| Author | Message | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9292 Registered: 5-2002 |
I changed strings yesterday. Cash flow being what it is, and the cost of strings being what it is, the strings I removed had been on the bass for 17 months. I didn't have a new set on hand so the strings I put on were the set that was previously on the bass and had been so for six months. Things I found out. A set of strings that's been played everyday for six months sounds brand new compared to a set that's been played everyday for 17 months. Strings that are six months old have a lot more sustain than strings that are 17 months old. And, my house now smells like lemons. I'm also having to re-EQ my rig, as I had been gradually making fine adjustments to my rig corresponding to the gradual deadening of the strings. So, I learned stuff. And I think I need to order some new strings. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 916 Registered: 5-2009 |
Dave I have been buying Bass strings lately from Elderly Instruments and I am very happy in the way that they do business. Here is a Bass string link for your selection possibilities. http://elderly.com/accessories/cats/STBS.html Sonic Regards _____ | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9293 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks; but they don't carry my strings. Just Strings and Bass Emporium usually have my set. | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 614 Registered: 5-2002 |
What strings do you play? | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9295 Registered: 5-2002 |
TI JR346 | ||
| benson_murrensun
Advanced Member Username: benson_murrensun Post Number: 274 Registered: 5-2007 |
Dave's first post in this thread reminded me of the Red Green Show episode with Handyman's Corner featuring how to do an oil change on your car. You drain the oil from one vehicle, and put it in another. Presto! The oil has been changed! With this method you never have to buy any more oil, ever. I usually take the strings off a bass prior to them wearing out; I do it just for the experiment of trying different strings on different instuments. I usually have a collection of used string sets around that I can move to another bass when the mood strikes. But in the interest of full disclosure I don't favor a bright ringy round wound sound, so the only way I can tell if my strings need replacement is if they don't intonate properly anymore, or won't stay in tune. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 919 Registered: 5-2009 |
I like them when they are stretched out but still sound bright because I really enjoy the higher string tension. For me this is usually about a week or two after they are on the Bass. It seem to me that they are then acclimated to their new home . | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9296 Registered: 5-2002 |
In the past I too have found a preference for the week or two acclimation. I'm certainly noticing a preference for the 6 month strings over the 17 month strings! And looking forward to new strings, and two week strings, sometime soon. | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1185 Registered: 11-2004 |
Dave..have you boiled them yet?? Make sure you dry them in a warm oven as they corrode if not(experience noted here) I would also put a drop of lemon oil in the pan at the same time..that way you get the strings clean, lubricated and the house smells wonderful. Good advice if you have just cooked fish for your lunch and doing this job straight after. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 921 Registered: 5-2009 |
I very much like the smell of the lemon oil as well. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9297 Registered: 5-2002 |
No, but both sets are worn; i.e. fret indentations, especially the C and G strings. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9298 Registered: 5-2002 |
I've also heard of boiling in a combination of water and alcohol, being careful of course not to burn the house down. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9299 Registered: 5-2002 |
Oh, and I like the idea of the drop of lemon oil in the boiling water. Might be a good thing to do even if not changing strings. One thing I've done from time to time is wipe the strings down with alcohol. But usually I just wipe down with a dry cloth. | ||
| jimmyj
Intermediate Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 188 Registered: 8-2008 |
