Bass strings are somewhat expensive, especially for 5 or 6 string sets. So for years I’ve boiled my strings in a small pot of water on the stove for five minutes after I’ve taken them off. This gets out the dead skin and oils that dull them. Then I’ll dry them well and put them back on the bass. I’ll do this twice before replacing my strings with new ones. I play a six sting ESP D-6 tuned E A D G C F which is a bit odd perhaps, but I prefer the 2 extra higher strings instead of a Low B. Hope some of you find this helpful. Jim.
Would only recommend boiling strings if you are using stainless steel strings nickel and coated strings do not like this as much nickel can break after being boild as extended exposure to water can cause corrosion in any weak points
That's an interesting method never heard of that one before. I use a product that treats and cleans the body and stings of all my basses & guitars, Dr Duck's Axwax & string lube.
When you hand wind the string around the post like you're doing in this video, there is a chance that the windings can break loose from the core due to the twisting motion you are applying to the string as you wind it around the post. When this happens, you may get a string that either doesn't intonate properly or when you play it, it has a chorus kind of sound, like it's trying to sound two notes at once. You should always use the tuning key to wrap the string around the post and keep it under slight tension and straight from the nut to the post as it winds.
Just gotta say, i used to play guitar what i was younger, gonna buy my first bass next week, and im already all over your channel and website. great stuff!
Very helpful. The one other thing I'd point out with changing your strings, is make sure a new string doesn't snag on the pickups as you tighten it. I've tightened a string and looked down and the pickup was pulled up out of position. Managed to not do any damage but scary for a second. Cheers M
Thank you, my bass sounds AND looks better now. I live by the ocean so the air is very moist. Because of that, the moist air rusts my strings and now the g string is super rusty. After I changed my strings, it looked so clean and my dad told me to put it in my case when I'm done playing. Thank you!
Mark, speaking of strings, would love to hear your take on string gauges. Thus far I have not found anyone that discusses the ins and outs of string gauges. Personally, I prefer an equilibrium in my strings, i.e. .045, .065, .085 & .105 (my preferred string set.) But what should one expect from using a larger gauge string set, say .050, .070, .090 & .110? And conversely, a smaller set, say .040, .060, .080 & .100? Other than more fretting pressure and detuning friendly on the larger set and less fretting pressure and more bend-ability on the lighter gauge, what are the pros and cons re: string gauges and what applications and styles are they suited for. And then you have the mixed sets; heavy/medium, medium/light and on and on and on. I know a discussion of this throws into play string tensions and the effects it has on the instrument itself, but I'm primarily interested in learning more about the effects of the string gauge itself and how to use them to my advantage. I know one could probably write a dissertation on this subject alone! Perhaps you could discuss this or maybe point me in the right direction to get the answers. Thank you for all you do for your fellow bass players, you are a true ambassador for us all.
I've experimented A LOT with gauges. Up until recently I'd used progressive tension and then settled on using a balanced tension set. I used D'addario's and consulted the string tension chart on their website to calculate the best custom set to achieve this. Then they brought out a balanced tension set so I used those for a while. Now I use Jim Dunlop Super Brights (light gauge). You might find this article I wrote quite useful (while trying progressive tension sets): www.talkingbass.net/flappy-b-strings-tight-d-strings-and-the-switch-to-progressive-tension/
Thanks Marc , for this demo, Another thing you might want to d is, wile a string is off, is clean the fretboard and if necessary use some lemon oil on it, depending on the wood type of the fretboard is made of, and also clean the groove in the nut and lubricate that too..
Can someone help me, can I string my right hand bass up side down, to suit a left handed player? Can I put the Bigger string at the bottom and smaller string to the top so it can be flipped for a left hander? Help please
What about basses that you string through the back? I’m a beginner and I just bought one of those type of basses. I would also like to know what strings to buy.
One tip to add (unless I missed it) - Use the old string to size up and cut the new string to the correct length. Then really make sure you don’t mix them up, lol.
Thanks Mark for yet another informative, simple & extremely helpful video. I wanted to change the strings on the first bass l ever bought ( a cheapy & l just to experiment with different things ) and wanted try to try the lightest gauge strings you can buy and with a bit of patience, trial and error l am happy to say l got the hang of it. So thanks again brother I really appreciate your channel such awesome content.
