How do flats die?

[natebass0722]

What is dead may never die.

 

[7dollarbologna]

I understand rounds (arguably) die when the brightness is gone, typically after a few months of use. But how do flats die as in when or at one point do you know it’s time to change them?

When one breaks, hopefully you get many years of use before that happens

 

[RickC]

from memory, from one of Anthony Jackson's BP columns - he mentioned a player (don't remember the name ) who would get a new set of flats, coat them in lard, and let them sit for a year before he considering them just beginning to be useable

/rick

 

[woodyng2]

They die when they’re no longer loved.
I’ve just replaced the Chromes that’ve been on my Rick 4000 for the last 5 years with Pressurewounds.
Time to crunch again!

 

[wallawallabob]

I've had LaBella Tapes on all of my basses for so long I can't remember how to change them.

 

[Doublesixes]

Strung.

 

[coy garcia]

When they rust...depends on the weather or how close to the ocean you live

 

[2F/2F]

They die when someone decides to monkey around and take them off, or when they get physically damaged/impacted.

Bandmate crashed his guitar into my strings one time. My Rotosound 77 .110 flats were dented where the strings were pressed between two upper frets. I should probably replace those strings...I told myself about 8 years ago. They're still on there...and they still sound great.

I have a set of flats that I installed on my fretless in 1988, and haven't come off since. My '96 L-2000 fretless has the original flats on it, never taken off for any reason. Also have a 13 year old set of LaBella .110s, and that previously mentioned RS 77 set, which has been on the Musicmaster about the same length of time.

IME with rounds, the frets eat through the windings, especially on the thinner strings, before the one year mark, with only moderate play time. The sad part to me is that by the time they finally get old enough to sound "good" to my ear, the windings are getting flattened out by the frets.

 

[MegaSwing]

When the silks start getting woolly, I’m out. It’s normally from trying the same set on multiple instruments. I don’t remember ever using a set of flats until they actually sounded like they needed changing.

Alternate answer: When I start missing the metallic edge of rounds.

 

[MVE]

If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it.

 

[Jeff Hughes]

It would be a fun experiment to mark some strings at the nut with a marker and see how much they stretch over time. So in theory, the mark would move closer to the tuning machines over time. Or maybe not, and that is why it is an experiment.

 

[Nickweissmusic]

I understand rounds (arguably) die when the brightness is gone, typically after a few months of use. But how do flats die as in when or at one point do you know it’s time to change them?

Flats are less prone to collecting gunk than rounds, but after many moons of stretching and being played, they lose their elasticity and deform enough to be impossible to intonate. If you have a light, controlled touch, à la Joe Osborne, they can last decades. If you’re Steve Harris, not so much, I’ve heard he has a fresh set for every gig. That’s more of a sound preference than needing to change strings, but you get the idea.

 

[Phaidrus]

I retired the set out of respect.

 

[Sorado71]

I've had Dean Markley flats on my 62RI Precision for 15 years now, still sound great.

 

[Bijoux]

Flats never die....they will inherit the earth

 

[Glennbassmann]

If you crimp the string before you cut it and never take them off the bass and wipe them off before and after playing...they just may outlast all of us at the rate things are going.......#Flatlivesmatter

 

[zon6c-f]

Wait, what?!? Flats DIE?
I'm not ready for this on a Monday morning.

Yeah, they do have kind of “everlasting life “....

 

[4bluestrings]

I had no idea... I play rounds even on my fretless... well my EUB has flats and i am 2 years on them, but I dont play them as much as my other basses.

 

[Petethebassman]

from memory, from one of Anthony Jackson's BP columns - he mentioned a player (don't remember the name ) who would get a new set of flats, coat them in lard, and let them sit for a year before he considering them just beginning to be useable

/rick

That was Ronnie Baker, the studio bassist of Philadelphia International label.

 

[SLPimp]

Alone, in the dark, just like the rest of us.