There's no ZING in my strings.

[AM1]

Bit of a strange one this.

Every time I change my strings, I only get a few weeks out of them before they go completely dull and start turning black.

They start out completely zingy but go dead so quickly.

I put on brand new Hi-Beams THREE weeks ago and they're dead already and turning black!!!

How often are strings supposed to last roughly?

Any theories?!

[Kongo]

[quote name='AM1' post='492858' date='May 20 2009, 12:20 AM']Bit of a strange one this.

Every time I change my strings, I only get a few weeks out of them before they go completely dull and start turning black.

They start out completely zingy but go dead so quickly.

I put on brand new Hi-Beams THREE weeks ago and they're dead already and turning black!!!

How often are strings supposed to last roughly?

Any theories?![/quote]

Depends on the person. Sweat and dirt from your fingers as you know dulls the tone of strings.
Some people are cursed to the point where fresh strings don't last even a rehearsal.
There are a few things out there you can buy to prolong the life but they don't work IMO.
I hear Stanley Clarke used to put "Brut" aftershave on his strings after use to clean them.

Only thing I can say is, it depends on person and time spent playing.
I always change mine once a month but sometimes they dull before...it sucks but strings like Elixir and other coated strings don't feel or sound like normal strings...too slippy and tone is masked.
Try wiping them down when your done and get under the strings too, alot of buildup is under the strings where you cannot see.
A simple cloth can do this. I use Planet Waves Microfibre cloths as they don't leave lint behind.

[risingson]

I use Hi-Beams but to be honest, the brightness of the string doesn't last forever, especially if you're gigging regularly. I don't buy into all that coated protection stuff that Elixir do, the strings I have heard that have lasted the longest are either Hi-Beams from DR or D'Addario Pro Steels.

The black stuff is skin, and that dead skin deadens the strings remarkably quickly. I'd recommend trying to clean off your strings after playing with a cloth, or buying some Stringlife, or both.

[Kongo]

[quote name='liamcapleton' post='492870' date='May 20 2009, 12:41 AM']I use Hi-Beams but to be honest, the brightness of the string doesn't last forever, especially if you're gigging regularly. I don't buy into all that coated protection stuff that Elixir do, the strings I have heard that have lasted the longest are either Hi-Beams from DR or D'Addario Pro Steels.

The black stuff is skin, and that dead skin deadens the strings remarkably quickly. I'd recommend trying to clean off your strings after playing with a cloth, or buying some Stringlife, or both.[/quote]

I use Pro Steels so I'll add they do last a long time!
Especially the Low-B which seems piano like for...well...forever!

Elixir strings, whereas I don't like how they play or sound DO work.
I had a set that came with my Ibanez BTB556 for almost a year and the tone was still there, they didn't die.
I just didn't like how they started to "flake" in places where the coating started to come off or the ultra slippy feel of them...If I want slippy I'd buy flatwounds!
They also don't sound like Trad strings either...they keep tone for ages yes, but they keep "Elixir tone" for ages...it's tough to explain.

[risingson]

[quote name='Kongo' post='492875' date='May 20 2009, 12:50 AM']I use Pro Steels so I'll add they do last a long time!
Especially the Low-B which seems piano like for...well...forever!

Elixir strings, whereas I don't like how they play or sound DO work.
I had a set that came with my Ibanez BTB556 for almost a year and the tone was still there, they didn't die.
I just didn't like how they started to "flake" in places where the coating started to come off or the ultra slippy feel of them...If I want slippy I'd buy flatwounds!
They also don't sound like Trad strings either...they keep tone for ages yes, but they keep "Elixir tone" for ages...it's tough to explain.[/quote]

That's fair enough, I've had a pack before and wasn't sold on them... but it was a while back now

[Kongo]

[quote name='liamcapleton' post='492877' date='May 20 2009, 12:52 AM']That's fair enough, I've had a pack before and wasn't sold on them... but it was a while back now [/quote]

They do two versions as well.
PolyWeb and NanoWeb.
NanoWeb were mine, supposed to feel and sound like Trad strings...they didn't...
That being the case...Avoid Polyweb!

[skankdelvar]

Elixirs work fine for me...horses for courses I s'pose. Slightly less zingy in isolation. When played next to a kit, I can't really hear the difference. Usually leave them on for about 6-9 months depending on frequency. One set stayed on a practice bass for about 5 years!

[YouMa]

I think you are blaming the the strings for your lack of funkiness,its frustration,keep at it and you will be a funky player,there is no magic formula,just enjoy your music,you really dont need to change your strings.From your previous threads you seem to think phrasing is very important,raw feel is far more important than all these learn to be a funky bass player tags.


