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I hate metallic/twangy sond of new bass strings.
I wonder if anyone has tips and tricks how to make
new strings sound like old strings without waiting
months/years.
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As a Bass player of 47 years I do not agree with the topic of your post. I do have to respect your opinion however it does not show your experience with the instrument. The bass guitar like any other instruments has a variety of timbers. They all have their place.That is why I play 2 different basses on stage. They are: 1. A neck through 5 string with 2 jazz style pups, LaBella Hard Rockin' Steel rounds 2. A 4 string Precision with Heavy gage LaBella Flats. To answer your question LaBella Jameson flats. LaBella 1954 Fender Flats
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Yep, most people feel the opposite; old strings sound dead. However, breaking in new strings can be frustrating as they keep going out of tune as they 'settle in'. String stretching sometimes helps with that. Pull them a few times to stretch them and retune, do it again the next day and it helps to speed the process. At least that's been my experience. Then remember to change them every couple decades..  Quote:
I hate metallic/twangy sond of new bass strings.
I like the metallic sounds myself, adds a lot of character, but the settling in period does bug me.
Especially when recording.
Make your sound your own!
.. I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
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There's obviously a "middle ground" for the strings. Really old strings sound dead and new sound way too bright.
This is true for all stringed instruments.
Another factor is the player. If you're someone who has a high acidic content in your sweat, you can ruin a new set of strings very quickly.
Back to the topic at hand, ... all bass players I've worked with prefer old strings. From my limited experience of playing bass when "drafted" to do so, I'd have to agree. New bass strings make the guitar sound like something other than what it ought to be.
Rharv,
There’s definitely a “settling in” time for strings as far as staying in tune, but IMHO the sound of any stringed instrument is far better once they’ve been played for awhile.
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The legend is that James Jamerson used to pay local bass players for their used strings. As with anything dealing with most instruments with strings, there's an awful lot to be gained if you are actually good with the instrument or have some kind of charisma that overcomes a lack of talent.
I like all kinds of bass tones from plucky twangy to the dark boom of Motown to Jaco and my new fave, Zander Zon (look him up at CD Baby).
They all sound 'best' in their own regard.
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Whoa Scott! Quote:
As with anything dealing with most instruments with strings, there's an awful lot to be gained if you are actually good with the instrument or have some kind of charisma that overcomes a lack of talent.
Surely, (or Shirley if you prefer  ), I must have misunderstood that last statement! It kind of comes across as "if you like old strings, then you must not have any talent or charisma".
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My fav would be new flats. I have played bass for many years and my preference is new flats, usually fender or carvin. I can't always play with my choice, because sometimes the music requires a sound or tone that is hard to achieve with flats. So I gues I can say flat out that even though I try hard not to play flat I do like playing flats, especially the B variety but I can tolerate the E and A variety if I'm feeling real sharp at the moment. I'd better quit before I flat run out of things to say.
Rob
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I played bass for a while when saxes were out of fashion during the psychedelic era. For years before that I doubled on it, using the bass players bass while he played guitar on those songs that just didn't have room for a sax.
So: I am by no means an expert bass player, and not a soloist. Just a rock steady "get in the groove with the drummer" bassist.
I preferred flat wounds on a P bass, and I liked them best when they lost their new sparkle.
On the other hand, I love new strings on my guitar, for that sparkle.
Of course, there is more than one right way to play music.
Insights and incites by Notes ♫
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James Jamerson never "paid other bass players for their used strings" to my knowledge.
He just kept the same P-Bass hanging in his Motown locker with the same strings on it for the entire period that he held court at Motown. Never changed 'em.
That plus plaing through the little old Ampeg single 15 bass amp, tube powered, "R2D2" as they have now become known, those amps weren't known for their treble response, to put it mildly.
Then there is the Recording Method, which at Motown during that period was done in a rather small space using microphone rather than DI or the likes. A Shure Unidyne (SM-57 as it is now known) or the likes, couldn't be placed very far back from the bass speaker to capture the long waves in that room.
If you don't like the sound of new roundwound strings on your electri bass, by all means try some Flatwound strings, or, if you can find them, some of the plastic wrapped roundwounds, which may not be available these days.
Judicious use of the EQ (tone) controls on your amplification system may help as well, consider cutting the hi-mids and highs somewhat and boosting the lo-mids to lows.
The treble sound comes from the finish on the OUTSIDE of the nickel wraps on the strings. If they become corroded, or pitted as viewed with magnification, then the treble response suffers. One who prefers that "worn string" sound might be able to duplicate same by removing the strings from the bass and soaking them in a bit of salt water for about an hour, then hang 'em up just like that for a few days. After hanging, resoak and BOIL them in plain water to rinse the salt off, which would be detrimental to your frets and fingerboard if left on there, then allow to dry before reinstalling on the bass. A light coating of silicone spray or even as I've seen some bassists use, a light coating of 3-in-1 oil will help to keep those strings from continuing to deteriorate at the surface, which may prove undesirable.
Boiling old bass strings was once a common practice. Not so much for the tone, but to clean the bacteria, dirt, old finger cells and the like from between the winds and allow the string to tune on the fundamental again. This practice would extend the life of the working musician's - rather expensive as compared to gutiar strings bass strings - "back in the day".
--Mac
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LaBella still is the "go to" bass string company. They still have what used to be their Heavy Gage Flats.They now call them Vintage 1954,Jameson, what have you. They are still the same. Use a set on my P bass. Be prepared for some major re setup of your bass These things have unbelievable tension. LaBella also caries the Tape wounds as well. These were my string of choice back around 1970 until around 1985 or so. www.imperialguitar.com has the best prices on LaBella.Of course having your Store right next door to the LaBella Factory helps.They are great people to deal with also.
