How often do you replace your strings?

[zachoff]

I know it's been asked before, but not for a while and we have a lot of new faces, so I'll pose the question again...

 

So?

 

I leave mine on as long as I can, but if one string breaks I replace them all. I'm not a fan of super bright tone & my bass already contributes to that by being both semi-hollow and having a metal top.

[bassplayer7770]

I replace mine every 1-2 months or so. It depends on how much I'm playing.

[ARES]

like once a year. new strings = teh suck.

[Gruven]

Depends on how much I'm playing. Back in the "day" when I played five and six nights, I replaced them weekly. Still had to wipe 'em down all the time to make 'em last that long.

[pbass_groovin]

roundswounds: every 3-4 months

flatwounds: never!

[SA Rios]

I use Roto's too. Every 3 to 4 sounds about right. I hate the sound of new strings and I hate dead strings. There is a period of time from about 2 weeks in to about 3 or 4 months where they are perfect.

[B-Bottom]

maybe once a year....and that's a big maybe. The last time I changed my strings was about 7 or 8 months ago.

[mrcrow]

its about 2 months..depending...what i find is that the strings are a bit too bright...then they break in...then get more mellow then just when they seem to be at their best...about 2-3 gigs later they die..

 

i am now onto steels instead of nickel and i will be glad if they last longer..

 

the longest ones were the elixir..about double the time...

 

but i do get sting GAS so that is a contributing factor..

 

i have some sets lying around not yet finished which i took off to GAS a new set

 

and now scoobie doo mentioned the sadowsky sets over dere man...

 

i might GAS some more:wave:

 

doo what?

[SpaceGhost]

Ric: Monthly

Jazz: yearly

Fretless: never

[T. Alan Smith]

For live shows, I like 'em bright-n-fresh, so when I was gigging regularly, I'd replace them twice a month & wipe 'em down constantly.

For recording, I prefer them well broken in. Electric bass tone sits in the mix much better that way.

[Rowka]

You're supposed to replace them?

[pbass_groovin]

Whenever I freakin feel like it! Gosh!

[sunburstbasser]

Last time was early August, time before that about May.

 

Its due for strings but I don't have any. Could be a while.

[JacieFB]

Practicing and gigging locally...depends how much I'm playing. I try to boil them to make them last.

 

On tour...in the summer as often as before every show. Sometimes I can get 2 shows out of them. In the winter, depends on how much I sweat, but usually a week of shows or so.

 

We likes them bright!

[jeffery.addison]

Right now I am playing about once a week, so about every three months...I use six basses and I try to get equal use out of all of them...no sense in letting them sit and collect dust.

[RSBro]

Every 6 months or so, same time I change my batteries.

 

I don't understand how some of these "pro" players I read about never change their strings. Do they just look at them and tell them how cute they look or actually play ?? I break strings not all that often, but I've yet to have a bass where I could keep a set on there for 5, 10 years like some people do.

[zachoff]

Originally posted by RockStarBassist I break strings not all that often, but I've yet to have a bass where I could keep a set on there for 5, 10 years like some people do.

 

Oh jeez... 5 or 10 years I end up changing mine ever couple years on average. After that they just get rusty from sweaty fingers or one of them breaks somewhere along the line.

[Adrenochrome]

Flats - never. And they don't need breaking in.

Why pay for roundwounds that sound like hyperactive springs when they're new, then collect crud and sound {censored} after a few months? Doesn't make sense to me.

[Gruven]

 

Originally posted by RockStarBassist Every 6 months or so, same time I change my batteries. I break strings not all that often, but I've yet to have a bass where I could keep a set on there for 5, 10 years like some people do.

 

I've never broken a string in my 24 years as a bassist. How do you guys do it?! I find it amazing.

[zachoff]

 

Originally posted by Gruven I've never broken a string in my 24 years as a bassist. How do you guys do it?! I find it amazing.

 

 

Hard plunking, picking, or popping near the bridge. I've never broken an E or A string though.

[beam]

Every few months or so

[Rusty the Scoob]

 

Originally posted by zachoff Hard plunking, picking, or popping near the bridge. I've never broken an E or A string though.

 

 

I have.

 

Right now I gig once a week on average, change strings about every 3-6 months. I prefer the sound of new strings but the Sadowsky strings never become unuseable... they hold their tuning and project a fairly clear pitch well beyond the point where I'd call them dead and they wear evenly so no string goes deader than the others...

[RSBro]

Originally posted by zachoff Hard plunking, picking, or popping near the bridge. I've never broken an E or A string though.

 

 

Yeah I've only done it to the D and G strings while doing slap/pop stuff. I tend to play REALLY hard whenever I'm not loud enough (back when I wasn't loud enough!), like, multiple bleeding fingers from a 3-hour gig, so I get kind of abusive at times but in a good and not wannabe-emo-goth-rock crap way. I still actually play...

[JC Bass]

Usually when one breaks or when my ebony fretboard is looking dry.