ZMech Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Just realised that i've had the same set of la bella flats on my bass for two years now. I still like the sound, so don't really see the point in changing them, but part of me just feels i should do. So I was wondering who on basschat holds the record for longest time without changing the strings on their main bass. Anyone over the decade mark? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 (edited) Not my main bass, but EKO acoustic bass, circa 1980, Original Rotosound Trubass still on it & still sound good. Played it a lot during the early / mid 80s in a Folk band. That was 2 gigs with 3 hours playing time most weeks of the year. The good old days of plentiful well paid gigs. Sigh! TI flats on G&L 5 years? Edited February 4, 2011 by 3below Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 10 years? Herbie FLowers will win tho'. He's a 30 year man..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_B Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I had the same strings on my Westone Spectrum from 1990 to 2003. I think they were La Bella Hard Rockin' Steels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 My old trusty ibanez SR800LE had the same strings on between circa 1992 and 2009, but I gigged and practiced with it heavily only until 2001. i have no idea what they were, but I have the distinctive impresion they were a mismatched set anyway. Skint young man had no money for new strings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Once I get flats on a new bass I won't change them again. 30yrs sounds good to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 My rounds have been on for about 3 years now, although I've been thinking about changing them for the past 6 months or so, mainly as a result of all the comments here about changing or cleaning strings regularly. I do rub them down carefully with a dry cloth after every rehearsal and gig though - does that get me off the hook? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4-string-thing Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 [quote name='Zach' post='1115542' date='Feb 4 2011, 04:21 PM']Just realised that i've had the same set of la bella flats on my bass for two years now. I still like the sound, so don't really see the point in changing them, but part of me just feels i should do. So I was wondering who on basschat holds the record for longest time without changing the strings on their main bass. Anyone over the decade mark?[/quote] Over the decade, oh lordy yeah! I had rotosounds on my P for at least 15, probably more like 20 years, and they sounded great! I hate new strings... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 (edited) Had same set of d'Addario 'Chromes' flats on my Tokai for over five years. Think it took two years for them to play in! A knackered '62 Precision recently that I came across recently which unsuccessfully tried to buy, had according to its owner the same Rotosounds on it since 1971. They actually had a nice tone. Edited February 4, 2011 by nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Back in the 60s/70s a friend of mine had flats (Roto) on his Hofner solid bass (crocodile skin model) for 15 years to my certain knowledge, quite probably more. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Blimey! I'd be lucky if mine stayed on for a whole month! I could kill a set of strings in a single gig when it was a particularly sweaty show! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottle Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Think my Ibanez had the original strings on it for two-and-a-half years - only recently changed them for a set of DR Hi-beams. Based on the answers above, seems quite a short time, really Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goblin Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 The Wal went 12 years without a string change, and the set on it at the moment have been on for just over 2 years. They're probably due a change! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 [quote name='flyfisher' post='1115675' date='Feb 4 2011, 05:59 PM']My rounds have been on for about 3 years now, although I've been thinking about changing them for the past 6 months or so, mainly as a result of all the comments here about changing or cleaning strings regularly. I do rub them down carefully with a dry cloth after every rehearsal and gig though - does that get me off the hook?[/quote] ha ha...NO..!! Seriously, though, rounds need to be changed. There are degrees of being played in, IMV...and I prefer a 'live' sound, but after a few months they just feel awful....REALLY awful. That in itself is enough to HAVE to change them, IMV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=121791"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=121791[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tino Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 [quote name='Zach' post='1115542' date='Feb 4 2011, 04:21 PM']Just realised that i've had the same set of la bella flats on my bass for two years now. I still like the sound, so don't really see the point in changing them, but part of me just feels i should do. So I was wondering who on basschat holds the record for longest time without changing the strings on their main bass. Anyone over the decade mark?[/quote] Not a Bass ...............BUT...........................I have a 79 Gibson LP Custom on Ebay now with a start of £1900 and the strings are those put on about 20 years back.How Tight am I???? Vintage & Collectable strings MUST add to the Value Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 One of my basses still carries a set of Fender flatwounds from which the box is labelled with the price of £8 15s 0d. Admittedly not my main gigger now but it was for a good 15 years or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I built my first bass myself around 1974 and fitted some Selmer tape wounds. One of these snapped about a year later and I fitted some rotosound 'swing bass', which are still on it, so I reckon about 35 years. To be fair that bass did spend quite a few years up the attic so not 35 years of continuous use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1120267' date='Feb 8 2011, 04:42 PM'][url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=121791"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=121791[/url][/quote] Yeah, I was gonna post that! 45 years takes some beating!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) I had my peavey bass strings on for 3 years from when I bought it to when I sold it. Not very long. Don't know if this counts, but when I bought my columbus bass, it came with some strings on it that if they weren't original, must have been at least 20-25 years old. I ended up using one of them to hold the curtain in my bedroom window up... Edited February 9, 2011 by EdwardHimself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom1946 Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 A lady who plays acoustic guitar (not well) in our band has an EKO 12 string guitar she bought new in 1967 and it still has the original strings on it, :yuk: She likes the sound of it. I think it's sh*t but there you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 [quote name='tom1946' post='1124630' date='Feb 12 2011, 08:32 AM']A lady who plays acoustic guitar (not well) in our band has an EKO 12 string guitar she bought new in 1967 and it still has the original strings on it, :yuk: She likes the sound of it. I think it's sh*t but there you are.[/quote] To be fair she must be decent not to have broken one in that time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny-79 Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1120267' date='Feb 8 2011, 04:42 PM'][url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=121791"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=121791[/url][/quote] Wow !! As far as strings go just as an when needed, not a fan of flat's so .... think about 18months is about my record for strings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 I've had a set of R*tosounds on my Shergold for 28 years.I haven't played it for 27 years though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apa Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 My Kay short scale P copy has the same strings from when I did her up 21 years ago. THUD is about the right word for it lol. They are a set of long scales so the E is edged into the slot in the machine head lol. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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