Old Strings on Different Basses

[Wadge]

Hi all,

I'm asking about strings on different basses and I think that this is the more appropriate forum to talk about it.

Anyway, I have noticed that when my strings are old on my fender precision, I can still get a fairly nice thumpy feel, but try slapping on it and it sounds horrible.

Now I noticed that with some other basses, such as my Tobias, old strings still sound relatively good (not as good as new strings of course). The same happens if I were to play a warwick for instance.

Does anyone know why this happens. Is it just due to active electronics as opposed to passive ones? What gives?

I know that some people favour slightly used strings as opposed to really new, bright ones. However, that aside, does anyone feel that certain basses can still sound good with say a four month old set of strings whilst other basses only sound good with new strings? And does anyone have the same experience as me?

 

[JimmyM]

I've noticed dead strings usually end up sounding better on old school basses like Fenders than on high-tech basses. Don't know why, but it sure seems that way.

 

[elwood]

It has to just be a function of what you're looking for in your sound. Dead strings sound more high fi on my Lakie 55-02 because that bass is already so trebly. On my Yamaha, which has a muddier acoustic sound, the same strings will lose that upper register component, and I can't seem to tweak it out with the amp.

Those are my only two basses, one's 35" scale, one 34", so strings only get passed down in one direction, if at all.

 

[Tom Howland]

I've noticed dead strings usually end up sounding better on old school basses like Fenders than on high-tech basses. Don't know why, but it sure seems that way.

I agree, I think they sound better on passive basses also.

 

[pickles]

My Modulus Quantum sounds great with new strings, old strings, flatwounds, stainless, nickel ... its wierd but it doesn't seem to care a whole lot what its strung up with. Most of the other basses I have like my Sadowsky are very string sensistive and really like to be strung up with a crispy stainless set. I have no explanation

 

[elwood]

My Roscoe was the same way as your Quantum. I think it just sounded good, period- had incredible articulation, rich overtones. But there was a difference between the strings.