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Flea changing his strings EVERY day!!
- Thread starter Thomas Kievit
- Start date
I have a bass playing friend (pro) who kills a set of bass strings in one set. He has very bad Ph factor in his sweat and oil, and kills them in no time. Fortunately when he's out on tour the show picks up the tab.
I'm surprised he doesn't have multiple copies of the exact bass to switch off and change during shows.
Stay fresh every few songs
Stay fresh every few songs
Dick Dale has his bass player Sam Bolle replace his strings daily. Sam uses Blue Steels by Dick's request.
When you've been playing at Dick Dale's level for more than 50 years, you know what you want.
Me? I haven't changed strings in 40 years.
When you've been playing at Dick Dale's level for more than 50 years, you know what you want.
Me? I haven't changed strings in 40 years.
If I won the lottery, I don't think I'd be extravagant with cars and houses, etc.
But I sure would go thru the new strings! What a luxury -- nothing beats that fresh zing!
Of course I'd donate my slightly used ones to a music school or a prominent teacher to pass on to his students.
Oh, and also after that lottery win -- brand new, thick, fresh cotton socks every day! :^)
But I sure would go thru the new strings! What a luxury -- nothing beats that fresh zing!
Of course I'd donate my slightly used ones to a music school or a prominent teacher to pass on to his students.
Oh, and also after that lottery win -- brand new, thick, fresh cotton socks every day! :^)
I'd do it, too, if I could. Heck, I already change my strings every other show, and I gig out around 6-8 times a month. I just need that tone.
Nope, Flea uses 1 bass about 99 % of the time. He likes having the same bass playing all time. He only changes his bass if he plays in other tunings (i.e. Drop-D and Half Step Down)
Moi, je suis un "bloc" de l'ouest de l'île à Montréal. I wish my French was even half as good as your English!
father of fires
Commercial User
If I had the money I'd wear a fresh pair of socks every day.
I personally hate the "zing" of news strings so I wouldn't do it but if its part of your sound and you have someone to do it for you. Why not?
Steve Harris does it with his flats every night.
I personally hate the "zing" of news strings so I wouldn't do it but if its part of your sound and you have someone to do it for you. Why not?
Steve Harris does it with his flats every night.
father of fires
Commercial User
*fist bump*
Flats? Very rarely, if ever.
Fret-eaters? Only when they die/or break. (I don't slap much.)
Yeah...
If I had the money I'd pay someone to play on the new strings for a couple days before putting them on mine lol... then change em weekly. I hate the zing - but I like the crispness right after the "fresh" zing wears off
And I thought this guy
was obsessive about changing his strings for every show. I had no idea the practice was so common.
That doesn't work in real life like it would on paper. He does have multiples of the same bass, but when you end up picking a favorite, you usually want to play that one.
What about keeping in tune?? New strings are of course notoriously out of tune until played and broken in. Actually it's more related to the winding on the tuning machine.
I can't help but think of that video, where Flea punches his tech for giving him an out of tune bass. Well, duh...new strings Flea. Go easy on the help!!
I can't help but think of that video, where Flea punches his tech for giving him an out of tune bass. Well, duh...new strings Flea. Go easy on the help!!
That going out of tune stuff with new strings is vastly overrated. When you're a tech, you should know how to string a bass to where it won't easily drift out of tune, and you should NEVER hand your client an out of tune bass. I hope his tech who got punched sued him, though.
EDIT: Hmmm...I just googled it and saw no mention of him ever punching out any tech of his. Sure YOU saw it?
EDIT: Hmmm...I just googled it and saw no mention of him ever punching out any tech of his. Sure YOU saw it?
Plus he beats the crap out of them.
Chris Squire also uses fresh strings every night.
