How often do you change ur roundwounds?

[BrandonBass]

^^^

as the topic suggest, only roundwound users.

I do agree that apart from the Pickup and amp, the strings contribute the most to the tone...however, as much as i love the sound of fresh rounds, i find it kind of a waste to spend 30bucks on a pair of strings that will make me sound good for 2-3months(sweaty palms) when I can invest in a effects pedal or pickup that can possibly last me a lifetime.

I have tried denatured alcohol, but really the feel and sound is really different from a set of fresh sounds.

So yeah whats your take? Also, if anyone knows any rounds that sound good after they die please recommend me. So far ive tried swingbass66, hi beams, fat beams, black beauties, fatbeams. To me, they go downhill after the 3rd month

[Bassmickeyd]

It's the sweat in your hands that are killing the strings. Not the strings won't last. ...... Wash your hands before you touch you bass. Carry a small towel around when you play and use it. Change you diet to find out what is causing it. ..... What goes in must come out.

[fretlessguy]

I change them when they lose thier briteness and sound dull and lifeless, which varies from set to set, even in the same brand and gauge. Interestingly, lots of folks don't like them until they get to that point.
If you have problems with them lasting make sure you wash your hands before playing, and wiping them down after playing. Also, put the towel between the strings and fretboard and wipe that area down as well, being sure to clean the bottom of the strings as well.
You may want to invest in coated strings such as Elixer, D'Addarios, and others if it continues. They are more expensive, but they last 3 to 4 times longer.

[BrandonBass]

changing my diet so that i can prevent my strings from dying sooner? sorry bro, think thats takin a step too far!

Ive tried the pink coated DR strings, they sound horrible dead. Even worse than regular hi beams.

Im thinkin of sticking with rounds that sound decent dead, and only get a new set when i have a gig.

My bass is strung with dead fatbeams now, even though they dont sound amazing they dont suck as much as some other strings.

[unclejane]

Originally Posted by fretlessguy

I change them when they lose thier briteness and sound dull and lifeless, which varies from set to set, even in the same brand and gauge. Interestingly, lots of folks don't like them until they get to that point.

I'm one of those. The deader the better on rounds for me. You get the dull thump of flats (which I like) but with better sustain/longer decay in the notes once they die out.

I change them when one of them breaks or they just get too corroded for sanity. That usually means not for years...

LS

[Phalex]

I usually change rounds every 6-8 gigs. That's pretty much every other month.

[Basslice]

I vacillate back and forth on this. At one point I was so enthralled with the bright, zooming tone that I would change my strings about every two months (I was gigging a lot then). Then I got into the dead sound and didn't change them hardly ever (like years).

I recently put new DRs on my axes and love that singing, zinging sound again. My guess is that I will change them out every half-year or so.

Another thing to remember is that not only do the strings lose their zing when they go dead, they also lose the ability to stay in tune and reproduce all the harmonic frequencies they should. If you are a muddy player, then it may not matter as much, but if you like to play a lot melodic stuff and have your bass sing, you need fresher strings.

[Ric5]

I change strings as needed. That can be 1 day or 1 year. If I play on a hot humid day and sweat a lot then I can ruin a set of strings in 1 day. But if I play a bass once in a while the strings can last for months.


I have several basses, it is nice to have some with fresh rounds and some with aged mellow strings. If you leave the flats on long enough you get a nice flatwound dull thud. I usually go more for the fresh roundwound sound myself.

[rockstarbassist]

Same as my batteries; about every 6 mo's or so.

[BassBob1]

i have since switched to flats primarily but when i used to use rounds i would change them every 1-2 months. For one i guess i sweat a lot which doesn't help. I pretty much only used d'addario Xls and DR sunbeams. The sunbeams IME would last longer. I like the sound a flats but oddly enough can't stand the sound of dead rounds.

[rtslinger]

Unless I am going into the studio and need the brightness they normal are changed after 6-8 months

[Bassmickeyd]

Originally Posted by BrandonBass

changing my diet so that i can prevent my strings from dying sooner? sorry bro, think thats takin a step too far!
.

OK, if changing you diet is too extreme then ask yourself why do you sweat? ......... Are you nervous when you play bass? ..... Is it too hot in the room that you play in? ....

[JTE]

I don't have any roundwounds from the ancient Sumerian city of Ur, but if I did I'm sure they'd be so dead by now that they'd be useless...

Or is it the German prefix for "original or primitive"? Same case, they'd be so dead as to be useless.

John

[FunkMetalBass]

Before every gig, I switch if time permits. I have about 5 or 6 sets of rounds that I soak in denatured alcohol and keep clean, so I can just cycle through them.

As I switch my last bass over to Circle K's, it'll be more expensive, so I'll have to drop down to only a few sets, but this method ensures that I get a nice, crisp tone for every gig and keep my strings new-sounding for as long as possible.

[okcrum]

Originally Posted by Phalex

I usually change rounds every 6-8 gigs. That's pretty much every other month.

I was doing this until I started using DH. Now I'm running about every 5-6 months. I try to keep everything wiped down on the string path too.

I've noticed that there's "dirty dead" sound, from gunked-up strings, and "mechanically dead" sound, from strings that are plumb wore out (into plastic deformation for you MEs). They sound just a little different.

[s_mcsleazy]

when they go dead

[CapnSev]

When I was playing rounds, I liked them pretty well broken in, so I changed them every 3 or 4 months.

[iriegnome]

I don't change mine until they rust!!! No really, I hate new strings. I like DEAD thump tone. I hate the brightness of new strings. After I change my strings, I can't play my bass for about a month or so. On stage that is. I use it for practice and play it at my house, but on stage I pick one of my other basses with older strings.

[SMILEYSIXX]

If I wanted dead tone, I'd play flats (which on one bass, I do). I change em about once a month.

[Jensby design]

When ever I have the money.
Once maybe twice a year.