How did you learn about strings?

[kbob]

There was a time, perhaps when you were still in your mom's womb, when you had no idea which kinds of strings you like or which work best for a given application. As you got into bass, how did you learn about strings? Did you actually have to buy and install 500 different sets? Did you take notes? Did you have a mentor? Did you have a vision or go through a trance state?

(No poll, this isn't multiple choice.)

I'm a new-ish bass player, and my ignorance is nearly complete. It might be time to start learning about strings.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Did you actually have to buy and install 500 different sets?

Yes .

And the rest I learned here on Talkbass. What I learned was this.

We're all incredibly unique. We play different basses, with different amps, all EQed differently. We have different sound preferences. We have different playing techniques as well as different body chemistries and strings will respond uniquely to both. We also have very different preferences regarding feel, tension, tone, the type of music we play, the other instruments we play along with, the stage settings, climate, how much we sweat, and thousands of other particulars. Hence....

There's really no way around that first thought above . My suggestion, read lots, put aside some string some money, play lots. Taking notes is helpful too, I actually JUST started doing that as I want to start limiting my choices.

 

[michael_t]

As you got into bass, how did you learn about strings?

I'm a new-ish bass player, and my ignorance is nearly complete. It might be time to start learning about strings.

You're in the right place.

Everything I know about bass strings I learned it here on TB by reading just about every post that showed up in "Strings". As I accumulated some basic knowledge on different types of strings and what each manufacture had to offer, I started experimenting based on my needs and wants.

Finding the right strings for yourself won't happen overnight, so you might as well enjoy the journey.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Former guitar player. Strings were rounds but not as coarse as bass strings, and easier to press down.
So I imagine that the first time I touched a bass string (probably a roundwound) I decided that I would like lower tension flats. That was in the distant past.

Before owning a bass I studying here at length, basses and strings, and my own personal collation of all of those opinions led me toward a short scale PJ and La Bella Jamersons (very thick), an extreme combination.

Bought those and observed the sound myself. Liked it, but after a short time those strings started getting "thumpy" and I didn't like that at all, so I studied here the topic of less-thumpy flats.
That led me to Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats (TIJF), and my preference has remained with clearer sounding, more flexible flats like that. Also love the thinner La Bella sets, and probably Cobalt flats (which I bought but haven't tried yet).

It is only being a fan of some bass players who used rounds that keeps the possibility of rounds alive with me. I studied "rounds with the least zing" and that led me toward Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Rounds (TIJR). They have remained right at the limit of what I can accept. One set, on a Rickenbacker. Two years old, still very beautiful.
I am frequently playing that bass and almost forgetting that they're rounds and I say to myself "these things are *almost* good enough". Two years now. (Sorry I've told this story before.)
[In this specific regard I didn't like GHS Pressurewound as much, and the Roto version of the same even less. Bought Sunbeams but haven't installed them, as they seem rougher too.]

In conclusion, I set some priorities and searched for the extremes. After experiencing the extremes in some cases I backed off a little.

 

[JTE]

Started when I managed a guitar store "77-'88). I asked a lot of questions when talking to people at string factories (mostly GHS and D'addario), inspected everything carefully (printing on the inner sleeves, the kind of plastic pouch, color of silk, how the wraps terminated at both ends, color, etc.) for both guitar and bass strings. I put different kinds of strins on different basses after convincing the owner we'd sell more strings if I could hand someone Precision with rounds and one with half rounds, etc. rather than trying to describe how they sounded different from the flats that were on almost every new bass.

And I put a butt-load of different strings on my own basses since I started playing bass in '76.

