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Is it possible to get a bad set of strings!

#23
EBs have a half life of about 15 minutes once the package is opened, so play them fast and change them often.

Funny thing is, I like their strings on my guitars - well, all but the acoustic ones. I use the EB Extra Slinkies - but on a bass - dead-o!

If you have Haz-Mat sweat like Godzilla, then you won't get much sound for long from any string - but I find the Elixir Nanos live on pretty much forever. I have a couple of sets on basses that are over two years old and still sound great - better, actually than new.
 
#25
For a couple of years I was getting Rotosound Swing Bass sets that always seemed to have one bad (dead, completly dull "thunk" sound) in every set.
I stopped using them for awhile.
I'm back to using them again and still got two different sets in the last year that had that problem.

But since there is no string (for me) that even comes close to the Rotosound sound (when they are all good), I take my chances.

I tried GHS Bass Boomers a long time ago and every time, the set would lose it's brilliance and sound muddy in no time.

DR strings are very good for not having dead strings in their sets.
 
#26
RBX4 said:
Roundwounds that's lasting 2 years?
Click to expand...

Oh - yes! I suspect that they will see four years if they don't actually fall off.

The kitty fur is a great conversation piece too - and it really looks good to have flocked strings.

But the Elixirs are a good solid thump string that still has a lot of clarity and can ring with authority.

They may not be your cuppa though, as I like the Motown lows and don't care for an especially bright sound. I'm playing a bass after all, not a guitar.
 
#30
I've had a number of bad sets of DR strings, but that's over 10-15 years of purchasing them on and off. I've also had bad Rotosounds, and even last night a bad Dunlop (ball end broke off the D-string). It happens, and it's not limited to any one brand.

Oddly enough, the Slinkys I had on my fretted L2500 were taken off after a month of use and now reside on my fretless L2500. They have stayed consistently bright from string to string MUCH longer than any set of DRs or Dunlops or Labellas I've had on the same bass. So, if I was to draw conclusions from my experience in the same way that so many in this tread are drawing, EBs are the best, longest lasting string ever, and DR, Dunlop, Rotosounds, La Bellas, and everything else are horrible and should rot in hell.

Obviously that is not the case; sometimes you just get a bad set. However, every set of nickel strings I've ever had, aside from the Slinky's and a set of Peavey Cirrus "thermal fused" (whatever that is) strings have died within 2 weeks or less of use. Pretty normal, and I have 8 basses that all get played regularly, so it's not as if I'm putting ALL my time on any single bass. Personally, I prefer steel anyway, but sometimes I'm cheap and don't mind a $12 set of nickels when they'er on sale.
 

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