Read this before asking string advice !

[Francois Blais]

Hi.
We get questions about which string to use everyday.
More often than not, the poster doesn't provide enough information, and/or their profile is empty, so we know very little about them and their gear, tastes, etc.

Another member came with this checklist, which I edited a bit:

1. What are you using the bass for (arco, pizz, 50/50, 10%pizz/90%arco ?...)

2. What kind of sound are you looking for (bright, dark, long sustain, thumpy, gut-like, etc.).

3. What kind of feel are you looking for (high/low tension, thick/thin gauge, etc.)

4. What strings have you used in the past and what did you like/dislike about them (If you don't know what was on your old bass, try to find out what strings they were by providing the silk colors at both ends).

Help us to help you!


Good luck!
François
Strings forum co-mod.

[Michael Glynn]

Thanks for making a sticky out of this, François. I should have mentioned under #2 that if you are having trouble with the terminology, you can also give us examples of players and recordings where you like the bass sound. Obviously, a bass player's sound is more in their hands than in their strings, but if you want to sound like Paul Chambers, Wilbur Ware, Ben Wolfe, and Carlos Henriquez, we probably won't be recommending Spirocore Mittels.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Michael Glynn

if you want to sound like Paul Chambers, Wilbur Ware, Ben Wolfe, and Carlos Henriquez, we probably won't be recommending Spirocore Mittels.

Yer right. We'd recommend getting a teacher.

[Marc Piane]

you mean having the same gear as those guys won't make you play like them? I think we should makes Toads post a sticky. Very wise.

[Michael Glynn]

Maybe we should update Talkbass so that all new threads gets an automatic reply of "get a teacher" and then the thread is locked. We'd probably all waste a lot less time online.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Michael Glynn

Maybe we should update Talkbass so that all new threads gets an automatic reply of "get a teacher" and then the thread is locked. We'd probably all waste a lot less time online.

Would you go for, "Read the newbie links; get a teacher."?

[Phil Rowan]

We could put an asterisk next to all the different description of each section, and below put in "Read the newbie links; and most importantly, get a teacher". Then if anyone comes asking one of the many questions that have been asked millions of times, just say, "read the fine print, punk!" ;0