When To Change Your Strings

I agree here - but I also think it really depends on the bass and the equipment. My Modulus is such a bright instrument already - when I put stainless rounds on it I had the very same problem. It was brutally bright. Nickel on that bass, for sure. But I can get away with stainless on my P-bass because it’s so dark to begin with.

Absolutely. Flats have already shaved off the high high end, so as time goes on, you don’t have that same experience of losing all that chimey high end like you do on rounds.

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I have started playing bass in April, and just recently decided to change my strings, because I realized: The tone of the bass was better when I got it new. And what a difference! The new strings sound so much more awesome than the old ones.

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Chances are the strings you put on are better than the ones that came with the bass.

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I’m pretty sure I’d change them if they got stolen and I noticed, or if one decided to end it all and break. But other than that, I can’t even imagine wanting to change them. La Bella flats on a P-bass, y’see. I think I might have a set of stanky Rotos in a drawer in case of emergency…

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This made me laugh.
If someone stole your G or D string, and you were playing a Ramones gig… you’d never even notice!

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I don’t think I’d even miss the G string much anyway. It’s not my favorite child.

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but… but… but… snappy bright pop sounds, man.

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there is an imposter among us :sweat_smile:

I change my strings when I “feel” it. Currently I am waiting for some white nylon coated la bella strings… I should get them in March or so (hard to get in Europe man!)

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Snap? Pop? I’m a child of the 60s. I don’t play that stuff.

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When I bought my bass it came with a set of Jamerson strings :crazy_face:

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Tonight I was playing Julia Stone “Dance” for a friend but both of my good basses have just recently been set up and have new strings and sound very lively, bouncy and ring alot… I can’t get that dead string sound needed for that song…ugh…I could fit foam to get that “Old Fender” sound but I don’t have any. I guess I could try the Yamaha…it has no tone at all!!! Nope the Yamaha is dead to me till the new pickups arrive…

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hi, I’m new here and still learning things. I’ve heard that to get the vintage tone like Tame Impala you shouldn’t change your strings. and they also need to be flat
is that so?

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Firstly welcome aboard @SarahSimm,
There is a thread on strings, I prefer flats on most of my basses, but it’s a personal choice, lots of other forum members use other types of strings.
Sorry for my ignorance, are tame impale from Perth??
Anyway enjoy your Bass journey,
Cheers Brian

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Welcome to the forum @SarahSimm. As @TNKA36 stated, flat wound strings (they’re not really “flat”) have a different sound than the round wounds that most likely came on your bass. I’m not familiar with Tame Impala, so I can’t comment on which type of strings would suit their music best. There are lots of threads on that topic though, so you can do a little research.

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https://youtu.be/dK6Gvee-ri4

Here you go @PamPurrs

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I’m not even sure I would use a bass guitar to get the bass tone in that song. Seems easier with a synthesizer.

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They do use a lot of synths, but also a bass :roll_eyes:

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The Less I Know the Better - is a better example of the bass sound

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If you look at Cam’s setup, he wires his bass into effects of some nature. Check the setup between the bridge and bridge pickup.

cam

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https://youtu.be/_psT0ZTBRcE

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