Double Bass String age..

[oldprussians]

Whats the longest you have kept strings before changing them.

Also I need to know if there is a cheap soft Spiro core like string to put on a electric DB. It seems a waste to put fantastic German strings on a EUB..... Yes I know thomastik are Austrian.... But before the late 1800's it was just another German state.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

Set of Animas on for 5 years

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Dominants - 7 years.

 

[oldprussians]

Thank the Lord for that. My tight fisted, feelings were struggling to re string the acoustic DB....

 

[Lo-E]

When I was young (and broke) I had a set of Hofner strings on my Kay for... oh... about 15 years.

No, I'm not proud of it, but those strings were so terrible right out of the package I didn't really notice them getting any worse!

 

[Bin Son of Bin]

I'd like expand this question out of simple curiosity. How long of a time have your srings lasted, but also what is the shortest duration a set of strings has lasted you before dieing?

 

[Lo-E]

Also I need to know if there is a cheap soft Spiro core like string to put on a electric DB.

D'Addario makes a set that's supposed to be their version of the Spiros (I forget what they call it) and they're less expensive than Spiros here in the States, but I don't know if that would be the case in Europe.

 

[SVT4001]

When I was in college I put a set of Spirocores on my bass and left them on for about ten years. That's "what ya did" back then.

I got a new bass in 1996 and changed my focus to orchestral music. I put a set of D'Addario Helicore strings on- they suited the bass very nicely. I don't think they had the different formulas back then, but the set would translate to what they consider their orchestral strings today. I used them for ten years, and I only changed them because I felt like I should- all the other players in the sections I played with were using different brands and changing them more often- like every year or two. I reiterate, they did not "need" to be changed at this point-I just felt like I wasn't trying hard enough, or that I might be missing out on something. I gave them to a friend and he used them on his bass for two or three years after that.

I change steel strings more frequently now- like every year or so- BUT I'm hoping to get back into the "Decade Club" with my Gamuts!

Joe

 

[HunterBurgan4Me]

The longest on a nongigging bass would be about 3 years so far and the longest on a gigging bass maybe 8 months? And changing them after those 8 months was close to orgasmic.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

The Spiro Weichs on my Merchant EUB are at least 15 years old and they still sound fine. The D&G are still bright because I keep taking them off to try other strings for a few weeks before putting the Spiros back on.

The Chordas on my flatback are five years old and they keep getting thumpier. I also have a set of Flexocor Starks that are five years old that still sound great under the bow.

 

[nukes_da_bass]

This is a good thread for a noob like me. Im in the process of getting different strings for my Kay because the Hellicores on it right now just dont do it for me.
I was beginning to think all double bassists must be wealthy based on the price of really good strings!
I change strings on my "working gigging slab" every few months based on how fast they become dead sounding.
If this were a better financial year id love to buy a full set of new guts...
Maybe next year!!