OK, I'll jump in with my own madness just to demonstrate how different everybody's approach can be. I still use ghs boomers on my fretted basses and I prefer them new. The recording bass gets a new set for every session and the road bass goes 3 or 4 shows per set depending on how much sweating is involved. The basses are physically close enough that I can pass strings from one to the other so strings used for only one day of recording will be saved and put on the live bass for a few gigs. I think once you start to see fret marks on the bottom side of the strings they are becoming false and won't play in tune. I'm very fortunate to have a "discount" relationship with ghs which allows me to sustain my expensive habit! My fretless is a totally different story. There I have RotoSound Superwound strings (bare-core, adjustable-ball) and haven't changed the current set in about 10 years. (I don't think they make them anymore either, but I have two sets left...) With no frets to dent them and only the core going over the bridge these strings seem to last forever. I also don't play this bass as much as its fretted brother and I've never broken a string - knock on burly walnut. When the strings do get dull I'll make some Bass String Soup - run them through boiling water and towel dry - and they come right back to life. I never thought of the lemon oil idea, we should start a recipe book! I know there are some very funky players out there who prefer their P-bass with the original factory strings - and I can dig that too. For a minute I thought the elderly.com link above was a USED strings store. HA! Strings are a part of our very personal setup choices and it's interesting to hear the ideas of other players. Good stuff. Jimmy J | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9300 Registered: 5-2002 |
Jimmy, I think I learned my lesson about being too frugal with strings. I think the fret marks may have been contributing to fret buzz as well, although I haven't confirmed that yet. | ||
| wylie_j
New Username: wylie_j Post Number: 5 Registered: 8-2005 |
Hey Dave: i've been getting ur post about cleaning strings and want to help I have a method that works much better then boiling but i have a few questions b4 telling so holler at me, I play the 5-string Stanley Clarke model,this method is so much better then boiling... | ||
| bassfingers
Advanced Member Username: bassfingers Post Number: 292 Registered: 11-2005 |
I've been cleaning dirty strings in the dishwasher for years.Just coil them up so they don't snag on anything.It'll even dry them for you too.It really does work!. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9303 Registered: 5-2002 |
Email sent Wylie. | ||
| wylie_j
New Username: wylie_j Post Number: 6 Registered: 8-2005 |
Boiling water an metal strings are not a good combination,have u noticed the more u boil the less the string seems to hold the notes that's because Hot water n Metal don't mix,never have n never will | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2604 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hey Jimmy, I also have a set of superwounds on my homemade fretless that were put on in 1996 and still sound the same (not that the bass has seen much action since I bought my fretless rogue). They were obsolete even in 1996 but my local guitar shop in Worcester (where I lived for about 4 years) had a 'special' relationship with james How and had a batch made up specially. I really liked these strings as they were a 'half-round' profile that was ideal for my style of fretless playing, allowing my fingers to slide easily. I recently strung the rogue with D'addario chrome flatwounds and absolutely hated the feel - my fingers were 'sticking' as I tried to play a sliding vibrato - so they came straight off after the first gig and I've gone back to the DR red devils. Graeme | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1186 Registered: 11-2004 |
wylie j..metal and hot water don't mix..how do you cook??? The idea of hot water or any heat on metal is that it re anneals it. The lemon oil acts as an emulsifier/lubricant/detergent an removes any old oil residue. It is the same as heating up a sump washer from the sump bolt on a car and plunging it into cold water, it 're aligns' the crystal structure in the metal. And of course I am not advocating taking a blow torch to your strings as this too severe(although I may have a go on a real old set!) Obviously it won't take the fret dents out from the coils but it does dissolve all the sweat residues from the windings. It is not a permanent fix but it does work if you are short of money and want that zing back in your strings. Wylie j..what is your method..would be interesting to know an alternative?? | ||
| serialnumber12
Senior Member Username: serialnumber12 Post Number: 730 Registered: 12-2004 |
Ive been boiling my strings years. | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2605 Registered: 10-2002 |
I only boil eggs and potatoes. Everythng else gets steamed ;-) Graeme | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 924 Registered: 5-2009 |
I boiled strings a few decades ago but they did not go good with my Rotkohl ,_____ I love Rotkohl ! ( red cabbage). Really it seems to work once in while as far as the grime ,but what to do for the Harmonic loss and fret marks ? Seasoning! YES _____! | ||
| hodge
