New Rounds Before Every Show

[jwilson67]

If money was no object would you put new roundwound strings on for every gig you play? I used to think this way because I was totally into Geddy/Chris Squire/Mike Rutherford, etc. but now I wouldn't do that. I like the way strings sound after they get broken in.

 

[michael_t]

I like the way strings sound after they get broken in.

Yeah, me too!

Putting on a new set of strings before every gig is like having to put on a brand new pair of jeans every morning.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Mark King used to do that, but he used Rotosounds (which go dead approximately seventeen minutes after being tuned to pitch...). Sponsorship is a magnificent thing.
Personally, I like a broken in string, but I don't sound like Mark King.
My new favourite is the Fender Nickel Plated. Really nice sound.

 

[rufus.K]

If they were free and a roadie did it for me. But otherwise, no

 

[FunkHead]

No way. The fret eaters are hungriest when brand new.

 

[Pilgrim]

Well, Dick Dale requires his bass player (Sam Bolle) to install new Dean Markley Blue Steels every day. Sam plays a 60's P-bass that sounds excellent.

Myself, as a flats player I dislike the sound of new strings. The flats on my basses range in age from one year to 44 years old. Most are at least 5 years old.

 

[Lee Moses]

Nope, I like my strings a little broken in.

 

[klokker]

I wish I could trust our sound people etc. to work with me to make flats work in this current band I'm in but so far they get buried and rounds seem to work much better. I guess its just what our sound guy is used to and I'm new so I don't have much input at this point. I just need that extra definition and pop that I can get from reasonably fresh rounds as a kind of insurance policy. When they start to mellow it's time for a change, but I can get a couple of months out of a set at least. I use DR lo riders SS.

I would much prefer to play flats though, we'll see if I can make it happen. They keep getting better with age (I'm using Sadowsky flats as well on another bass).

 

[James Simonson]

I would use the GHS Bass Boomers. Those sound amazing for like 48 hrs.

 

[sawzalot]

I slap a lot and like the high end, so I change 'em after they lose their zing. Sometimes that's after one gig, sometimes that's after two months.

td

 

[wolffire99]

Sounds like a PITA. Can't hardly get halfway through a song before brand new strings start stretching and going flat.

 

[rtslinger]

Only if I had a tech guy doing it and dresses the frets. I think new round wounds sound best after playing them for a while. Only problem I have found is once they are at the stage when they have settle in they start to lose their luster pretty quick.

 

[Odinbass]

Only if I had time to break them in. The D'Addarios I use hit peak awesomeness after like 2 hours of playing. I can get 2-3 shows out of them before they lose life.

 

[dtsamples]

Not a chance, I love the sound of dead rounds.

 

[40Hz]

Depends on what you like. I'm not too big on the sound of fresh rounds. I like any round on my bass for at least 24 hours to settle in an mature a bit before I'd want to play it out or record with it. But that's me: you keep the sizzle - give me the steak!

(Note: really broken in and slightly dead rounds, in the right hands, can sound really good with the right pickup/amp combination. Something to explore when your rounds start to fade but can still keep correct intonation. I've found Rotosound Swing Bass 66's seem to work best for that.)

 

[socialleper]

If money was no object would you put new roundwound strings on for every gig you play? I used to think this way because I was totally into Geddy/Chris Squire/Mike Rutherford, etc. but now I wouldn't do that. I like the way strings sound after they get broken in.

Every gig? No. That would just burn out my tuners and waste a lot of time. My hands are pretty kind to strings, so I can get months out of them.
My dream would be to have a custom gauge set available to me within 24 hours and not cost more than $25 a pack.

 

[micguy]

Takes me about 2 weeks of playing to break in most sets, so....no. If I were on tour, I'd have multiple basses in rotation mostly so I didn't have to play on brand new strings. Cost not object, I might pay someone to break in my strings, but....not really sure about that - don't really want their funky finger stuff in my strings. Maybe a string break-in robot?

 

[ManOnEarth]

You can change your strings?!

I swear my Elixirs will last forever at this rate.

 

[cromag31]

All pro musicians do that! Drummers also, all new skins every show.

 

[bikeplate]

Not every show but every two I would change