What strings do you use

[Joel B]

Gard, life is good

Living in a castle isn't all that it's cracked up to be. These things are drafty!!

I also sent you an email to you aol account, then remembered that you said to use the other one. Sorry bout that.

It was just regarding the centerpiece of the Joel B coat of arms that you are making.

I find myself getting alone in one of these drafty old rooms, and screaming " AARRGHHH HEHEHEHE YES ARRRGHHH!!"

Two or three times a day now, oh the anticipation. I hate to love it, and I love to hate it.

How does it look? I can hardly wait.

[Eggman]

I like the strings that came on the LG3005. My first experience with nickel and I think they sound great. I'd like to try the DRs - lots of you guys use them and I don't think I have seen anyone say they don't like them.

[jzucker]

I don't think there are too many string manufacturers in the US so it's likely that D'Addario or some other manufacturer is making your strings anyway. D'Addario sound great and are reasonably priced. I don't see the need to go with anything else.

[bkirk]

I'm using the TI Superalloy full nickel on my SKB3005 fretless right now and like them the best so far. They're a .045, .065, .080, .105, .125 set.

[fodera of doom]

dude i use d'addario XL. and they sound guuuuuuuuuud.

[Bassmanbob]

Update on my strings: I purchased DR Black Beauties for my fretless about three months ago. I put them on about two weeks ago, and I don't like them. I find them to be too midrange dominant. I loved the tone of my bass with the D'Addario XLs, so I'm going back to that.

The bass does look real cool with the black diamondwood fingerboard and black strings, but the sound is why we play.

[JOME77]

Originally Posted by Joel B

I have used just about every brand of string on the market, and the ones mentioned above are all good.

The most amazing string that I have used is the Diadarrio Slow wounds.

They just have a transparent depth to them that none of the others have.

Bright, yet the lows are like a dark cognac on a blustery, rainy night, as you sit by the giant fireplace in your smoking jacket, a hound at your feet, in your castle.

Or something like that. You should try them.

Joel,
I used the D'addario Slow Wounds for several years. Unfortunately, they discontinued them a couple years ago. I went as far as to e-mail D'addario and actually had a guy whose last name was "D'addario" call me up to explain why they discontinued them. Reason for being discontinued: they make lot's of different strings, they make some very similar, SW's are expensive to make, they didn't sell ton's of them. Bottom line: it's all about making $$$'s. (of course it has to be about making $$$)

I do really like the Roscoe custom gauged D'addario's though. Much cheaper and great mid tone.
I also love sound of the DR Black Beauties. They do have a great deal of mids but man do they cut through the mix!
However, I'm not crazy about the tacky feel that they have (compare to the D'addario nickle) or how much they cost!

[tbone0813]

I just strung mine with Smith Bass Burners yesterday (.035-.130) nickel plated steel. These string are amazing. Not too bright, but with the right amount of zing. I will probably use these from now.

[Bigoo7e]

Originally Posted by Gard

Actually, here are the guages we use (for 6 string, omit strings as appropriate for 5 and 4 strings):

.032 .045 .065 .085 .100 .125

They are indeed D'Addario XL nickel wound strings, however, I am a master of little (it has been suggested I may be one at baiting, but I haven't been fishing in years.... )

Question... are the strings that "Roscoe" gets from D'Addario are they bulk sets because they are not he colored ball end kinds you get in the packages when you buy them in guitar shops? Reason I am asking because when I went down to TPB the guys there told me that thats what they where strung with and the ball ends where not colored like every other set of D'Addario strings I have came across. Am I just totally trippen or is James and the guys at TPB swappen strings out on the Roscoe's?

Peace,

[Gard]

Originally Posted by Bigoo7e

Question... are the strings that "Roscoe" gets from D'Addario are they bulk sets because they are not he colored ball end kinds you get in the packages when you buy them in guitar shops? Reason I am asking because when I went down to TPB the guys there told me that thats what they where strung with and the ball ends where not colored like every other set of D'Addario strings I have came across. Am I just totally trippen or is James and the guys at TPB swappen strings out on the Roscoe's?

Peace,

James told you right, we use bulk strings (order like 100 of each gauge), so the ball ends are not colored, they're just plain brass.

[Bigoo7e]

Originally Posted by Gard

James told you right, we use bulk strings (order like 100 of each gauge), so the ball ends are not colored, they're just plain brass.

I bet you get those a uber duber low prices at those prices... Less than a $1 a string... you don't have to give an exact about just be like Bob off "The Price Is Right" higher or lower!

Peace,

[Bassmanbob]

Originally Posted by JOME77

Joel,
I went as far as to e-mail D'addario and actually had a guy whose last name was "D'addario" call me up to explain why they discontinued them.

I actually met old man D'Addario around 1992 or 1993. It was during the time I wasn't playing. I had to go to their house in Long Island. I knew the D'Addario name was familiar to me, but I couldn't place it. Then when I was there, I started talking to either his wife or daughter (I can't remember which) and realized why I should have known the D'Addario name. She told me they started out making strings for double bass.

The house was gorgeous.

[gkbass13]

i was a d'addario guy, now i use DR fatbeams on my fretted basses and la'bella flats on my fretless.

[DADDYBASS1]

DR "Long Neck" seem to set my SKB 3006 OFF!! Stainless steel "tapered" works for me me. 30, 45, 65, 85, 105, 125

[Bassmanbob]

I was reading through this thread again. I haven't removed the Black Beauties yet, but a lot of you guys like the DR Fat Beams or the Low Beams. How do they sound compared to the DR Black Beauties? The Black Beauties are just a little too midrange dominant for me.

[maurilio]

Let's keep this thread alive!

What's the difference (how would you describe), soundwise, between D'Addario XL vs. DR Low Rider SS?

M

[Joel B]

Let me preface this by saying that I have not used DR Lo Riders for several years, BUUUTTTTT...

I used them exclusively for a couple of years, and this is my opinion.

They had a very nice low mid roundness, and some growl, but when the lows were allowed to resonate, they became a bit muddy. The highs were also, umm... is crisply muddled a term?

I liked them, but there seemed to be a short season that they sounded "Great", but it took a couple of weeks to get there for me, and it faded quickly to " Okay" with a lot of string " Yak" for me. I suppose finger ease would have helped rid the "yak" (my word for calloused fingers sliding over strings and making secondary harmonics), and they may have a different effect on my new bass as well.

The D'addario XL strings seem to have the ability to give very clear lows, puncy/growly mids, and clean/bright but not brittle highs.

I also preffer nickle strings for their inherent ability to reduce string noise.

They seem to last quite a while, and they don't break the bank.

I have used most of the string brands on the market at some time or another, and I always seem to go back to the D'addario strings.

There was a company several years back that made a pretty good string, called snarling dog, but I haven't heard much from them since I moved to Cali.

I am always open to suggestions on strings though. I prefer a high tension string and .45 to .130 or .135 on the B string.

[Jeff Moote]

I really like the DR Lo-Rider Nickels I was using. Light gauge (40 - 120)

I'll try the D'addario strings that will come on my new Roscoe next year, and make my decision then which I like better.

[Diego]

I installed some Black Beauties in my Roscoe and truly love them, very sweet and mid-range-y. I don't believe they will be your cup of tea if your looking for sizzling highs and huge bottom, but for solo and chordal work, they rock IMHO.

[Basso Gruvitas]

DR Stainless on the Roscoe = Cool growl, bright, aggressive tone. Harder on the hands and the frets

D'Addario Nickel on the Roscoe = Smooth, slightly compressed tone. Animate but not aggressive tone. Less string noise and a more controlled vibration. Easier on the hands and the frets. Less $