Mark my Fender bass has beveled machine heads not flat like yours. If I make more than 3 wraps on the E and A string it overlaps itself , my question is will 2 wraps be good enough , it seems the more wraps make for better sound , it stays in tune better longer. Also where did get those flat saddles , mine are round and move from side to side. I've looked on Amazon and can't find those type saddles you have. I need the saddles only to see if they fit my bridge. Much Thanks'
Two complete wraps should be adequate, I can only get two wraps on the B string on my five string and have not had any issues in my five years of playing.
Rob Thanks , seems no one could give me a answer till now. I put new strings on and the E string will only wind 2 times , if I make 3 it will overlap itself , so 2 is fine , seems like a waste of good bass string. Best to you ,,,
You will probably need to replace the whole bridge when you order one. There are various brands like Hipshot, Carvin(now Kiesel), and mainly you are looking for saddles on a bridge plate with grooves in it where the height adjustment screws slide. These help keep the saddles from going side to side. My daughter's 5 string Ibanez has them and some of my guitars have them, others don't. My old Squire P bass does not but it hasn't been a big issue for me.
After I changed mine they started to rattle, I hear some say its the bridge or the frets needs to be filed when the strings rattle but im not sure and i dont have alot of money to get this fixed, i've tried to watch any videos i can and visit websites, do you guys have any tips or videos on this subject? I dont like the metallic rattle noise at all and ruins the sound imo
Can you do a video on non standard basses I have a short scale concert jackson and short scale strings always taper off like right before fret 1 and it makes it sound Clangy unless I'm using a string muter even then they just never sound right I put some long scale lowere gage ones and they sound great but not shure if there on there correctly
This lesson is from the Bassic Fundamentals course and I have a complete bass setup lesson in there. Unfortunately it's a premium course but might be worth checking out anyway :)
Anyone else have issues with the A-string when restringing on fender basses? I've just changed the strings on both my P Bass and Jazz bass, and everything is fine except that the open A string buzzes quite a bit when down thumb stroking, which is particularly noticable when palm muting. Is this due not having enough of an angle between the nut and the headstock?
Hey Mark (and other bassists), I just got a Fender PJ style bass, and I'm considering experimenting with putting flatwounds on the E and A strings, and bright roundwounds on the D and G strings. Maybe get the best of both worlds... Does anyone have experience with this who can speak to it? Is it difficult to adjust to the mismatched tensions? Thanks!
Donya Lane I'd love to know how that worked out. Though, with the intonation of a bass guitar bringing lower notes and tones, I might reverse that idea. Brighter sound for the lower E and A, warmer sound on the higher D and G strings. I've been thinking of using a custom string combination on a few of my guitars recently after doing SO much research.
Hi Donya! I tried something like that on my Ibanez Prestige 4 but in reverse after experimenting with flat-wounds and not digg'n the sound for metal, so I replaced the E and A with PowerSlinky's and decided to leave the D and G as flat-wounds, since the PowerSlinky's are soo rangy and piercing when sliding up and down the neck with my bad technique. I drove it like that for almost a year before settling on heavy gauge Ernie Ball Cobalts all-around. Point is, it was a very dangerous experiment as I had no idea what the differing tensions were bwtn the 2 different species of strings and it could have wrecked the neck, twisting it out-of-true, but I was lucky. It actually worked and sounded quite good but I wouldn't (don't need to) do it again, nor recommend it unless you _really_ know what you're doing. That's my 2 cents. Did you try your experiment?
I have a bass now but I owned a cheap acoustic guitar once and when I was throwing away the old strings, one of them caught up under my fingernail and cause my finger to bleed under the nail😣
Here's a non-related question: what do you think about getting scratches on a bass or on the pickguard from just using the instrument? Or maybe like it has fallen down or whatever? Comes with the territory or are you very careful?
One thing that I do is to put my old wound-up strings in a bag so the string won't stab me or someone taking out the trash. The core of some of these strings can stab like a needle.I see you pull on the string a little. I tune the strings a little sharp a couple of times at first (maybe a half step) to pre-stretch them, then tune back down.
