How many chances do you give new strings?

[jwilson67]

I have decided to stop trying different strings.

I've used Ernie Ball Power Slinkies for 4 years now and whatever they called that nickel set of gauges back in the day before I quit playing for a bit.

I have wanted to try all these new strings that are out there, but I keep being disappointed time and time again. I leave them on, thinking, let's do a few gigs and see. Shortly thereafter, off they come and on go the Ernie Balls.

So why bother? I like what I like.

I know, nearly everyone hates Ernie Ball strings. But I like how the Power Slinkies sound, how they feel, plus they are pretty easy to find, as opposed to a lot of strings in that gauge (I know, I know, gauges aren't the only contributing factor to the way they feel, I'm not going through that drill again). They stay bright enough for me for 4-5 weeks depending how many gigs and what kind of gigs I'm doing. So hopefully they won't stop making them because I'm seemingly the only guy on the planet that likes them.

I don't get why so many players don't like EB strings either. I love Hybrid Slinkies in both Nickel and Cobalt. EB's are the most consistent string I've ever seen out there and contrary to what is said they aren't generic sounding IMO. Where they really count is in the mix and they cut through very nicely.

Also, like you they last me for quite a while and I really don't understand why there is this perception that they die quickly. The strings that die the quickest on me are DR's.

 

[Nephilymbass]

Just gigged a new-to-me set (40 hrs. playtime at time of purchase) of TI Jazz flats that sound good with only one tonal setting. They have no top end, some mids. Incredible low end, though.

Played two gigs at two venues, both with odd room designs. My bass did not seem to sound how it usually does and had to wonder whether it was the strings or the rooms. These flats feel great but are extremely limiting tonally speaking, unlike Chromes.

How much time is a fair assessment?

For me they have to sound good the day I put them on because I often change them the day of a show or the night before the show. No break period aside from maybe 20 minutes of playing them and stretching them so the windings on the tuners are nice and tight so they don't slip at all. I used to experiment with different strings when I got a new bass but I think eventually everyone finds strings they really like. That's definitely the case for me with roundwounds. I'm a big fan of DR hi beams .125-.030. Still haven't tried a lot of flats and tapewounds so I'm pretty open to trying them out.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

Well, I'm going to find out today when I string up a set of EB Cobalt Flats.

With EB Cobalt Flats and Fender 9050 strings on the market, I'll never look at Chromes again. If I want rounder warmer tone, it's Sadowsky Black Label Flats. And for vintage thunky flats, it's GHS Precision Flats.

As far as the TI Flats, they, like any string, are sensitive to the bass they are on. On Rics, they are fabulous.

 

[climber]

I practice every day and gig 3-4 times a week. Frankly I don't have the time to wait around while a set "breaks in"... When I try a new type or brand of strings if I don't like then within one practice session, off they go. I'll give em to my students rather than use something that doesn't sound right to me. Currently I use Fodera mediums on my Pentabuzz, DR Highbeam mediums on my homemade 4 string and Peavey's on my Cirrus 6.

 

[Son of Wobble]

I hated TI Jazz Flats the second I put them on, I gave then 4 months, and you know what?

I still hated them!

So now I give strings one chance to impress me, no more.

I found that TI flats settle in after about 8 years. You just need to be a little more patient.

 

[LoTone]

I had a similar experience with TI Flats. Sound good for a while then I hit a wall. I ripped them off my bass but I keep them in a safe place because they are a $70/set investment. I didn't threw them in the trash but there are other brands of flats that I find more interesting.

Have you ever tried Labella's White Nylon Tapewounds? You get a warm sound but with a lot more versatility for half the price.

 

[jwilson67]

With EB Cobalt Flats and Fender 9050 strings on the market, I'll never look at Chromes again. If I want rounder warmer tone, it's Sadowsky Black Label Flats. And for vintage thunky flats, it's GHS Precision Flats.

As far as the TI Flats, they, like any string, are sensitive to the bass they are on. On Rics, they are fabulous.

I just put the Cobalt Flats on my ESP Jazz. Like I posted on another thread the A seems duller than the rest but I'll reserve any verdict until I rehearse tonight. Overall they are a very, very different string. I love they way they feel under my fingers though!

 

[Son of Wobble]

Just gigged a new-to-me set (40 hrs. playtime at time of purchase) of TI Jazz flats that sound good with only one tonal setting. They have no top end, some mids. Incredible low end, though.

Played two gigs at two venues, both with odd room designs. My bass did not seem to sound how it usually does and had to wonder whether it was the strings or the rooms. These flats feel great but are extremely limiting tonally speaking, unlike Chromes.

How much time is a fair assessment?

Nice to see ya! Interesting that you found TIs to only contain "some" mids. I found them middy to an almost untamable extent, although eight years did finally do the trick in mellowing them out, as I mention above to @JimmyM .

 

[Watchootognbout]

I'm not that picky.
I put 'em on.
If they make a roundwound sound,they're good enough!

