Do round-wounds lose brightness w/out playing?

[ShawnG]

Inexperienced bassist question:
If a set of round-wound strings is left on a bass for a long period of time (say, a year), but the bass isn't played often, will they lose their brightness or remain "new" sounding?

 

[AboutSweetSue]

Only one way to find out.

 

[eriky4003]

If you are letting the bass sit for a year, definitely install strings so the neck has some tension. If you have the bass in a case and in a house, they should be okay. Wipe them down with a paper towel after playing them.

 

[getBAK]

Yes, the metal oxidizes and the metal stretches.
Strings are cheap, replace them regularly

 

[Heavy Blue]

Inexperienced bassist question:
If a set of round-wound strings is left on a bass for a long period of time (say, a year), but the bass isn't played often, will they lose their brightness or remain "new" sounding?

As long as it hasn't been sitting out collecting dust in the windings for the last year I would think that they should still be fresh.

 

[JimmyM]

I've had basses sit for two years or more with new strings on them and they sounded like new every time I picked it up and played for a minute or two once every few months.

 

[Fender_Bender]

The answer is yes, but probably not enough to tell the difference.

 

[Nephilymbass]

Inexperienced bassist question:
If a set of round-wound strings is left on a bass for a long period of time (say, a year), but the bass isn't played often, will they lose their brightness or remain "new" sounding?

If you're hands touch the strings and then the bass sits especially in open air or in a case you've previously put a bass in after playing it the rounds will dull. It just is what it is. Coated strings will last longer if it's driving you nuts, but
I change my rounds equipped basses every 6 weeks or so. If I have a lot of gigs I change them even more often than that because the stage lights make me sweat more.

 

[gigetto]

The strings decay when they live their sealed basket

 

[marchone]

There's something charming about dead Rotosounds.

 

[JRA]

Do round-wounds lose brightness w/out playing?
ha! i had to think about that one --- i'm not sure i've had the experience of stringing up an ax and then not playing it...but in these days of 'i have too many basses' i have axes that don't get the same play time as others. and they have various round wounds, and some string sets behave differently than others, so, i'd say: "yes, but not much: it depends."

all i got! good luck letting your round wounds waste away, unattended, for long periods of time!

 

[spatters]

Inexperienced bassist question:
If a set of round-wound strings is left on a bass for a long period of time (say, a year), but the bass isn't played often, will they lose their brightness or remain "new" sounding?

Yes, they'll lose their brightness eventually...but it takes a long time.

If you leave the bass out in the open air, they'll go dead over a period of years. I bought an NOS bass that was 6-7 years old, and the strings were dead. (If you play the bass at all, though, that'll make them go dead a lot faster than just leaving it out.)

This is why most string companies now sell their strings in sealed packaging. Bass strings can sit on the wall at a music store, or in a bin at the warehouse, for years and years.

 

[alex1fly]

The answer is yes, but probably not enough to tell the difference.

This is my experience as well. Last time I experimented with different roundwound sets was in 2018/2019. Both my Jazz and Shortie basses with rounds sound just about the same today as they did after a few rehearsals, so they've been on the basses about 2.5 years-ish. I also, last month, put a set of 2019 Fender rounds that had been on my shelf on my P, with little difference in brightness as when I took them off the bass. None of the basses live in cases.