Dim Nimrod hahaha yeah turns out it just wears out eventually, my bass teacher thought I was using a pedal to change the noise! But then I told him if my predicament and he said it happens like that, it’ll get back to sounding fine in a few weeks. If you’re still having the problem, dont worry about it
Is there something one can do in case he/she cuts the string to short and it doesn´t get to the standard tunning? Happened to me. Thanks in advance in case someone can help me with this one.
kevin staples - write the tab out. Stop/pause the video and practice until you get better. Go back to the video. Do this step over and over until you get it down.
Old post but.... you need to remove all strings for repair/ cleaning. The only ill effect you may have is it may take the neck a little while (if at all) to settle again. Just my opinion of course.
adding this comment to enphatize that cutting the strings too much is a bad idea. i've negligenced this and now i have a buzz when playing open A string. the angle of the string from the tunning machine to the nut is not "high" enough (I think). as explained on the video, ~3x the distance between two tunning machines is a good measure
@UCDfStxwji-22A_bvY280UIg I do recycle my strings. A String winder is really handy. I tune my 5 String Bass down a half step to make the higher notes easier on my voice.
Guilty of putting a string I just took off back on....and not just once! And put the cat in another room. Also if you’re taking all the strings off get some gorgomyte and wipe down them frets, that stuff is magic!
Cut the string about three pegs away? What about the strings that are on the pegs that only have one or two pegs away from it or the fourth one that has no pegs? Also, what if your tuning pegs are two on each side and not in a line like this bass?
I've heard some people boil old strings in water to remove grime. Not sure it would help rusted string but worth a try as they'd end up in the bin anywayz.
Bass strings are somewhat expensive, especially for 5 or 6
string sets. So for years I’ve boiled my strings in a small pot of water on the stove for five minutes after I’ve taken
them off. This gets out the dead skin and oils that dull them. Then I’ll dry them well and put them back on the bass. I’ll do this twice before replacing my strings with new ones. I play a six sting ESP D-6 tuned E A D G C F which is a
bit odd perhaps, but I prefer the 2 extra higher strings instead of a Low B.
Hope some of you find this helpful.
Jim.
Nice. I'm a bass player, but when playing guitar I tune it this way.
Would only recommend boiling strings if you are using stainless steel strings nickel and coated strings do not like this as much nickel can break after being boild as extended exposure to water can cause corrosion in any weak points
That's an interesting method never heard of that one before. I use a product that treats and cleans the body and stings of all my basses & guitars, Dr Duck's Axwax & string lube.
Found a 5 string set on discount at guitar center. They were cheaper than the same 4 string variant of that brands strings
Spoken like a true bass player!
Thank you! I just changed bass strings for the first time using this video as a guide. Everything went smoothly.
When you hand wind the string around the post like you're doing in this video, there is a chance that the windings can break loose from the core due to the twisting motion you are applying to the string as you wind it around the post. When this happens, you may get a string that either doesn't intonate properly or when you play it, it has a chorus kind of sound, like it's trying to sound two notes at once. You should always use the tuning key to wrap the string around the post and keep it under slight tension and straight from the nut to the post as it winds.
You can change the strings on a bass?
nah just buy new bass
+Valentin Bozhilov lol
haha
you can but the strings are exspensive so why bother? could be using that money towards beer!
It was news to me as well ...
Just gotta say, i used to play guitar what i was younger, gonna buy my first bass next week, and im already all over your channel and website. great stuff!
5 years later....we need an update
Thank you very much indeed - demystifying a process that's had me anxious for more years than I care to think about.
“If you step on these and you’ve got no shoes or socks on...” 😂 I love your funny tidbits!
Very helpful. The one other thing I'd point out with changing your strings, is make sure a new string doesn't snag on the pickups as you tighten it. I've tightened a string and looked down and the pickup was pulled up out of position. Managed to not do any damage but scary for a second. Cheers M
Thank you, my bass sounds AND looks better now. I live by the ocean so the air is very moist. Because of that, the moist air rusts my strings and now the g string is super rusty. After I changed my strings, it looked so clean and my dad told me to put it in my case when I'm done playing. Thank you!
Thank you so much! Changing my strings for the first time in the morning and I appreciate the lesson!
