Confused by the many string options for upright bass? We can help.

The String Is the Thing.

A large part of our daily business - and a large percentage of calls we take seeking guidance - concerns strings. It makes sense; strings are one of the few "wear items" on a bass; unlike pickups, amps, and the basses themselves, they eventually wear out and need to be replaced. Perhaps more importantly, they are also an item that is easiest to change, when you're looking to improve or alter the way your bass sounds, responds, and/or "feels." So we get a lot of questions about the characteristics of strings, and whether or not changing from one to another might positively affect the tone or playability of a particular customer's bass. Or, whether getting the same strings that Ray Brown played will make you sound like Ray Brown.

So I thought it would be useful to mention a few things about strings. When and how to change them, different characteristics of various types of strings, problems you might come across, and so on. Just things that are good to know. Strings for double bass are a lot more costly than strings for guitar are - so trying new strings willy-nilly, without a bit of consideration, is a really expensive hobby. This is why, when a bassist calls me up and says, "what's the best string you sell?" (yes, people really do call and ask that) I have to stop them right there and back up a few steps. "What style of music do you play? Do you bow? Do you slap? Are you amplified?" Perhaps the most important question I can ask, though, is: "What are the strings you have now, and why do you not like them?"

So, after reading this post, if you're still a bit in the dark about where you want to go next, start with identifying the strings you have - and then ask yourself a few questions:

1. How do they feel to play, and would I prefer they were stiffer/more flexible, lighter/heavier, thicker/thinner, etc.?
2. How do they sound, and would I prefer they were darker/brighter, thumpier/clearer, more sustaining/quicker decaying, etc.?
3. How is their balance on my bass? Do any frequencies dominate? Is my bass boomy? Nasal-sounding?
4. Do you play only arco (bowing)? Only pizzicato (plucking)? Slapstyle? A combination? Which of the techniques in your playing is most important to you?
5. Are there any other factors that might be important?

Armed with this information, Sam and I can help narrow down the field to a couple of good, tested options. We've had the opportunity, over many years, to try pretty much every string we sell - a large number of them on our own basses. So you don't have to "guess" - you can use us for our experience and save yourself from making expensive, unnecessary mistakes. That's what we do, and why our descriptions aren't just the "cut and paste" hyperbole copied from the manufacturer's description.

And hey - don't forget: ALL STRINGS SHIP FREE to ALL 50 US STATES - and that includes single strings!