 

[GIBrat51]

How? By learning to play bass in 1968; playing a lot of other people's basses until I bought my own (20 years later); taking note of what strings were on them - and filing that away for future reference. After I bought my first bass, and working my way into owning 23 of the things? By experimenting with different strings on each of them, until I got a feel for what strings worked best on which bass, to give me the sound I heard in my head. So... How? A lot of time; a lot of strings; a lot of string changing; and a whole lot of $$'s. I probably should have just bought my first bass ('78 P-Bass); removed the Roto 66's that made the frets go away; stuck with the Roto 77LDs that replaced them; never thought about buying another bass; and called it a day. Would have been a whole lot easier - and cheaper - in the long run...

 

[MrLenny1]

Trial & Error and spending some money
for quite a few years.

 

[kbob]

Most of you are saying there's no substitute for trying them all. So I guess I'll set up a string budget and start a notebook.

BTW, I found this. It hasn't been updated in 20 years, but it's probably a good example of what to look at.

String Reviews

 

[Jrussblues]

I ran through sets in college. Read what I could find online (20 years ago).
When I was gigging weekly I would run through a set about every 2 weeks so it was a good excuse to try a bunch of different stuff.

I used to only play nickel 40's cause the nickel was easier on the fingers for a 4 hour gig and I heard Wooten played 40's. In my 30's I was playing even lighter balanced sets. Now days my gear is better and my last bass came with a set of stainless 45's on them. I like the sound and the bass/rig do all the heavy lifting so im probably sticking with those for that bass.

 

[OptimalOptimus]

I've tried flat, half round and round from 5 brands only to come back to D'Addario and Ernie Ball…

they are everywhere, they sound fine to me, they last a decent amount of time and they aren't that expensive.


In my neck of wood many brand aren't available

 

[Killing Floor]

I'm sure it's not 500! But I'm also sure it's close to 100. I've tried various gauges, mixed, matched, dozens of brands. I still do. Even though I am totally confident in what I like in a flat, in a round, (different basses) I still try different sets once in a while, why not? It's the easiest and cheapest mod you can make to your sound and feel.

 

[bolophonic]

I read about strings on TB and I buy used sets from the classifieds.

 

[Bassic_desires]

I read about different types of strings in the TB fora and I read other sites. Still, I don't expect a fully developed learning experiences until I've had time to try a variety of different strings on my range of basses.

 

[kbob]

I used to only play nickel 40's cause the nickel was easier on the fingers for a 4 hour gig and I heard Wooten played 40's. In my 30's I was playing even lighter balanced sets. Now days my gear is better and my last bass came with a set of stainless 45's on them. I like the sound and the bass/rig do all the heavy lifting so im probably sticking with those for that bass.

Does "40's" mean the G string is 0.40"?

 

[Petethebassman]

I started playing bass in 1981, long before Internet existed. I read the guitar mag ads, any gear info from player interviews, asked the salesmen at guitar shops and then... trial and error. Lots of it. Over the years I found what I like and don't like in different brands, string types and materials and narrowed my preferences down to 2-3 brands and gauges. I still might try something new once in a while if something interesting comes on the market.

 

[Jrussblues]

Does "40's" mean the G string is 0.40"?

Yes, sorry for any confusion.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

(Actually .040", but what's an order of magnitude among friends, eh?)

 

[jimmydean]

I've been experimenting with strings for over 40 years , I think I like Fender Flatwounds now ......I'm pretty sure .

 

[MonetBass]

Trial & Error and spending some money
for quite a few years.

This. In the pre-internet days, you could ask your friends or the guitar guy at the store about the strings they've tried, but at the end of the day, it's what you like. Trial and error.

 

[feterpatch]

When I first picked up the bass at 13 I had no clue what strings to use. All I knew was I worshipped John Entwistle's aggressive sound and wanted that sound too. I probably read somewhere that he used Rotos so would buy those. When I became a full time touring bassist I used Rotos and changed them every 3 nights for that 'fresh' sound. On occasion we'd arrive in a town where the local music store didn't have my strings and I would purchase whatever they had (GHS, Di'addario, whatever). Got to try a lot of different brands.
Sorry for the rambling. I guess what I'm trying to say everyone else here has summed up in 3 words. Trial and error...