Mark, speaking of strings, would love to hear your take on string gauges. Thus far I have not found anyone that discusses the ins and outs of string gauges. Personally, I prefer an equilibrium in my strings, i.e. .045, .065, .085 & .105 (my preferred string set.) But what should one expect from using a larger gauge string set, say .050, .070, .090 & .110? And conversely, a smaller set, say .040, .060, .080 & .100? Other than more fretting pressure and detuning friendly on the larger set and less fretting pressure and more bend-ability on the lighter gauge, what are the pros and cons re: string gauges and what applications and styles are they suited for. And then you have the mixed sets; heavy/medium, medium/light and on and on and on. I know a discussion of this throws into play string tensions and the effects it has on the instrument itself, but I'm primarily interested in learning more about the effects of the string gauge itself and how to use them to my advantage. I know one could probably write a dissertation on this subject alone! Perhaps you could discuss this or maybe point me in the right direction to get the answers. Thank you for all you do for your fellow bass players, you are a true ambassador for us all.
I've experimented A LOT with gauges. Up until recently I'd used progressive tension and then settled on using a balanced tension set. I used D'addario's and consulted the string tension chart on their website to calculate the best custom set to achieve this. Then they brought out a balanced tension set so I used those for a while. Now I use Jim Dunlop Super Brights (light gauge). You might find this article I wrote quite useful (while trying progressive tension sets): www.talkingbass.net/flappy-b-strings-tight-d-strings-and-the-switch-to-progressive-tension/
That was a great read Mark. Thanks for taking the time . . . I really appreciate it.
Mine D'Addario XL EXL 170 Regular Light Gauge nickel 45, 65, 80, 100 Long Scale is what I use, next spring I will change them out to Flat Wound
Thank you so much, I was doing it wrong the whole time 😂❤ but thank you so much for the help! God bless you! 😇
Great information, thank you. Question: Where did you get the little stand?
Thanks Marc , for this demo,
Another thing you might want to d is, wile a string is off, is clean the fretboard and if necessary use some lemon oil on it, depending on the wood type of the fretboard is made of, and also clean the groove in the nut and lubricate that too..
Can someone help me, can I string my right hand bass up side down, to suit a left handed player? Can I put the Bigger string at the bottom and smaller string to the top so it can be flipped for a left hander? Help please
your video's are excellent, man. much appreciated.
Thank you man. I really like your videos!!
What about basses that you string through the back? I’m a beginner and I just bought one of those type of basses. I would also like to know what strings to buy.
Thanks, that was a timely video - and a great help. Never knew about the wee hole to tuck the end of the string into!
One tip to add (unless I missed it) - Use the old string to size up and cut the new string to the correct length. Then really make sure you don’t mix them up, lol.
Quick question here, do you think I should have a pack of spare bass strings just in case one snaps right before a gig?
Yes but it is better to have a spare bass ready to go.
Hi. Any advice on the procedure for changing strings on my Ibanez SR300, (regarding the headstock)
Thanks
I always take mine at the 12th pick it up to bounce it lightly of course and then retune it works!
Thanks Mark for yet another informative, simple & extremely helpful video. I wanted to change the strings on the first bass l ever bought ( a cheapy & l just to experiment with different things ) and wanted try to try the lightest gauge strings you can buy and with a bit of patience, trial and error l am happy to say l got the hang of it. So thanks again brother I really appreciate your channel such awesome content.
Bļjjp
Tip.. Mark the nut slots with pencil. The graphite ensures that the strings slide easily when you’re tightening them.
Mark my Fender bass has beveled machine heads not flat like yours.
If I make more than 3 wraps on the E and A string it overlaps itself , my question is will 2 wraps be good enough , it seems the more wraps make for better sound , it stays in tune better longer.
Also where did get those flat saddles , mine are round and move from side to side.
I've looked on Amazon and can't find those type saddles you have. I need the saddles only to see if they fit my bridge.
Much Thanks'
Two complete wraps should be adequate, I can only get two wraps on the B string on my five string and have not had any issues in my five years of playing.
