When To Change Your Bass Strings / Anthony Crawford
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- Often times it can get expensive changing bass strings. In this video I give you things to consider before changing out your strings.
#bassstrings #bassguitar #bassplayer
How often do you change your strings?
About three times a year. Appreciate your content thanks for sharing your knowledge.
I've only had my bass for like 4 weeks so this video really helps with when I should change the strings
When I am not satisfied with what I'm hearing from them
I change too often and planning to let them sit for atleast 1 year
I change mine probably about 4 times a year. I can really hear the difference when I do. They rip my fingers up a bit more though.
The more I listen to this clip the more it begins to make sense why some people own more than one bass. The sound the music it really depends on what I want Togo for. Thanks!
As I've gotten older and played more and more music I've changed my philosophy a bit. I change my strings a lot less than I used to. I'm lucky enough that my hand oils and sweat don't cause the strings to corrode and rust. I also wipe them down. That helps too. I'm growing to love that thumpy sound.
You know what, I never even thought about wiping the strings down. I'm sure that will would help strings last a little longer as well. Anyway thanks for your insight man.
@@acebass123oh yes it does. And with the strings cleaning oil, they would last even longer.
Cool perspective from a pro musician. Always thought that being "pro" = brand new strings on each recording but you made a ton of good points.
Thanks so much for watching my man.
If I can't keep the intonation at the 12th fret perfected I know it is time for new strings. If I like the feel and tone I will keep them on until then and replace them with the same set. If I don't like the feel and tone they will be changed as soon as I can afford a different set and a new set up. I have no timeline; just the tone, feel and intonation.
Thats a great way to look at it. Although I'm guilty of not having the best intonation sometimes with older strings but yet I'll keep them on. LOL. I know thats not a good habit to have but I like your concept as well. Thanks man.
Thanks!! What a relief! I have one of those old metal milk canisters with 15 years worth of used bass strings in it. So now It's like I have a life times worth of "new enough" strings I can pass on to some kid some day ...with a link to your video.
Thanks so much for watching the video. Wow 15 years worth of strings. Thats a lot man. That kid would be very thankful.
Many thanks for these explanation. I am an amateur and I change strings when I feel I have to do it. Personally I change in 3 or 4 month... But it is not regular... It's depend of my feelings and music. OK I love and play Slap and also the "Pastorius" sound... I love both... As you said is depend of music and feelings.
I want to congratulations you for all music works you did and you do. I love your playing with Allan HOLDSWORTH (I miss he a lot). I love your musical bass lines in RUINATION and IN THIS LIFE from Virgil DONATI's albums. Perfect and beautiful... I am speechless !
Hope to see you in France.
Love from Dunkirk.
Kinds regards,
Phil.
Hey thanks a lot man. Thanks so much for following my musicial journey. Yes I miss Allan Holdsworth as well. Such an amazing person and musician. Hope you are well and thanks again.
@@acebass123 Don't forget : You're the Best, Man ! 👍🍻
I remember the story behind Geezer Butler from Black Sabbath when they recorded the song N.I.B. and the whole reason that bass line sounds the way it does, is because the strings on his guitar, which I believe was a Fender jazz bass, were old and almost to the point of being worn out but he couldn't afford new strings.
Nope. It has always been a P with Geezer, and it would have been flatwounds at the time. They sound old as heck out of the box.
Depending on what sound you’re going for and the type of music. For me, both because I like the sound and it’s kind of required to cut through the mix in metal, I change em 1-2 times a year. Mainly because I love that metallic clanky sound, also why I use Norstrands, the combo together works perfectly, at least on my SR605e. I do have a 6 string that I like the more muted dull sound for more soft expressive stuff. I have cheap 5 string Rogue bass. I typically keep newer strings on that because I travel with it and play without an amp on the go and it just helps me hear what I’m playing more. I say just do what works and feels good to you, what’s really important to me is just maintenance of the instrument itself.
It depends what type of music your playing.. Personally I play Ambient Bass mostly so I change my strings once a year because I need crisp bright long sustain tones through single coil pick ups drenched in delay/modulation and reverb effects..however if I noodle in Funk,rock or dubby stuff worn in strings are excellent for that because Id play through double coil pick ups with high bass and low middle/treble EQ settings....
Danny Mo Morris, professor of bass guitar at Berklee College of Music, posts a lot of clips on ig playing a P-bass with 10 ten + years old Tomastik flats. Killer tone. I’m no professional or anything, just an enthusiast. I am playing an American Fender P, with factory Fender taperwound strings on it still, and I’m loving the dark dark tone. But on my Fender Jazz (I use for more funk, metal, rock etc) I can totally see the benefits of having brighter tones with new strings. But again, I’m only a bedroom player.
Yeah you have some great points. It all depends on the sound you are going for. For me if the strings are too bright, I don't like it lol
Nice video man and brutal bass and music skills.... I play guitar and hate with passion the zing new strings have... I love the 3 month old sound... Mellow... Unfortunately the high e and b strings lose intonation like in one month so i gotta change em...... Wound strings last for like 10 months until intonation sounds horrible..... Bass players are lucky they can make strings last a long time!
Good article! Yes its always been an unwritten law.....new strings.....but the older I get the less I've changed strings! Not for money reasons...just the fact,if they sound good don't change them!! Sometimes the tuning can get a bit off so that's when I put a new set on .
New strings have a lovely sweet zing that is great on funk and stuff like Yes ,Rush etc but that goes very soon
Yeah I love the sound of new strings sometimes and especially for slap and funk. My tuning is bad sometimes because of my old strings so I have to pay extra attention to my intonation from time to time.
