when they break. 1985 p-bass so far 29 years. 1992 g&l asat 22 years. ubass 3 years and I gig regularly currently with the g&l. I actually hate the sound of new strings
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How often do you change your strings?
- Thread starter flameworker
- Start date
I put a new set of Chromes on last year and will change them if one of the strings ever breaks.
Great selections! I especially like the "broth" option. Yum! Oh, yeah - changing strings. Now that I play tapewounds, I do not change nearly as often as I used to, and I don't automatically purchase an extra E string to have for Saturday on weekend Fri-Sat gigs. I have yet to change my La Bella tapewounds on my Ibby SRA305, which I put on early in the year, and which will probably be on there at the New Year's gig. Before that, I had Fender 9050 CL 45-105's, on my custom P/J style fanned fret bass, and I finally changed them after two years only because I wanted to try the reformulated Fender tapes. Oh, yes, I must confess, I changed the E string out for an Ernie Ball 105 after a year. Before that, I was changing Roto Swingbass about every month, and before that, changing Progressives on my 4002 about every two months, with changing the E string out every month, or every gig, depending on how quick it died. I don't play that bass out much, so the set of D'Addario tapes I put on that bass at the beginning of the year will probably be on there much longer than a player should admit on this forum. It's not the string's fault: my hand perspiration eats nickel. I can't use Thomastik-Infeld flats or other pure nickel wrapped strings or high-nickel strings, like CircleK, for the same reason, because they turn my hands black and corrode out from under me.
I got a set of Chromes on my pbass that are about 3-3.5 months old. Was thinking of changing back to roundwounds but then played my bass again and kicked myself for even thinking that. The set of DR Legend Flats on my Wishbass fretless have lasted say 10 months maybe? kinda lost count but they were on my pbass, they are still going strong.
I use GHS and Rotosound Pressurewounds and while they sound great right out of the package, they don't start to sound really good until they've been on about a year, especially for reggae. I only change them when I absolutely have to, which hasn't happened yet.
I change rounds when I see visible wear. I like 'em sounding dead. Flats, well I still have the set I bought seven years ago.
I've never changed strings because they were old; I've only ever swapped for a different sound or different tuning. I've only once broken a string, and that was in 2001.
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On my 'everyday' bass, around every 4-5 months. I like the broken in sound, before the strings go completely mushy,
Flats I only change if I get bored of them on my precision. When I used to gig I would probably change them every 4-5 months
Came in expecting to find a post that someone is still using the same strings strings since the 80's...
Left satisfied.
I voted the brightness option. I'd say it's between 1 and 4 times a year, depending on my playing activity.
On my main bass with rounds? About every month.
My other basses with rounds that I play once in a while? If the strings sound dull and I need to use it for a gig. Could be after a year or more.
Flats or tapes? Never or until one breaks.
My other basses with rounds that I play once in a while? If the strings sound dull and I need to use it for a gig. Could be after a year or more.
Flats or tapes? Never or until one breaks.
I've only ever had one string break, and it was a .135 B string. Happened to be 15 or so years ago when I was in middle school playing with a pick.
