The Bassist and Guitarist thread

[Drago]

Done an hour on the acoustic bass tonight. Playing the electric is easy after that. Getting used to creating the tone I'm after.

 

[ColinJ]

The strings I ordered on eBay were pretty cheap anyway at the Buy It Now price but there was also a Make An Offer button so I cheekily knocked 10% off and my offer was immediately accepted! If the strings are ok, I might see if I can get 15% off next time...

The strings have arrived already, less than a day after I placed the order. They only had to come from Cheshire, but even so - that is very good service. I am just about to fit them. If I like the strings I will put a link up to the eBay dealer later.

Oh, and the envelope containing the packet of strings also included a free basic chord/scales chart, which was a nice touch.

 

[ColinJ]

The top 3 old strings seemed to be okay so I left those on and kept the new ones for spares. I suppose it would have made more sense to have put all the new strings on and kept the old ones for spares but I couldn't be bothered. Since then I have actually found more spare top strings elsewhere.

It is always the bass strings that go manky and 'dead' from sweat and dirt from the fretting fingers. I'm surprised that someone hasn't come up with an everlasting bass string yet, but the manufacturers have an obvious vested interest in not doing so as long as people keep on buying new strings! I will make sure that I wipe the strings and fretboard after use to minimise the rate of deterioration.

Well, the guitar sounds pretty nice with the new strings on, though they are still settling in so the guitar keeps going out of tune. As long as it settles down in a day or two I will be happy.

Despite not having 'played' my guitars for months I am as good as I ever was. Unfortunately, that actually means that I am as bad as I ever was! It is a nice demonstration of 'muscle memory' though. It is though the guitar and I have been frozen in time for about 40 years...

 

[Drago]

Just done half an hour. An eclectic mix of Franz Ferdinand and Motorhead today.

I always wash my hands before playing, so my strings have never got too bad anyway. I use flat wounds - theyve not got the bite and volume of rounds, bit I like the tone, and they have the added bonus of lasting very well and being easier on the frets.

 

[delb0y]

I'm surprised that someone hasn't come up with an everlasting bass string yet,

I'm a big fan of Elixirs. They're expensive but last a lot longer than regular strings whilst retaining their brightness. I always keep the packets after putting a set of strings on, and write down which guitar those strings are on. The other day I picked up one of the guitars that I haven't put strings on in a long time and thought wow, these are nice... checked my box of strings and sure enough it was a set of Elixirs on there.

 

[ColinJ]

I'm a big fan of Elixirs. They're expensive but last a lot longer than regular strings whilst retaining their brightness. I always keep the packets after putting a set of strings on, and write down which guitar those strings are on. The other day I picked up one of the guitars that I haven't put strings on in a long time and thought wow, these are nice... checked my box of strings and sure enough it was a set of Elixirs on there.

Interesting...

if I do get stuck in, I might consider them in the future. It wouldn't matter if they cost 2 or 3 times the price, if they lasted 2 or 3 times as long, and it would be 1/2 to 1/3 of the hasssle! Also it would be good (since I am not made of money) to spend less time putting up with dull old strings to try to save cash.

 

[DCBassman]

I'm surprised that someone hasn't come up with an everlasting bass string yet,

So long as you like the tone and feel, they have. They're called flatwounds!

 

[Oxford Dave]

So long as you like the tone and feel, they have. They're called flatwounds!

They're not just everlasting, they improve with age! I use both rounds and flats (not on the same bass, obviously!). I prefer rounds after a few months of playing so they loose that twangy top end. I prefer the feel of rounds, something for the fingers to grip, but have two or three basses strung with flats as well.

 

[ColinJ]

When I mentioned "bass strings", I meant the lower strings on an acoustic guitar, not the strings on a bass!

 

[Oxford Dave]

When I mentioned "bass strings", I meant the lower strings on an acoustic guitar, not the strings on a bass!

Just taking it one step further

 

[ColinJ]

Just taking it one step further

First things first!

I'll be chuffed it I do stick with it this time, but I will be peeved that I waited 53 year to learn... I got my first guitar for my 11th birthday!

PS Oh, I forgot. I'm sure it is really obvious, but how does this little scale chart work?

 

[Oxford Dave]

Looks like the blue dots are the root notes and the red ones the rest of each scale across the six strings of a standard guitar. But I'm a bass player, and have been for 45 years or more, so don't really know anything about those little guitar thingies!

 

[delb0y]

Just learn the Pentatonic Minor and you're at the same level as 99% of electric guitar players...

 

[Drago]

I never found the scales much use as such - however, slavish practice on them did teach my fingers where each note was on the fretboard, which makes it a lot easier to pick thijgs up by ear, so they did have a little inadvertant value for me. I still practice them for that reason.

 

[DCBassman]

I never found the scales much use as such - however, slavish practice on them did teach my fingers where each note was on the fretboard, which makes it a lot easier to pick thijgs up by ear, so they did have a little inadvertant value for me. I still practice them for that reason.

That's their best purpose, really, you learn the fingerboard. I never did them much, but after 50 years, and recently doing some jazz, it's well-ingrained!