How often do you replace bass strings?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dubickisbro
  • Start date Start date
I play my bass so infrequently that I don't even realize they're dulling out. Just today I listened back to a song that I KNOW was done with new bass strings....and wow.....I need new strings again. :(
 
It really depends on how you think they feel and if the bass sound isnt lacking the brilliance it can have from new strings.
 
I think I remember somebody involved with Cheryl Crows recording of Tuesday Night Music club said they never changed strings on one of the basses they used. There are some songs with a pretty dead bass sound.
 
I believe my bass strings are over thirty years old! Fender nylon wrapped, flat wound on a 30" scale '70s Les Paul recording bass with low impediance pickups . They sound great for a live Motown sound but havent been used much since Disco was the bomb.
 
ronhar said:
I believe my bass strings are over thirty years old! Fender nylon wrapped, flat wound on a 30" scale '70s Les Paul recording bass with low impediance pickups . They sound great for a live Motown sound but havent been used much since Disco was the bomb.
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The nylon wrapped strings sounded 30 years old when new LOL, I remember back in the 70's I used to use black nylon strings on my P bass, mainly because I liked the look of the black strings. However I remember a lot of bass players loved my sound back then, may have also had something to do with the Acoustic 450 Bass head and the twin W bins I used to use back then.

Alan.
 
witzendoz said:
The nylon wrapped strings sounded 30 years old when new LOL, I remember back in the 70's I used to use black nylon strings on my P bass, mainly because I liked the look of the black strings. However I remember a lot of bass players loved my sound back then, may have also had something to do with the Acoustic 450 Bass head and the twin W bins I used to use back then.

Alan.
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Wow Alan! Now that is a bass rig. :thumbs up:
 
If Santa doesn't bring me bass strings again this year ..... Oh well. :guitar:
 
I change my bass strings long after they start to sound really dead. For roundwound strings a lot of people will say they're gone once you lose that "piano-like" tone, as mentioned. Another thing I picked up on at another forum is if you're using a tuner and the note "floats" around the target point it's a good indicator that they're gone. New ones should sit down and not float. New strings really seem to make it much easier to dial in a good tone when I'm on stage.

On the other hand the local bass guru that seems to always have killer tone only changes his strings every couple of years. They're Thomastik Infeld flatwounds.
 
Answer: when I can't tune them any more. Like snow lizard says, when the tuner can't find the note ...
 
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