allright DR fanboys...lets talk.

[biff malibu]

i dont like twanky sounding strings. i like em thick and full. my favorite gauge is 50-70-90-110.

they have lo-rider SS in this gauge. now, just how bright are these? ive been having a lot of hand pain from playing with the wrong strings...best i can tell, thinner/floppier strings make me over-exert in my playing and cause my hands to cramp. 97 MIA jazz bass.

[cybersnyder]

Originally Posted by biff malibu

i dont like twanky sounding strings. i like em thick and full. my favorite gauge is 50-70-90-110.

they have lo-rider SS in this gauge. now, just how bright are these? ive been having a lot of hand pain from playing with the wrong strings...best i can tell, thinner/floppier strings make me over-exert in my playing and cause my hands to cramp. 97 MIA jazz bass.

Looks like you're playing with more tension which would cause more hand pressure, but that's just my opinion.

I like lo-riders, but you really need to try them for yourself. Strings are cheap.

[Tony G]

Originally Posted by biff malibu

i dont like twanky sounding strings. i like em thick and full. my favorite gauge is 50-70-90-110.

they have lo-rider SS in this gauge. now, just how bright are these? ive been having a lot of hand pain from playing with the wrong strings...best i can tell, thinner/floppier strings make me over-exert in my playing and cause my hands to cramp. 97 MIA jazz bass.

If you don't like "twanky sounding strings", why are you even considering stainless steel strings? It seems that you would benefit more from nickel strings.

[biff malibu]

also, best i can tell, DR strings should be fine to string through the body right?

[biff malibu]

Originally Posted by Tony G

If you don't like "twanky sounding strings", why are you even considering stainless steel strings?

good question.

because the dont make nickels that are long enough to string through body in the gauges i like


ALSO, the times my hands have been hurt are when playing thin strings. 45-100 nickel rounds and 50-100 stainless flats. thats why im thinking higher tension gauges dont make me over-exert myself to get the attack out of the strings.

[paganjack]

i love the lo-riders. they start out fairly bright, but after a few weeks...mmm...a good balance. they lose some brightness, but don't sound muddy or anything for a long time.

yeah. they are my favorites so far.

i can't see why they wouldn't string through- i've been meaning to try that on my ATK anyway.

[Tony G]

Originally Posted by biff malibu

good question.

because the dont make nickels that are long enough to string through body in the gauges i like


ALSO, the times my hands have been hurt are when playing thin strings. 45-100 nickel rounds and 50-100 stainless flats. thats why im thinking higher tension gauges dont make me over-exert myself to get the attack out of the strings.

I'm pretty sure you can get nickel Lo Riders in the gauges you want, and they should string throught the body just fine. If you are having problems with your hands, I'm not really sure how higher tension strings would help. Get the neck as straight as you can, get low tension strings on there like Sunbeams or Hi Beams, and play with a light touch. IMO that would create far less stress on your hand than simply putting higher tension strings on your bass.

[biff malibu]

Originally Posted by paganjack

i love the lo-riders. they start out fairly bright, but after a few weeks...mmm...a good balance. they lose some brightness, but don't sound muddy or anything for a long time.

yeah. they are my favorites so far.

i can't see why they wouldn't string through- i've been meaning to try that on my ATK anyway.

thats another reason im into trying ss lo-riders. they settle into a sound that isnt muddy.

[biff malibu]

is the hi-beam brightness and zinginess like...un-dial-outable?

i hear guys who use hi-beams that have tone that is pretty far from what i would consider bright and zingy.

[biff malibu]

or i'd try some 50-110 hi-beams. that may be just the right tension for me. im really not into anything less than a 50 on the G.

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by Tony G

If you are having problems with your hands, I'm not really sure how higher tension strings would help. Get the neck as straight as you can, get low tension strings on there like Sunbeams or Hi Beams, and play with a light touch. IMO that would create far less stress on your hand than simply putting higher tension strings on your bass.

This is the actual solution to your problem with hand stress. If anything, heavier gauge strings will contribute to the problem - not resolve it.

If you feel that you must over-exert yourself in order to get your sound with lighter gauge strings, then I'm here to tell you that you compensate for the lighter attack with the controls on your instrument and at the amp - not by hitting the strings even harder. So discipline yourself to play with a lighter touch...and turn up at the amp. That's the formula...

MM

[Wademeister63]

I really love the hi-beams for the fact that they settle in very quickly to a tone I like and they hold that tone for a good long time. After restringing, I hold my right hand sort of floppy and just strum random crap for a few minutes to get rid of the real brand new zing and I'm good to go for at least a few months.

[biff malibu]

well i bought a set of DR ss lo-riders 45-105...raised the action a bit because i play pretty hard...and it is DIVINE!! these seem great for me...ive been playing them all afternoon.

yes i know about higher volume lighter touch...but ya see i play in a rock band...in clubs and theaters...not smooth jazz or in a church...so, ya know...and playing crazy loud sometimes isnt an option on stage without otto the soundman complaining for various reasons...

but i can see myself being a DR convert. id like to try some hi-beams in 50-110 someday. but these now are just what i was looking for. great strings. pretty easy on the hands, feel good, and sound excellent.

[John Wentzien]

Have you tried these?
http://www.webstrings.com/electric_b...stainless.html

[biff malibu]

thats cool. i may try dem. tanks.

[Lorenzini]

Seems like you're going about it backwards...

Lower tension, you can play softer without worry of hurting yourself.

Every DR string (including nickels) is made long enough to string through body on a 35" bass. This is one of the great things about the company -- you don't need special order strings to put them on any scale.

I think what you need are DR Sunbeams. They don't settle into a muddy string and have a very friendly tension. Try them!

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by biff malibu

yes i know about higher volume lighter touch...but ya see i play in a rock band...in clubs and theaters...not smooth jazz or in a church.

Nobody said anything about it being specific to some genres, but not to others. It doesn't matter what you play. It's just a good, sensible, healthy approach to playing that takes the stress off your hands and wrists and puts it on your gear - where it belongs.

Originally Posted by biff malibu

..and playing crazy loud sometimes isnt an option on stage without otto the soundman complaining for various reasons...

Nobody said anything about playing loud either. Turning up at the amp simply gives you more dynamic range. You still control volume right where you should - on the instrument itself. And to do that effectively requires you to play with a lighter touch, and to develop a more refined technique. This is just as appropriate to playing rock as to playing smooth jazz.

I think you're still a little fuzzy on the concept here. If you're determined to play heavy gauge strings and work your body rather than work your gear, then you will likely continue to suffer the consequences.

As to DR Lo-Riders, I share your enthusiasm. I installed my first set of them (medium lights - .045-.065-.080-.100) on one of my fretted basses a few weeks ago, and was delighted with how relatively warm and smooth they sound (and feel) for being stainless steel.

Same thing for the Fatbeams, which went on my fretless. After a long period of healthy skepticism (having never had such a satisfying experience with stainless steel strings before), I'm sold on DRs!

MM

[ynie92992]

Fat Beams or Lo Riders in nickel. I like LR's in SS and they aren't twanky but zingy, they are bright and aggressive but not harsh.