Thank you!
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Ohh, now I’m ready. Thank you.
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Soooooo…
My E isn’t really tune-able any more.
I actually tune it with A open and E on 5th fret plus my tc electronics tuner.
I changed them during 2020… Ernie Balls the light gauge.
Does it mean I need to change strings or need to check bridge for intonation and all?
(I don’t know if a similar question has been answered, the post has so many replies)
What tuner can’t tune it?
That said, three years is a long life for roundwounds - I would change them 
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A definite YES re. changing the strings.
I usually change my strings 3 or 4 times a year. At a string change I do a cleanup and check all the fittings for snugness (if that is a word). Also a good time for you to check the setup. It’s not hard and there is enough information on the forum and on YouTube that you do not need to pay a luthier ridiculous money to check the setup. 
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Hm, would be interested in getting this elaborated a bit… Can’t you tune it to an E anymore? Is it not holding that E??
Other than that, as @howard and @Celticstar say, a bit more frequent change is recommended for round wounds. Depending on how much you play them, I would put on new ones at least once a year. Some round wounds last longer than others, but you’ll enjoy the sound and feel of new strings in any case - so, treat yourself to new ones once a year 
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It is a long life? OK then will do, thought it would be soon, that the E stopped being tuned open.
@Celticstar Thank you for reply! I don’t trust myself with the setup so since I use light strings now and not medium as before, I definitely need a setup. I have a shop nearby, I will buy the strings I want and go for it. It’s a nice opportunity to install the straplock too (screws of straplock longer than bass’ and I am not gonna get to drill it myself lol). It will cost me around 35 euros, so I think it’s fairly good price for all this checkup and setup the action and bridge etc.
@joergkutter I can’t tune it open anymore. I tune its A on the 5th fret and check by ear with open A string if it buzzes.
Re: to all of u
Yes I think I should change the strings once a year.
Should I try stainless instead of nickels? But I prefer lighter gauge, I use the light slinkies 40 60 70 95. If you ask me why, it’s because I have some thyroid problems that cause my hands to hurt and these are very handy. I can control my tone to deeper if I want with DAW and effects so it doesn’t matter much to me. I am having hard time to keep the medium+ strings down or play in rhythm effectively.
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OK, it could be me being a bit thick, but I still don’t quite understand what the actual issue is. I want to find out whether it is indeed string-related, or perhaps is due to something entirely different with your hardware…
First off: do you use one of these:
Or one of these:
Or do you tune just by ear and listening to whether there is a beat frequency between the open string and the fifth fret below (or the harmonics)?? If so, you can certainly get the bass to be internally consistent in the tuning, just not necessarily to an external reference (e.g., 440 Hz).
I can’t quite figure out a scenario where a string can’t be tuned to a certain frequency anymore unless the string is damaged (broken core or something like that). Maybe that is what happened to your E string? You mentioned it felt very floppy!?!
Just as long as you can be sure there isn’t anything wrong with your bridge, saddles, nut or tuner (this type of tuner:
)
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I have the tc tuner and I’m happy with it, it tunes my guitar perfectly, so it’s not a tuner problem…
Also my A D and G, are tuned perfectly and this has happened twice lately, whereas I hit an open E and it goes CUH-RAZY, like jumping from C to F, F to A, A#, a G! with minimal turning of the key tuner. That’s why I believe it’s a string problem.
My tuners are fine, sometimes I needed to tighten the screws on E, I am thinking of getting a hipshot whatsitsnameIcantlookup to drop to D easily, but not right now since it’s pricy for me right now
EDIT: No, I don’t use ears to tune, I used the tuner to get my open A to tuned and then tuned the E by tuning holding its 5th fret
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As you’re using the polytune for your bass and your guitar, do you switch to bass setting before using it on your bass. I don’t think it should make a difference for E, but one never knows.
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Good point, although I tried switching modes and I never had a G or a B as I press down the button, so I don’t know what to do with that, since it won’t show me on the right if it’s a G or a B setting. I use the needle mode
If you hold the tuner in front of you (switched on) with the clip joint facing left, it’s the button on the low side closest to the clip. If you press it for 5 secondes, it should indicate G(uitar) or B(ass).
https://www.tcelectronic.com/product.html?modelCode=P0DFU
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I was pressing the wrong button ffs lol yes, E dances on Bass mode too 
Well, was worth giving it a try 
No clue what could be the reason for the tuning problem then… maybe the string is loose in the nut as you changed to smaller gauge, but I have no idea if that would impact readability by a clipon tuner.
Best is probably to change the strings and get a full setup. Luthier might have a look and see if something is wrong with the nut (which can easily be replaced).
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My best guess is that the string’s core is damaged, and the outer winding is still kind of keeping it together, but there is not enough tension in there to be tuned properly.
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Have you moved the tuner around your headstock to different places and tried?
Did any little rubber feet/foot slip off the clip of the tuner (this has happened to me before)?
Are you positive the string is sitting in the nut and saddle properly?
Can you tune the string to Eb? D? F?
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1 set of my preferred bass strings is about $50 x 4 = $200 x 4 basses = $800 per year on strings.
This frequency doesn’t work for my budget.
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That sounds complicated but very possible to my amateur ears 
@John_E Yes! I used my tuner on the headstock, on top, on bottom, and even on my desk while I was plugged, to various distances from the amp. Still dancing. No, the rubber is on its place too as I inspect it now.
The string is sitting in the nut and saddle properly, yes, and I can tune to A# and F. Open. They are the only notes that I see they sustain the most in that dance. I struggle to find the E, it’s like it jumps from A to D to A# to F… I barely move the tuner key and it’s uncanny, no E’s.
@Barney True, even for me, I can’t pay this much for strings. Maybe if I was jamming with a band regularly I would have to; but I’m still learning stuff and I don’t think it would be a good idea to change them more than once a year.
The weird thing is, that my previous strings (they were medium gauge), I could hear the corrosion and the muddiness, with the slinkies… I couldn’t see that coming or I’d already buy a new set…
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I wouldn’t be so sure about that
My clip on tuners work fine on my acoustic and electric guitars also for my banjo and ukuleles. I was told that the issue arises because of the lower frequency range of the bass. Whether true or not I don’t know but using an inline or the Peterson phone app cleared my issues up. YMMV
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It’s not the first time I use it though, would it just wake up one day and say “now I won’t be able to listen to E bass”?
I am not sure, I have it like a year. Since it can tune everything else, I really don’t think it’s the tuner.
Best I can do is try an app with my android to see if it catches the E, but I doubt it will.