I'm going to try a set of Lo Riders. Traditionally I always have used Nickel strings. I always found SS to bright and noisey. I did try some Fat Beams and found them lacking the tension I like, although they were all right, I took them off and went back to my Sunbeams I've been using for years. On a another recent post one TBr stated that DR told him that Sunbeams have the least tension of all there line. I found the Fats to be less tension. Lately I'm finding the Sunbeams not to cut through and I'm wondering when I try the Lo Riders if I should get the SS or Nickel.

I am finding DRs in general can fluctuate in a few areas. Out of the box tone and tension. I do like the TI Power Bass on my jazz but still want to try the Lo Riders on my Lakland 4-94 before I give up on DRs.

i've used D'Addario XL's 45-105 for years, and i'm used to the higher tension they give. i would say that the lo riders from dr compare to the tension of the xl's. the dr lo rider nickels sound great. the stainless steel version does have more of that string noise thing you mentioned, but they sound quite good as well.

SS is good if you need to cut through, i just dislike the way it feels. plus i think it's a little harder on your frets.

I use the SS Lo-Riders and find that they cut through nicely. They are a bit noisy, but the trade-off is worth it. They seem to be quite consitent from pack to pack, too.

I've used DRs off and on for quite a few years. When I practice alone the like the Nickels better..warmer and not as noisy. But in the band mix the SSs cut through MUCH better and the warmth and noise become a non-issue.

Do the nickel Lo Riders wear out any quicker than the SS? That's my big concern.

If "wear out" includes the string losing it's sizzle on the high end then I quess nickels do wear out faster than SS. But that's because they start out with less sizzle in the first place and wear down from there.In fact, to me, the SS sound at their best after a couple of weeks when a little of that sizzle has worn off but the string still has more cut-through punch than nickel.

I've used both nickel and SS low riders on the same bass. There is very little difference between them IMO. The SS are a little brighter, that's all.

I absolutely love the nickels, and i loved the sound (at first) of the SS's but that went away in like 3 days cause I sweat so much. The biggest reason I wont buy them again is that they ate the crap out of my frets.

Stainless. The difference when I went from nickel to stainless was amazing.

I have used both the SS Lo Riders and Hi Beams for 5 years or so, and I somewhat prefer the Hi Beams. They seem to have a bit better focus, and actually my lows seemed tighter with the Hi Beams. I switched from nickel to SS around 1991, and have never looked back. I fnd that I can get that more subdued tone of nickels through eq'ing, while trying to add the SS zing to nickel with an eq is a recipe for disaster, IMHO. I did flirt briefly with D'Addario SS Half-Rounds, though. For the right style of music, they are great. However, I could only get the tone I wanted out of their heaviest guage strings, and it definitely increased playing effort.

Tom.

Originally posted by CS Bass
I absolutely love the nickels, and i loved the sound (at first) of the SS's but that went away in like 3 days cause I sweat so much. The biggest reason I wont buy them again is that they ate the crap out of my frets.

Amen brother! Those things should come with a warning label!

I've been using DR Hi Beams and Fat Beams for years on my SR5 and my frets a fine





























What? No really they're fine

You've been using the stainless steel Dr's? You must have a really light touch.

I have the saem thing. Stingray 5 with Hi-beams. I don't notice any fretware, and if there was any, the difference is so great I wouldn't go back to nickel. Stingrays dont' sound like stingrays with nickel.

In my 8 years of using DR's I have never seen any premature fretwear on any of my basses. Actually, DR's are considered compression-wound strings, which "should" lower(not end)the risk of fret eating. Dean Markley's SR2000's also have very tight wraps, as well as Fodera strings,and Zon strings. But, no matter how you slice it(no pun intended)you can't avoid "some" kind of wear.
I love nickel-plated Low-Riders. Especially on composite-necked basses.

Speaking of SR2000's, has anyone compared them to DR Lo Riders? How about to Dean Markley's Blue Steels. I used to love Blue Steels, but after several batches with bad strings (either buzzed right out of the box, or broke very early on), I switched to DR's.

Tom.

SR2000's are terrific strings. They last a long time. For me anyway. And they have a very smooth feel. The Low-Riders and DR's in general, have a sort of "toothy" feel to them which I happen to like alot. A very tactile feel. The tone on both are great but it's subjective. It all comes down to trying them and see which ones you like. I always came back to DR's though.
We've all experimented with different, instuments,strings,amps etc. But if you notice you will always seem to come back to something, almost like coming home,'cause it just feels right.

