Which bass strings go dead the fastest?...

[Meaculpa]

I always remember a daddario set that I used to record a live ep on a studio...fresh new strings, we play the songs until the right take was on tape....let's say we played 2 hours continuously....
Next day strings were sooo dead, like a 5 years old set.
IME stainless steel strings can keep that brightness of a new set like forever..the rest of type of strings it will vary how quickly worn out.

 

[Kukulkan61]

Dunlop Super Brights and GHS pressure wounds dull out pretty quick for me. I'm just using Chromes and Fender Flats for the last 7 years..

 

[Luckydog]

Yeah, perhaps dead is the wrong word. Maybe "strings that have lost their youthful vigor" would be more accurate. I certainly don't want strings that have lost all their harmonic content. Just shave a bit off the top and I'm good.

Maybe "youthful vigor" is a descriptor that string mfrs should use instead of brightness. After all, new strings are...new, thus "youthful". And vigor=lively. My youthful vigor disappeared many years ago...but I'm not quite dead yet (I don't think I am anyway!). I guess I could call myself "worn in"...maybe my next stage is "worn out"! I do have a few fret dents in me, and my silk started to disappear quite a few years ago!

 

[Paul New]

I haven't really used round wound strings in a long time, but when I do nothing sounds better the Rotosound 66. For about two weeks. After that they are useless.

 

[DJ Bebop]

• I've always wondered about what people mean by "go dead". Are people referring to strings breaking in, as in losing their initial new string "zing". Or, do they mean dead, as in totally lifeless thud.
• I've read a lot of posts about Rotosounds going "dead" quickly. I think the more accurate description is they lose their initial brightness rather quickly, but don't "die" or become useless any faster than other rounds, more or less.

I love me some Roto Swing Bass

Love them for the zing at first, and the mellow thing they develop into after.

So, it's a win win for me

 

[Phaidrus]

Yeah, perhaps dead is the wrong word. Maybe "strings that have lost their youthful vigor" would be more accurate. I certainly don't want strings that have lost all their harmonic content. Just shave a bit off the top and I'm good.

Perhaps string viagra would be a commercially successful product.

 

[eriky4003]

Disclosure - I wipe down my strings with a paper towel and return the bass to its' case everytime. I love Rotos 66s out of the pack but I find they don't last more than a month with their great tone. Strings I 've used that have faded but kept acceptable brightness for me are (in no particular order): Dunlop super brights ( reg and Marcus Miller, DR Hi, Fats Lo Riders, Blue Steels.

 

[60bass]

The ones you play EVERY NIGHT with sweaty hands and never clean go dead the fastest. I always carry those little packets of alcohol swabs and wipe my strings down on every break, wrap em and wipe em. Keeps them zingy longer.

 

[JakobT]

Most of my basses have different strings and I've noticed that the loss of initial brightness varies wildly from one set to another. Thankfully, I don't really mind dead strings at all but I wanted to know what you guys thought the strings were that are most prone to this. I feel like GHS Boomers and Dunlop Superbrights don't stay bright very long. My DR LoRiders, on the other hand, seem to still have much of their initial tone. Your thoughts?

There is no simple answer to your question. This will actually vary a lot from player to player, as body chemistry plays a big part. I hear people complaining about string sets going dead quickly which last me for many months. Actually, I sometimes wish strings would go dead, or at least break in, a little more quickly for me.

 

[Element Zero]

Ernie Ball strings (for me) tend to lose that new string zing the fastest, however, I honestly don't wait for strings to go "dead". I can't stand the sound of dead or nearly dead strings. 3-6 months and they're gettin boiled then maybe another month of playtime and then on to some fresh ones.

 

[Tubehed]

Slinkys.

I'm trying to get through 4 packs i have left so I can get back to Daddario XLs.

Pure Blues are the worst, dead out of the package. Sunbeams by comparison were excellent.

IME, Pure Blues are too bright and clanky right out of the package but settle down pretty quickly and then retain that sound for a long time.

 

[Nebadon2000]

I have used P Bass with rounds most of my many years playing and when my strings start to sound a little like Flats I change them ASAP I kid the P with flats Nation

Seriously in my heavy Gigging, Rehearsing and practicing days I changed Strings every 6 months like clockwork. may not have needed or went a little long. But always sounded Ok at minimum and held tune and intonation at time of change.

I have dry hands, don't sweat or any chemical reactions[that I know or perceive] and I wiped strings/neck with Fender Rag[use Fender 'microfiber now] after every set, rehearsal and home practice session on top and underneath. [Some times during]

Now that I play somewhat less I go up to a year with no drastic reduction in tone quality but change anyway.

I have used Ernie Ball, D'Addario, GHS, Fender, DR, Blue Steel Cryo, RotoSound and a few I can't remember; The Fender 7250's that came with most recent Bass sounded fine after 10 months, stayed in tune and rock solid intonation but I wanted to try Markbass Ulimate soft touch strings.

 

[bassliner50]

Does anyone know how using a pick vs fingerstyle affects string life?

 

[rzero]

Where are the lovers of dead rounds? After alternating between rounds and flats the last couple years my lastest theory is dead rounds are what I'm after. I'm about 7 weeks in on some Slinky and they've lost quite a bit of zing, especially the E. Slapping is now pretty much out of the question but I don't mind. We'll see how my theory holds up.

 

[fishdude101101]

Or for those of us that like broken in rounds, "what's your most favorite string?"


We've talked about DR Sunbeams and pure blues before, @Claymore , but I think it was more in regards to stiffness and flexibility. Those two have become my favorites for sound as well; not overly zingy and a quick break in. And I think my sunbeams are pushing a year on my P bass!

GHS Pressurewounds get honorable mention for sound. Probably my favorite straight out of the pack. But the stiffness and finger feel got to me after a while. Those DR strings seem to check more boxes for me, and more "well-rounded" for my uses (and still sound great to me!)

Same. If I'm not playing TI jazz flats or LaBella low tension, its DR sunbeams for me. after that GHS.

 

[Phaidrus]

but I wanted to try Markbass Ulimate soft touch strings.

How did you like the Markbass strings?

 

[StringslamDan]

+1 for slinky's and boomers.. I Didn't have any luck with Dunlop strings either lasting very long. Daddario xls and Dr Lo-riders are where it's at for me! Elixers also have been great!

 

[Yahboy]

Base on my opinion, Ghs precision flat E are the best "Already DEAD" string fresh from pack. Cool ！！

7250 keep their non-Zingy brightness and upper mid voice very well. Once she dead, you have the GHS pressure wound like tone.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

Where are the lovers of dead rounds?

I kind of belong in this camp. Although I don't like "dead" sounding rounds.


I like rounds after their initial "zing" wears off, and I find GHS Bass Boomers do this really well for me. They lose their zing within the first week of solid use, then they settle into a mellower tone that lasts for me for quite some time.

 

[7dollarbologna]

I've been using a set of Roto 66 nickels for 7 years now - still sound great!