Alembic Strings - How often do you change them?

[BassJuju]

I have been loving my MK and really don't want to play anything else, so I haven't.  Cure for GAS??  Another time, perhaps. 

I am guessing that this has been asked before, but my rudimentary pass at a search was not fruitful.

I put a new set of Alembic brand strings on my bass ASAP, about a month ago.  I probably play 15-20 hours per week under normal circumstances.  Actual play time.  I have always played multiple basses and have used my ears to decide when new strings are in order.  In the last week or so, I have noticed that I edge closer to the brighter side of the filter settings and feel like the strings are getting close to a change.

Given that skin pH and sweat and humidity and... lead to the need to replace strings and unfortunately, can't spend $65 a week to keep them super fresh, does this seem in the "ballpark" for those of you that use the Alembic brand?

[jazzyvee]

I have been using alembic strings on my series II bass for a few years and once they start to sound less bright than i like, I transfer them to the bass I use mainly for reggae which suits the warmer sound and so I guess overall they last probably around 2 years before they get to a sound I don't want. I guess once you can't eq them to sound the way you like then time to change.
 

[Pete si]

Sorry, but I find $65 for a set of strings a bit outlandish. I’ve been using roto’s for 50 years on various basses. For $65 I can get 3 pairs and have a couple $$ left over for a beer or two.

[growlypants]

I used Alembic strings on my 5-er, changing them out every year, or so.  But new string noise always bothered me a bit, and at Mica's suggestion, I tried a set of flatwounds, Chromes.  I LOVED 'em!  Nice and bright, yet quiet as far as string noise went.  I do notice, however, that the B string especially, seems to lose it's brightness before the others, and I'm still dealing with that!

[hammer]

I used TI flats on most of my basses and while expensive (cheapest I can find them nowadays is $72 for a 4-string set) they last forever. I do keep Alembic strings on one of my basses for when I need a brighter sound, and in agreement with Jazzyvee, I find they last quite a long time before they lose sufficient brightness that I feel a need to replace them. I do, however, wipe down the strings of all my basses after each use to avoid letting the sweat and oils from my fingers sit on the strings. It takes only a few seconds and seems to prolong their life. At $65/set and a life of 2-years with almost daily use, I don’t find the investment (about $2.75/month or about 1/2 of what one pays for a cup of coffee nowadays) all that outrageous.


Then again, standing in front of loud amps for too many years may have reduced my ability to hear higher frequencies to the point where I don’t notice loss of brightness as well as someone with younger, less damaged ears.