@@acebass123 Your stuff with Allan H was absolutely superb and the tone!!!! Love the Roscoe Bass you use.... What amp did you use when with him? I regard him as a modern Mozart.........hope you get to tour asap ! Hello from the south coast of England! Be safe
You just saved me a lot of money. Thank you! Great video Anthony. Happy new year.
GREAT INFORMATION YOUNG MAN.... WHEN YOU FIND YOUR STRING GROOVE SOUND , AND IT SOUNDS GREAT.... KEEP THE ROUTINE GOING... I LOVE OLD STRINGS FOR JAZZ ..
Great advice brother. It's all about finding your sound and groove.
Just watched a Herbie Flowers video and he pointed out his Fender jazz bass strings where 20 years old, he said if you don't mess around with them they should last forever.
I like the sound of broken-in roundwound strings but after 3 month or so sustain gets worse. Time to clean them in ultrasonic bath. This works 2 times, then mechanical wear causes the tuning get difficult.
Thanks! Is good to hear that from you!
Always change them before you record. That's the only rule in my opinion. When gigging or playing at home, it's up to you. But fresh strings will help you cut through on a recording in a big way. Next time you buy strings, record your self playing first with the old strings. Play a riff with a drum machine. Then record same riff with the new set. Save the recording to remind yourself what a night and day difference and how easily you can hear the new strings on the recording compared to the old strings.
i had 20 year old stings on mine they were rusted and didnt feel good i barely used the bass in all the time i had it it just sits there, now im getting into a 6 string strat its give me the urge to blow the dust of my bass and try play that too. im enjoying the 6 string strat.
Truth in what you're saying about bass strings,...
New strings are way too bright for me. I often wait a year to change strings.
The only string I ever broke was a Dean Markley Blue Steel G string. That was almost 20 years ago.
Yeah man new strings are usually too bright for me also. The funk comes from older strings lol
@@acebass123 Older strings have a much richer sound to them.
@@nobodylifts you are retarded, you clearly dont know what your talking about please be quiet.
I don't really change my bass strings lol and I perform almost every week 😂 the only time I really make it a point to change them is when I buy a used bass. Love the way old strings sound ❤️
depends if you want to chase that metallic twang really, but it goes away after a couple days. just clean your strings
Great video!!
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it. Although you are not a bass player lol.
Anthony Crawford lol!!! Maybe someday I’ll be!!
With my RS66 (boiled) I consumed the frets in the first positions.
I dont know if i should change my strings i bought it around half a year ago but i really feel like my strings are really loose and when i play they sometimes sound like the string is hitting the metal under it but still i have only played bass a year so i might just be bad at playing at it
I change my strings on my cheap ibanez 6 string whenever I want more brightness to the dull tone which is about every 6 months. My warwick gets new strings every one 1.5 -2 years
Yeah new strings can bring a dull sounding bass to life but must times I prefer the old sound rather than newer sound of strings. Warick makes some great basses bro.
I find for live it’s a more complex tone with newish strings in the lows and highs. I’ll get like 6 months on a set. I want to try those DM strings
Dean Markley strings are great.
also, I found that if you need to get them to sound old fast and you just broke one, you can put some crisco on there and boom, dead string. Be careful of how much, you can kill the string.
Oh wow, thats a new one for me. Thanks man.
Anthony Crawford I taught Anthony Crawford something. Sick.
Haven’t changed mine since the 80’s, got passed down from my uncle.
Mine is 4 yrs old is that ok
When i think i need to change my bass string, i buy a new bass instead 😂
I AM A *REAL PROFESSIONAL* I CHANGE MY BASS STRINGS AFTER EVERY SONG - LMAO!!!!!!!
NO I DON'T!!! I TRY TO CHANGE MY BASS STRINGS ABOUT LIKE YOU - TWO TOTHREE YEARS - *BUT* IF ANY ONE OF THE STRINGS LOSES THE ABILITY TO INTINATE, OR IF THE CORE SLIPS IN ONE OF THE STRINGS, WHICH WILL CAUSE IT TO GO COMPLETELY FLAT, I CHANGE THEM SOONER. YOU MENTION "RUST", OH NO, PLEASE NO RUST, MY WIFE IS MY GUITAR TECH AND SHE CLEANS MY BASS STRINGS EVERY TIME I PLAY, COAT A SMALL CLOTH WITH WD-40, WRAP IT AROUND THE STRING AND CLEAN THEM ( MY SKIN OIL AND SWEAT WILL RUST CLEAN THROUGH AN ARMY TANK IN ABOUT 48 HOURS - LOL!!!).
STRING COMPANIES WILL HATE YOUR VIDEO, BUT I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT, YOU MAKE A LOT OF GOOD SOUND COMMON SENSE - GOOD VIDEO, GOOD ADVICE, BRAVO TO YOU MY FRIEND!!!!!!!
If you play roundwounds and you have strings that have been on for years, you just sound irreparably boomy and your strings are gross as heck. It's not remotely a flex.
Flats on the other hand? Ehh. I have a four year old set of Thomastik on a Yamaha that I feel have only just got into Motown territory. The rounds vs flats thing is a whole world apart. Then theres ebery type of string inbetween that I haven't even tried yet. 😅
Bass techs may be out of a job based this :)
I'm sure they will still be in business. I personally know musicians that can't even wrap their own guitar cables because they are so used to other techs doing it for them. So techs will still have jobs LOL.
Bro throw the spit out
Whaaaa? You can tow a car with bass strings. No need to ever change them unless they rust.
Whats with the intro ? 🤣🤣
you dont even know what a tone knob is??
when you have old strings you are LOSING frequencies that you cannot get back, you cant simply turn it up in the mix because you cant turn up whats not there... just roll back the treble if you want a "darker" sound, otherwise no you should be changing strings.