Frustrated with dead strings

[stingray69]

I use this technique for a quick "refresh" of the strings if I feel it needs it - it really does work very well (but not forever of course).
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/sire-bass-club.1144219/page-132#post-18242417
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/sire-bass-club.1144219/page-132#post-18242417

 

[Aloe]

1. I wipe all my strings with Dunlop string cleaner everytime I play the bass.

maybe it also attributes to them being dead fast? dunlop advertizes the cleaner as 'squeak eliminator', so possibly its' application is directing you away from the feel and sound of fresh stainless rounds?

asking just in case you didn't try to eliminate this condition and seeing if the strings last better or worse.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I appreciate all the answers. Here is some more clarification, since some of you got the wrong idea of my problem I think:

1. I wipe all my strings with Dunlop string cleaner everytime I play the bass.

2. I wash my hands with soap every time before I touch my bass.

3. In the most recent example, the low B lost its zing ONE DAY after restringing without even playing it. I added the new strings, tuned the bass, quickly tested it, tone awesome, wiped the strings. The next day, the B string lost 50% of its zing compared to the other 4 strings. This makes the tone of the Bass across the strings very inconsistent.

4. When the low string loses zing, the sound is just really weird. It's more quiet and the low end seems to be exaggerated. It sounds like an intransparent "WOOOOF" when I pluck it, instead of a clean "BRRRRRR". It's like all of the overtones are completely gone. It's especially noticeable wehn using a distortion pedal. Right after restringing, the low B distorts satisfyingly, but later there is almost no distortion, because, as I said, the low B loses all of the overtones.

5. The Dingwall is brand new and I use good stings. Stainless Steel by Dingwall. The strings are made for this bass.



Why is that?

Tell us more about your install procedure. May be a non-issue but skipping essential steps can cause the rapid degradation you’ve described.

Anecdotally, I recall reading that Paul Goddard / ARS replaced his Ric’s strings in between takes. That’s extreme!

Riis

 

[eriky4003]

The guitarist in our band's strings would rust after about a month due to his pH. It is a thing. I would definitely ensure the strings are installed correctly to reduce that possibility and let you stick to stainless steel.

 

[SiriusVI]

Tell us more about your install procedure. May be a non-issue but skipping essential steps can cause the rapid degradation you’ve described.

Anecdotally, I recall reading that Paul Goddard / ARS replaced his Ric’s strings in between takes. That’s extreme!

Riis

Well,

I first bend the excess parts of the string and then cut the string to the length I need it. I then wind the string while not letting the ball on the string stick to the bridge until the very last moment. Since the strings are tapered, I don't press on them on the bridge to angle them. The I tune them and that's it.

As I said, the string sounds very bright and zingy right after changing it.

Most of all, I would just like to know WHY this happnes with the low B string so quickly.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Well,

I first bend the excess parts of the string and then cut the string to the length I need it. I then wind the string while not letting the ball on the string stick to the bridge until the very last moment. Since the strings are tapered, I don't press on them on the bridge to angle them. The I tune them and that's it.

As I said, the string sounds very bright and zingy right after changing it.

Most of all, I would just like to know WHY this happnes with the low B string so quickly.

I'd still set the witness points at the bridge saddle and nut slot. Other than that, I got nuthin'. The larger gauge strings are always suspect as they're more resistant to bending, even with the abbreviated outer wraps in a tapered design. The core wire is thicker.

Riis

 

[Killing Floor]

What kind of TI strings do you use? Flat or Round? I’ve not heard of them failing quickly. Don’t just assume they’re TI, make sure they are new, sealed in box.

 

[SiriusVI]

I use tese strings:

Dingwall Long Scale 5-string Set - Stainless Steel .045 - .127

Another thing I've noticed. The low B string looks a little lighter. The other strings, which are not as "dead", yet, look a bit darker. The b string also used to look as dark as te other strings right out of the package, but now it has this lighter color. Could that color shift tell me something?

Another thing is, I always wash my hands with soap before playing bass. Could my soap be the problem, too?

 

[SiriusVI]

I use tese strings:

Dingwall Long Scale 5-string Set - Stainless Steel .045 - .127

Another thing I've noticed. The low B string looks a little lighter. The other strings, which are not as "dead", yet, look a bit darker. The b string also used to look as dark as te other strings right out of the package, but now it has this lighter color. Could that color shift tell me something?

Another thing is, I always wash my hands with soap before playing bass. Could my soap be the problem, too?

Take a look at how the low B string looks a bit brighter than the other non-dead strings. The low B had the same darker color in the beginning, when it sounded good.

 

[Ol Sparky]

I have a Dingwall NG3 5 String Bass with Dingwall stainless steel strings and I love that instrument to death. I absolutely love the clean ad crisp DI Sound you can hear, e.g. in this Video:



However, I feel like my strings go dull super quickly. Recently, after 3 concerts in a row, the strings were just 100% dead, so I changed them yesterday and got that great crisp sound back. Awesome! I wanted to record some new bass lines today.

