Mixing sets of strings?

[dg27]

The recent polls about strings raise a question.

I've been using roundwound GHS Bass Boomer Heavy for many years. The gauges are 50/70/95/115. I use them because I really REALLY REALLY prefer the heaviest E and A I can get my hands on.

I was going through a box of music-related stuff and found an old set of D'Addario XL Heavy. The gauges on those are 55/75/90/110.

Is there any reason I can't mix these so that I get 55/75/95/115? I have always preferred heavy strings (was never a guitar player).

Note/Disclaimer/Admission of Guilt: I do not do my own setups: I pay a tech to do that periodically.

Would a set up need to be done if I mixed the strings?

I'm concerned about doing anything funky that could screw up the neck on my main player, my '76 P.

dg

 

[baritone]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

It won't be harmful to try it out. With mixing strings, you may notice differences in feel and sound, but nothing will be damaged. If you notice any change in playability or intonation, you may need to return to the tech, but the adjustments would be small.

 

[dg27]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

Thanks, Baritone. I'm sure I must've done this at times over the years, but in those days I'm sure I had intonation issues at times.

 

[baritone]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

No prob, man. I have mixed strings on occasion over the years on my guitars and on my bass. If anything, I just have to slightly adjust my playing to deal with the change in tension, but that doesn't take long. Usually, a full setup is not necessary with a small change in gauge.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

Is there any reason I can't mix these so that I get 55/75/95/115?.

Some municipalities frown on that. Check your local ordinances.

 

[dg27]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

Some municipalities frown on that. Check your local ordinances.

We have a new mayor in New York: I think I'll be able to get away with it.

No prob, man. I have mixed strings on occasion over the years on my guitars and on my bass....

I think I'll give it a try. Thanks!

 

[Adieu]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

The recent polls about strings raise a question.

I've been using roundwound GHS Bass Boomer Heavy for many years. The gauges are 50/70/95/115. I use them because I really REALLY REALLY prefer the heaviest E and A I can get my hands on.

I was going through a box of music-related stuff and found an old set of D'Addario XL Heavy. The gauges on those are 55/75/90/110.

Is there any reason I can't mix these so that I get 55/75/95/115? I have always preferred heavy strings (was never a guitar player).

Note/Disclaimer/Admission of Guilt: I do not do my own setups: I pay a tech to do that periodically.

Would a set up need to be done if I mixed the strings?

I'm concerned about doing anything funky that could screw up the neck on my main player, my '76 P.

dg

115's aren't exactly the heaviest 4-string set around... you know that right?

though thicker ones like 130's and 135's are mostly geared toward downtuning and/or superlow action w/ high tension, so would certainly require a major setup to switch to in E standard tuning

 

[dg27]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

115's aren't exactly the heaviest 4-string set around... you know that right?

though thicker ones like 130's and 135's are mostly geared toward downtuning and/or superlow action w/ high tension, so would certainly require a major setup to switch to in E standard tuning

Thanks, Adieu...I should have been clearer. I meant heavier than what's typical on standard sets. For example, in a pinch I once had to use a .95 on the E and couldn't wait to get what I was used to back on there. The 115's feel right to me.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

Thanks, Adieu...I should have been clearer. I meant heavier than what's typical on standard sets. For example, in a pinch I once had to use a .95 on the E and couldn't wait to get what I was used to back on there. The 115's feel right to me.

Yeah 95s are nasty, seem only useable for weak necks w/ busted or absent truss rods....never understood who uses them willingly and why

 

[dg27]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

Yeah 95s are nasty, seem only useable for weak necks w/ busted or absent truss rods....never understood who uses them willingly and why

Thanks for not making me feel so alone!

Years ago I once tried to get a set with a .115 E @ Manny's on 48th St and the salesman said "Naah, we don't got 'em...none of the cats are using them." I said "This "cat" is and will elsewhere... ." I think I got them @ Rudy's down the street.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

Thanks for not making me feel so alone!

