Question For Bass Players With Many Basses

[Volker Kirstein]

... So my questions are:

1. Do you use the same brand/model strings on multiple basses?
2. Do you think it best to put flats on basses you only play every now and then?
3. Do you find a brand/model that you like and stick with them for years?
4. And of course, the controversial question, do you prefer flats, rounds or both depending on the bass?

057912

1) I have Hofner Contemporary Rounds on two of my basses. (HB Shorty & J&D Mini Jazz)
2) I put flats on basses where I want that olde skoole thump (Bronco & Costway P), not becaue of any playing frequency.
3) Yes. My first choice is always Hofner Contemporary Rounds, or GHS Precision Flats, depending on what I'm using the instrument for.
4) It really depends. I use both. Both have plusses in different categories.

 

[lordradish]

1. Varies. Always use Bass Boomers on the Wal, Sunbeams on the Stambaugh fretless, still figuring out what I like for my CB 6 string and my EBMM.
2. I don't use flats, ever. Just not my thing.
3. On the ones I mention on #1, yes, I've more or less stuck with them.
4. 100 percent rounds guy.

I also am not one to buy the same kind of bass, I've just never saw the point. I like variety. I'll never understand someone who has 10 P's and nothing else.

 

[brianrost]

Do you use the same brand/model strings on multiple basses?

1. Do you think it best to put flats on basses you only play every now and then?
2. Do you find a brand/model that you like and stick with them for years?
3. And of course, the controversial question, do you prefer flats, rounds or both depending on the bass?

1. No

2. Yes and no. Unless they are dead, I just leave whatever came with the bass on until they need to be changed. I have been using GHS rounds for years, probably because they were the easiest to get for my Steinbergers. After receiving a used bass with a fresh set of Ernie Ball Group III flats on it, I've favored them when putting a new set of fllats on. My NS Radius came with the fcatory D'Addario set and I plan to restring it with the same.

3. Both, depending on how the bass will be used. Since I played mainly blues gigs for the last 30 years, I have flats on my three Fenders. My Silvertone has flats, everything else has rounds.

 

[40Hz]

@JRA, @Drucife,@2F/2F,@arbiterusa, and @40Hz, thanks for addressing the question:
"Do you think it's best to put flats on basses you only play every now and then?"

The reason I asked is because I have basses that I haven't played in years,
my Axcelerator for instance, because I'm mainly a passive bass kindda guy.

I think round go bad even if you don't play them so this is a quandary.
I have considered trading it for something passive several times.
But if I get a wild hair, I want it to be ready...057912

I have two stands by my amp. I get around the unplayed bass problem by keeping my main player out on one, and rotating the rest of what I've got about every two or three weeks on the other.

If I have something that's not getting played much despite that, I'll sell, trade, or give it away. I don't collect. And I'm definitely not a hoarder. Mu guitarist SO and I acquire a fair amount of new gear each year. Music is pretty much what we do with our spare time and cash. If we kept everything she and I have bought over the years, we'd have needed a second house to store it in by now.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

View attachment 4258610 I've seen many family photos here on TB which has raised string management questions.
I believe I saw one family of all blue Jazz basses, @TBird1958 has multiple Birds.
Some families are diverse like mine which includes SS, MS, and LS.

I don't have any duplicate model basses in my collection,
nor have I used the same brand/model strings on more than one.
There's no philosophy behind this it's just how it happened.

Strings are expensive and also harder to find now days,
So my questions are:

1. Do you use the same brand/model strings on multiple basses?
2. Do you think it best to put flats on basses you only play every now and then?
3. Do you find a brand/model that you like and stick with them for years?
4. And of course, the controversial question, do you prefer flats, rounds or both depending on the bass?

057912

I own 9 basses. I generally use them all depending on the gig/session. I keep at least two of them tuned down a half step because a few of the folks I work with play that way.

I generally prefer one brand of strings on all my basses- D'Addario. Been playing them for years. I prefer rounds, but my hollowbody has flats (D'Addario Chromes), and I don't play this bass very often. I prefer my rounds to be slightly broken in as opposed to zingy and new so I get quite a bit of mileage out of them. They seem to hold up well. My 30 year old '62 US P bass reissue has Fender tapewounds.

I basically 'bite the bullet' and end up spending substantial money on bass strings. But, it's a tax write off, so it's ok. I generally try to buy in bulk. I've had people give me strings in the past.