Rob Thanks , seems no one could give me a answer till now. I put new strings on and the E string will only wind 2 times , if I make 3 it will overlap itself , so 2 is fine , seems like a waste of good bass string. Best to you ,,,
You will probably need to replace the whole bridge when you order one. There are various brands like Hipshot, Carvin(now Kiesel), and mainly you are looking for saddles on a bridge plate with grooves in it where the height adjustment screws slide. These help keep the saddles from going side to side. My daughter's 5 string Ibanez has them and some of my guitars have them, others don't. My old Squire P bass does not but it hasn't been a big issue for me.
This helped me a lot thanks you!
Hey Mark, great job as always! Do you use flatwounds and/or tapewounds? If so, do you use them in a professional context? Cheers!
I have a set of flatwounds on my P bass for getting that cool retro vibe.
WHAT KIND DO YOU USE? I HAVE DEAN MARKLEY ON MINE.
Thank you for this!
Well done!
After I changed mine they started to rattle, I hear some say its the bridge or the frets needs to be filed when the strings rattle but im not sure and i dont have alot of money to get this fixed, i've tried to watch any videos i can and visit websites, do you guys have any tips or videos on this subject? I dont like the metallic rattle noise at all and ruins the sound imo
Can you do a video on non standard basses I have a short scale concert jackson and short scale strings always taper off like right before fret 1 and it makes it sound Clangy unless I'm using a string muter even then they just never sound right I put some long scale lowere gage ones and they sound great but not shure if there on there correctly
How to adjust the intonation next? :)
Yeah, intontation next. Would be super helpful
This lesson is from the Bassic Fundamentals course and I have a complete bass setup lesson in there. Unfortunately it's a premium course but might be worth checking out anyway :)
I take it you've precariously restrung an old string, stepped on a clipped end and overtuned a new string. :)
Anyone else have issues with the A-string when restringing on fender basses? I've just changed the strings on both my P Bass and Jazz bass, and everything is fine except that the open A string buzzes quite a bit when down thumb stroking, which is particularly noticable when palm muting. Is this due not having enough of an angle between the nut and the headstock?
Oliver G you probably need to tweek your truss rod or sadle. Sounds rude, but it's not and actually quite simple
Very helpful video..... I was wondering how often should I change the strings??? I play an average of 60 mins a week???
Hey Mark (and other bassists), I just got a Fender PJ style bass, and I'm considering experimenting with putting flatwounds on the E and A strings, and bright roundwounds on the D and G strings. Maybe get the best of both worlds... Does anyone have experience with this who can speak to it? Is it difficult to adjust to the mismatched tensions? Thanks!
Donya Lane
I'd love to know how that worked out. Though, with the intonation of a bass guitar bringing lower notes and tones, I might reverse that idea. Brighter sound for the lower E and A, warmer sound on the higher D and G strings.
I've been thinking of using a custom string combination on a few of my guitars recently after doing SO much research.
Combining 80/20 bronze strings with phosphor bronze on an acoustic guitar is a fascinating idea imo. (From my own personal research.)
Hi Donya! I tried something like that on my Ibanez Prestige 4 but in reverse after experimenting with flat-wounds and not digg'n the sound for metal, so I replaced the E and A with PowerSlinky's and decided to leave the D and G as flat-wounds, since the PowerSlinky's are soo rangy and piercing when sliding up and down the neck with my bad technique. I drove it like that for almost a year before settling on heavy gauge Ernie Ball Cobalts all-around. Point is, it was a very dangerous experiment as I had no idea what the differing tensions were bwtn the 2 different species of strings and it could have wrecked the neck, twisting it out-of-true, but I was lucky. It actually worked and sounded quite good but I wouldn't (don't need to) do it again, nor recommend it unless you _really_ know what you're doing. That's my 2 cents. Did you try your experiment?
For flatwound strings, is necessary bend too?
I have a bass now but I owned a cheap acoustic guitar once and when I was throwing away the old strings, one of them caught up under my fingernail and cause my finger to bleed under the nail😣
Here's a non-related question: what do you think about getting scratches on a bass or on the pickguard from just using the instrument? Or maybe like it has fallen down or whatever? Comes with the territory or are you very careful?
hey mark what gauge strings you use,cheers
One thing that I do is to put my old wound-up strings in a bag so the string won't stab me or someone taking out the trash. The core of some of these strings can stab like a needle.I see you pull on the string a little. I tune the strings a little sharp a couple of times at first (maybe a half step) to pre-stretch them, then tune back down.
