Question For Bass Players With Many Basses

[bolophonic]

I have eight basses. All Precisions, all different strings, with a completely different look and feel to each one.

 

[mikecd1]

I loved the Fender roundcore nps strings and used them on my 4's and 5's till they switched manufacturers. Those were good strings and they had taper cores on the E and B which helped with lower action on certain basses at the time. My next go to string then became Sunbeams though my Pbass sounds better with Fender NPS on it. Wouldn't mind a thread about best strings for a Pbass as I feel some basses don't get proper volume from certain strings and certain pickups sound better with particular strings. Some strings will help quiet a hotter pickup and some will help output of other pickups. Just my 2 cents. After using Daddario Half Rounds for years on my Hofner switched to TI Jazz flats after recommendations here on TB. Love the sound and low tension! After trying many different flats on my JMJ Mustang ended up with Daddario EXL rounds which JMJ said he uses and really like them though I still want to try the Labella Mustang flats one day as that was his other recommendation. My Sterling5 and Lakland 4 have sunbeams, but am open to try other strings especially if an instrument doesn't sound right anymore and before it goes on the auction block to pursue other tone quests.

 

[Rich Thomas]

It depends by the bass, to me different strings on different basses, like, let's say, off road tires on an enduro bike and slick tires on a motogp = stainless steel rounds on warwick thumb and flats on precision

Yeah but....on the off road bike, do you use Trials tires or knobbies ?

 

[wild4oldcars]

I mostly use roto steels on my 15 or so basses, but a roto nickel will sneak in every once in awhile. I’ll try other steels sometimes, but I really dig rotos. I’ll take a pass on flats. I get the appeal but the drag on my fingers is just too much for me to overcome.

 

[QweziRider]

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

I did until my daughter joined jazz band at school this year. She preferred flats. So that's what I put on her basses. Then about Christmas, she decided she had to use one of my basses for the show instead of her own (it matched the outfit better). So I put flats on the one she picked out.

Do you find a brand/model that you like and stick with them for years?

I do. Same brand, model, and gauge for over 15 years now.

And of course, the controversial question, do you prefer flats, rounds or both depending on the bass?

Either, depending on the gig.

 

[bassike]

• Do you use the same brand/model strings on multiple basses? No I dont, each bass is different so I expect certain tone from each.

• Do you think it best to put flats on basses you only play every now and then? No, I use flats on the basses that are dedicated to flats, and change rounds on basses that use, depending on the project. I do not have brand new strings all over the collection.

• Do you find a brand/model that you like and stick with them for years? I personally Like LaBella, but I also use fender, Dunlop, D'addario etc.

• And of course, the controversial question, do you prefer flats, rounds or both depending on the bass? both depending on the bass

 

[DJ Bebop]

 

[logdrum]

Whatever is on sale which tends to be EB or Slinkys and D'Addario - I do like Rotosounds and I also like Fodera strings - the only inexpensive thing they sell. I even mix brands or types on the same bass.

I do not have a collection worth showing.

 

[j0616bass]

I have 9 electric basses. I've experimented with a ton of different strings.

My favorite string at the moment is Dunlop Super Brights. 3 basses are strung with these (2 jazz style, 1 PJ). My vintage P has Labella low tension flats. 2 basses are strung with GHS Boomers. First string I ever tried as a new player in about 1990 was Boomers, and they are still a great multi- purpose round IMO (although the last set i put on had a dead D string... first I've ever had, so not bad for 30+ years of string buying i figure). 2 basses have DR HI- Beams- one is the only active bass i own and the other is a Mexi Fender jazz that for some reason doesn't agree with the tension of other strings with my set up. The last is my fretless which has unidentified flats on it. I could try other strings on it but honestly I just don't play enough fretless for it to be a priority!

As with many things, different strokes fit different folks, but I've had fun experimenting with it. It can get a bit expensive to try a bunch at once, but I've had 30 years to do it and was never in a big hurry about it so it hasn't seemed like a big financial burden thankfully! (Unlike pedals LOL)

 

[Groove Doctor]

9 different Basses, all have different strings. Except
- 2 P basses, Rounds & flats.
- 2 w/ TI JFs, J bass & a ‘67 Coronado II.

