Strings

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Strings

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Steven Campoli

Posts: 25
Joined: Dec. 29 2020
From: Montréal (Québec, Canada)

Strings

Hey guys. I have to ask. I play 2-3 hours a day and have to change bass strings every week, I found a little trick and flip them when their used to give me a week more. I use knobloch carbon actives and savarez long play. Anyway just want to know what you guys do for bass strings because it’s starting to cost me lol.. thank you for your suggestions

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Steven Campoli

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 26 2023 3:25:11

machopicasso

Posts: 973
Joined: Nov. 27 2010

RE: Strings (in reply to Steven Campoli)

The most durable bass strings that I've found are these: https://www.stringsbymail.com/classical-guitar-strings-1/daddario-41/pro-arte-carbon-dynacore-2876/ej46ff-hard-2878/

I've never broken one of the basses (the trebles are another story!), and they sound good for a long time.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 26 2023 4:42:20

orsonw

Posts: 1941
Joined: Jul. 4 2009
From: London

RE: Strings (in reply to Steven Campoli)

Seems you have started two threads with almost the same question?

D'addario pro arte last the longest for me.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 26 2023 10:42:24

Steven Campoli

Posts: 25
Joined: Dec. 29 2020
From: Montréal (Québec, Canada)

RE: Strings (in reply to Steven Campoli)

Yes I had asked the admin to erase one because my iPhone bugged and I thought it didn’t post. I will try the d’addario, give them a shot. Are these hard tension hard on the fingers ?

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Steven Campoli

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 26 2023 17:27:56

silddx

Posts: 570
Joined: May 8 2012
From: London

RE: Strings (in reply to Steven Campoli)

You can get normal and hard tension D'Addario carbons. EJ45FF and EJ46FF There's not much in it in terms of the tension. I don't find either hard on my fingers. I like both, and they last well for me.

Also, clean your hands before playing, wipe your strings with a microfibre cloth after playing.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 26 2023 18:02:30

Richard Jernigan

Posts: 3431
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA

RE: Strings (in reply to Steven Campoli)

When I was a starving grad student in a previous geological era, we used to take off our bass strings, wash them in warm soapy water, rinse them and let them dry. When we put them back on they were much improved, and lasted a while longer.

RNJ

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 26 2023 23:31:07

Steven Campoli

Posts: 25
Joined: Dec. 29 2020
From: Montréal (Québec, Canada)

RE: Strings (in reply to Steven Campoli)

Hey Richard how long do they take to dry and how long to you soap them for?
Thank you :)

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Steven Campoli

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 26 2023 23:54:45

Ricardo

Posts: 14833
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Strings (in reply to Steven Campoli)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Steven Campoli

Hey Richard how long do they take to dry and how long to you soap them for?
Thank you :)

That procedure extends the life to the same degree that simply taking them off and flipping them or off setting them (so the wear points above the frets are relocated), and of course it cleans the salt and oil off them. I tried it because I read Mclaughlin did it. But I realized simply taking them off and putting them back on (plus wiping them down after the gig) achieves the same goal.

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CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2023 15:29:18

mark indigo

Posts: 3625
Joined: Dec. 5 2007

RE: Strings (in reply to Ricardo)

quote:

That procedure extends the life to the same degree that simply taking them off and flipping them or off setting them (so the wear points above the frets are relocated), and of course it cleans the salt and oil off them. I tried it because I read Mclaughlin did it. But I realized simply taking them off and putting them back on (plus wiping them down after the gig) achieves the same goal.

Many years ago I read an interview with Paco Peña in which he detailed loosening his strings after playing. I guess as he would have been playing a peghead guitar back then that means taking ALL the tension out of the strings. Would this have the same "effect" as taking them off and flipping them around?

I used to do the flipping the bass strings thing, and was very careful when putting new bass strings on to wind them on the rollers very neatly without putting any kinks in them and with as much string wound onto the rollers as possible. When I flipped them around the grubby section of string between the sound hole and bridge ended up wound onto the rollers (or at least beyond the nut), and the (more or less) completely new un-played section of string off the rollers was now between the sound-hole and bridge. Meanwhile the worn section of string over the first 5 frets was swapped with the unfretted section above the 12th fret (disclaimer: all claims relating to fret numbers are approximate....).

My main guitars now have mechanical pegs so it's not possible to wind a lot of string onto them, so I just loosen the bass strings and move them down a bit, so the worn patch over the frets is moved along. It doesn't make a lot of difference, but means they don't wear out over the frets. I am using Royal Classics, change treble strings infrequently and get separate bass packs which come with an extra 4th string.

I have in the past had long periods of using D'Addario and Savarez, as well as shorter periods of using La Bella and Luthier. D'Addario are sold everywhere, relatively cheap and never break, but I don't like the feel or sound - stiff and dull IMO. Savarez are expensive, and always seemed to take a long time to settle down, then sounded great for not very long, then went stiff or broke.

I think different strings seem to suit different guitars as well as different players. My guitars were made with Royal Classics, and I have tried out other brands but gone back to and stuck with Royal Classics. Also the separate bass pack deal is good value.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2023 15:54:23

Richard Jernigan

Posts: 3431
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA

RE: Strings (in reply to Steven Campoli)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Steven Campoli

Hey Richard how long do they take to dry and how long to you soap them for?
Thank you :)

It was a long time ago. Maybe soak them in soapy water for an hour, rinse them a few times, soak in clean water for an hour. Probably took three or four hours to dry out completely.

But see Ricardo’s and Mark Indigo’s posts. I just copied what my more experienced pals did, never tried anything different. We used El Cheapo Leonidas strings bought in Mexico.

RNJ

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2023 19:06:54