I just got a new bass and one broke and I have no idea what guage they are should I just change all of the strings
Yes I'd change all of the strings just to be certain
I purchased strings and received one of each gauge...then you just match which one broke...no reason to change them all
Very good instructions but it would have been clearer to me with close up images of the head stock when restringing
Argh! I restrung my E-String today and every time I play a fretted note on the string it makes a buzzy noise, can someone help? Thanks,
You ever figure it out? I have the same problem. It sounded fine before I had the brilliant idea to change the strings earlier than I needed ti
Dim Nimrod hahaha yeah turns out it just wears out eventually, my bass teacher thought I was using a pedal to change the noise! But then I told him if my predicament and he said it happens like that, it’ll get back to sounding fine in a few weeks. If you’re still having the problem, dont worry about it
Will there be any problem if we do not cut the string and tighten it up in any guitar ?
For bass it can be an issue
th-cam.com/video/XNkWgQ2mJ5A/w-d-xo.html
top vid thanks!!
Is there something one can do in case he/she cuts the string to short and it doesn´t get to the standard tunning? Happened to me. Thanks in advance in case someone can help me with this one.
Very impressive, but can you -
oops
These comments are on every bass video and it's very annoying
thank you mate
6:11 WAYYYYY worse than LEGOs lol 😂😂😂
thanks just changed my strings
im a beginner at the bass i have watch many lessons on line and they go to fast for me too learn i think they need to slow down
kevin staples - write the tab out. Stop/pause the video and practice until you get better. Go back to the video. Do this step over and over until you get it down.
Thank you :)
Can you take all the strings off at one time to change
Marquis Henderson
I’ve done that... no problem.
You can change all strings at the same time, but I wouldn’t recommend it because then you might lose one or confuse your old string for a new string.
puts stress on the neck as well
Old post but.... you need to remove all strings for repair/ cleaning. The only ill effect you may have is it may take the neck a little while (if at all) to settle again. Just my opinion of course.
thanks
adding this comment to enphatize that cutting the strings too much is a bad idea. i've negligenced this and now i have a buzz when playing open A string. the angle of the string from the tunning machine to the nut is not "high" enough (I think).
as explained on the video, ~3x the distance between two tunning machines is a good measure
The intro sounded like something from Seinfeld
@UCDfStxwji-22A_bvY280UIg
I do recycle my strings. A String winder is really handy. I tune my 5 String Bass down a half step to make the higher notes easier on my voice.
BeNding is necessary with round core strings but you should left the bend there cutting undoes the process...
My D and G string broke after 3 months of slapping the bass, but i have the feeling that im plugging the strings wayy too agressively
Ah no such thing my friend
Guilty of putting a string I just took off back on....and not just once! And put the cat in another room. Also if you’re taking all the strings off get some gorgomyte and wipe down them frets, that stuff is magic!
I honestly don't understand how anyone could do this. How would you not notice the end being all kinked up from being wrapped around the tuning peg?
what happens if i overclip the string?
then you wasted money
@@harrisonmathews1406 yeah thats what happened
Cut the string about three pegs away? What about the strings that are on the pegs that only have one or two pegs away from it or the fourth one that has no pegs? Also, what if your tuning pegs are two on each side and not in a line like this bass?
i am a beginner who got a hand me down bass that's got rusty strings and now i am so nervous 'cause i need to change it all on my own
I've heard some people boil old strings in water to remove grime. Not sure it would help rusted string but worth a try as they'd end up in the bin anywayz.
@@B_stu might try 'cause i kept the old strings in a box hahaha thank you!
dubu chaeng Cool mate ) let us know how you get on 👍
when you pull the string out the bridge i would recommend put something under the string so you dont scratch the finish...
WOULD I HAVE SOUND IF YOU PUT YOUR HANDS IN YOUR POCKET***DR KEL
Mark, you cut the string the wrong side of the bend ! It should be cut after the bend not before. The way you cut it didn't do anything at all! Lol!
lol. I noticed after editing. But it's hard to tell so I let it go!
Those cutter suck....
Wassay too much talking 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
what else is he supposed to do bozo
Too long!!! How much do you talk