter of 07). I think they were Ernie Balls, but I can't be for sure. I just bought them cause they were cheap and put them on and went bout my business. I like their sound, probably won't take them off UNLESS I decide to put on Flats. I have flats coming for my headless, and if I like the sound of alive/dead Flats versus dead Rounds, I'll go Flats on both basses.

Just go until you don't like it no more, if that ever comes seen? Ha

[Oric]

I can get over a year out of rounds- I have very dry skin, so no oils or sweat on my strings.

[oswaldvon]

i've been playing bass for almost 4 years and i only had like 4 sets of strings. for some reason i always end up buying rounds even thought i hate the sound of them when they are new, they sound to bright for my taste, i like my strings almost dead.
now that i think about it i would probably love a set of flats, what is the main difference between rounds and flats?(sound vise, not construction vise)

[markdavid]

My hands sweat like mad when im playing , I bought a used Jazz bass a couple of weeks ago , the strings on it were virtually new , a week later the strings were dead, i guess I probably get about 2 wks use before I need to change strings

[jaywa]

Originally Posted by WayneP

I can get a couple of years out of a set, believe it or not, thanks to a little trick I learned about 10 years ago. I detune a full step before putting away the bass.

Interesting trick... but doesn't that mess with your neck relief to be changing string tension like that all the time?

Myself, I play EB Slinkys (.105 E) on a 78 P and can usually get 3-4 months out of them (playing 3-4 weekends a month with not as much practice time as I should in between.) Playing about 95% fingerstyle, a little bit of picking and almost no slap. They seem to last longer when I am playing "clean air" (non smoking) gigs, also they seem to last longer in the winter than in the summer probably due to effects of increased humidity and sweat.

[Ephminus]

I used Ernie Ball Super Slinkys for years and years. They would last me maybe a month and half to two months before they were so dead that I couldn't stand it anymore.
Since money was getting tight I started looking for strings that would give me more bang for the buck.
I tried out DR Marcus Miller's, Dean Markley Blue Steels, and D'Addarios. They all lasted me about the same amount of time as the Slinkys, but I actually thought the Slinkys were better still. Maybe it's just the fact that I was so used to the Slinkys?
I will tell you that the strings I disliked the most were the DR's though.
Then I picked up some Elixir's. I didn't like them at first, but I found that I kept grabbing the bass that had them on it more then any other of my basses cuz the strings always felt and sounded new.

Now I only use Elixir's. I have a set that has been switched back and forth between three different basses within the past year and a half and they still sound great.

My only complaint is that the coating on the E string is beginning to come off around the bridge pickup, but that is a minor complaint.
Well they are a little pricey too, but when you consider how long they last it's more then worth it.

[jaywa]

This is so much a YMMV deal due to everyone having different body "chemistry".

One guitarist in my band can go on a set of strings for months, the other one has to change his out every couple of shows.