However, I discovered that today, just one day later, even without really playing the bass, the low B string has lost about 50% of its crisp tone already. It's not completely dull, yet, but compared to the other 4 strings, and compared to what it sounded like yesterday, it's just really disappointing. I don't want to record my bass lines like that and to be honest, I think I should restring it again, to get the tone that I love back.

I've had this happen to me a few times already with the B-String. At first I thought, I just got unlucky and got a few faulty strings, but it cannot be a coincidence anymore.

Does anyone else have the same issues with low B strings? It's so frustrating. I'm honestly thinking about just buying a Bass vst like Djinn Bass and stop using my real bass for recording anything. I don't REALLY want to do that, but I cannot restring my Bass every day.

I get that after a few weeks of extensive gigging the dirt and sweat will make bass strings go dull, but just ONE DAY after restringing it and not playing, I feel like the strings should retain their zingy, crisp quality, am I right?

So, yeah, the B string is half dead after one day and I'm frustrated.

Any advice?

 

[SiriusVI]

Now I tried removing the strig and cleaning it with warm water and a bit of dish washer. I stretched the string while doing that to get potential dirt out, (even though there shouldn't be any, the string is just a few days old and was played for overall about 30 minutes).

After drying and restringing, the result is that nothing has changed. The string isn't any brighter or duller than it was before. The zing did not come back. It's still there with the other 4 strings. It's just the low B that has this problem.

I don't really think that dirt was the problem anyway.

 

[SiriusVI]

OK, so I couldn't take it anymore and opened a new set of strings, mind you, just 3 DAYS!!! after restringing it the last time.

I made some recordings for you to judge.

The first recording is of the semi-dead B string. This is what it sounded like JUST ONE DAY after restringing.

Compare that to the second recording of the fresh low B string which I just used.

NIGHT

AND

DAY!

I just cannot accept that my strings sound so dull after just one day.

 

[David McIntire]

Every chemical cleaner I have ever tried on a set of strings has made the string die prematurely. Those cleaners are supposed to help bring dead strings to life a bit. Not keep life in new strings. They don't work for me. I would eliminate any string cleaner.

Long ago I also had my B strings dying far more quickly than the rest. And, mostly, to this day, my strings die in order from biggest to smallest. But, I amended my installation process. I install the string, tune it to 1/2 step below standard. Then, I loosen the strings one at a time, and pull the coil off of the tuning post. Invariably, the string has a twist. When the coil is removed, the string will spring back. I align the coil by turning the entire string until the coil lines up with the post, and re install. This has added life and tone and longevity, as well as better intonation after setting my witness points. That twist happens on all strings, but the bigger the string, the more it twists. I discovered the twist when changing strings, the strings coil would always rotate when pulling old strings off. I thought about it, and amended my install process. My B strings improved a whole lot. And, my B strings play and sound great up to the last fret. Same quality of tone, and feel. And all the strings die evenly.

Also, I use D'Addario Prosteels 90 percent of the time. Because they last longer for me than any other. I've tried em all. DR are great, but they do not last for me. The ProSteels sound better worn in and new, to me, than any other string. I have a buddy who kills strings with his body chemistry. He's also had luck with the ProSteels. He tried a set of Sadowsky steels, recently, tho, and said they have lasted far longer than any string he ever tried.

I think your "string cleaner" may be at the root of the issue, however. Try not using it. And see if your string life improves.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

I wipe all my strings with Dunlop string cleaner everytime I play the bass.

How long does the zing last if you *don't* use string cleaner? I once cleaned a new set of Pro Steels, not caring for the feel of Daddario's polishing compound, and that was the zing gone, completely.

 

[SiriusVI]

I'll try to not use any kind of cleaner this time and see what happens. On the other hand, I used the cleaner on all the strioings but only the B-String died, so ...

 

[Rabidhamster]

Add the cost of a pack of strings to your gig rate?

 

[buldog5151bass]

Try a different brand of strings?

 

[MrAB4003]

Try the La Bella 750T White Nylon Tapes, Light 50-105

They're stainless steel rounds under the clear tape. I use them on my main bass and I love them! My other basses have Rotosound 55s, which are also stainless steel.

 

[RussT]

It’s a bad string. I get them as well. Dingwall strings and DR’s. Always the B string.

 

[Luis Calvo]

Trying a very different approach:
Occam's razor: sometimes when changing strings and during seasonal changes the truss rod might be affected, that could lead to a bigger separation/distance between the string and the pickups which would explain why it sounds more dead compared to the other strings.
A correction of the truss rod and or the pickups height would bring again the B string to live.
But please check this issue with a professional before adjusting the truss rod on your own.

Kind regards,

Luis