What’s the difference between roundwound, flatwound, and tapewound strings?

Roundwound: Bright, punchy, and just a little gritty. You’ll feel the texture under your fingers. Most common for modern players playing rock, funk, and anything with some bite.
Flatwound: Smooth to the touch and mellow in tone. Favored by Motown disciples and jazz traditionalists. Also: negligible finger squeak.
Tapewound: Covered in a flat black (usually nylon) wrap. Dark, upright-style tone with a silky feel. Great for fretless, dub, or pretending you play upright.

Do I need different strings if I play with a pick?

Not need, but you might want to adjust. Picks bring out more attack and brightness, so if you're already playing stainless steel rounds on a maple board, you’re halfway to a chainsaw, but definitely popping out of the mix.

If you want to tame that edge, consider nickel rounds or even flats. But if you love the clank, lean in. DR Hi-Beams do the job with zero apologies.

You'll most likely also want to EQ and Compress your signal differently when playing with a pick vs fingers.

How long do bass strings last?

Depends on how much you play, how sweaty you get, and even pick vs fingers.

Rounds: 1–3 months of brightness, then they mellow (some call it dead, others call it vintage).
Flats: Last years. Some players never change them.
Tapes: Somewhere in between. Long-lasting, but not immortal.

Bonus tip: Yes, you can boil your strings. Will it work? Kinda.

How do I pick the right set?

String count: You should know how many strings there are on your instrument. But sometimes players grab a set with more for off-label use (like a using the four low strings on a five string set for a drop tuned setup).
Scale length: A "standard" bass is Long Scale.
Tension preferences: Important for your playing style and when down tuning.
Tone goals: Think about how bright (or not) you want your instrument to sound - and if you plan to play with a pick (or not).

If you've got any doubts, just ask, we're here to help.