I do like the tactile feel of the DR's. As I recall, the Blue Steels had a similar feel to them. That's why I was wondering if the SR2000's were fairly similar to the Blue Steels or if they were a different breed entirely. It sounds like you are saying that they have a more smooth feel (and tone) than the Blue Steels probably do. Actually, I found the Blue Steels and the Hi Beams to be fairly similar. The Blue Steels had a bit more zing initially, but seemed to loose it pretty quickly, so that after a few months, they sounded a lot like Hi Beams. As I recall, the Blue Steels had a bit more "grab" to the strings, which might explain why I was breaking more of them.

Tom.

I just got 2 sets of Nickel Lowriders and I'll let you know how I like them when they go on...

I have a set of Marcus Miller Stainless on my Stingray and they are lasting forever.

Yes,for me the Blue Steels "feel" more like the DR's than the SR2000's. The 2000's feel smoother and more even under your fingers. While the DR's just seem to have that grip to them under your fingers. But on my basses the 2000's sounded closer to the Hi-Beams. Go figure. The cool thing about DR's that I like is that they have a bit of a "gritty","dirty" edge to the sound. But you gotta remember this is all subjective. Others will think the DR's are smoother, sound different and visa versa.

Here's my observations of the following strings with this setup:

Fender P and J basses
Ampeg SVT w/ 810 cab
Medium action
1/2 step flat tuning

1. Dean Markley Blue Steel Stainless Medium Light Gauge. Very abrasive feeling with a medium tension for the given gauge. Strong lows and potent highs that get dull fairly quickly. Shy midrange sounds. Seemed to respond to pick playing better than fingerstyle.
2. Dean Markley SR2000 Stainless Will Lee Gauge. Not as abrasive feeling as the Blue Steels but with the Will Lee gauge the tension was tighter. A great feeling string with a strong sounding bottom and agressive midrange. Piano string ring all the way....but, due to the taperwound construction of the E, A, and D strings I could not get a decent intonation on any of my Fender basses. I know that most of you feel the opposite is true but to me taperwounds or exposed core designs always sound off. Otherwise, these strings would be awesome for clear, articulate fingerstyle playing.
3. DR Hi-Beams Stainless Medium Gauge. These strings are the least abrasive stainless roundwound I've ever tried. I would consider the tension of this set low, probably due to the round core construction. These strings have a shy bottom, average mids, and a bright top. I like the feel of these but the low tension doesn't gel with my playing style.
4. DR Lo-Riders Stainless Medium Gauge. Slightly more coarse than the Hi-Beams but not as much as the Dean Markleys, these strings have a higher tension (which I like) than most other roundwounds of similar gauges. Low end power and punch with a stainless steel top end. Balanced midrange. I find these to be the best strings for my basses. Of the 4 types mentioned, these are the most balanced in sound and feel. Pick and fingerstyle work great.

On a final note, I honestly don't see any comparison between the Dean Markleys or the DRs. The DRs have a smaller wrap wire which makes them have less grab or friction. This long post probably adds to the confusion because it really is up to the individual to decide what is the right string set for them.

Originally posted by Funkster
I just got 2 sets of Nickel Lowriders and I'll let you know how I like them when they go on...

I have a set of Marcus Miller Stainless on my Stingray and they are lasting forever.

Yes, Please let me know of your experience.
thanks Funkster and to all that posted.

i used the lo riders once..ss to hard and too much tension
i have elixir just now
but look forward to the sunbeams...i like flexibility in the strings
ps this means also i dont get on with TI powerbass but prefer the jazz flats or rounds
i read this with interest thanks

nickel. i wouldnt play anything else.

For the string to get worn down, like frets. I think my low-riders are actually worn down from almost constant play. Is it possible?

Sorry to revive this fairly old thread, but...

Could anybody do a comparison between Slowounds and Nickle Lo-riders? And Perhaps Sunbeams as well.



...and Funkster, let us know what you thought about the lo-riders.

Fanx a wot




Oh, theshaz92 - Yes it's possible for a string to wear out. In fact they will for sure wear out at some point. Intonation can go off, and they loose some of their harmonic content, and of course the high end of the sound. First sign of wear is when you can see marks from the frets on the string. But if you like how they sound now, just keep them on.

Originally posted by Funkster
I just got 2 sets of Nickel Lowriders and I'll let you know how I like them when they go on...

I have a set of Marcus Miller Stainless on my Stingray and they are lasting forever.

funkster, were are you?