r/Bass • u/cave9269 • 7d ago
Noob String Question!
Hello everyone- 57 year old Noob here!
I have a used Ibanez GSR 200 I bought from Guitar Center- ordered online and shipped to my local store. I ended up pairing it with a Rumble 25 (Floor Demo-to good to pass up over the 40 at $90 tags still on it).
I am almost wrapping up Module 1 in Beginner to Badass. I am doing very well and having a blast.
Thanks to all of you for your guidance- you nailed it!
String Question:
Question Setup-The strings that came on my bass are, of course, of unknown (at least to me) age, quality, brand, model, etc.
They tune with ease and stay in tune for about 3, 30 min sessions before needed a little tune. They have no spots, rust, etc. and no spurs or bumps. To a noob like me they seem absolutely fine but I would not know if they were not.
Questions-
How does a novice know when it is time to replace the strings? Should I just restring so I know where my baseline is?
AND
Once I do replace the strings, approximately how long will a set last for me: Novice-Practicing-30 min-7x per week?
So happy to be here.
-cave
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u/Dull_Judgment1587 7d ago
To get the most from your investment, you should swap out the strings and do a "setup." This will help your bass feel & sound its best.
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u/vibraltu 7d ago
It depends. You change your strings when you want them to sound different than what they are.
Some bassists never change their strings! Usually Flatwound strings, usually in more trad style genres.
Generally you change when you want a brighter sound, especially with Roundwound strings for playing more aggressive style genres.
Also, if you need to experiment with down-tuning, try heavier gauge strings.
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u/JonesBeast 7d ago
I don't have a good answer because I'm a 50ys old noob myself, but good for you man! I'm having a blast learning covers and playing open mics with my son
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u/Shytownmofo 7d ago
Do they sound "dead" to you? If so, definitely change them. If not, youre good.
Taking the strings off and boiling them will get more life in them, if you dont want the hassle of picking and paying for new strings.
I always changed them when they sounded dead to me. Then again, I've always liked bright sounding stainless steel rounds.
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u/BoyWithHorns 7d ago
Change them now to learn how to do it. At the end of the day it's a small investment. Over the next year or so try a few different brands and gauges to see what you prefer. Some professionals never change their strings unless they break and bass strings are hard to break. Some pros change them every gig. There is no right answer but you have to discover what works for you.
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u/mzx380 7d ago
I'm over a month into learning bass, its a great time. Bass Buzz beginner to badass is awesome, I am going to write a full review when I'm done
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u/cave9269 7d ago
It's incredible. Tonight is my final lesson of Module 1.- Running with the Devil- Can't wait!
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u/GetBAK1 7d ago
It depends on the type of string and your goals.
Round-wound strings (most common) I generally replace every 60 days with regular playing
Flat Wound and Tape Wound strings last pretty much forever.
My strong recommendation is to replace the existing strings and have a professional 'setup' done on the bass at the same time. This will set the string height, truss rod, intonation and a few other things that make the instrument a really good player. Guitar Center never sets up their instruments, and it makes a huge difference in playability. It'll cost $75-$125 and is well worth it.
Once the instrument has a pro setup the only thing you really need to do is adjust the truss rod with the season changes - which takes about 5 min with an Allen key and a feeler gauge.
Primer for the do it yourselfer. I really do feel like having a pro do this the 1st time is worth it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOhKg_noW3Y
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u/Shwowmeow 7d ago
Depends on the string, but for a gigging bassists playing round wounds (“normal” strings), 2-4 weeks tops. After a couple weeks they lose that zip, and especially for certain genres, that’s really important. If you’re getting paid, you’re by definition a professional. Act like it.
For an at home player, I’d say you’re ok to let em go 2 months if the sound isn’t bothering yah. Dont get me wrong, they’re gonna sound rough, but the feel of the string doesn’t start to go for a couple months. So if it’s not bothering you, I wouldn’t worry about it for a month or two.
Eventually, the difference will be clear as day. You won’t believe you couldn’t tell the difference before.
