how long do strings keep in the package?

[joenoone]

Does an unopened pack of strings deteriorate over the years or will they be the same as when you first got them? I was thinking about stocking up on my favorite strings and was wondering about that...

 

[Killing Floor]

They’re made out of metal. The oldest known metal object dates to 8,700 BC. How old are your strings?

The less sassy answer is if they last decades on your bass they last the same in a package.

 

[tindrum]

If they’re sealed in an air proof plastic pouch they should last decades I would imagine. Once they are exposed to humidity, etc the clock is ticking as corrosion sets in eventually.

 

[Discount Bassy]

I agree with the above. It depends on the packaging stability and the gaseous contents of said package. Some folks change strings every decade or so. Some change strings monthly or much more frequently depending on playing circumstances and sonic requirements, so how long something sits and oxidized might well make a noticeable difference in timbre, iffin' that is the push of your inquiry.

 

[Phaidrus]

Well, I have a 14-year old unopened pack of Chromes ECB82. I wonder, do they still sound zingy fresh?

 

[joenoone]

Well, I have a 14-year old unopened pack of Chromes ECB82. I wonder, do they still sound zingy fresh?

Please, let me know when you use them.

 

[Phaidrus]

Please, let me know when you use them.

Will do!

 

[arbiterusa]

Great question, because the answer is sometimes "strings can and do go bad". I thankfully have never had this happen with bass strings, but I recently had to toss most of an entire box - about 6 out of the original 10 sets - of Ernie Ball Slinky 10s because the plating was coming off the strings. Airtight package and everything. Manufacturing issue, obviously. If I used more than two sets of them a year I might have worked my way through all of them before it became an issue.

Rotosounds are in those spiffy plastic packs and I don't worry about those. DR comes in non-airtight packages and so I try not to keep a lot of those on hand. Never had a problem with them, though.

Come to think of it, worked in four different music stores and never got strings back. And some of those sets sat for a LOOOONNG time on the shelf. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[MVE]

I recently put on a set of SR2000s that had been in my gig bag as emergency backup for 15 years and they sounded just as “new” as I remembered.
However my 45 year old ears are probably not as trustworthy as they once may have been.

 

[Headless horse]

If you buy strings and don't unpuck them, they will stay good for a long, long time (years).

 

[Deleted member 271037]

In sealed plastic bags they will probably last for decades. In cardboard/paper it will depend on the string material. I stopped using Pyramid Phosphor Bronze round core acoustic guitar strings even though they're my favourites. I could rarely find a set that wasn't tarnished. Black/green'ish, strings out of the box? No thanks!

I've never had issues with stainless steel, nickel or nickel plates strings in cardboard/paper though and I often store strings for years before I use them (and I live in a very wet climate with both my studio and my home close to the sea).

 

[mikewalker]

I recently opened up a pack of Maxima that were at least 20 years old ( possibly 30!) and they sounded perfect. Mind you, they are 24K gold plated, so that probably helps...

 

[MultiScaleMale]

It mostly depends on the packaging and material of the strings. The only strings that I've had that were bad out of the packaging were a set of really old phosphor bronze acoustic strings.

 

[micahwc]

5 packs of acoustic strings found this week that had been improperly stored in a closet for 10 years.

4 of 5 look okay. 1 has corrosion on the package.

 

[micahwc]

Package 6

and 7 - 10

These are phosphor bronze strings

 

[GTHintz]

If it's vacuum sealed it'll last a hell of a long time as long as it's not punctured. If it's in paper and exposed to the outside air and moisture over time flash rust may occur especially in wet and salty air climates. However even that typically takes a long time.

 

[Grinderman]

They’re made out of metal. The oldest known metal object dates to 8,700 BC. How old are your strings?

The less sassy answer is if they last decades on your bass they last the same in a package.

Bronze Age strings... man, those were the real deal.

 

[Mechayoshi]

I've had some in paper pouches rust in a few years, but of course they weren't sealed really. I've also had questionable Chinese strings be bad 'fresh' from the pack.

 

[Riff Ranger]

I put 26-year-old roundwounds on a bass today

 

[JuanB]

I ordered 10+ packs of Fodera strings for fun and they accidentally sent a duplicate package. I offered to send it back but they told me to keep them. So I have over 20 sets of Fodera strings. They come with the strings in individual zip lock bags which aren’t perfect seals. I have a bunch of other strings that I’ve acquired over the years mostly as gifts. I probably have over 40 packs of strings. This prompted me to get an airtight box and some Drierite color indicating dessicant so I can at least keep the stuff dry. I’m probably going to be good for the next couple of decades as my body chemistry is extremely gentle on strings. If I notice any degradation over the years I’ll try to remember to report back for posterity. Why do I have so many packs of strings, you ask? Why not?