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How to make new strings sound old - was the original question. I only play acoustic guitar but I would guess its about adding crudd and oiliness to the string
Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k
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I agree 100% with Notes Norton rules.
"I preferred flat wounds on a P bass, and I liked them best when they lost their new sparkle."
"On the other hand, I love new strings on my guitar, for that sparkle."
Think about twangy slap bass in jazz jam session. If you do so as bass player, it will be your first and last gig in that band.
Good News.
I tried Mac's precept and it works fine for my case.
String cooking precept
1. pot
2. butter
3. salt
4. water
put water, butter and salt to the pot
drop twangy bass strings to be boiled in the pot
boil the strings half an hour
dry the strings
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I can't eat stringy stuff, but if you add butter, salt, pepper, garlic and other stuff I'll give her a whirl.
ta bar nuche ou y outte or baroutte cawwwlic
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Regarding the "settling in" process, with both bass and guitar
I've found that a great deal depends on how you wind it on the post.
I can minimize the "stretch" by using the "first-wind knot" method.
(OK, I don't know what it's really called but I'm sure there are
a bunch of youtube demos of it.)
I too have been playing bass for a long time.
I have flat wounds on my 1976 Fender Precision and I keep them clean.
I've only changed them once, and I like the sound I'm getting.
LLOYD S
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Quote:
first-wind knot
I don't know if that's what it's called either, but it works for all stringed instruments. Minimize the "wraps" around the post and minimize the re-tunes.
It's actually not a knot, but a "hook" around itself before the first wrap is done.
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Quote:
Whoa Scott!
Quote:
As with anything dealing with most instruments with strings, there's an awful lot to be gained if you are actually good with the instrument or have some kind of charisma that overcomes a lack of talent.
Surely, (or Shirley if you prefer ), I must have misunderstood that last statement! It kind of comes across as "if you like old strings, then you must not have any talent or charisma".
Exactly the opposite Bob. Please re-read. A great player can make a cardboard guitar sound amazing, because it's the player that is amazing.
New strings, old strings, middle of the road strings - has some effect but not nearly as much as the talent, or charisma, of the player.
For the latter, a case and point is Jack White, of the White Stripes. Really, not that great of a player, but his lack of care for convention and all out emotional 'playing' wins me over - and I was convinced there was no way I would appreciate him.
-Scott
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Quote:
James Jamerson never "paid other bass players for their used strings" to my knowledge.
Well, I heard this in one of three places: Either it's in the documentary movie, "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown" or I heard it while on a studio tour of the Motown museum with the Detroit chapter of the Audio Engineering Society - standing right in the place where the Funk was brung (that was magical, actually), or possibly a documentary that ran on the Detroit PBS station perhaps 4 or 5 years ago about the Funk Brothers.
One of those three places. I actually think it was the movie. Now I gotta see if I can rent the movie. Highly recommended, BTW if folks haven't seen it.
The tour, by the way, was given by the museum staff as well as by Tony Bongiovi and Dave Clark, two former Motown Engineers (both worked at the tail end of the Detroit Motown era).
Dave Clark went on to design and install the first flown speaker array (at Pine Knob) and Tony Bongiovi went on to design and operate the Power Station in NYC.
BTW, I don't dispute that he left his strings on for very long times. It was when a string broke that he paid for old strings from other players in the area.
-Scott
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Scott,
I actually did catch that the next day on re-read, but since the post was actually meant to be some good natured ribbing, I thought I'd wait for your response.
As frequently happens, "jest" doesn't always come across well in print.
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Quote:
Regarding the "settling in" process, with both bass and guitar
I've found that a great deal depends on how you wind it on the post.
I can minimize the "stretch" by using the "first-wind knot" method.
(OK, I don't know what it's really called but I'm sure there are
a bunch of youtube demos of it.)
I too have been playing bass for a long time.
I have flat wounds on my 1976 Fender Precision and I keep them clean.
I've only changed them once, and I like the sound I'm getting.
LLOYD S
YES!
The string wrap around the post is very important, should have the "lockstitch" at top, and all windings should be concentric and even, in a row, not overlapping each other at all, like cable on a windlass.
Most who talk of string "stretch" are really referring to the slippage of the string on the post, which is far more able to detune the string to the flat side than any anmount of stretch in the string's material, the only exception to this would be the nylon strings, which do stretch quite a bit when first installed.
It is indeed possible to string a guitar - properly - and have it STAY IN TUNE from the start, it does not take days or weeks of "string stretching".
Good point.
--Mac
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Interesting comments.
I always wind my guitar strings neatly, minimally, and not overlapping. And I usually have only a day of slight "stretching" before the guitar settles in. Of course, touch up tuning is always required, especially after ambient temperature changes.
I change strings the day before a gig and by the gig they are quite stable. (I love the sound of new strings on the guitar).
My newest guitar (Parker DF) has Sperzel Locking Tuners, which require less than one wind on the post. The tuning stability on this guitar is phenomenal. Put new strings on, tune, wiggle the whammy, re-tune and play. The next day it's probably still in tune or very close.
This supports the minimal winding comment.
On the Bass I played, I got it used with flat wounds, and played it over a year without changing them. Loved the sound. Later I bought a Japanese Lawsuit J-Bass and replaced the strings with new round wounds (wanted to hear the round wound sound). What a difference. Too much edge for the kind of bass playing I do. Of course, if I was one of those slap and pop bassists, they might be just right for me.
Notes ♫
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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