New strings for acoustic

[DonnyDanger]

Hey,

A couple of months ago, i got my first acoustic bass being an ibanez AEB. I'm quite pleased with it but i'm pretty sure it will sound better once i remove those awful strings.
First question: How do i safely replace strings on an acoustic ?

Second question: What strings should i get?

I'm looking for a thumpy sound nothing too bright.
I don't know if it is a general matter but those bronze strings make my fingers turn black after two minutes of playing.

Help me please

[Meatrus]

I believe the strings are changed on most acoustic basses (guitar's) just like you would on a electric, mine is the same anyway! The bridge should be self explanatory, and the tuners will be the same as an electric.

If you meant how do I change the strings on any bass, just Google it, its quite easy and well worth learning how to, but I guess you just meant acoustic.

I had a set of strings on mine which turned my fingers green (!) and black, but only after playing for around 2 hours. I changed the strings and I don't think it happens anymore, but it could, as I don't play it that long anymore. It may just be that's what bronze strings do, but some seem to do it more, I have tried the below

The stock strings (I think they could have been ELIXIR)
Rotosound
and at the moment I have DR on it, all of which were/are phosphor bronze.

The stock strings were the ones which made me go green! The rotos didn't last very long, and the DR's are a little bland and quite stiff. The Rotos were my favorite while they lasted.

Hope this helps.

[DonnyDanger]

A little yeah
The reason i don't dare to remove the strings is cause i don't dare pulling to hard on those plastic things that hold the strings in the bridge.

For strings, i was wondering if there is any difference in using electric bass strings ?

[Meatrus]

Originally Posted by DonnyDanger

A little yeah
The reason i don't dare to remove the strings is cause i don't dare pulling to hard on those plastic things that hold the strings in the bridge.

For strings, i was wondering if there is any difference in using electric bass strings ?

Do you mean the saddle? .

If your worried about pulling on the strings, just cut the strings (the old ones!!). You shouldn't need to pull hard on anything, just make sure the strings are completely de tuned and unwrapped from the post before getting them off the bridge.

I'm guessing electric bass strings would be quieter, and also not sound much like an acoustic, which I'm guessing is not what you want...seeing as you bought an acoustic .

[HogieWan]

Take the string off at the tuner first before pulling the pin in the bridge. Some people throw flats on their ABG with good results.

[DonnyDanger]

That is indeed something i was thinking about doing but wasn't sure if i would get results..

It's indeed the pin in the bridge that seems to be stuck!

[vastolordcj]

Originally Posted by HogieWan

Take the string off at the tuner first before pulling the pin in the bridge. Some people throw flats on their ABG with good results.

stupid question: what are flats?
ive got an acoustic that needs new strings as well and im looking for something new.

never bought acoustic strings. for my electric basses i use elixer or ernie ball

[Pagan]

Originally Posted by vastolordcj

stupid question: what are flats?
ive got an acoustic that needs new strings as well and im looking for something new.

never bought acoustic strings. for my electric basses i use elixer or ernie ball

Flats are strings that have a flatwound finish on them as opposed to a roundwound, sort of like a thin flat tape that is wound around the centre core, roundwounds have a round wire wound around the core.

You are probably using roundwounds on your electric basses. Flatwounds are generally used for fretless bass as they have a smooth flat finish on them which make it easier to slide your fingers along without ripping your skin off. They also reduce finger noise from finger slides etc. They tend to be a bit duller than roundwounds.

I've just bought an acoustic 5 string fretless recently & have ordered Rotosound black nylon flats,

http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/produ...65_135_rs885ld

Haven't got them yet but I'll post up a report once I do.

[Bassman316]

+1 to a lot of people using flats on their ABGs. I've seen that a lot around these parts, but never tried it. You'll find that there's a crowd that likes to string their ABGs with tapewound strings, which are strings wrapped in black nylon tape. To me, anyway, they feel as smooth as flats and your bass will appreciate them, too. IMO they can get you a smooth, deep sound closer to an upright than your average acoustic bronze roundwound strings can.

[JayB]

When I was doing the ABG thing, I tried both bronze roundwounds and flats. Heres some impressions (not taking in to account ampified sound)-

bronze rounds - At their best, a roundwound stocked ABG can sound like a big classical guitar with piano-like bass. At their worst, picture your unplugged EBG with 3 times the volume. If acoustic volume is most important, you'd be smart to at least try these at least once paired with a pick. It's the best you'll ever get.

