I find that once rounds break in and settle down that they offer a consistent tone that can last for years. I usually change them every 1-3 years. Sometimes just for the sake of doing so and to continue my streak of having never broken a string.
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Kinda dead roundwounds, anyone like 'em?
- Thread starter BusyFingers
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- dead roundwounds
my favorite strings for years were almost dead dunlop nickel rounds, but now that i'm getting older i really like the low tension of the ti jazz flats
Ok I confess
My 99 Fender Standard American Precision Bass has same stock rounds that came on it
Haven’t had paid gigs so don’t see need for new Zing Strings
I clean them ocassionally though
My 99 Fender Standard American Precision Bass has same stock rounds that came on it
Haven’t had paid gigs so don’t see need for new Zing Strings
I clean them ocassionally though
Ok same factory rounds on my Zon too
And changed to flats on my Ric in 97 but they really do last forever
And changed to flats on my Ric in 97 but they really do last forever
Amen to that. The deader the better. You want some zing, that's what treble knobs are for.
Ya know, its weird. I grew up thinking that everybody preferred super new roundwounds, except flatwound guys (who never, ever changed strings). But reading reviews, reading string recommendations, I'm reading about all these players that hate strings until they break in and loose their twang. Like when somebody sells a bass and they advertise the brand of strings currently on the bass. And I saw that and thought, who cares, isn't the first thing everybody does when they buy a bass is change the strings, right?
I personally love new strings, and I keep them on until they're pretty beat, but only because I'm a cheapskate. I deal with it but I don't prefer it. My sweat is pretty corrosive so I go through them, especially nickel - and I prefer nickel strings.
I personally love new strings, and I keep them on until they're pretty beat, but only because I'm a cheapskate. I deal with it but I don't prefer it. My sweat is pretty corrosive so I go through them, especially nickel - and I prefer nickel strings.
I use DR hi beams for rounds. I prefer them brand new and always record and play big gigs with new ones but I don’t mind them being at this stage for band rehearsal or gigs where there’s either no bass in the PA or I know the PA isn’t going to be the best. When they are are completely dead though they gotta go.
I hate them. They lose the round wound brightness while retaining all the noise. No thank you.
That's the only way I like round wounds. I like the growl but hate the metallic zingy sound of brand new round wounds.
I play Ernie Ball regular slinkys and change them 2-3 times per year on my main players- less frequently on my backups. So I'd say that most of the time the "zing" is gone from the strings but they aren't dull or lifeless either. I'm kind an in-betweener I guess. Incidentally, my main players get gigged once a week at my church gig and then played sporadically through the week as time allows.
I have strings on my Nash P Bass that are completely dead, but they tune and sound great. I just hope they never break.
As far as I'm concerned if they ain't broke they're good. I love the zing of new strings. I love the balanced tone of broken in strings. I love the mufflety thump of dead strings. I can work with all phases. Some times I treat myself to a new set, just for s**ts and giggles.
I do on at least one of my basses, my number #2 Carvin LB50Koa with EMG HB pups has a worn set from#1. I prefer a tamed set on that bass for recording, R&R, C&W gigs.
I am a dead flats player, but in a very, very few cases I have left dead rounds on a bass. It still takes a year or two to get the nasty brightness out of them.
Yes. I don't like brand new rounds or really old dead rounds. In between.... perfect!
Probably not half dead, maybe 25% dead. I can keep them that way a long time if I clean them once in a while.
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