If you really want to be a funk bass player Anne Marie,you will seek out, listen to modern/old/rare soul and jazz and funk constantly,i firmly believe that you must actually be obsessed with this type of music to play it well(sorry but punk will have to take a back seat) This is what cuts it jobwise for a "funk" bass player.If you want a quick fix impro wise just play in dorian or mixolydian when you practice noodling at home you may come across a good funky pattern you can use.You must be actually into this genre of music to play it though.Sorry but knowing a couple of sly stone or james brown/jamiroquai/herbie hancock bass licks wont cut it! you have to be really into this type of music,look for rare stuff and get your finger ends like hard hitting pads.Boil the strings sweaty betty! Turning black eh? watch it doesnt drop off!

Edited May 20, 2009 by YouMa

[thisnameistaken]

Do your fingers sweat at all? Mine do, and I tend to burn through strings fairly quickly. Luckily I don't really want the super-bright zing you get from brand-new strings.

Keep a cloth with your bass and give the strings and fingerboard a good wipe each time you put the bass down, get into the habit - I find that helps a lot. I keep one hooked on my guitar stand and stick one in my bag when I go banding.

[GreeneKing]

If you're a Lady AM it won't be sweat will it, I'm sure that having 'glow' on occasionally won't do the strings any harm.

If however you qualify instead as a woman then maybe perspiration is the issue, that and the fact that in a few weeks you're probably spending more hours playing than I do in a few months

Men and horses sweat

[ARGH]

Simple answer..its crud,sweat,and gunk off your hands...

Simple solutions.....Boil strings,does return the zing...but its a hassle taking them on/off,getting the pan..water...and towel drying then leaving to dry properly....

Medicated Swabs..Isopropyl Alchohol...run them up down the strings and your fingers (cleans them,so stops more crud getting onto the instrument)before and after playing...then quick towel dry after wards,leave for 10 mins.

Finally...and this was a tip from a bigtime superwiddly ERBist I got on Skype the other night...cloth..and WD40....spray onto cloth,run up/down the strings,and leave to dry out.

And this man does this on a custom Alembic....

I used to get 4 long gigs to a set,and then they would break..Im harsh,even with boiling,a set would die in 2 gigs..(5 hrs onstage).

[dannybuoy]

I have the opposite problem right now, I'm trying to break in and deaden a new set of flats, they sound too zingy right now. Maybe I need to lend my bass to somebody with sweaty hands!

[OldGit]

+1 to all of string cleaning (with the possible exception of the Brut trick)

Wash your hands before you start playing, wipe you hands during the gig, maybe between each tune.

I'm lucky, I like Elixirs and they last for ever for me. The funny "wet" feel takes a bit of getting used to though.
If you try them go for the Nanoweb. The Polyweb were Gore's (of Goretex fame) first go at this and that means the strings will be years old. They also feel like strings wearing several condoms. Really horrible.

[maxrossell]

Yeah, some people are just unlucky and have fingers that, however clean, tend to gunk up strings really fast. A friend of mine gets through a set of strings a week, after that they're just black and dull and start to feel abrasive. I can make a fresh set last months if I don't break any.

Best advice is to keep a cloth to hand and wipe down your strings, over and under, whenever you get a chance (a quick wipe between songs here and there, and a more thorough clean after playing should do it). This'll get the worst of the gunk off. I'm assuming you always keep your bass cased and dry at room temp when you're not using it, but if you don't that might also be one of the problems.

[Adrenochrome]

I sweat a lot and keep mine going for ages with regular wiping/cleaning, eg between sets in a normal gig.
I use a fastfret cleaning device, but I keep topping it up with WD40 as its the same stuff rather than buying new packs of fast fret.

[JPAC]

Wilkinsons (Wilko's) have a 4 pack of microfibre cleaning cloths for £2, decent size and washable too.

[misrule]

The last time I took my bass for a set-up (with Chris McIntyre in Peckham) he told me to bend DR strings into a 90-degree angle then cut them past the bend. He claims they sound dead if you cut them straight.

This may help you -- or it may be utter nonsense. But I now do it religiously.

Cheers

Mark

Edited May 20, 2009 by misrule

[EBS_freak]

It would be all those salt water fingers...

[Mr.T]

15 to 20 years ago I had to change my strings every few gigs... due to them going off.
Maybe as I am getting older I sweat less, I can now get a year out of a set!
Gigging almost as often, and still using Roto Rounds.

Try using D'Andrea string cleaner.... If you can find it.

[AM1]

[quote name='YouMa' post='492896' date='May 20 2009, 02:12 AM']I think you are blaming the the strings for your lack of funkiness,its frustration,keep at it and you will be a funky player,there is no magic formula,just enjoy your music,you really dont need to change your strings.From your previous threads you seem to think phrasing is very important,raw feel is far more important than all these learn to be a funky bass player tags.[/quote]

Hi, I think it was you (but might have been someone else) that made a point before about being torn between several genres, anyway that's definitely another topic.

The strings I just put on 3 weeks ago sounded beautifully zingy, whatever genre of music I played and now they are turning black and sound really dull. It's nothing really to do with playing funkier or phrasing or feel, it's just the simple fact that the strings are dead and sound crap. The difference when I put on new strings is amazing, but it only last such a short time.

