String changing?

[Journey55]

I just realized I haven't gotten new strings on my bass since I got it around August (last year) and I was wondering how long you guys usually keep the strings on your bass before replacing them/what kinds of strings you guys have on them.

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Before anyone can really give you a good answer, you should let us know what kind of music you play / type of tone you expect to get out of your instrument...

also, what kind of instrument / number of strings etc...

I have had strings on basses for up to a year... I have also had strings on basses for as little as 3 weeks...

[Thunder Pulse]

There are bassists who change their strings after every gig, and others who leave their strings on for years.

As far as what kinds of strings bassists use... well, everything. Look at what's out there, there are literally hundreds of different styles & gauges of strings, and there's someone out there using each one.

[Journey55]

Well I have a squier mb-5 and I'm usually trying to get a pretty punchy kinda tone and play hard rock and such, but I was wondering what kind you guys use mostly out of curiosity and as a kind of linkage to specific types of strings to genres/tones.

[Thunder Pulse]

Well generally speaking, you want a 5-string set of roundwounds. Here's a halfway decent list:

http://www.music123.com/Accessories/...tId=site7LABAB

[shadowmac]

I play primarily rock / metal.

I've found the strings that I like in terms of tone, feel and longevity; I generally change strings at two times:

1) When they are dead. I use DR HighBeams and DR Black Beauties. Both offer punchy, full tones from bottom to top. The BB's have a bit less initial "presence" to them than do the non-coated HB's, however, both have excellent life spans. The BB's are a tad more consistent sounding from new to dead than are the HighBeams, but it truly takes a lot of playing to kill the beams.

2) 3 days prior to entering the studio. I switch out my strings 3 days prior because I really like the recorded tone of brand new strings...it's part of "my" tone. I do it 3 days prior to allow for any stretching to occur before I hit the studio, so I don't have stretching happening while I record and thus the consequential tuning issues.

I hope this helps.

Mac

[Waffles and Scotch]

Here's an example of the tone I shoot for (this is one of our slow songs)...nice and punchy in the lower register, bright and clean when I play the solo in the upper register...

‪Reasons - FAD The Brass Mug 07022011‬‏ - YouTube

I use DR Black Beauties and change them about every month. Gets expensive, but it's worth it. Several of the places we play have stopped micing my cabs or using a DI because they prefer the tone I get out of my rig. Then again we're just starting out, and some of the places we play don't have the best equipment...

[Darylw425]

It depends on the tone you want. On one of my basses i have flats that I never change.

On another i have rounds that I change whenever they start sounding dull, which is pretty rare now that i use the product in my sig

[icecycle66]

I like mine dead. I've had my strings on my 5-string for over 2 years now. Actually maybe longer. I can't remember the last time I replaced the strings on this bass.

I like my 6-string to be a tad brighter, so I change those based on tone instead of time. When I find that my tone isn't as...shimmery(?) as I want it I change out for a new set. However, I make sure that the lack of brighter tone isn't due to something else instead; such as a dying battery, a nudged EQ, or faulty pedal.

[icecycle66]

Ernie Ball Custom nickle plates for the sixer.
I don't even remember what's on my Fiver, Rouge strings maybe.

[ZanaZulu807]

If I really dig the settled in tone of my strings I'll leave em on until they pop off themselves. Though on average, I change em out every 3-5 months or boil em if I want to keep em longer. Boiling though, is if you really want to keep the strings cause if you boil em wrong or too hot they can get kinda brittle or have an elastic, bouncy feel to them.

[darkstorm]

I like new to nicely but not overly broken in roundowunds for best sound. With Rotosound swing 66 I'll change strings every 3 to a max of 4 months. With DR neons looks like its gonna be about every 5 to 5 and half months. With Ernie Ball super slinky and GHS Boomers was changing them every 3 and half to 4 months max.

[Solarmist]

Originally Posted by Thunder Pulse

Well generally speaking, you want a 5-string set of roundwounds. Here's a halfway decent list:

http://www.music123.com/Accessories/...tId=site7LABAB

+1

Nickel or steel rounds depending on how bright.

[D1AndOnlyLantz]

I read somewhere the the "general rule-of-thumb" is to replace your strings every three months or so. But I play the same strings until the dead feeling really begins to discourage me from playing.

I play thrash, and I seem to go through strings every couple months. Money is tight these days, so I may grit my teeth and bare the dead sound sometimes.

[Fullback32]

I've played on GHS Bass Boomers for pretty much exclusively years. I change them whenever I am getting dissatisfied with their sound.