OK, total new-guy string questions

[TBird1958]

i find it funny that no one but me mentioned string life.

This is all pretty interesting, our likes and perceptions being quite diffferent about such a "basic" question, great topic.
For me any set of strings over 3 months old is living on borrowed time, some I've ditched after two shows because they were just dead, lifeless. I'm very hard on them in rehearsal with the band and playing live - I've broken E's, A's and D's countless times so I change them often, I really prefer the tone of new strings too, of course that's just me.

[Lightyear]

Funny I was just going to say that Ernie Balls and GHS boomers are very nice strings and don't cost much but I don't thing that they sound really good for an extended time.  MF has EBs for $16 - not bad and I think I've bought the boomers for even less. 

Did I mention that when I was kid Rotosounds were EXPENSIVE, as in $35 a set with a my employee discount, and that I bolied my strings trying to make them last.  I can't say that it really did a damn thing except make my mom mad as a hatter and what boiled out of those strings was pretty knarly

[SKATE RAT]

Mark, that's 'cause you play back by the bridge.i play btwn the neck and pup.my newest strings are 2 years old.but i beat the crap out of my basses. i can't understand why i don't break strings. when i had my LPB-1's headstock repaired i made the guy leave the same old strings.(really 'cause he didn't have GHS)

[SKATE RAT]

who uses DR's? any feed back?

[birdie]

I've used Dr's. Dr's have an even tension string to string that I look for. Also very warm and clear, you can dial in generous amounts of bottom and maintain punch and clarity (at least w/ my Hiwatts) keep in mind I don't like new strings at all, so asking me about longevity is moot, the older the better, esp. w/ flats. And if given the choice i will use 40/60/80/100 gauge.

[Lightyear]

I've got DRs on my Stingray and on my Tbird.  They're not real cheap but not very expensive, seem to last quite a while and they're pretty bright and have a nice feel tension wise.  I think they have a better life than the Rotosounds I used to favor.

What about the new coated EB strings - I noticed they were going for about $29 at MF - anyone tried them?

[Dave W]

i find it funny that no one but me mentioned string life.

No answer to that one. For starters, some guys will ditch strings as soon as they lose a little brightness, others don't consider them broken in until the bright edge wears off. And a lot depends on body chemistry. Some people have acid sweat that kills strings fast. I don't have that problem at all.

[TBird1958]

Over the past 4-5 years I've used DR 45-105 stainless on most of my 'Birds, they're bright and have a fair bit of "clank" that I like. They last well ( 3 month rule) and are resonably strong, tho I've managed to break them. They can be a little harsh or brittle sounding on certain of my basses and that has lead me to try some RotoSounds which, when new are quite nice and warmer sounding. However they don't seem to last so well and likely I'll go back to the DR's......

[OldManC]

The string life thing, like Dave said, is so personal that I don't think it's something that any one person could quantify into right and wrong. I'm one that doesn't even want to play with new strings until they've sat on the bass for a week. Part of it is I'm really sensitive to tuning and until they settle in, new strings going out of tune drive me insane. I also hate the (to me) harsh zing in new rounds (the thing that Mark hears as the preferable tone of new strings, showing that we all perceive things, even tone, differently). I like to play with new strings for a rehearsal or two before a show so they have time to settle in. I sweat on 'em for a few days and let it all sink in, then they sound right to me.

I have to second Birdie's advice about letting the bass decide. One brand or type may sound great on one bass but crap on the next (or at least not right to your ears). I've fallen in love with the sound of a passive P with flats and think I'll like it even more once I install some that are known to be more full sounding than T/Is. That being said, I pick up a Thunderbird and I want to hear that angry piano. To me it's the same when deciding pick or fingers. The song just sort of tells me as I write or learn the part.

[Freuds_Cat]

As I posted in a different thread, I recently borrowed a mates P bass at a show when I was asked to do a few songs. I ran it through a beautiful Aguiler rig that belonged to a different mate who plays Fodera basses without making any changes at all and both of them came upto me afterwards completely blown away by the sound I got. I suggested to them that Mate A (Kev) sell his bass to mate B (Dave) or that they work out a sharing arrangement  .  My point is that while they both loved the sound, I found that because Kevs bass had 40 - 100's on it I found the sound a bit flappy and anemic. I prefer 45-105's. It did make me chuckle a bit that Dave was looking slightly miffed at his very expensive Fodera's.

[OldManC]

It did make me chuckle a bit that Dave was looking slightly miffed at his very expensive Fodera's.

No disrespect to any high end bass owners here (and most guys here know I'm a total Gibson whore as well), but anybody that can't get it done any day of the week with a half decent P bass should just switch to guitar or something... 

[Lightyear]

...........but anybody that can't get it done any day of the week with a half decent P bass should just switch to guitar or something... 

Agreed, if I could only have just one bass in the world ( insert desert island analogy here ) it would be my P 

[Highlander]

i find it funny that no one but me mentioned string life.

The Rotosounds I recently took off my (PC) Thunderbird were roundwoumd 40-100's that were fitted in the early 80's - they were getting a bit gnarly, so as I was rebuilding... D'Addario EXL170 - 45-100's will be the first I'm trying. The Rotosounds on my Fretless RD are also 80's vintage...

20 year layoff did help the longevity... 

I can't (read won't) play flatwounds - always wrecked my fingers faster...?

[Pilgrim]

i find it funny that no one but me mentioned string life.

You mean, like the flats on this P that I know date back at least to 1972?



I played this at practice last Sunday and the band liked it a lot.  For some of the numbers, I rolled the tone knob about halfway off.

Trust me, when the tone is FULLY rolled off, it sounds like a P-bass playing through a blanket.  No unnecessary brightness left in those flats.  I wish I knew what brand they are.  Here's a pic of the silks, in case anyone can ID them:

[Dave W]

You mean, like the flats on this P that I know date back at least to 1972?

You mean, the one you didn't play for 30-plus years?