[quote name='YouMa' post='492896' date='May 20 2009, 02:12 AM']If you really want to be a funk bass player Anne Marie,you will seek out, listen to modern/old/rare soul and jazz and funk constantly,i firmly believe that you must actually be obsessed with this type of music to play it well(sorry but punk will have to take a back seat) This is what cuts it jobwise for a "funk" bass player.If you want a quick fix impro wise just play in dorian or mixolydian when you practice noodling at home you may come across a good funky pattern you can use.You must be actually into this genre of music to play it though.Sorry but knowing a couple of sly stone or james brown/jamiroquai/herbie hancock bass licks wont cut it! you have to be really into this type of music,look for rare stuff and get your finger ends like hard hitting pads.Boil the strings sweaty betty! Turning black eh? watch it doesnt drop off![/quote]

I see your point but I think you fail to take into account that some people have a naturally funky feel and others don't. I don't agree that liking funk should mean punk should take a back seat - there are players that have managed, very successfully, to fuse the two genres. What's the point in getting stuck in one groove (no pun intended) so soon? If you listen to too much funk, there is also the danger of over-funkifying in other genres. I already find that, because the more funk I listen to, I just can't help playing funky, even when it doesn't suit the song/music I might be playing at the time. To me, the biggest element of being a decent bass player is judicious use of styles which fit the music and complements the song, not just bass w@nkery for the sake of it.

"Make like a catfish and hang out on the bottom" - describes it perfectly!

The quick fix in terms of using a few modes with funk "colour" - I have found that understanding intervals is probably more useful (for me) as well as 2 octave scales, for being able to add funky fills in different parts of the bass registers.

I think this is off topic though, it has nothing really to do with dead strings, appreciate the thoughts though!

[AM1]

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='492928' date='May 20 2009, 07:38 AM']If you're a Lady AM it won't be sweat will it, I'm sure that having 'glow' on occasionally won't do the strings any harm.

If however you qualify instead as a woman then maybe perspiration is the issue, that and the fact that in a few weeks you're probably spending more hours playing than I do in a few months

Men and horses sweat [/quote]

Yes, how very dare you ha ha.

Maybe I am just practicing too much and I should go to the pub more!

[AM1]

[quote name='misrule' post='492993' date='May 20 2009, 09:34 AM']The last time I took my bass for a set-up (with Chris McIntyre in Peckham) he told me to bend DR strings into a 90-degree angle then cut them past the bend. He claims they sound dead if you cut them straight.

This may help you -- or it may be utter nonsense. But I now do it religiously.

Cheers

Mark[/quote]

That's an interesting point - because the DR packets say make sure not to bend the strings and take particular care when re-stringing, not to bend them.

I'd be interested to hear the reasoning behind that strategy.

[AM1]

[quote name='maxrossell' post='492978' date='May 20 2009, 09:20 AM']Yeah, some people are just unlucky and have fingers that, however clean, tend to gunk up strings really fast. A friend of mine gets through a set of strings a week, after that they're just black and dull and start to feel abrasive. I can make a fresh set last months if I don't break any.

Best advice is to keep a cloth to hand and wipe down your strings, over and under, whenever you get a chance (a quick wipe between songs here and there, and a more thorough clean after playing should do it). This'll get the worst of the gunk off. I'm assuming you always keep your bass cased and dry at room temp when you're not using it, but if you don't that might also be one of the problems.[/quote]

Another interesting one, because my main gig bass is never really in the case unless it's travelling. Maybe if it was, I would be able to walk past it without picking it up and noodling!

Will keeping it in the case prolong the string life? If so, why?

[AM1]

[quote name='Mr.T' post='493000' date='May 20 2009, 09:41 AM']15 to 20 years ago I had to change my strings every few gigs... due to them going off.
Maybe as I am getting older I sweat less, I can now get a year out of a set!
Gigging almost as often, and still using Roto Rounds.

Try using D'Andrea string cleaner.... If you can find it.[/quote]

Thanks for the tip.

I think as I get older, I sweat (sorry, glow) more! Haha.

Now this has changed my reasoning about gig clothes - let me give you an example. On a recent gig, I ended up mega sweaty as usual, flat out punk bass gigs tend to do that plus if you're a natural sweat-machine, well, it's ten fold. Anyway so I got mega sweaty, ended up extremely pissed and woke up on a random sofa, having slept in said sweaty clothes, overall situation normal, that top then went in the washing basket, anyway it came to the next gig and...shameful confession time, I thought f*ck it, I'm not getting a clean top sweaty, so I got the previous rancid one out of the basket, put it back on and played in it again!

The plus point of this is you can dodge buying a round all night cos no one wants to get near you to challenge your skinflint ways.

HAHAHAHA!!!!

I think we should have a poll - how many gigs in a row, have you played in the same, stinky, sweaty, damp old threads. Haha.

Edited May 20, 2009 by AM1

[cheddatom]

That sounds pretty rank AM!