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I use flats so, generally, the older the better.
When I used to use rounds they'd last a few weeks depending on how often I played. Lots of pro musicians change their strings every day to stay as bright as possible, like Flea:
When I used to use rounds they'd last a few weeks depending on how often I played. Lots of pro musicians change their strings every day to stay as bright as possible, like Flea:
Well, if you like the way your strings sound when they are dead then flats are your answer. you never have to change them to keep that dull thumpy sound.
However if you like the bright zingy sound of new rounds I recommend Elixirs. I get in excess of a year out of mine and normal strings last me 4 to 6 weeks. So i'd guess you'd get 5 to 6 months out of them minimum.
Rounds with clean tone and a light touch stay bright for about as long a director's cut of a Peter Jackson movie.
However, with a little OD and a heavier hand there is a different but longer lasting awesome tone that rounds can deliver. IMO one of the keys is to NOT turn the treble EQ (anywhere it exists) above flat with rounds. Otherwise as they age the tone becomes harsh and brittle very quickly.
However, with a little OD and a heavier hand there is a different but longer lasting awesome tone that rounds can deliver. IMO one of the keys is to NOT turn the treble EQ (anywhere it exists) above flat with rounds. Otherwise as they age the tone becomes harsh and brittle very quickly.
Why in heaven would you recommend flats to somebody looking for a durable bright zingy tone ? They have zeo brightness.
I second the Elixir recommendation.
I second the Elixir recommendation.
1-2 weeks???? I have rounds on my LB70 and 4003s for over 2 months each.
That is playing everyday and 4 gigs.
Dr BB's on the Carvin and stock Ric on the 4003s
I've always used Roto 66 steels. One thing I've noticed is that some batches dull quicker than others. Even some strings will dull faster than others, making for an uneven sound. I notice that, for some reason, this seems to happen with the strings that come in the new packaging (without the paper envelopes). I have no explanation, just my experience. I like the sound of Rotos best after 6 months. The problem is when they dull unevenly. If I want to brighten them, I wipe them down with alcohol to bring back some of the brightness -- way better than boiling, which destroys your strings anyway.
Elixirs for long life. Not as bright out of the box as Rotos, but last way longer.
My experience with Rotos goes back to the late 70s, and for me, they died after just a few hours playing.
My experience with Rotos goes back to the late 70s, and for me, they died after just a few hours playing.
Give Elixirs a chance if you are looking for long, consistent life. They are not the brightest strings in the world but they seem to lock in at a very predictable tone and stay that way for awhile. I like that a lot, especially gigging out so much. It's nice to have something predictable in an otherwise unpredictable environment, ie boomy rooms, bright rooms, bad sound guys, etc.
Ive only tried erniball, drs, and some flatwounds that I forgot who made them, and DRs for me, Ive had DR lordiers on my stingray since January and there still fresh, and I beat the poopie out of my strings haha, havent played any gigs tho yet, But when I had DR dragon skins those held up very well through a outside gig in like 100+ degree weather and my nasty sweat, and 2 bar gigs.
I haven't found a dramatic difference in the life of uncoated stainless rounds, brand to brand. Been using Dunlop Super Brights lately; they do seem to give me a _bit_ more use than others. (By way of my personal tone goal, I don't like a clangy top end, but I do like clear upper mids.)
I've noticed that warm weather outdoor gigs kill strings fastest. Yeah, no du-uh! I sweat all over them. The extreme case IME is that after a four set outdoor gig in the upper 90s, a new set was almost completely dead, like to where it was hard to tell the pitch of some notes! But in general I can get two or three gigs and a bit of woodshedding time on a set of strings before they go too dull for my taste. The first place I notice the strings dying is playing slap style: the crispness of the pops is gone.)
The alcohol soak method of cleaning works great for me. With a PVC soak tube I can get three passes out of a set of strings before they give up the ghost.
I've noticed that warm weather outdoor gigs kill strings fastest. Yeah, no du-uh! I sweat all over them. The extreme case IME is that after a four set outdoor gig in the upper 90s, a new set was almost completely dead, like to where it was hard to tell the pitch of some notes! But in general I can get two or three gigs and a bit of woodshedding time on a set of strings before they go too dull for my taste. The first place I notice the strings dying is playing slap style: the crispness of the pops is gone.)
The alcohol soak method of cleaning works great for me. With a PVC soak tube I can get three passes out of a set of strings before they give up the ghost.
Depends. If I'm just playing at rehearsal in a well air conditioned room and not moving around they seem to last a lot longer. I think for me it's the sweat from playing high energy rock shows under lighting often intended for much bigger stage setups and causes me to sweat a lot that kills my strings. The basic rule for me it if I'm not gigging, for example when we take time off shows to focus on writing I'll go like 2 months without changing strings for one because they don't die as fast and for two I'm not as picky about how I sound at practice. When we are gigging we don't hit it as hard as we used to but I'll change my strings as often as twice a month. I use dr high beams in the studio occassionally for big shows and much cheaper daddarios for or Ernie balls any other time. I do like the DRs but can't justify the price all the time. And I do like new cheap strings over dead DRs
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Some brands are simply not as well made or manufactured to the same standards as others. I've bought some brands that have a dead string or two in the fresh pack that sounded inconsistent from day one. Talk about aggravating. Usually cheaper brands like Fender.
However even major, more expensive brands do tends to have different qualities about them. Not all of them have equivalent tone and not all of them have equivalent lifespans. I used to like GHS bass boomers when I was younger because they sound awesome when you put em on fresh, but they lose their brightness and attack within a week.
I don't like most coated strings for how they feel, so I eventually discovered the beauty of DR. Their strings are made to very high standards and they have the best quality control. Never have I had a defective string or an inconsistent set from DR and the lifespan is always head and shoulders above all the other (non coated brands I've tried (which is nearly all of them). I regularly get a couple months of regular gigging out of a set of lo-riders or fat beams. They all have a nice snappy "zing" for the first week or two, then they settle into a solid, slightly smoother but very clear tone that lasts for months.
As a general rule, if you want a bright, snappy tone that lasts longer than the rest, go with stainless steel instead of other alloys, like nickel. It resists oxidation and acids from your fingers longer. My recommendation is DR. They have many flavors to choose from.
However even major, more expensive brands do tends to have different qualities about them. Not all of them have equivalent tone and not all of them have equivalent lifespans. I used to like GHS bass boomers when I was younger because they sound awesome when you put em on fresh, but they lose their brightness and attack within a week.
I don't like most coated strings for how they feel, so I eventually discovered the beauty of DR. Their strings are made to very high standards and they have the best quality control. Never have I had a defective string or an inconsistent set from DR and the lifespan is always head and shoulders above all the other (non coated brands I've tried (which is nearly all of them). I regularly get a couple months of regular gigging out of a set of lo-riders or fat beams. They all have a nice snappy "zing" for the first week or two, then they settle into a solid, slightly smoother but very clear tone that lasts for months.
As a general rule, if you want a bright, snappy tone that lasts longer than the rest, go with stainless steel instead of other alloys, like nickel. It resists oxidation and acids from your fingers longer. My recommendation is DR. They have many flavors to choose from.
Dude, if your string DIE in three days, you need different strings... Or you're doing something wrong.
Most strings will "break in" after about ten to fifteen hours of play. Meaning they lose that initial clanky, sharp, crisp sound (which I will admit I like). But that is NOT a dead string. It's got a lot more life in it yet. "dead" generally refers to a string that has lost all of it's attack and clarity altogether, so that you get nearly no definition out of it and it just sounds marshmallowy. Like, if you ever played some year-old strings... That's what dead is. At least by every standard I've ever heard.
