New Strings on Bongo Sounding Dead After Less Than a Week

[nukes_da_bass]

Stay away from Rotosound- they die immediately but sound great until they die.
I'm strung out on DR Highbeams, .45 to .125. They last 2 to 4 months playing part time the way I do.

[SBsoundguy]

This is why I use Elixirs for rounds.

[bigsnaketex]

Originally Posted by IronLung1986

I like to let the bass choose the string. All five of my basses have different brands and different gauges. It takes time to experiment and see what string works best with a bass but it's worth it because the right string will bring out all of its strengths.

this may be one of the most intellegent statements I've ever read on this forum.

Selah and Amen.

[cfsporn]

Originally Posted by Thejamesjordan

I have a Musicman Bongo 5 string, which sounds amazing with new strings.

I am in a band that has recently been playing 2-3x week. If I put new strings on Friday, by next week they are already sounding dull.

Unfortunately with strings being so expensive, I am trying see if others have this same issue, and if there is any good solution?

Thanks,

Originally Posted by Thejamesjordan

Unfortunately with strings being so expensive, I am trying see if others have this same issue, and if there is any good solution?

Thanks,

Originally Posted by Thejamesjordan

Unfortunately with strings being so expensive

Originally Posted by Thejamesjordan

Unfortunately with strings being so expensive

Originally Posted by bongomania

Ridiculous nonsense that has absolutely nothing to do with the subject of the thread.

I don't think so...

[Bongo66]

I agree with rojo, eb's are terrible strings.

I have been playing many years and my tastes are for SS strings. As someone else said, they sound good to me after the new wears off. If you are just sitting in your room and playing, new ss strings sound great, but in the mix when your on stage that piano sound just don't cut thru. Two wk old daddario Prosteels, or dr hi beams sound good to me. EBs go completely dead very fast.

Don't boil the strings, it doesn't work. The only thing I have ever seen that works a little is soaking them 24 hrs in denatured alcohol, but that will not give you that new sound.

The bongo is a great bass, btw

[rojo412]

FWIW, I found Ken Smith Tapercore SS string many years ago and haven't found a better string for me EVER. D'Addario Prosteels, Rotosound SS and R. Cocco SS have been decent for me, but I'd still use the Smiths, if given my druthers.
They break in fast, sound great for a LOOOOONG time, and are actually cheap (if you find them in stock).

Every bass with nickels I've played (borrowing, used purchase, etc) didn't sound or feel like I'm used to, so that explains my personal disdain for nickel. But I do understand the need for them. A lot of people make them sound great... just not me.

[Jason Wilson]

Originally Posted by Thejamesjordan

I appreciate it tmdazed. I will definitely give it a shot.

I have also heard that boiling the strings sometimes temporarily brings them back to life.

Admittedly I am looking for a long term solution.

I tried the boiling thing back when I had less cash, I can say that kind of worked. But not for very long.
Also, you'd need to have a spare set lying around as boiling them tends to weaken them as well, so they are prone to breaking. In the end, I decided to to stop doing this. Better to go for cheap strings that may not sound super, than to have a semi bright sounding string that could break at any moment

[ivbenaplayin]

Try a set of Cobalts... they work very well on the bongo... BTW, what pup configuration bongo do you have?

[Tunaman]

These Daddario XLs on my Bongo are killing me. I've heard Elixir Nanowebs on it before & really liked it but its been a while. I dont remember them neutering my mids as much as these XL nickels.
Depending on what my new bass sounds like on Thursday I may make this less aggressive or more aggressive

I have a Bongo HH5 personally

[king_biscuit]

Originally Posted by ivbenaplayin

Try a set of Cobalts... they work very well on the bongo... BTW, what pup configuration bongo do you have?

I have had bad luck with the Cobalts -- they go dead really quickly, they corrode and tarnish, and they sound terrible when they go -- unlike SS or nickel wound strings. OP, there is not going to be a lot of difference in longevity between the various manufacturers for a given string type. Unfortunately, if you like the tone of brand new, right out of the package, rounds and you actually play your bass frequently, you are going to have to change strings very frequently. Coated strings will help, but they do not have the sizzle of brand new non-coated strings.

[M.R. Ogle]

Elixirs for me. You get 90% of the zing lasting 300% longer, YMMV.

[Tunaman]

Originally Posted by M.R. Ogle

Elixirs for me. You get 90% of the zing lasting 300% longer, YMMV.

Yeah man, the Bongo has a lot of zing with the 4 band EQ that treble knob really gives you the zing without bringing in the mids... plus you can always up your tweeter a bit.

[king_biscuit]

Originally Posted by Tunaman

Yeah man, the Bongo has a lot of zing with the 4 band EQ that treble knob really gives you the zing without bringing in the mids... plus you can always up your tweeter a bit.

None of that compensates for the response you get from brand new strings. I used to really dig that sound back in the 90s, and the only way to get it is brand new strings. That's why guys like Mark King change basses in the middle of a set -- just to get a fresh set of strings.

OP you are going to need a string sponsor

[king_biscuit]

The real solution here is for the OP to retrain his ear to accept the sound of broken in strings.

[Tunaman]

Long live the King ! .... biscuit!

Thats true about new strings. I'm pricing out stuff on bass strings online right now

Nanowebs are about twice Super Slinkies set of 5
Cobalts look to be a bit too scooped for me
I'd love to try Dean Markley nickel Helix as I really liked the way the Helix steels opened up my Reflex HH5