Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
My Strings Keep going Dead!!!
- Thread starter spaceowl2
- Start date
You need a Bass string cleaning thingy! I built one and it works great.
http://www.tunemybass.com/strings/bass_string_cleaning_tube.html
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
http://www.tunemybass.com/strings/bass_string_cleaning_tube.html
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Are you playing your bass? That might explain the problem. If you don't want them to go dead you should definitely stop playing 
try a longer lasting string...or one that maintains more character as it dies...
I use D'Addario XL's...they're GREAT new, and as they go dead, they still sound good, just a bit warmer.
They also respond well to Denatured Alcohol (methylated spirits) cleaning.
I use D'Addario XL's...they're GREAT new, and as they go dead, they still sound good, just a bit warmer.
They also respond well to Denatured Alcohol (methylated spirits) cleaning.
Having used both DRs and D'addario, I can say with certainty that the DRs should be lasting as long or longer. There's nothing wrong with the brand/model of strings here.
He's either getting bad strings (a bad batch? I doubt it though...) or just mistreating them (or could just be hard on strings). I'm guessing it's just excessive sweat.
Another thing it could be besides sweat is putting them on by winding the string around the post with your hand instead of winding them up with the tuning key. It's a timesaver, but it can cause the string to twist, which makes it go dead real quick, sometimes instantly.
Please clarify: are they going dead after one gig or one month? If it's one gig then I guarantee it's either your sweat or whatever is going onto the strings and/or how you're putting them on. If it's after a month, of course your strings aren't going to have as much life as they did 3 weeks ago after constant playing. I'm pretty heavy-handed but get about 2-3 months of use out of a pack of DR hi-beams for playing 2 hours a day. After about 2-4 weeks depending on use, they do lose that new-string squeeky brightness and are just getting broke in. So maybe they're not going dead, you just have a preference for a really bright-sounding string.
Try the coated DR black beauties. They retain the same timbre throughout their life - which is why I don't like 'em because they stay bright-sounding.
Try the coated DR black beauties. They retain the same timbre throughout their life - which is why I don't like 'em because they stay bright-sounding.
Elixers!!!!
I have the same problem and the Elixers lasted 4 times as long as anything else I have tried. I also liked the DR Coated strings, but I don't like the color and the uncolored ones are difficult to find in my area. Good Luck...
- Aug 25, 2000
- 1,836
- 28
- 66
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Sadowsky Guitars
Welcome to TB spacey!
Is this a new problem, or are you new to playing? It would be really helpful if you took a minute and filled out your profile. Let us know a little more about your experience, gear, etc.
Without further info, the sweaty hands thing is probably the culprit. You may have the same rare problem a good friend of mine (may he rest in peace...don't worry, the sweaty hands had nothing to do with his passing) had. He would come down and sit in on occasion in the band I replaced him in. At first I let him use my bass, but he would play just one tune and hand me back my bass soggy and sporting totally dead strings. I had to tell him "Brian, I love you man, and you're welcome to sit in anytime...as long as you bring your own bass!" It turned out that Brian had a very high acidity content in his sweat. Fortunately for him he was an "old school" player who never slapped and had that hard, dig-in, Jamerson style perfect for flatwound strings. He always played with dead strings anyway.
Try wristbands first. If your hands are still sweating and strings still going dead, you may want to consult with a dermatologist.
Is this a new problem, or are you new to playing? It would be really helpful if you took a minute and filled out your profile. Let us know a little more about your experience, gear, etc.
Without further info, the sweaty hands thing is probably the culprit. You may have the same rare problem a good friend of mine (may he rest in peace...don't worry, the sweaty hands had nothing to do with his passing) had. He would come down and sit in on occasion in the band I replaced him in. At first I let him use my bass, but he would play just one tune and hand me back my bass soggy and sporting totally dead strings. I had to tell him "Brian, I love you man, and you're welcome to sit in anytime...as long as you bring your own bass!" It turned out that Brian had a very high acidity content in his sweat. Fortunately for him he was an "old school" player who never slapped and had that hard, dig-in, Jamerson style perfect for flatwound strings. He always played with dead strings anyway.
Try wristbands first. If your hands are still sweating and strings still going dead, you may want to consult with a dermatologist.
I can kill my strings in a two hour set. I try to wipe my strings after every tune if it's hot. Under the strings as well. This will get me through the gig and the strings may make it through the first set of the next. I have a friend who can kill strings in a half hour. Unfortunately I like new zingy strings...
Wow...this sounds like it's more of a problem than I would have guessed. Maybe bring a few moist towellettes to the show? Wipe your hands down every few songs?
Hmmm...I put new DR's on...oh four MONTHS ago or so. Practice 2 times a week for 3 hours, cover gigs 2-6 times a month, and they still sound just fine. Sounds like you really want the extra brite sound of new strings, which personally I hate. Find the brightest sounding strings you can and see if that satisfies your needs.