 

[electracoyote]

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

On the basses in the heaviest rotation for live and stage work, I have sets or "twin pairs" that are set up close to identical. But since my collection includes a variety of scales, fretless, and my desire for a couple to have flats, I need about 6 distinctly different string types and gauges to equip all my basses.

Do you think it best to put flats on basses you only play every now and then?

For my needs, my basses strung with flats don't get played as quite as often, but often enough that I have to keep them well-maintained and ready to go. Most of my basses strung with flats are short scale semi-hollows. Probably about 30% of my bass playing is on those.

Do you find a brand/model that you like and stick with them for years?

No. I have a wide variety of basses from factory to custom shop to unique builds. I haven't found a brand yet that would receive my total loyalty, too much good stuff out there.

And of course, the controversial question, do you prefer flats, rounds or both depending on the bass?

Flats and rounds, depends on the bass and application.

 

[Yellow Bang66]

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

Ive said here before, my collection also consists of many different styles(from a suggestion in "Bass Player Magazine") to cover a wider spectrum of tones! But once I found the model I love, I collected 2 more, otherthan that one(MIJ, Fender Jazz Bass Specials) i havent any other duplicates!
As for strings, I use the same Brand "DR",but different models or styles.
And I prefer Round Woundsbecause they fit my style,and the Genre of music I prefer.agressive rock,
I only use flats on my fretless, Mostly only used "Chromes" as they did the job I was looking for.

I only tried experimenting, once a long time ago. when I found a site that had a good amount of "clearance stock" =strings for cheap & a couple of Ebay deals!
But once I found a brand & model I pretty much stuck to it! GL

 

[mellowgerman]

Not sure I qualify for this study... I mostly play my Guild Starfire, Serek Midwestern, Hagstrom Swede, and Eastwood Newport. All 4 short-scales and all 4 strung with NOS Maxima flatwound strings from the 60's/70's. They feel and sound absolutely amazing and I've never found another string like them. They have a bronze alloy core under flat nickel windings, so definitely unusual when compared with flatwounds currently in production. I was very lucky to find a source for a big bulk order of these NOS Maximas, so in a sense I now consider myself retired from bass string purchases. Kind of a relief after ~15 years of actively chasing the perfect(-for-me) string!

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

Really just whatever is cheap although I have flats on an Epiphone Embassy because sometimes you just need flats. I've tried some different budget strings and discovered that some are very low output so I avoid them. Musicians Gear 5 string sets work well for me. I just toss the "B" string for my 4's.

 

[whitedk57]

I have 4 basses in my family - all with TI Jazz flats.

 

[Sixgunn]

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

I hate flats. I put Dunlop Super Brights stainless steel rounds on all of my basses.

 

[Burwabit]

My 10 or so basses are all over the map with strings. I play the strings that sound best with the bass. I keep extra sets and have a spreadsheet to keep up.

3 w/ rounds (all stainless) including active PJ5, passive J4, and active J4
6 w/ flats (TIs on 3/6) including 2 Ps, Ric, Jack Casady, fretless J, Musicmaster
1 w/ pressurewound on my 54P

 

[Kael]

One fretless (J bass), One fretted (5 string P/J), one upright. That's all I need. I own more but have no clue why. I ought to move them as they have sat in a case for literally years now. Each bass wears different strings that work for it. Same strings don't work for everything for me. Only bass with flats is the upright (roundwound wear on fretless is WAY overblown). I play with a moderately light touch so the same set of bass guitar strings will last me between 6 months and a year of regular use (think 2 to 4 gigs a week). Upright strings last years...

 

[Gigas444]

Yeah but....on the off road bike, do you use Trials tires or knobbies ?

When i used to own a light-mono cilynder bike: knobbies all the times, now, growing older and less free time i have a big adv bike (xt1200z) with which i see tarmac only brother, many many tarmac lines only

 

[Tommy Sparks]

P - rounds
P - flats
J - 1/2 rounds
T Bird - rounds
All are D’addario and 45-105
Haven’t tried tapes, been thinking about it for a bit. I tend to leave my strings on for years. The flats on the P has got to be 10 or 11 years old. The others are probably older than 5.