Putting "Take Offs" Back On?

[eadg57]

I am interested in revisiting some strings I have used in the recent past to see if a mixed set will better meet my current situation. (I'm contemplating Obligatos for G and D and steel (Hybrids?, Weichs?) for A and E and have used, full-sets of these.)

What are some of the issues related to putting strings back on after they have been off for a while? Are steel or synthetic core strings any more tolerant of this?

[Marcus Johnson]

Steels definitely are. Spiros are the prime example. They could care less how many times they've been on and off. I loaned a set to a student that had been reinstalled at least six times on my bass, and he's on cloud nine. I'm about to ask him to give them back... too bad for him.

Other strings are less forgiving, in my experience. Obligatos are a good example of this, although I've reused old ones. They don't necessarily break, but sometimes they get muddy sounding, or in my case, bright and overly thin. I did a recording session this year with used Oblis and Oliv guts on the D&G. The Olivs sounded fantastic, but the Oblis sound a little spindly when I'm making the transition. (most people might not hear that in the mix).

Still others can fool you initially, and then end up sounding good after awhile. That's what old Animas often do on my bass. It's like the bass gets used to the low tension, and they snap into focus and get nice and loud. Maybe guts would do the same thing, I dunno.

I think that it has a lot to do with how careful you are when installing them... you know, no pinches in the pegbox, nice clean winding, plenty of graphite, etc.

This is why I try to keep track of all the strings that I acquire.

PS... let me state that I almost always prefer old strings of any kind to new strings. Just a foible. The Evah Pirazzis on my bass are just slammin' at the moment... I hope to ride that one for awhile. BTW, I think I've done the Spiro bottom/Obli top thing.... seems like a good combo.

The King, Uncletoad, will be along shortly. I am but a lowly minion in the Kingdom Of String Swap.

[clink]

I just put an old Obli G back on and it sounds great. It also only took about an hour to hold pitch rather than the week it took the first time. Mittel D, A and Stark E are staying.

All Hail The Toad King......

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by clink

I just put an old Obli G back on and it sounds great.

Yeah, I think maybe the upper strings fare better than the lowers in the case of Obligati. That sounds like an interesting combination.

[Bob Gollihur]

A key factor is to avoid twisting the string, specifically and especially the speaking section. Insert it through the tailpiece and let it lie in place before inserting it into the machine roller. If it wants to go a different way, rotate it at the tailpiece until it is happy.

[clink]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

Yeah, I think maybe the upper strings fare better than the lowers in the case of Obligati. That sounds like an interesting combination.

I can't promise anything other than this: The Stark E will NOT come off the bass. Taking it off and on is for wimps.

[Don Higdon]

Originally Posted by eadg57

I am interested in revisiting some strings I have used in the recent past to see if a mixed set will better meet my current situation. (I'm contemplating Obligatos for G and D and steel (Hybrids?, Weichs?) for A and E and have used, full-sets of these.)

What are some of the issues related to putting strings back on after they have been off for a while? Are steel or synthetic core strings any more tolerant of this?

Somewhere there's a post from a Pirastro rep saying that taking off and remounting Obligatos will not harm them, but the experience of many posters, including me, is that Obligatos degrade more than most strings. Some insist that Oblis are cooked if taken off just once.
Like Marcus, I'd rather have two-year-old Spiros than new.

[clink]

The Obli E is cooked when put on the first time, but I've had the top ones off and on a few times with no problem. YMMV,FWIW and I probably don't know what I'm talking about.

[dchan]

The Obligato E just ... dies. It just loses all of its sound after about a year or so. The A string isn't much better, but it doesn't die completely yet. I forgot what the D string sounded like.

I think the Obligato G string was the only good string left of the set. It really settled in after a little more than a year and had a nice warm sound to it.

[eadg57]

Thanks for these thoughtful responses. I don't expect the used strings to come back like new, just usable. (I am very familiar with dead Obligato Es and As. In this case I'm only reconsidering them for D and G.)

But it sounds like with a careful installation, I'll get a sense of how the string mix will sound and feel without another $100+ gamble. (The used G was particularly twisty, so I payed close attention to Bob's advice when reinstalling.)

Time to log off and practice.

[Jason Hollar]

I agree -- the lower Oblis die an uneventful death when reinstalled.

The upper Oblis seem to fare better and last much longer.

The Spiros are a much sturdier and longer lasting string.

I just bought a slightly used Mittel set plus an extra E -- so I should be good for quite a while!

[Uncletoad]

Sorry I'm late.

I think Obligatos suck. New or used.

Hybrid strings don't like going on and off too much. Dominants, Obligato etc. The exception would be Animas and Garbos with their silk cores. They seem to do fine with several on/off cycles.

Plain Guts don't care, they do need to settle in for a couple days before they sound their best even if they are used. Wound gut can get funky after a couple swaps. The widings separate and the string goes false. Hard to come back from that.

Most steels are fine. Spirocores, Flexocors, the various Ropecores like Belcanto and Superflexibles all tolerate multiple on/off cycles.

Spirocores are the undisputed heavyweight champ of the string swap.
I've swapped spirocores to the point where the wrap is pulled away and the core is exposed in the pegbox for a inch or more and they still sound great and stay in tune.

I've swapped strings out in the middle of gigs between sets, even to the point of trying a different set of strings on the bass for each of three sets. Just for kicks. They always sound better after you play them in so the multiset swap thing is kinda bogus but it's fun to hear the gross differences between strings when all the other variables remain the same (more or less).

I think the rule of thumb is anything that is all steel or fabric and steel is fine. The plastic or gut core wound strings don't hold up so well.


Edit: That reminds me, anybody got a nicely burned in set of Weichs I can borrow? I've never made it long enough to get a well burned in set. I absolutely hate them new.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by clink

I can't promise anything other than this: The Stark E will NOT come off the bass. Taking it off and on is for wimps.

Yea right.

Mine is on right now..

I'm feeling very manly.

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Edit: That reminds me, anybody got a nicely burned in set of Weichs I can borrow? I've never made it long enough to get a well burned in set. I absolutely hate them new.

I might; lemee have a look in the drawer later...

[eadg57]

Thanks again for these insights. My recent experience has been very consistent with what has been reported:

The used Obligato G fared the best, with some brightness and click in the attack; the D sounds like, well, like a year old Obligato: "buh". About two days for the tuning to stabilize. I dunno.

The Weichs (E and A) went on, came up to pitch, and just wanted to go for a long, swinging walk. Nice.

[fingers]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Edit: That reminds me, anybody got a nicely burned in set of Weichs I can borrow? I've never made it long enough to get a well burned in set. I absolutely hate them new.

I've got a set if you want. You can have them. PM me with your address.

[clink]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Yea right.

Mine is on right now..

I'm feeling very manly.

My bass needs a high tension string to get going. Even with the Stark E, it's not hard to play.

You're still the man. Just wanted to get your reaction.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by clink

My bass needs a high tension string to get going. Even with the Stark E, it's not hard to play.

You're still the man. Just wanted to get your reaction.

There are nights when a Stark E at 14mm can kick my ass.

Everytime I go back to the Mittel though it just doesn't cut it.