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Post by Stevie on Apr 24, 2009 19:15:35 GMT
Just a thought,
I purchased my bass guitar, a Gretsch Committee bass Mk 1 in 1980 from "BassMate" in Wapping High Street. It had flatwounds on and I immediately changed them for roundwounds to get that J J Burnell type of growl. That's how it has stayed, 29 years with just one set of strings. Is this a record? Can anyone beat that? (would they even want to ?) In keeping with my age, I've jusy bought a set of Rotosound flatwounds.......
Stevie.
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Post by melp on Apr 24, 2009 19:44:59 GMT
Stevie,
Man that's got to be some kind of record, surely decomposition at a molecular level happens way before that. I have a few basses and yes I don't change the strings every year, but I am just not in your league.
Cheers
Mel
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Post by thebluesbear( al) on Apr 24, 2009 19:59:01 GMT
Hi
can you post a picture of the strings?? how did they sound ?
al
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Post by andys on Apr 24, 2009 20:51:05 GMT
You may all scoff, but there have been some recent successful ebay sales of old strings. Not so long ago, in the US folk were bidding on and buying strings off old guitars, as well as masking tape from under pickguards, and shims from under necks.
Stevie. Put your strings up for sale on eBay as "Vintage punk rock/new wave bass strings" LOL!
On a more serious note, JJ Burnel had some of the most serious bass tone going IMO, he turned half a generation into bass players. Ahhh memories!
Nice to know I'm not the only ageing punk/new waver on here!!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2009 6:42:44 GMT
Perhaps bass strings are more like piano strings? These seem never to be replaced.
I imagine sweat and the rest from hands kills guitar strings, but my ex plays the viola and she only changed the viola strings every 5 years or so.
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Post by steverino on Apr 25, 2009 15:46:37 GMT
As I understand it, strings slowly die due to becoming stiffer. New strings have clean shiny surfaces on the core wire and wrappings, allowing portions of the string to rock against each other microscopically with little friction. Then surface corrosion and oily deposits begin to accumulate, stiffening the string and inhibiting vibration in the higher partial modes especially.
In college I used to remove my guitar strings and put them in boiling water, which would help some. Piano technicians sometimes loosen older tarnished copper wound bass strings and give them a good shake, which livens them up for a while.
Guitar strings made with round core wire reportedly sound very good. They are likely more flexible then strings that bite the wrapping with a hexagonal core. Wound piano strings are made this way, with flattening swages of the core wire only at the ends of the wrapping.
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Post by Stevie on Apr 28, 2009 22:29:57 GMT
Well actually, the strings sound reasonable enough. Bear in mind that I do not have any bass amplification and that it has barely been played at all!
I bought this bass just at a time when Gretsch had abandoned their distribution in the UK (or so the salesman told me at the time) It was £150- a good deal even then. I remember coming out of the underground station and wondering where on earth I was. The "shop" (once I located it) seemed to be just a warehouse door in amongst many similar doors. So this was Wapping high street! Once inside, I had a choice of two. I reckon that they must be Rotosound strings. There wasn't the choice available back then. I think that they've done well despite their sedentary lifestyle.
Al, I don't think that I'll post a picture of strings, I don't think that it would add to this frivolous thread!
Mel, "not in your league" More like "not as mean as you" I reckon!!! ;<D (meaning myself, of course!)
steverino, interesting point about boiling them. I noticed a "review" on the StringsDirect website that hinted at using an ultrasonic bath to extend string life. I promptly bought one from eBay but I can't see myself bothering with that. You can't beat new strings can you?
Andy, I've got a good ten years on you so I was a bored prog rocker looking for something fresh. Punk (sic) was just that at the time. Sell on eBay? not me! buy plenty- yes- but selling to hoi-poloi on eBay gives me the shivers!
Any takers for a "tarnished" oldest strings medal !
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Post by andys on Apr 29, 2009 8:49:39 GMT
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