Thanks Jimmy. But have you ever asked "hey this is stainless steel" I mean I didn't think anything affected that. Does it get between the windings to the core? Does it actually change the metal thru corrosive action.
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Strings: Old or new?
- Thread starter Philbiker
- Start date
Mostly just getting in the windings. Can't think of any actual corrosion I've seen, but that's because I usually only see the surface and not inside the strings. Like I said, I'm no scientist...I just know that people's sweat can be very goopy after a bacon double cheeseburger 
I have a few sets of Rotosound Swing Bass 66s on a few Fender basses for a few years.
I like them semi dead.
I like them semi dead.
With nickel roundwounds, the older the better - if I keep 'em clean.
Every set of stainless steel roundwounds I've ever had would lose their brightness inconsistently. I'd have to replace the whole set because I would too soon find too much difference in brightness across the set.
I installed a set of Ernie Ball nickel roundwounds (45-65-85-105) in the summer of 2005. Kept clean ever since, those strings still sound great now, almost 12 years later.
Perfect growl when I want growl. Deep and warm when the tune calls for deep and warm. Consistent brightness across the set, too. Very nice.
Every set of stainless steel roundwounds I've ever had would lose their brightness inconsistently. I'd have to replace the whole set because I would too soon find too much difference in brightness across the set.
I installed a set of Ernie Ball nickel roundwounds (45-65-85-105) in the summer of 2005. Kept clean ever since, those strings still sound great now, almost 12 years later.
Perfect growl when I want growl. Deep and warm when the tune calls for deep and warm. Consistent brightness across the set, too. Very nice.
I like a new set of strings. I've found stainless strings have a decent lifespan and I change em every 3-6 months (depending on what projects I've got happening). I play slap but only when it adds to the song, otherwise I'm a finger style guy. I play a lot of varied material but I LOVE staccato funk ala Rocco prestia. I've never had a string noise issue, with right hand technique I can control articulation from warm and round to sharp and punchy.
I've let my pedals be the judge. I tend to like new strings. Not brand new zingy but just broken in.
When my B7KU drive knob is all but maxed out and I'm not getting the distortion I need (OR) my wah signal falls flat quick I know it's time to change them.
When my B7KU drive knob is all but maxed out and I'm not getting the distortion I need (OR) my wah signal falls flat quick I know it's time to change them.
Well now that this thread has been pulled back from the dead, I'll update my thoughts.
I switched to Dunlop Super Bright Nickels a couple years ago, and now I actually like dead rounds. Never did before the Dunlops, but they have a really dark almost-flatwoundy sound when you play lightly and they still have a good amount of zing when you play hard or use a pick.
I switched to Dunlop Super Bright Nickels a couple years ago, and now I actually like dead rounds. Never did before the Dunlops, but they have a really dark almost-flatwoundy sound when you play lightly and they still have a good amount of zing when you play hard or use a pick.
I used to feel like I was committing some sort of crime by not changing my strings regularly. I mentioned to a fellow bass playing friend once in the early 2000s that I'd had the same set of DR Sunbeams on my Jazz for 3 years and he looked and me and asked "Can you DO that?". It wasn't until I discovered TalkBass that I realized I wasn't the only one 
I actually like Nickel rounds at all phases of their life, but really do prefer them once they've aged a bit (maybe a month or so of regular use?). With Flats it depends on the type... GHS P Flats are great right out of the package, but I liked my Sadowsky Black and La Bella Flats better once they'd aged a few months.
I actually like Nickel rounds at all phases of their life, but really do prefer them once they've aged a bit (maybe a month or so of regular use?). With Flats it depends on the type... GHS P Flats are great right out of the package, but I liked my Sadowsky Black and La Bella Flats better once they'd aged a few months.
I've had an interesting experience with old/vs new. I've been playing over 30 years, but new to TB as of a couple years.
BEFORE TB - I assumed everyone felt the same as me. I listened to a lot of "fresh string" type players - everyone from low slinging pick users like Duff McKagan and Krist Noveselic, to the older generation rockers like John Entwhistle and Chris Squire, to heavy harmonic users like Jaco Pastorious and Victor Wooten, to slappers like Larry Graham and Louis Johnson. Just as examples. I also read BP and other music trade journals - as well as advice from my private teachers. Seemed to me that most roundwound users liked fresh strings and changed them often - this goes for recording engineers too - I've heard of cats using fresh strings for each take in some instances.
Flatwound users seemed to be the opposite - James Jamerson, Joe Osborn, David Hood, Jerry Jemmott, Bob Babbitt, etc - these guys liked old flats, and were borderline superstitious about changing them. I once had a bass with 8 year old TIs - that were still going, but I sold the bass.
JOINED TB - Now I'm aware of a whole different spectrum of players. People who hate fresh roundwounds!! "I can't wait until they break in." BREAK IN?!? "This bass for sale includes a gig bag and a set of XYZ strings installed." Huh?!? The very first thing I always did when I bought a bass was change the strings! That's like selling a car "with Shell gas in the tank." I've seen cats on here selling basses with the factory strings - seemingly as a selling point. And now I'm aware of extreme users like Ben Sheppard - he only likes super old rounds - over 2 years old he finally starts to like them.
