I like rounds long after they have lost that zing. I have never experienced a loss of intonation, or lifelessness that others mention when they discuss changing rounds often. They just, for me, lose the zing, then sound the same, sometimes for a year or more. Didn't Jaco play really old rounds?
I sometimes really like those old rounds, my yamaha and my jazz both have pretty old rounds on right now. Coated drs on the yam and on the jazz regular hi beams. I like fresh rounds too, though for teh most part if I'm enjoying the feel and sound of the bass I won't change strings until I break one.
I certainly don't like the extreme zing of new strings. But I really hate the price of bass strings, so I typically go till one breaks. which can be quite some time. I will change about twice a year which for two basses is still atleast 100 dollars (2 sets for 4 and 2 sets for 5) However for guitar, I do change about once a month.
It's ridiculous how much cheaper guitar strings are. Is that solely due to them being smaller, or because there is more demand for them?
Dead Rounds came on my ued J bass, really old grimy ones, and the thing sounded wonderful: woody and upright-sounding. I changed them out but kept them, in the event I wanted that sound again.
4 hours on a set?!?!?!?! Holy frijoles!!! I prefer soaking mine in alcohol to buying new ones, but that's just me.
Guess my tone sucks then . http://youtube.com/watch?v=AUYBiqTpzhw http://youtube.com/watch?v=zjJbcCiowMs ^^ Year-old set of DR Hi-Beams. Nothing sounds better to me. A while ago, I put a fresh set of Hi-Beams on and switched back to the old ones about 10 minutes later (then sold the new set). I hate new strings
How on earth did you get that wonderful tone with 1 year old strings? Mine sound like arse whenever they get that old IF they do get that old.
I dunno man. Something about DR Hi-Beams that just age really well I guess. These are my favorite set of strings, ever. They'll just make any bass sound good
Especially for high gain basses. I have an 18 month old set of SIT rounds on my G&L L2K....it's never sounded better. Jay
It's funny, the old rounds I started this thread about are High Beams I have on one bass, and Marcus Miller Fat Beams on another. Maybe it's just DRs.
i gotta say i absolutley want to murder people when i play a brand spankin new set of strings. i HATE the brightness with a passion. i also prefer the worn in feeling of old strings
+1 on dead rounds...love em too. I hate zingy, bright roundwounds...thats why i use SIT silencers ..very quiet,smooth and have brightness just enough and sound like rounds that are going dead but keep that sound a long time. SIT strings seem to last forever and are a great price.
I like 'em !!! I guess much even more than fresh Strings.... My Strings (DR's or Ritter) stay always more than 4/5 Month on my Basses.... the High-Beams on my Preci are nearly 2 Years old And my new Love are Flats..... Jules
That is why old boomers are good, they die fast and stay stay that way for about 5-10 years till one breaks. I have one set of danelectro strings that still sounds kinda zingy after about 6 years... I do think it depends on the bass and a lot of other variables too. On some basses I like ground wounds. Peace, S
VERY glad to see I have some company in this area. A number of my basses have strings that are nearly a year old and I wouldn't have it any other way. Granted I do soak mine in denatured alcohol to "liven them up" a bit (soaking a set right now, in fact), but they still sound a lot better than new strings to me. I agree with all who have said they prefer the tone and feel of older, worn-in strings.
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