Junior Username: hodge Post Number: 38 Registered: 11-2002 |
can you get ELITES in america ive used these for about 20 years, my last set have been on for abuot 6/7 years, and although i dont gig anymore, i play usually every day.. i get these strings from.the bass centre,in london..www.basscentre.com. | ||
| aarona
New Username: aarona Post Number: 1 Registered: 5-2010 |
I recently purchased my first Alembic. It is a 1992 4-String Essence. The guys at Guitar Center told me the strings on it were Ernie Ball Half Rounds, and my ear told me that they were pretty dead and rather "boomy and muddy" sounding for my taste. I put on DR Lowriders that I have been using for quite some time. The sound is now way too bright. Anybody have suggestions as to what strings to use for a happy medium between muddy and too bright? | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 1180 Registered: 11-2004 |
Aaron, D'Addario Chromes and TI Flats seem to get a lot of use by people on this forum. My own personal favorites are Chromes and DR Sunbeams (which are a nickel plated roundwound). I think the Chromes are the *zingiest* flats and the Sunbeams give what I consider to be the warmest roundwound tone. | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 630 Registered: 5-2002 |
+1 on the Sunbeams. I had random strings on my SI long scale and then tried some Sunbeams on it and it sounded like the bottom octave all of a sudden came back. They also last quite a long time for me. YMMV, etc. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 939 Registered: 5-2009 |
On my 91 Essence 4 I like Dean Markley Blue Steel # 2670 XL 40-95. Same on my Distillate 4 & my fretted & fretless Fender Jazz with Bartolini's On My Series II Standard Point Cocobolo I like Pyramid Gold Flats and the same on My modified Guild Starfire & fretless Fender Precision. | ||
| dannobasso
Senior Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 1256 Registered: 3-2004 |
I bounce around quite a bit, DR Fodera Ernie Ball Dean Markley GHS D'Addario LaBella 45-130 usually. But I bought a bunch of Alembic sets for my 5's and 6's. So I'm using up my old stock and restocking with Alembics. I love the sound of new strings! Time to change a few of the babies come to think of it. Never boiled a set yet, brightened up a few with lemon oil though. I also use fingerease and fastfret . Seems to help my style of playing. | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 1946 Registered: 6-2002 |
I hear a lot about bass strings on this forum, does anyone have a view about alembic guitar strings? I have seen the odd few for sale but only from a dealer in Australia via ebay and that was maybe last year or the year before and if I recall were quite expensive. Are they designed by Alembic and made elsewhere or rebranded strings by an existing manufacturer? Jazzyvee | ||
| aarona
New Username: aarona Post Number: 2 Registered: 5-2010 |
Thank you all for the input about strings. I'll buy a few of the different ones suggested, starting with the DR Sunbeams, and will, over time, find what I'm looking for. I'm just home from playing a large marathon (26k) gig here in Denver, with the band at the start/finish line, and the Alembic was a pure joy to have in my hands. Power and drive up the proverbial wazoo. What a gas of an instrument to play. | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 631 Registered: 5-2002 |
Who do you play with? I'm up here in the People's Republic of Boulder! | ||
| dannobasso
Senior Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 1257 Registered: 3-2004 |
Just changed 2 basses to Alembic CX3 32-128 on the ol Koa Spoiler and CX3 45-128 on the Quilt Maple Elan 5. That's all it takes to make me very happy. Recording again this week so all is right in the world. (bass-wise I mean) | ||
| adriaan
Moderator Username: adriaan Post Number: 2484 Registered: 6-2002 |
Aaron - most Essences have a filter, but no Q switch, which means the 8 dB boost at the cut-off frequency is always engaged. If you leave the filter wide open, that might explain the excessive brightness. (Earlier Essences are often all-maple, which would also account for some of the brightness.) As an inexpensive modification, you can install a Q switch, which allows you to disengage that boost. You could also opt for a 3-way switch to give you a milder boost option - my Spoiler has a 0/3/6 dB Q switch, which offers enough noticeable variation to keep me happy. Playing mine with DR HiBeams - got a little frustrated with the stiffness of the LoRiders. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9352 Registered: 5-2002 |
As an update; I am now the happy and grateful owner of new strings, and new strings feel great! I put them on I guess about a week or so ago, and I've been gradually eq'ing my rig to them. They sound great, and I can definitely feel the difference under my fingers. (Message edited by davehouck on May 30, 2010) |
