New Bass - Stock Strings

[Cave Puppy]

I change stock guitar strings way more than I do stock bass strings. Some stock guitar strings turn my fretting hand black. Totally dirty. That may have happened once or twice on a new bass but I don't remember it happening.

 

[Rebel Rocker]

Depends on the feel and sound. But after a while I go DR Hi-beams 45-105.

 

[MCF]

I change them all to SIT Power wounds

Mine get changed to SIT Power Steels or Dunlop Marcus Miller stainless steel Superbrights.

 

[BobKos]

No big deal

I have GOT to figure out how to work the TB search stuff though.
When I searched for this got absolutely nothing, and that happens every time

Don't feel bad. The TB search feature has to be the WORST search utility on the entire internet. I can NEVER find anything I am searching for with it. It is actually easier to go to Google, search your phrase, then return on the Google hits for TB. The pompous asses that demand everybody use the TB search feature need to get a life methinks.

 

[Isaac_James]

I don't buy new basses often, but the last one I bought came with nickel roundwounds, which just aren't my cuppa tea. Seems like that's the most common stock string out there so if I ever (okay, when I) buy a new bass again, I'll do the same.

My favorite strings at the moment are GHS pressurewounds, but depending on the instrument I might also use flatwounds or stainless steel rounds.

 

[SloFingers]

With one exception, I have bought all my basses used. If the strings sound ok, I'll leave them on for a few months before I snatch them off and throw them in the street.

 

[JRA]

i voted "i change to my preferred strings right away" because:
- it's a habit i like, but mostly because
- i'd be changing/altering the nut anyway to achieve a certain 'feel' at the first few positions and
- i wouldn't want the supplied/stock strings to be a determinant in that part of my setup!

if the stock strings were in my universe of preferences it would be a different experience, i'm sure.

 

[Dust2Dust]

Don't feel bad. The TB search feature has to be the WORST search utility on the entire internet. I can NEVER find anything I am searching for with it. It is actually easier to go to Google, search your phrase, then return on the Google hits for TB. The pompous asses that demand everybody use the TB search feature need to get a life methinks.

So, it's not just me then!

Thanks for posting this

 

[Bass-ball]

Last time I bought a bass, they threw a pair of Elixir nanoweb mediums on it for free, and so I thought "Never tried these, I'll give them a shot." I don't get new basses often, but I always give the strings that come on them a fair shake. On the Elixirs, kind of a pass from me. They're so balanced in their tone, feel, and how long they last, that they're not actually good any one of those things, if that makes sense.

I don't make sense, do I?

 

[Dust2Dust]

Last time I bought a bass, they threw a pair of Elixir nanoweb mediums on it for free, and so I thought "Never tried these, I'll give them a shot." I don't get new basses often, but I always give the strings that come on them a fair shake. On the Elixirs, kind of a pass from me. They're so balanced in their tone, feel, and how long they last, that they're not actually good any one of those things, if that makes sense.

I don't make sense, do I?

Makes sense to me

 

[uOpt]

I record the bass with the strings it came with unless they are completely dead. Then I put on my standard strings and record again.

 

[bigthemat]

only if they came installed with flats

 

[Dust2Dust]

. . . . . before I snatch them off and throw them in the street. . . .

 

[HelpImaRock]

I really tried to keep the stock rounds on my Mustang when I got it this year. They came off after about a month in favor of flats. I left them on as long as I did because I wanted the neck to settle, and to see how much of the buzz was from the strings compared to the neck. I think that delay was well worth it.

 

[Bassamatic]

The only stock strings I have ever liked were Elixirs on an Ibanez a while back. They are terrific, still use them.

 

[Lo-E]

Depends on if they sound good or not.

Exactly. If I like them I leave them. If I don’t like them I change them.

 

[rtslinger]

I'm always content with the stock strings on a new bass.
Anybody else like that?

That depends, if they all give me the same volume across the board and feel okay I will work with them.
Most not all, new basses come strung up with decent strings in my findings. Unless their rounds and I want flats on it I'm okay.

 

[ELG60]

If they're comfortable to play. I leave them until they don't sound good, then I'll swap them for TI Jazz Flats, TI Rounds, or EB Cobalt Flats depending upon the bass.

 

[MidlifeBeginner]

This is what a muddy E string looks like on a cheap bass after 20 hours of play. The top of the plot literally is shaped like a mud pie.

This is what a new set of Fender 7250M strings look like on the same bass. Note the steeper roll off, which means more note definition. The cheap bass sounds excellent now.

If you buy an expensive bass that names what strings come on it, give the strings a try. No name strings sound OK at first, but get muddy fast.

 

[j0616bass]

I'll use them for a week maybe, but generally I'll swap them out pretty quickly.

Off-topic but adjacent.....I have a pet peeve when people have a bass for sale and express that they have just changed the strings. Unless it is exactly what I use, I'm going to change those out. You aren't enticing me to buy by putting me strings on it.

I also realize that this probably is an irrational pet peeve. Thanks for listening