 

[Eric Huber]

5 for me. Lakland-HB30 Bella Flats, Lakland-44-02 Fodera nickel flats, Fender Aerodyne Bella golds round.
Epiphone-Jack Casady Anniversary edition stainless rounds, Schecter-Banshee EB stainless rounds.

ekh.

 

[Scarysharkface]

View attachment 4258610 I've seen many family photos here on TB which has raised string management questions.
I believe I saw one family of all blue Jazz basses, @TBird1958 has multiple Birds.
Some families are diverse like mine which includes SS, MS, and LS.

I don't have any duplicate model basses in my collection,
nor have I used the same brand/model strings on more than one.
There's no philosophy behind this it's just how it happened.

Strings are expensive and also harder to find now days,
So my questions are:

1. Do you use the same brand/model strings on multiple basses?
2. Do you think it best to put flats on basses you only play every now and then?
3. Do you find a brand/model that you like and stick with them for years?
4. And of course, the controversial question, do you prefer flats, rounds or both depending on the bass?

057912

I keep flats on at least one fretted bass (Alembic Series I at the moment), nickel rounds are on my fretless Lakland at present and stainless steel rounds on everything else at the moment, except the new Ric that still wears what it shipped with. It's good to have options readily available.

John

 

[rtslinger]

I have 20+ basses I have a few with flats all the rest are round wound strung
The flats and Rounds combo is because I play in a Classic Rock band and covering the 50-60 music I use flat wounds and 70-today I use the rounds.
I am not a tied to one brand I own basses from many different manufactures and my am steered towards unique designs
Strings are not all the same brand all though I do like Fender flats and Thomastik Infeld jazz flats, my EB-0 is strung with Gibson medium Flats.
Some basses are strung with Neons so I roll with DR. the others are many brands Gibson, Labella, Fender, GHS, Rotos, D'Addario but all rounds Stainless My Gibson Ripper is strung with Sfarzo SFT nickel iron rounds which I am very please with the tone.

my herd

 

[JTE]

So my questions are:

1. Do you use the same brand/model strings on multiple basses? - Not at all. After doing this since 1976, I believe the bass will let you know the best strings for this specific instrument. So Ihave flats, NPS rounds, stainless rounds, and steel rounds on various basses.
2. Do you think it best to put flats on basses you only play every now and then? Nope, see #1
3. Do you find a brand/model that you like and stick with them for years? Nope, see #1
4. And of course, the controversial question, do you prefer flats, rounds or both depending on the bass? They do different things, so no preference

 

[ejaggers]

i don't have that issue. and for the days/weeks (maybe a month sometimes) that i've not played an ax: the strings always sounded as i expected/remembered them. but if you're essentially 'storing a bass' by dint of not playing it, i don't think it matters what string type is on it.

Some TBers have said RW's go bad with time even if unplayed, seems logical.
I bought a 60s Kingston with the original strings, that had died and gone to heaven probably in the 20th century, so flats die to in time.

Also, see post #33 for the reason for asking.
Days, weeks, and a month is only a few grains of sand in the hour glass compared to years....057912

I have some duplicates... mainly peavey foundations... I think I'm at about 6 of them today. I bought them when they were going for $100 to $200 because I just thought they were worth so much more. Most of them have the same or similar strings, some are set up to tune down a 1/2 step, there's a fretless in the herd. Sadly.. I started buying them to bother people that were slightly snobbish... eventually I bought them because I loved the way they played. Would still like to get one in a salmon color.

I've got basses that cost 10 times as much, but have no problem showing up to a gig with a ratted out foundation.

I left a white Foundation on the shelve in a pawn shop years ago that was around $100, because it was white, and not a sparkling new white.
At the time I wasn't into white, but that has changed and I have regretted that decision ever since.

I've considered trading my Axcelerator for a Foundation since I'm really not into active basses....057912

I have many basses. Keeping up with strings is an issue. I handle it in a few ways.


1) I have 4 or 5 basses that wear flatwounds, and one with coated strings. These don't seem to need new strings often, if at all. My flatwound string of choice is LaBella Low Tension Flexible Flats.

2) My go-to string is Dunlop Superbrights, and they are relatively inexpensive. They also work for me on many basses.

3) For some of my basses, I don't like Superbrights. So, I experiment with strings, starting with the cheapest, until I find something I do like. For example, with my Thumbs, there is a set of D'Addario tapered steel strings that are reasonable priced and I like just fine.

4) For my Dingwalls (especially the long scale ones), I tell family members to buy me Dingwall strings when they ask me what I want for Christmas or my birthday.

