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String Journal

Joe Nerve

Joe Nerve

Oct 7, 2000
18,619
38,941
New York City
www.joenerve.com
Disclosures
Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
#1
Anyone ever keep one?

I think strings are a completely personal thing, and while there might be some definitives one can say about certain strings, our playing style, action, gear, and sound preferences are what I always believed to be more important than anything.

I play lots of basses and jump back and forth between lots of strings. Its only recently that it occurred to me that I fall in and out of love with basses without realizing that it might have LOTS to do with the strings I put on them - and then forget I put on them.

I loved my Fender American Performer Mustang until it one day seemed to lose all its life and personality. Realized only recently it had to do with my putting some DR strings on it that me thinks I don't like.

Anyhow...

Keeping an accurate string journal I believe to be the solution. Started 6 months ago. I list the brand, the gauges, whether they're steels or nickels, and how things go while I'm beating the heck out of them.
 
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#4
Keeping a string journal is an excellent idea. I’d been playing the same .45-105 gauge steel roundwound strings for years before switching gauges and having that “aha” moment (no, “Take On Me” was *not* playing) when I realized that the lower tension and increased string “give” (or “bounce” - call it what you like) of a lighter gauge string made my playing feel much more natural and, honestly, easier. Personal improvement followed (YMMV, however).

A great suggestion for novices and seasoned players alike.
 
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#5
michael_t said:
What I've been doing for the last several years is to keep every package and put a sticky note on it indicating the date it was received into my personal stock along with the date they were installed and on which bass and when they were uninstalled.
Click to expand...

Likewise here, started writing down the bass they were installed on, the date installed (and taken off when appropriate) usually on the back of the packaging inserts — they are usually printed on one side only. A set of strings that sound great on one bass may be just meh on another.
 
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#6
Yes.

There’s no better, simpler, less expensive way to realize the biggest change to the sound of a bass and possibly your enjoyment playing it.

It goes in this order:

1. lessons & focused practice

then a very distant:

2. strings (and proper setup)
3. pickups

and finally:

4. massive circle-jerk of time wasting, spending, delusion, justification and “talking” bass
 
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#8
A page on my notes app has a little list for each bass:

Screenshot_20220220-125630_Samsung Notes.jpg


The info is enough for me to be able to recall what I felt about each set. Which feels like a sign that I don't own enough basses yet ;)
 
#10
not exactly a journal (i haven't used but a few brands and sets until recently), but i kept the packaging to remind me of what was on several of my axes...although i still get confused sometimes when trying a bunch of new-to-me string sets. :D

i think a journal/list would be de rigueur for a player who has lots of axes with many different string sets. great idea! :thumbsup:
 
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#11
Joe Nerve said:
Anyone ever keep one?

I think strings are a completely personal thing, and while there might be some definitives one can say about certain strings, our playing style, action, gear, and sound preferences are what I always believed to be more important than anything.

I play lots of basses and jump back and forth between lots of strings. Its only recently that it occurred to me that I fall in and out of love with basses without realizing that it might have LOTS to do with the strings I put on them - and then forget I put on them.

I loved my Fender American Performer Mustang until it one day seemed to lose all its life and personality. Realized only recently it had to do with my putting some DR strings on it that me thinks I don't like.

Anyhow...

Keeping an accurate string journal I believe to be the solution. Started 6 months ago. I list the brand, the gauges, whether they're steels or nickels, and how things go while I'm beating the heck out of them.
Click to expand...

What an excellent idea, I wish that it was mine, I will try to use it however.
 
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#14
I totally should have done this. When it comes to bass related stuff, I've probably spent more money on strings than anything else, and I'm always on the hunt for "the one." When it comes to strings, I've tried so many... budget brands, boutique brands, popular brands, no-name brands, round, flat, compression, nickel, steel... crazy!

I think I'm finally in a good spot in terms of instruments and amplification, so now the "string-pokemon" (Gotta try 'em all) begins anew... albeit with a new found focus to be less hung up on tension numbers and all that overthinking. I know what gauges, materials, and windings I like best. So I'll look at strings within those parameters. I'll let my fingers and the bass be the judge. What feels and sounds best to me is what it will be.
 
#17
As much as it may label me as a cranky old guy, my string tastes crystallized in the late 90’s early 00’s it had more to do with the fact that options and information were greatly limited back then so, regardless of what I wanted, I could only get whatever the local shop had where ever I was when I needed strings. That lead to me trying a lot of different stuff, and developing a strong preference for the various DR steels. I went through a flats phase with a roots blues outfit I was with for a while, DR as well as LaBella. After that I wanted to change my style and low tension and light gauges are a part of that for me. So I’m on a tapewound kick and have been for a few years now. LaBella Copper White Nylon. I have them on all my basses. I have no desire to further explore, I’m happily locked in. If I feel a need to switch I have enough experience to know what specs will get me whatever characteristics I’d be looking for, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon. Also, My double bass gets Corelli mediums until the end of time.
 
#18
I keep the packaging from the currently installed set in the case that bass calls home. I've never bothered to date the packaging. Usually, my ears tell me when it is time to change strings. All the same, I don't have a ton of basses...actually, just one go to, so the notion of a keeping a databass (ha) is a great idea for those who prefer to display their instruments rather that stowing the securely in their respective vaults.
 
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