String Theory

My latest entry for the Good stuff Guitars Newsletter:


A couple of years ago, I got free Bass Strings all the time.

It wasn’t me, really. I didn’t have an endorsement deal, but the guy I worked for did. He didn’t play bass or guitar, but a big name company gave him strings all the same. See, he had a very famous name, and when he was on his way into the Grammys one year, a representative from Big Name Stings signed him on the spot to a string endorsement deal.

So, while I played for him, I got free bass strings.

The best part of free bass strings was…well…free bass strings. The downside was that I only got Big Name String companies strings. Fortunately, I found some they made that worked really well for the gig, so it worked out.

Bass strings are the kind of thing a veteran bass player takes for granted. We find which string goes with which bass – because they might all be different – and use what gives us the sound we want in our head. Younger players might not have ever thought about the differences in types of string, or how they could affect their tone and feel.

Here’s the ten-cent primer; in general there are two basic types; roundwound and flatwound. A string is made from a couple pieces of wire; a main wire, or core. This is usually round or hexagonal, then another wire is wrapped around the core. This wire can be either round, or flat. If your outer wrap is stainless steel round, your tone will be zingy, and high end. At the other end of the spectrum, a nickel flat wound will be all about thump and boom.

There are other variations, like half, or ground wound, with straddles the line between round and flat, nylon wrap, gold wrap, bronze acoustic bass guitar strings, and nylon core, all different specialty strings.

I generally prefer a flat wound string, but I use different strings on different basses. The bass will tell you what it wants. Bass strings can run fairly expensive, especially compared to cheap, scrawny guitar strings, but changing strings is the cheapest way to modify the sound of your bass.

The other great thing about getting free strings was this; I like to leave strings on my bass for…ever. I like the tone once it mellows and settles. When I’d get a box of strings from Big Name Strings, I’d get six sets, which generally meant I’d use a couple of sets, and give the others away to bassists I’d meet! It worked out great, because handing out bass strings makes friends really quickly.

Recently, I sent Big Name Strings a letter, and told them who I was, what I did, what I liked about their strings, and asked if they might send me a half dozen sets a year, for me to use and give away, like I used to do. I got a letter back saying that their endorsement roles were full – of guys who don’t play, like my old boss, I guess – so no strings for me. Thus, ‘the names have been changed to protect the…”, cheap, Big Name String guys, I guess.