5) I try to buy at least a couple sets of strings each month, whether I feel like I need them or not. I have three sets on the shelf right now, plus a set of upright strings.

6) I store most of my basses in cases and gig bags and try to pay attention to humidity. This seems to help strings wear out due to use rather than due to climate.

7) I just live with always needing strings. Sometimes my "gig bass" choice is dependent on which bass has "good" strings right now.


For what it is worth, when I say many basses, I mean it. I'm somewhere between a player and a collector. Here's my current list:

• Carvin SB5000
• Carvin LB75
• Dean Rhapsody 8
• Dean Pace
• Dearmond Pilot Plus V
• Dearmond Pilot Pro
• Dingwall ABI 5 string
• Dingwall D-Roc Standard
• Dingwall Super P
• Englehardt EM1
• Epiphone Thunderbird Classic IV
• Epiphone Thunderbird Pro IV
• '03 Fender Highway One P Bass
• '89 Kubicki Ex-Factor
• '75 Tele bass
• '74 P-bass
• '70 P-bass
• '68 Coronado II
• '98 Am. Std. Jazz
• '04 Am. Std. Jazz
• '97 Am. Std. Jazz V
• '96 Am. Std. Precision
• Fender Jaguar Deluxe
• Fender Nate Mendel Precision
• Fender '51 Reissue Precision
• Fender Precision Bass Special (Cowpoke)
• Fender Precision Bass Lyte
• Fender Classic Aerodyne Precision Bass Special
• Fender acoustic bass of some sort
• G&L Tribute L-2000
• G&L Tribute L-2500
• G&L CLF L-1000
• G&L CLF L-2500
• G&L ASAT
• Gibson NR Thunderbird
• Gretsch G5123B
• Gretsch Electromatic 2202
• '76 Guild M-85II
  Hofner Icon
• 98 Lakland 4-94 Classic
• Lakland Skyline 44-60
• '03 Musicman Stingray5
• MusicYo Tobias 5
• Peavey Sarzo
• Peavey T-40
• Peavey Dyna Unity
• 1984 Peavey Foundation
• 1986 Peavey Foundation
• Peavey Grind 5
• Peavey Cirrus BXP
• Robin Freedom II
• '19 Sadowsky Verdine White
• Spector Legend 6
• Spector Legend Custom 4
• Spector NS4CRFM
• Sterling SUB Ray5
• '17 Warwick Thumb BO 5

My Coronado II is, and always will be my favorite bass.
Will you post a pic of yours

At first, I mostly used on my bass ukes, black Road Toad Pahoehoe poly strings, and one with creme Aquila Thundergut poly. For the junior guitar magnetic pickup to bass conversions, I use mostly Gold Tone/La Bella MBLS 25" flatwound, one with black tape wound flats. Over the last few years I've found that the poly strings take to long to settle in and they get too sticky in humid weather, so with the release of the Kala/Galli flatwound 20.5 and 23" flatwound, I'm replacing all the poly with those.

So yes, I use the same strings for most of my basses.

I'm new to the sub shortie world am would like to PM you about this suubject....057912

 

[jd56hawk]

View attachment 4258610 I've seen many family photos here on TB which has raised string management questions.
I believe I saw one family of all blue Jazz basses, @TBird1958 has multiple Birds.
Some families are diverse like mine which includes SS, MS, and LS.

I don't have any duplicate model basses in my collection,
nor have I used the same brand/model strings on more than one.
There's no philosophy behind this it's just how it happened.

Strings are expensive and also harder to find now days,
So my questions are:

1. Do you use the same brand/model strings on multiple basses?
2. Do you think it best to put flats on basses you only play every now and then?
3. Do you find a brand/model that you like and stick with them for years?
4. And of course, the controversial question, do you prefer flats, rounds or both depending on the bass?

057912

Nine basses.
GHS black tapewounds on both L2000s, the Thundergun and Gamma Alpha.
Fender 9050 custom light flatwounds on the Bacchus Woodline and Thunderbird.
D'Addario black tapewounds on the blue and black Exoticas...the third one has Fender flatwounds but I have a set of D'Addario for it, too.

String savvy.
It's as simple as that.

 

[retslock]

Chromes on everything. Keep trying others, always come back!

This is where I'm at too. I've tried various round wound brands and La Bella tape wound which I liked - they all sounded good but the tension doesn't work for me. I have Chrome flats on my three main basses and they'll stay there. I like the heavier tension and they suit my playing style.