Years ago I once tried to get a set with a .115 E @ Manny's on 48th St and the salesman said "Naah, we don't got 'em...none of the cats are using them." I said "This "cat" is and will elsewhere... ." I think I got them @ Rudy's down the street.

Future GC lifer in training, that one? ....excellent customer service there. Lol. Makes ya wanna run not walk right back to him next time a couple grand are burning a hole in your pocket, eh?

 

[Adieu]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

PS as to your question, D'addarios have a deservedly worse rep than GHS. You definitely can, but they may disappoint...and every case of wasted dull horrid strings on a used bass I've seen seem to have had colour coded ball ends, so...dont expect em to last as long either.


YMMV...but i hate d'adds for guitar and bass both - except when i kinda love em. Thats on used basses gathering dust and stacking discounts for years, they reaaaaaally help haggle stuff down by acting like you think it sucks when you know it just needs a string change. That & 9v batteries drained to ~3v are a bargain hunters best friends!!!!

 

[dg27]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

PS as to your question, D'addarios have a deservedly worse rep than GHS. You definitely can, but they may disappoint...and every case of wasted dull horrid strings on a used bass I've seen seem to have had colour coded ball ends, so...don't expect em to last as long either.

I've been using the GHS for years; my recollection about the d'Adds agrees with your comment: I remember them being pretty dull. And I used to break them.

Future GC lifer in training, that one? ....excellent customer service there. Lol. Makes ya wanna run not walk right back to him next time a couple grand are burning a hole in your pocket, eh?

If he didn't go to GC they could probably use him at Best Buy. But the reality is that Sam Ash bought out Manny's as well as most of the rest of what was known as NYC's "music district." They dominated for a few years and then shut down this year to build a GC-style mega store. The block is like a ghost town now.

Here's what's left of it.



And here's what's left of the place I bought my '76 Rick.



It makes me very sad.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

I've been using the GHS for years; my recollection about the d'Adds agrees with your comment: I remember them being pretty dull. And I used to break them.



If he didn't go to GC they could probably use him at Best Buy. But the reality is that Sam Ash bought out Manny's as well as most of the rest of what was known as NYC's "music district." They dominated for a few years and then shut down this year to build a GC-style mega store. The block is like a ghost town now.

Here's what's left of it.

View attachment 49007

And here's what's left of the place I bought my '76 Rick.

View attachment 49008

It makes me very sad.

Huh....eerie. I just read up on 48th street today to research the origins of an NY neckplate on a 4digit serial ESP procured for a buddy abroad, too. Seems they had a store/small assembly/possible custom shop (contradictory rumors) there. Weird coincidence? Or was 48th just .T.H.E. place for guitar gear before it fell on hard times and got ruined by chains?

Btw, how long ago was all this? (sorry about the offtop, all curious now)

 

[dg27]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

Huh....eerie. I just read up on 48th street today to research the origins of an NY neckplate on a 4digit serial ESP procured for a buddy abroad, too. Seems they had a store/small assembly/possible custom shop (contradictory rumors) there. Weird coincidence? Or was 48th just .T.H.E. place for guitar gear before it fell on hard times and got ruined by chains?

Btw, how long ago was all this? (sorry about the offtop, all curious now)

ESP may had a storefront on 48th St @ one time next to Terminal; my guess would be in the 80s--that seems familiar. For many years "the music district" was West 48th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues; I'm told it extended farther west many years ago, but for the entire time I was going there (from the late 70s), it ended at Seventh. It was a musician's dream location. When I was in high school I used to cut class to take a train there, just to drool. It consisted of about 6-10 stores on each side of the street (street runs east-west; avenues north-south).