 

[fermata]

Funny you should mention La Bella White Tapes, @LoTone. I got them for my Hofner and used them for a few weeks before switching back to La Bella flats. I just wasn't a fan of the white tapes on that bass. But they were $35, not TI pricey, but still, so they sat in a drawer for a while. I just recently got a short scale PJ and thought they might be worth a try on that bass, and now I quite like them.

 

[comatosedragon]

I'll give a new set of strings 3 tries.
1 try might be a fluke. 2 samples really isn't enough of a sample size. 3 tries seems right. For example:

I tried EB Cobalts 3 times (twice flats and once rounds), and they all corroded within weeks. (toxic sweat)
I have tried chromes 3 times, on different basses --- they just don't do it for me.
OTOH, when I find strings I like, it is usually apparent the first time. For example:

For rounds, I have settled on Hi-Beams, and NYXL Nickels.
For flats, it was GHS (light) Precision Flats.

 

[Saetia]

I give them an amount of time warranting a string change, even if I know I don't like them because I'm cheap. If I'm iffy, I will try a different size but I either like or dislike usually.

Flats, well as everyone said you usually have to take some time... I like buying used flats here actually. Less dinking around. A very nice member who I wish I could remember gifted me like 10 sets of used flats to try out and at the time the Labella Deep Talking Flats on my Warwick Corvette were my favorite followed by a Fender set I wish I remembered. Definitely don't like chromes on most basses but I have a set stashed for needing that one tone. Gave Cobalts a try and liked them for the most part but flipped the bass that had em on it before I could see if we formed a relationship.

 

[singlemalt]

Strings that don't feel good last anywhere from half an hour to a day. Life is too short to play strings that don't feel good. Too stiff, and they are coming right off. Grippy, or grabby, or rough feeling, coming right off. Stainless? Not happening.

TI's take a long time to break in. And by that I mean losing that obnoxiously bright new sound. They also get looser feeling, and smoother feeling as they get some finger grease going on. Some people love em. TI's are my favorite strings.

But I didn't love them right out of the gate. I did like the feel, so I stuck with them for the extended break in period. They have a sound all their own, and a very cool range of sounds from the light touch, to digging in, to slap. It takes some getting used to. Then they are good to go for years.

But if you hate em, you hate em. YMMV.

FWIW, I haven't liked any other flats.

I was very pleased with DR Pure Blues, light gauge, right out of the box. Nice round wound nickel alloys.

 

[Saetia]

@singlemalt I really want to try to the Lure Blue because nickel strings are my absolute favorite strings.

 

[ZenG]

Maybe some people's flats age better over time. I have a set of Chromes that came with a used bass I bought.

The bass itself is at least 5 years old.

From careful scrutiny I'm betting these Chromes have been on it quite awhile.

They sound like . I've had Chromes before and these don't even sound like those.

Anyway....I used to put strings on and if I didn't like them within five minutes, off they'd come.

Then I'd put those strings in a drawer and they'd sit there and sit there and sit there.

Yet....sometimes when I put those same strings back on way later they would sound better.

 

[singlemalt]

Bassstringsonline.com!

I was running Pure Blues E-C with the lightest gauge. The next heavier gauge was nice too, but the lightest are slinky like TI's.

Just put on a brand new set of TI jazz flats, E-C, and we are still in the painfully bright break in period.

I'll take TI's off every now and then, for a period of round wounds. I just keep the TI's on the shelf. Until the rounds wear out. (Which doesn't take long)

Swapping back and forth takes a bit of set up, since TI's aren't tapered at the bridge end. Broke in TI's are like a favorite pair of jeans.

 

[Gizmot]

Sorry naysayers - I love T-I Jazz Flats.

I've been using them for several years now and have them on all my basses.

I find them the perfect combination of solid low end, smooth mids and well-defined highs (for flat wounds). They feel great and their low tension is simply incredible.

I've tried many others - and I'm convinced for how I play, what I put them on and how I like to sound, T -I Jazz Flats are the best for me.

 

[beans-on-toast]

The secret is, put a set of flats on and never change them. The tone settings on the amp needs to be dialed in to best compliment the strings.

The hard part is learning to use right hand technique to bring out the tone. Listen and experiment.

 

[Gideon352]

I find myself changing strings like colors when painting. I keep in mind what is good at doing what and then I use that particular type of string accordingly. I haven't found a string yet that wasn't good for something!

 

[wmhill]

I jumped on the bandwagon a couple years ago and tried the super brights (Dunlop). The E string broke before I got it up to pitch. The company rep was great and gave me a few replacement sets for my trouble. I tried them again, but they just didn't have the tone I was looking for, and didn't last very long either. So I gave them two shots, usually I try a set for a gig or two to see if the tone is something I can work with. If not, see ya. I received a set of the T/I superalloys (rounds) and liked them a lot, they just didn't last long enough (for my ears) to justify the expense.