 

[Mickp]

I put DR Fat Beams on all mine, 45s. Sun beams on fretless. There are a couple of new basses where I haven't got round to changing them yet, but I typically do a setup and put on my DRs when I get a bass. To me, having consistent string "feel" is nice when I switch between basses (I have 19). I try to get them all with similar neck relief and action too (I'm sure we all do that)!
Just got a nice Rickie 5 from Reverb and it came with flats...euugghhh, nasty ! Can't play it until I get some rounds on that baby

 

[SamanthaCay]

Diverse group of basses here.

The short of it is that I go with the strings that best compliment the bass at hand and the desired tone/s I'm looking to get out of it.

The ones with rounds get changed when it is desirable to do so, like these are dead and I need a bright sound for this gig/session/ect..

I use DR Neon's on my daily and under normal conditions will swap em about every three months. I like this as if I were using an uncoated string it would be a lot more frequent. This past year because of no gigs and just playing at home, switching up basses a lot I actually made them last just over a year!

 

[Bob_Ross]

1. Do you use the same brand/model strings on multiple basses?
2. Do you think it best to put flats on basses you only play every now and then?
3. Do you find a brand/model that you like and stick with them for years?
4. And of course, the controversial question, do you prefer flats, rounds or both depending on the bass?

1. Yes on multiple basses but not on all of my basses. See this recent post for a list of what strings I use on which basses.
2. No, I think it's best to put flats on basses that you want to sound like they have flats on them.
3. Yes, for all my instruments that get stainless steel roundwounds I've been using the same brand/model since 1985.
4. Both -- as well as tapes and grounds -- as per the previously referenced (this) post.

 

[Thundertips]

View attachment 4258610 I've seen many family photos here on TB which has raised string management questions.
I believe I saw one family of all blue Jazz basses, @TBird1958 has multiple Birds.
Some families are diverse like mine which includes SS, MS, and LS.

I don't have any duplicate model basses in my collection,
nor have I used the same brand/model strings on more than one.
There's no philosophy behind this it's just how it happened.

Strings are expensive and also harder to find now days,
So my questions are:

1. Do you use the same brand/model strings on multiple basses?
2. Do you think it best to put flats on basses you only play every now and then?
3. Do you find a brand/model that you like and stick with them for years?
4. And of course, the controversial question, do you prefer flats, rounds or both depending on the bass?

057912

I've been using D'Addario strings ever since I started playing Bass 30 years ago. All of my Basses are strung with EXL165 Roundwound 45-105.

 

[ejaggers]

More like, dying to show a pic of your collection, it seems.

Just so you know, that's what we do here at TB.
We post pics, give/take advice, and discuss/share topics we have in common.
This is a recurring event that happens daily, multiple times a day.

Since your post did none of that, it seems more like
you are dying to show that you can make a complete sentence.
If this was your motivation, you did a fairly decent job!!!

But to really show off you could have used "It Seems" at the beginning rather than the end,
and removed the unnecessary commas. Like this:
"It seems more like you are dying to show a pic of your collection."

057912

 

[Nedmundo]

1. Do you use the same brand/model strings on multiple basses?
2. Do you think it best to put flats on basses you only play every now and then?
3. Do you find a brand/model that you like and stick with them for years?
4. And of course, the controversial question, do you prefer flats, rounds or both depending on the bass?

1. Yes, I've used DR strings on several of my basses, and my Fender Jazz and G&L JB-5 have similar sets of DRs now, with Sunbeams on the Fender and Pure Blues on the G&L.
2. Not necessarily. I'd use flats if they were best for a particular project, or I had two P-basses. In that case, one would probably have flats all the time.
3. Sure. I used Fender strings for several years on my Fender basses, and I've been using mostly DR for about ten years. On my G&L M-2500, however, I've used Dean Markleys.
4. Almost always prefer rounds, but flats have been great at times, like for recording with P-basses. They also sounded fantastic on a semi-hollow I had for awhile. For whatever reason, I don't like them on J-basses, which I play most of the time.

 

[misterCRUSH]

I have 5 basses, all fretless. The only duplicates I have are a MIM jazz and a MIJ jazz. I find it very comforting to have the same strings on each bass. It just feels right. La Bella flats 760 FS

 

[Planespotter]

I have 6 basses at the moment. A '70 Gibson EB-3L, 90s G&L ASAT fretless, 2000 American Precision, 2013 CS Relic Precision, 2018 Rickenbacker 4003, and a 2019 Vintera Precision. All of them are strung with D'addario Chromes .050 to .100 (ECB-81) and I don't change strings very often.