Flats - Flats bring the thump and provide a poor man's double bass tone. However, the higher tension is murder on a fixed acoustic guitar bridge and you'll lose acoustic volume. If your goal is to get the most double bass like tone, lose the frets and go flats. Again, its the best you'll ever get.

[DonnyDanger]

Highly considering to go with the flats for a change.
I don't get the part about the higher tension on the bridge ?

[shadygrove]

Many people recommend TI jazz flats as low tension for flatwounds. I'm curious what's lowest tension for tapewounds. Any advantage to tapewound over flat for a fretted ABG or would the frets tear up the tape?

I recorded a couple tunes at band practice yesterday playing the Tak ABG "backup bass" instead of my upright... with Martin roundwounds it sounded like I was playing big metallic rubber bands fingerstyle... Sounds even worse on the recording than it did in the moment. It was only by rolling the half the treble off and playing with the side of my thumb I could cut the overtones enough to get some thump and sustain. I know it will never sound like the UB, but this was really sad tone for classic rock/alt country... boing, boing, boing I'm surprised no one said anything

My amp (old SWR LA15 - just 3 knobs for EQ) wasn't helping, but the Takamine has a decent preamp so I'm thinking different strings and plugging straight into the PA mixer to use it's sustain effect and better EQ might get me a tone I can live with if for some reason I ever have to go with the ABG instead of upright.

BTW DonnyDanger... when I asked at a bass shop in the big city about TI acousticore for my ABG they said the tension was too LOW for my bridge.... go figure (?) I still wonder if their idea of floppy might be my idea of just right

[shadygrove]

Originally Posted by DonnyDanger

That is indeed something i was thinking about doing but wasn't sure if i would get results..

It's indeed the pin in the bridge that seems to be stuck!

Forgot to mention... Once the stings are loose from the headstock or cut you can usually reach inside the soundhole with one hand to push on the pin while pulling outside with the other. Also use the palm of the outside hand to make sure you don't flex the top.

If that doesn't work, I use a pair of end cutters for a lever while again pushing from inside. Business end wrapped in a wash cloth around the pin and a small piece of wood as the fulcrum with another cloth underneath. Needless to say, be extremely careful and take it ez if you have to go that route. It's a leverage and finesse thing... it that sounds too scary a luthier shouldn't charge much to pull it. They deal with stuck pins on guitars all the time.

[DonnyDanger]

I'll try the push/pull method, should work i hope!
Still hesitating about string matters, will discuss it with the local bassdealer.

Guess the tension is more of a personal matter then

[Zapp]

I'm piggybacking here. just bought a now-discontinued Fender BG-32. really like having a shorter scale to give me a break from the Sterling and Cruisebass...

Same questions: the old electric type strings on it are toast. I have played ABG with bronze strings before and it was ok... i notice Martin ships their B1 [which is a pretty good longscaled abg] with what seem to be medium or even heavy phosphor strings... sounds good.

but I'm curious about the tension thing, because I'd like to tune the bass a whole step down like I do the Ebasses [that would make them Dbasses.... ha..] but with the floppy strings on there at present there is no eeking way. Would I be able to GAIN enough tension with big flats so that it could tolerate being de-tuned a whole step? or would it come out inaudible....?

[DonnyDanger]

So Christmas came around and i got to put new strings on my acoustic bass.
I chose the Thomastik Flatwound Jazz strings and these things ROCK!
They make the bass actually sound like a bass
They get a nice round sound and still have a nice bright side aswell.
Tensionwise there seems to be no problem at all.
It was a hassle putting them on but once they were strung no problemo !

[Zapp]

i put regular fender Bronze AB's on mine about the same time - its a short scale AB32 with the factory pickup stuff.
Its giving me fits, not because of the strings. I shaped a nice Graphite bridge saddle for it and in the process discovered how massive that undersaddle pickup is. its like a blooming rope... braided cylindrical thing that takes up almost the entire bridge saddle slot. I played it awhile plugged in and it did not go well... has a nasty "pop" on the attack that I could not work around. I blamed the pickup, pulled it through the hole [thankfully didn't have to cut the wire] and remounted it on the underside, against the bridgeplate. Its better there, but now it has picked up a ground hum somehow . and the crazy spikiness on the attack is still there, almost sounds like a short causing a spike [its not a musical tone, just a big POP]. I have no idea what I'm dealing with at this point.

flipside is, acoustically, it sounds much better now that I moved that monstrous low-tech pickup.....