Which bass strings? | Forums

[WickedBadz]

Im not a bass player (at least not yet) but remember watching this video on cleaning the strings. Basically you just let them soak in denatured alcohol for a day. Seems handy since the strings are so expensive.

Cant help you on what kind of strings to get. didnt even know there were different kinds.

That concept is ok, but cleaning strings doesn't fix the issues worn strings have. Bass strings are like files, they grind skin off very easily and rapidly, that's why there are flatwounds, so the ripping your skin off doesn't happen. But just like guitar strings bass strings loose their punch and tone after awhile and cleaning them doesn't solve that issue. Basically, if your strings are crummy, change them, you can also clean them with this instead of taking them off.....
http://www.guitarcenter.com/GHS-Fast...02-i1133494.gc
GHS fastfret,,,,,this thing last years, I have mine for over 10 years now lol

[C.Linton]

Wickedbadz, no offense, but you are way exaggerating (sp?) the roughness of roundwounds. A.fter playing a while and building up some callouses, they don't "rip your skin off" . I play them all the time with no ill effects. Also flats sounding better (that is just your opinion after all) that depends on what kind of sound you are going for.Its purely a matter of personal taste ad style.

[WickedBadz]

Wickedbadz, no offense, but you are way exaggerating (sp?) the roughness of roundwounds. A.fter playing a while and building up some callouses, they don't "rip your skin off" . I play them all the time with no ill effects. Also flats sounding better (that is just your opinion after all) that depends on what kind of sound you are going for.Its purely a matter of personal taste ad style.

Are you a guitar player? I know one thing, if I play bass with roundwounds on for say an hour my fingers get sore as hell when switching back to guitar because the bass filed most my callouses off.

[C.Linton]

No, I'm not a guitar player. (at least not much of one, one of the reasons I got RS) I've been a bass player on and off for over forty years, and been using roundwounds as well as flats for about half that long, and I've never had that problem.

[PRS_Rocker]

Like C.Linton, I've been on bass for almost 40 years. Various brands, various strings, and of course both active and passive. I also play guitar. I may be called to play guitar at a gig one day and bass the next. I never had the problem with my callouses using rounds, and I have always preferred round wound strings. I always found the thud of flats just that... flat and lifeless. But that's ME and MY playing style, and I know there are a lot of people, great players included who use flats. Whenever it comes to strings, woods, scale, number of strings, I always give the same advice: try it and see if it works for you and the sound and feel for which you're looking. Some bass players use a pick, I play maybe 2 or 3 tunes with one of the hundreds I have played in my life. I find a pick confining and counter-intuitive when it comes to bass. McCartney played flats with a pick (I think) on a short scale Hofner and Rickenbacker. I prefer rounds with my fingers to get as close as I can to his tone with the exact same basses.

RC, I recommend you try both and see which you prefer. I'm sure you have a shop where you can give basses with both types strings a whirl.

[C.Linton]

This ^^^

[rcole_sooner]

Hah! I never thought of going to shop to try bass strings out. LOL!

That is the first thing I would think of, with a guitar or amp. I dunno why that did not occur to me, for strings.

I will do that.

[OneMeanDragon]

That concept is ok, but cleaning strings doesn't fix the issues worn strings have. Bass strings are like files, they grind skin off very easily and rapidly, that's why there are flatwounds, so the ripping your skin off doesn't happen. But just like guitar strings bass strings loose their punch and tone after awhile and cleaning them doesn't solve that issue. Basically, if your strings are crummy, change them, you can also clean them with this instead of taking them off.....
http://www.guitarcenter.com/GHS-Fast...02-i1133494.gc
GHS fastfret,,,,,this thing last years, I have mine for over 10 years now lol

well you should be changing your strings if theyve turned in to barbed wire anyways, if new strings are chewing up your fingers you need to find a new instrument.

[AdamBenoit]

I am currently using D'Addario Chromes Flatwound Light, Long Scale. Got a 5-pack on amazon for under $50.

The feel awesome and sound better. Especially when I put a bit of foam at the bridge to reduce sustain. Sounds like an upright bass.

[AdamBenoit]

Prior to trying the flatwound, I used (and still do on several of my basses) I use(d) Earnie Ball Regular Slinky bass strings. for string cleaning, I use Dr. Stringfellow String Cleaner and Lubricant ( http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acces...-and-lubricant )

Boiling the strings don't make buch difference except cleaming gunk out of them and maybe improving them *slightly*.

I recommend changing strings every 4-6 months. Buy them in multi-packs and put the extras away. I got a 5pack on amazon for under $40