How often do you change your strings?

[telecopy]

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.

G strings. Always while strumming very light strings. Did I say strumming? More like abusing. Picks don't last long either.

 

[ryco]

Pretty much whenever I break one, which is almost never, then I'll go ahead and throw on a new set. The active basses probably get changed twice a year. Have a set of Roto 66 that have been on my 4001 since '94. Switched to D'addario Chromes on my old passive P about 6 years ago. My fretless Ripper has GHS Brite Flats ( a groundwound) that are 10 years old and fine.

The Sterling gets new ProSteels every 6 months - has FlexSteels on now 'cuz I wanted to try them out. Going back to ProSteels = brighter.
Jackson Concert Pro V gets LaBella SuperSlaps every 6 months

 

[Jay2U]

The question is how often are we being asked how often we do change strings. The answer: more often than I change strings.

 

[Bassist_5LX]

LOL @ "Broth".. It's actually quite delicious if served over steamed rice along with a nice fillet of salmon..

Really though, usually before a gig if the "Ping" is gone, or about once a month..

 

[NecroticImbecil]

When no amount of EQ tweaking will make the bass sound good. Varies w strings and basses. Newest strings currently on basses are about 6 months old. Oldest are at least 8 years old. I'd go broke trying to keep them all in fresh strings.

 

[lokikallas]

Rounds are replaced either every 4 or 5 shows, or a few days before a show if it's been a while (whichever comes first). I don't replace them when I'm not playing gigs.
Flats are replaced when they break. So far, never.

 

[Zos Kia Cultus]

With heavy gigging on my roto rounds, probably every 6 months. On my fretless, i've changed them once since I bought it 4 years ago. And it's only because I took them off to wax my bass, then I mysteriously lost my D string. I still haven't found it.

 

[Pilgrim]

My oldest flats (on my 1963 P) were installed around 1972 and still sound great. Most of my other strings (mostly flats, some rounds) range from a year old to 10+ years old.

I don't like strings UNTIL they lose their brightness.

I've never had a reason to change a set of strings once I got a good set of strings installed after purchase. I've never had a string break other than during installation, so I've never had to replace a set due to breakage.

My go-to strings are Labella Deep Talkin' flats. I'm not sure what kind of flatwound strings are on that old P bass, but I researched the silks once and they may be Pyramids.

 

[gregmon79]

I used to use DR low riders or fat beams and changed them every 3 weeks to a month. I was almost changing them every paycheck, twice a month, when I could. But since moving to D'addarrio Pro Steels, Im solid with a set for a good month. My average has to be every three to four weeks. I cant stand older, non zingy strings!! I need that zing. Thats just where Im at today as a bassist.

 

[Bassplayer14712]

I voted brightness because with five different basses I always lose track of when I last replaced strings on which bass.

 

[crucislancer]

It really varies for me. Roundwounds are anywhere from a couple of weeks to a year (depending on condition of the strings and the state of my wallet!), and I have a couple of sets that I rotate around as needed and clean them up when they aren't on the bass. I've had flats that would stay on for nearly two years before I would replace them. I also clean the strings every time I'm done playing for the day, wiping them down and then use fast fret.

 

[bolophonic]

Pretty much never.

 

[radioface]

If I break a string, I will change the whole set but other than that reason, never and, never have a problem with old strings staying in tune.

 

[KeithPoker]

i don't change strings often as i swear by Bass Brites and mostly flatwounds. BB works quite well on other strings too.

 

[Christian Joseph Allbee]

More often than I should

 

[JimmyM]

I change them every 1-2 gigs depending on how much I sweat. Despite playing in a band that does 50's-60's-70's music, I like the sound of new rounds. Being a cheapskate when it comes to strings, though, I soak them in denatured alcohol and rotate 3-4 sets till the soaking doesn't work anymore. Takes quite a while for that to happen, so at least my string budget isn't through the roof.

 

[iiipopes]

Update on my July 29, 2014 post: still have not changed the La Bella tapes. Probably won't for the next year, at least.

 

[Baird6869]

Update on my July 29, 2014 post: still have not changed the La Bella tapes. Probably won't for the next year, at least.

I change rounds about every month as I don't like old rounds at all.

Tapes? My Labella black tapes were on my Rob Allen for at least 5 years before I changed them recently. They still could have gone another 5 years likely. I would only change tapes if they break or start unravelling. YMMV.

 

[sharkbait130]

I play with flats. Someone else can change mine after i croak if they want to.

 

[billgwx]

I usually change rounds once a year. I use "The String Cleaner" pretty much after every use, so I can keep them bright for a long time.

I swap out strings on my P-basses quite a bit, and imagine I'll change the flats I use on them only if the metal near the string posts looks like it's getting fatigued to the point where it won't hold on the posts or might break. Same goes for nylon tapewound bass strings when the nylon near the posts starts to become unraveled--with D'Addarios that leaves only the string core, which by itself doesn't hold well on the string posts.