string life

[refuge4]

i'm sure there's already a thread about this (and if there is someone please direct me to it, search turns up tons of stuff i'm not looking for and i am curious!) but i read a lot about strings being 'used' or 'old' in lengths of time such as a week, a few days, and the kicker: ONE day. now admittedly, there's nothing quite like a new set of strings. makes your bass feel new, noticeably better sound, etc. but one day? really? i put a new set on, sounds great, and the strings mellow out. this happens over the course of normally a few months for me (if it ain't broke, don't fix it, imo). the process happens so gradually that i could never pick a day that i played and could say 'well, these are done.' i play a few other stringed instruments (guitar, banjo, ukulele, mandolin...) as well and i feel about the same in regard to them. i would love to hear others opinions on the matter.

just to clarify, everyone is entitled to their own unique opinion. this is by no means directed at anyone. please feel free to agree or disagree. your preferences as a musician make up your own unique sound, so i love to get different perspectives on these kind of things.

anyways... what do you think?

[fretlessguy]

This depends on a few factors. That is, as it pertains to roundwounds. Flats just already come with a unique sound that does mellow out with some age, but basically stay the same sound which can last for years. so, the life of roundwounds depend on:

1. How they are made and what materials they use to construct them.
2. How often you play the bass.
3. Your own body chemistry (certain skin oils can be more acidic than others and shorten the life of the strings).
4. Personal preference. Example: I cannot stand the "zing" of new roundwounds and think they sound better with a few perfromances under their belt. Others change the strings every time they play because they like the new "zing" sound.

I am sure there are others, but this was all I could think of off the top of my head.

FG

[hasbeen]

I get 12 hours of play from a set of strings...typically. On fretless, I can get well over 36 hours.

As odd as it may seem, I'm very sensitive to the vibration and resonance of the instrument. When the strings start vibrating "differently", it is time for them to come off.

Also, I like LOTS of "clarity"....not necessarily zing or treble. So, I don't boost any highs, I want them naturally from the instrument and strings.

[TheMutt]

String life can be very subjective. Some people just like to replace their strings before every gig because of the feel and "zing" of new strings.

IME, they can wear out depending on how you play (lots of slapping, bending, tuning to a higher pitch), because of the equipment used (stainless steel frets last longer, but will eat your strings a bit faster than nickel frets. A tremolo on your bass will stretch the strings more, and if you have a metal nut it will create weak points where the string runs over it), or because of your genetics (some people have sweaty hands which will eat away at the strings).

Personally, my hands do not sweat (they're always dry). I generally get 1-2 years out of roundwounds, but I like when they are a little more broken in and some treble has dulled out. I have had the same flatwounds on my SR5 for a few months, and I don't see myself changing them out until they won't stay in tune anymore. I also change strings from time to time to see how they measure up to what I have already tried and see how they react to the way that I play and the equipment installed on my basses. I try to get the most use out of my strings, as it gets expensive buying them all the time.