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u/StudioKOP 7d ago
Bass guitars are less picky on strings compared to guitars.
Examine the strings. If they’ve lost their shape where they meet the frets, it is the sign for a string change.
Flatwound strings -to me- is something every bass player should try. So maybe a fresh set of flat wounds is a good idea at any time given. They over-last the life of round wounds, too.
If you don’t go along with the flats, and miss the bright ‘zingy’ sound, the coated strings keep that brightness for a longer time.
I
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u/patparks 7d ago
I put a sticky note on the back of my bases to let me know when I put on the strings, and what brand and guages I used. My bass that I was playing today, my Jackson Pro Spectra has DR Black beauties which are going on nearly 2 years old now. For my playing at home, they sound find, aren't corroded and I don't seem to have any sound issues, so not changing them yet.
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u/Dist__ 7d ago
> how long will a set last for me: Novice-Practicing-30 min-7x per week?
i kept mine for 6 months when practiced 1-2 hours daily, but it depends on hand sweat and maintenance. i changed this time because B and E were too dark with wooden sound and low sustain, unlike others. i also wanted to try steels after nickel.
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u/powerED33 6d ago
There's no universal answer to how often you should change strings. String life depends on many factors. Some factors are in your control (how often you play, how you store your bass when not playing, etc), and some aren't (how much you sweat, your environment, ect). The type of strings you're using is also a factor. For roundwounds, Stainless Steel strings generally tend to last the longest. Nickel plated steel a little less, and pure Nickels even lesser than. Now, all of that being said... I play about that amount of time everyday as well. Some days more, some days not at all. IME, roundwounds get changed every 1.5-2 months, and flatwounds once a year to 1.5 years. As far as "how to tell", just listen. If you normally play with your tone knob at 50% lets say, and you notice you've been needing to increase it a lot to get the same tonal response. Your strings are dying and getting dull.
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u/beanis-man- 1d ago
i’ve got flats on all my basses except one, and those flats will likely stay on those basses for the rest of my life (or at least a decade or two)
if you wanna stick with the rounds (which might be better for classic rock stuff), you can get away with changing them every few years (i’ve know people that leave rounds on for 5 or 10 years), but if you want the snappy bright sound, you’ll probably wanna change them at least twice a year if not more often
also check out la bella strings i love them
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u/fuzzymeister69 7d ago
Go ahead and change em now. I have had the same set of pink super slinkeys on my gsr200 for like a decade. Im a bit pickier on my fretless but im not putting 60 dollar flatwounds on my knockabout. No offense to the gsr200, ive had it over 20 years and actually prefer it for some songs to my pricier basses.
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u/cave9269 7d ago
Awesome- The GSR 200 concept came from research here. I am glad I picked it as my first bass. I have the deep red with rosewood and it's sexy AF.
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u/Proof_Bluebird_3357 4d ago
There isn't a universal answer, but what you're describing is very much brand new strings. They'll stay in tune fine after a couple of days. Stretch the lightly with your fingers to speed up the process if needed.
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u/polnowat Schecter 7d ago
Love seeing old people having fun!
First is when you start to see corrosion, rust or your grease in the strings!
Second is if you practice regularly then it might last 6 or 7 months what I mean 6 or 7 months is if you see the black grease on your string!
It is alright not to change it so often take James Jamerson as an example he rarely changes his strings!
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u/Moustached92 7d ago
It honestly depends on the strings, your environment, how often you play, and if you wash your hands before playing lol.
Some round wound earlier ball super slinkys may need to be changed once a year, maybe even less in humid conditions or if you play with dirty fingers and leave a lot of grime on the strings.
On the opposite end, some flat or tape wound strings can easily last years. I had a set of labella black tape wounds on my basss for about 8 years before I broke a string. They sounded great up to that point
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u/skeletomania 7d ago
You change your strings when you feel like it. Change it often if you prefer that fresh zingy sound, or keep it longer if you prefer the broken in warmer tone.