Don't get me wrong - I've always tried to get the most out of my roundwounds - but I always assumed I was pushing the limits by making them last 3 or 4 months. I did it because I'm cheap - certainly not because the broken in tone is desirable to me! I'd change them almost every gig if I could afford it.
Now with the flats - again I'm aware of a whole new type of player - guys who regularly change out their flats (talking like...2-4 time a year). I know of a lot of pro level players - off the cuff Tim Lefebvre, Michael League, Steve Harris, Carol Kaye, John Paul Jones when he still used the jazz bass.
It just goes to show, there's a time and a place for everything. I let the style of music I'm playing dictate the strings I'm using. I love old flats, and have a few basses dedicated to them, but recently I've needed fresh roundwound twang for some songs. I've also been using an octaver for synth type sounds, often with long held out notes - this dictates I use fresh rounds and heavy compression for maximum sustain, or risk tracking glitches. And it just goes to show how cool TB is - its opened up a whole new world! I mean, I used to own ONE BASS!!
Aloha! (if anyone is still reading this)
BEFORE TB - I assumed everyone felt the same as me. I listened to a lot of "fresh string" type players - everyone from low slinging pick users like Duff McKagan and Krist Noveselic, to the older generation rockers like John Entwhistle and Chris Squire, to heavy harmonic users like Jaco Pastorious and Victor Wooten, to slappers like Larry Graham and Louis Johnson. Just as examples. I also read BP and other music trade journals - as well as advice from my private teachers. Seemed to me that most roundwound users liked fresh strings and changed them often - this goes for recording engineers too - I've heard of cats using fresh strings for each take in some instances.
Flatwound users seemed to be the opposite - James Jamerson, Joe Osborn, David Hood, Jerry Jemmott, Bob Babbitt, etc - these guys liked old flats, and were borderline superstitious about changing them. I once had a bass with 8 year old TIs - that were still going, but I sold the bass.
JOINED TB - Now I'm aware of a whole different spectrum of players. People who hate fresh roundwounds!! "I can't wait until they break in." BREAK IN?!? "This bass for sale includes a gig bag and a set of XYZ strings installed." Huh?!? The very first thing I always did when I bought a bass was change the strings! That's like selling a car "with Shell gas in the tank." I've seen cats on here selling basses with the factory strings - seemingly as a selling point. And now I'm aware of extreme users like Ben Sheppard - he only likes super old rounds - over 2 years old he finally starts to like them.
Don't get me wrong - I've always tried to get the most out of my roundwounds - but I always assumed I was pushing the limits by making them last 3 or 4 months. I did it because I'm cheap - certainly not because the broken in tone is desirable to me! I'd change them almost every gig if I could afford it.
Now with the flats - again I'm aware of a whole new type of player - guys who regularly change out their flats (talking like...2-4 time a year). I know of a lot of pro level players - off the cuff Tim Lefebvre, Michael League, Steve Harris, Carol Kaye, John Paul Jones when he still used the jazz bass.
It just goes to show, there's a time and a place for everything. I let the style of music I'm playing dictate the strings I'm using. I love old flats, and have a few basses dedicated to them, but recently I've needed fresh roundwound twang for some songs. I've also been using an octaver for synth type sounds, often with long held out notes - this dictates I use fresh rounds and heavy compression for maximum sustain, or risk tracking glitches. And it just goes to show how cool TB is - its opened up a whole new world! I mean, I used to own ONE BASS!!
Aloha! (if anyone is still reading this)
hey everyone, I hope you are keeping safe and healthy during this pandemic. I have a set of DR stainless steel hi Beams on my main bass and they are by far the best strings I've played in the last 22 years. I have nickels on my other basses and I always disliked them after a month in. I am a big fan of flatwounds though, especially on my Fender P bass.
I digress. My question is the following, I was in the studio tracking bass a year ago when I installed these stainless steel strings, and back then they were very aggressive and bright sounding, had to tame it down with onboard preamp EQ and Low Pass filter. Now they seem to have mellowed out and toned down the high end, I really love how they play and sound. I'll be in the studio in a month and I would like to ask you is it imperative to have a brand new set of strings for recording? this is a progressive rock/metal album and I use tapping, slapping, double thumping, chords, pick, and finger. For the guides, I've been dialing in distortions and gain and using impulse responses to get the sound I want with extensively played and used strings (i practice daily for around 3 to 5 hours and had the same set of SS for over a year now). I know Dan Briggs from Between the buried and Me never change his strings but he does not slap.
I digress. My question is the following, I was in the studio tracking bass a year ago when I installed these stainless steel strings, and back then they were very aggressive and bright sounding, had to tame it down with onboard preamp EQ and Low Pass filter. Now they seem to have mellowed out and toned down the high end, I really love how they play and sound. I'll be in the studio in a month and I would like to ask you is it imperative to have a brand new set of strings for recording? this is a progressive rock/metal album and I use tapping, slapping, double thumping, chords, pick, and finger. For the guides, I've been dialing in distortions and gain and using impulse responses to get the sound I want with extensively played and used strings (i practice daily for around 3 to 5 hours and had the same set of SS for over a year now). I know Dan Briggs from Between the buried and Me never change his strings but he does not slap.