Directly across the street from the shot of Terminal Music (taken 09/02/11) there was a place called "We Buy Guitars" (my back would have been to it taking the shot of Terminal). It was just a narrow, glassed in corridor that had every imaginable guitar and bass hanging one after the other. It was wonderfully grimy and gritty and some of the guitars looked like hell, but they had everything. At the time Fred Smith (bass player from Television) worked behind the counter and you'd have to ask him if you wanted to check something out. You cannot see it in this picture, but there was lettering on the brick wall above the window and for many years after they took down the lettering you could still read the name. If you look very closely below the white sign next to the "Annie" sign you can almost make out the "WE" and below the Annie sign you can sort of see "BUY" (the bricks are lighter).



Manny's has been gone for a long time; the picture of the vacant Sam Ash store that replaced it was taken 03/09/13. The last holdout is Rudy's Music Stop, which is a nice place but more geared toward boutique instruments.

There's no doubt these historic, now vacant storefronts will be replaced by the same crap that's infecting NYC everywhere: froyo shops, yet another Starf**ckerbucks, etc.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

Daaaamnit, that WAS just too cool... And, as usual, before my time. Probably still some cool place left in Tokyo or something, but other than that, big business & hipster crap really ruined it eh?

I mean srsly, I'm in the OC/LA region and our local stores like Fountain Valley & Hollywood try to tell you theyre the biggest baddest guitar shopping destinations in the world, but its more sad than anything. Other than 5-figure price tag gibby nonsense, Ive pretty much felt up every worthwhile article theyve ever had... And outside PRS, a couple ibby prestiges and the odd ESP, they havent even got any innovative hiend brands, ever. Heck, not accounting for the crazy prices, even Moscow's used market and small forprofit private sellers had better stuff, at least you can actually GO AND PHYSICALLY LOOK AT & PLAY crazy stuff like caparison suhr navigator etc if you have a big wad of cash, or a gazillion cool but borderline reasonable items like ran mayones fgn greco hamer... I dont even understand how you guys BUY new stuff. I mean ok, bass thread, lets see...

Hm... Has anybody EVER seen a *new* Warwick Lakland Sadowsky etc (real main brand, not their squier/epi type lines) in a store in America? Or are you supposed to just cut em a check for a few grand to custom order smthn you can never ever see before you pay, just because some multiplatinum ****** on mtv endorses them???

 

[dg27]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

big business & hipster crap really ruined it eh?

Greed of the landlords, plus 20 years of mayoral administrations catering to the rich didn't help.

Has anybody EVER seen a *new* Warwick Lakland Sadowsky etc (real main brand, not their squier/epi type lines) in a store in America?

I've seen them @ Rudy's, mentioned above.

Apologies to all for going so far off topic...the destruction of these places is a sore subject for any musician from NYC.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

Greed of the landlords, plus 20 years of mayoral administrations catering to the rich didn't help.



I've seen them @ Rudy's, mentioned above.

Apologies to all for going so far off topic...the destruction of these places is a sore subject for any musician from NYC.

Hey me too, and first & last time in NY was 20 years ago, unless you count air terminals.... Its a loss of history & culture, anybody who values that sort of thing or at least gets curious about it all would get upset about all the good stuff with identity lost to faceless big money business

 

[One Bad Monkey]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

I work at GHS.

dg27, we make your requested strings in singles, so you can order online from a place like Bass Strings Online, Just Strings, Strings by Mail, or any of those folk that stock singles and get your Boomers in a 55-75-95-115 configuration. So you could easily order your sets and then just bring them to your tech for setup.

I would recommend having a setup done if you go that route, because going from a 50-70-95-115 to a 55-75-95-115 set is going to add an extra 20lbs of tension on your bass neck, so you'll need a little adjustment. As for the nut, if it's already set up for your current gauge, that little "extra" shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[dg27]

Re: Mixing sets of strings?

So you could easily order your sets and then just bring them to your tech for setup....I would recommend having a setup done if you go that route, because going from a 50-70-95-115 to a 55-75-95-115 set is going to add an extra 20lbs of tension on your bass neck, so you'll need a little adjustment. As for the nut, if it's already set up for your current gauge, that little "extra" shouldn't be a big deal.

This is very useful to know: Thanks for posting!