Cat Burrito Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Forgive my newbie-esque question but after 20yrs on flats I'm a recent convent to roundwounds. I noticed on my main gigging bass the strings are dead already. I played live last night and I have a show tomorrow. If I restring today will they have settled down for tomorrow night or should I do the gig and restring at my leisure. There's some life in them but they do need changing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrn1989 Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Do you stretch your strings in? I restring the day of gigs and as long as you stretch them in properly you won't have an issue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 [quote name='mrn1989' timestamp='1499444658' post='3331648'] Do you stretch your strings in? I restring the day of gigs and as long as you stretch them in properly you won't have an issue [/quote] Agreed. I tend not to restring on gig day out of choice but when I have, it's all been good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted July 7, 2017 Author Share Posted July 7, 2017 [quote name='mrn1989' timestamp='1499444658' post='3331648']Do you stretch your strings in? [/quote] Yep, I just do it so rarely that I thought I'd ask. The singer faffs about with tuning a fair bit so I often take the mic... I just don't want to be re-tuning too much tomorrow as well. This has answered the question for me, cheers guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Never stretched my strings, never heard of stretching strings until I joined this forum. Generally I find things have settled down within 24-48hr of restringing. A bit quicker if I play a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 With Fender or D'Addario nickels i would put on few days before a gig to get the initial twang out of them and let them settle in a bit to save constant tuning issue. I've used a set of DR Lows i think they are and they were fitted and rehearsed same day and they don't seem to have changed tone too much also i don't think i had to retune too often in a 3 hr rehearsal altho i have a Korg rack unit in rehearsal rig so i check a fair bit. Don't recall making changes very often tho and its probably more to do with bass being in car for over an hour to get there and the room starting off cool and warming up as we commence battle. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 [quote name='Burrito' timestamp='1499443513' post='3331637'] Forgive my newbie-esque question but after 20yrs on flats I'm a recent convent to roundwounds. I noticed on my main gigging bass the strings are dead already. I played live last night and I have a show tomorrow. If I restring today will they have settled down for tomorrow night or should I do the gig and restring at my leisure. There's some life in them but they do need changing. [/quote] No time at all. I don't like fresh strings because they're a little too bright for my liking... but at times I just had to, and it's fine. The 'trick' I think is to ensure you don't add excessive turns around the post and ensure there's no slack as you wind the strings. Then you may want to stretch the strings a bit... I find it unnecessary but if you left a bit of slack it can help taking care of it. And last, I push the strings around the saddles and the nut, where they would naturally form witness points over time. That way the tuning is completely stable, in my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 [quote name='Cato' timestamp='1499450172' post='3331685'] Never stretched my strings, never heard of stretching strings until I joined this forum. Generally I find things have settled down within 24-48hr of restringing. [/quote] +1. I just restring, tune, play for about ten or fifteen minutes, check and retune, then leave overnight. Retune the next day and that's generally the whole procedure done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cytania Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Used to love DR Sunbeams, stable after an hour or so. I now use Rotosound blue 66s and they take about 10 days to settle and stay good about 6 months. Half the price of Sunbeams too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted July 7, 2017 Author Share Posted July 7, 2017 [quote name='Burrito' timestamp='1499443513' post='3331637'] I noticed on my main gigging bass the strings are dead already... There's some life in them but they do need changing.[/quote] Just to update my original post, I dug out some string cleaner and hey presto, I'm certainly ready for tomorrow night. I appreciate everyone's input so far but thought I'd share just for anyone who googles this thread in a similar dilemma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 What string cleaner was it Tim, think that may be worth a purchase to chuck in the gig-bag for "in case" moments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted July 7, 2017 Author Share Posted July 7, 2017 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1499464109' post='3331789'] What string cleaner was it Tim, think that may be worth a purchase to chuck in the gig-bag for "in case" moments. [/quote] I think they are all pretty much standard really. Just some 5 yr old pump spray stuff from my old and now closed local guitar shop. A cheap variation on the already cheap Dr. Kyser stuff. I don't think I'd cleaned the strings in 20 odd gigs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 FastFret. Wipe on, wipe off, win karate match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzbass Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 [quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1499450978' post='3331695'] With Fender or D'Addario nickels i would put on few days before a gig to get the initial twang out of them and let them settle in a bit to save constant tuning issue. Dave [/quote] This is my experience too. I like to give them a stratch when I put them on, usually lift the string up perpendicular to the fretboard at three points along it's neck, retune, set witness points. They are usually pretty stable tuning wise at this point. I then play for 2 to 3 hours over a couple of days, really digging in, and by then it has lost it's zinginess and are perfect for the next 3 months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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