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Thunderbird Club

#190,545
dagrev said:
They are actually cheap when you consider they will literally last a decade or more, depending on playing time. Same with TIs. How many rounds (and even some flats) would a person go through in 10 yrs? Likely more than two sets. But it is a little tough to drop that much all at once on strings. But considering you'll be done for a decade it's not bad!
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Good to know. I think I read an article about James Jamerson where it said that he never changed out his flats.
 
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#190,548
MCF said:
You’ve got to be ridiculously gentle with them. What bugs me is how damn stiff they are winding them on skinny Thunderbird tuner posts. I just put the set I have on the Goth. I kept thinking I was going to break one as I was winding them (and yes I follow the special installation instructions for them). It’s the third bass they’ve been on and they’ll stay on it ‘til until they die. I’ve had them on the ‘15 and didn’t like them on it. I tried them for a short time on an Ibby I have and they were terrible on it. To be fair, the only strings that make the tone of that Ibby bearable are Power Steels. I last tried Black Beauties on the Goth and never bonded with them. The Cobalt Flats sound grrrrrrreeeeeeeaaaaaat on the Goth. It’ll be my goto Thunderbird when I want to give my fingers a break from rounds. View attachment 4486402
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The creaking sounds they make when you tension them up made me think one was about to snap the first time I put them on.
 
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#190,550
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#190,557
WillyW said:
I change flats or rounds if they break.

I tinker and clean my instruments once in a while so breakage at the tuna is a danger.
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I own a lot of basses and usually buy new strings for each when I acquire them. I rarely replace them unless recording and if so only for certain types of music. (rock) I mostly go for a warm vintage tone so broken-in strings work well. I do like the chime-ie clarity of new strings though - at least as much as nickel-wounds can deliver.
 
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