Question Tool or wall-hanger?

[danny-79]

As long as you look after your MM it will look after you.
Chose the strings that you want on any combo that you want to get the sound that you want.
As far a general wear an tear goes whats a re-fret every 10yrs or so ?
Drive it like its stolen! (but just be kind to it when you have finished)

 

[Norm66]

I don't trade or sell instruments very often. When I buy, I pretty much keep stuff so I don't mind some wear & tear on my stuff. I don't abuse them either mind you, but I don't sweat over every ding or detail clean everything after I play every time.

 

[kamakazee]

No offense to collectors, but I'm young and worked my 'bass' off for 2 years collecting the money for my Bongo while going to college at a minimum wage job. I can only afford one bass at a time, so this one is very precious to me. I'm going to play the heck out of this bass all day every day until its long past dead. I'm going to work just as hard at practicing on this bass as I did saving for it. I bought it to use it and express myself and my music. I love to get use out of the stuff I have and work hard for. Life is too precious to collect things that you aren't going to use (again no offense). I would much rather give a guitar away to a kid who can't afford one that collect it because its rare. In the course of my life I've given away 4 basses to children that have had a desire to learn, including my R*ck and F*nder.

I might play the heck out of it, but at the end of the day I do my maintenance and make sure it doesn't suffer negligent damage.

 

[orpheus55]

I played my Stingray with steels for a long time and I've not noticed any fretwear in five years. I play it a lot, but recently went with Stage III flatwounds as a change of pace and really love the sound and feel.

 

[OldManMusic]

I've had roundwounds on my 1978 Ray since I bought it new. I've used the hell out of it for over 30 years. I've never had a fret or neck problem on the old girl. I believe that if I've bought the bass, you'll see it strapped to my back on stage in a crappy bar, with drunks (not just the guitar player) all around me. Even the rather rare birds I own see stage time. They are all used, not abused. I like flats on my fretless because of the sound, not for fear of wear on the neck. I appricate collectors, but I'm a player.

 

[T Alan]

You know, I think the way the instrument is played has more of an effect on fret wear than strings do. I have seen guys that really dig in and put more lateral force on the strings, and their fret wear more quickly.

This is the answer to your question.

 

[TheAntMan]

IMO - this issue is a non-issue. I used Rotos for a long time before getting my EBMM. I tried a lot of different strings until I hit the Slinkies and I love the feel and tone of them, especially the coated ones on my 25th. I also use non-EBMM on my Non-EBMM Acoustic hollow-body bass guitar. On that one I use nylon filament roundwounds, why? not to prevent wear but for the tone it gives me.

Some people are very cautious with their instruments - I am one of those - but still play the heck out of them. Others are reckless and daring. Still others are collectors. So what!?! To each their own. Doesn't affect my playing or the decisions I make for myself, my music, or band.

It is like cars, some fuss others don't, live and let live. That was a whole nickel

--Ant

P.S. wish EBMM had an acoustic bass and nylon filament slinkies *hint* *hint* *nudge* *nudge*

 

[Calaveras]

dig it

I kinda like when the frets are a little worn. The action is a bit smoother. I have an older bass that I have owned for many years. The frets are visibly worn from using SS strings, and I like how it plays and sounds!
I remember talking to a symphony bassist (back when I had an upright) about wolf tone eliminators and other such picky nonsense. Then the first chair walked up and said, "quit worrying about wolf tones and just play the damn thing!". Which I think is salient advice. Sometimes us bassplayers get trapped in this engineers approach to music. All that matters is making nice low tones, on time.

 

[cellkirk74]

I stopped resting my arm on the upper bout because it dulls the finish.

...and you do right!

Just look at my old Stingray:

Oh, and it has some good fretwear too, but that took almost 20 years of high voltage rock'n'roll to get there.

I too belive that the frets as the rest of a bass have to be broken in a little before the instrument really comes alive.

 

[syciprider]

Koogs gets the most use out of his bass.