Brightest Strings?

[Grizzly700]

I am looking for the brightest set of roundwounds possible, any suggestions? I would like to spend less than $30.

EDIT: Don't confuse bright with tinny, I still want as full of sound as possible.

[pedalguy1]

I like Roto swing 66. I havent really played too many strings, but they seem to die quickly.

[Sundogue]

If you want the brightest roundwounds, you have to get stainless steel rounds (pick any brand).

Nickel roundwounds will be mellower no matter how new.

Keep in mind that if you play/practice a lot, even if you wipe your strings down after each session, you are going to lose that initial brightness fairly quickly...like in a week or two. It's possible that you could keep a fairly bright sound for up to a month, but that new zingy, super bright sound only comes from brand new stainless steel rounds that are changed often.

Back when I played full time on the road (5 to 6 gigs a week) I never went more than a week without changing strings (and often would change them sooner than that). Gets expensive but if that's what you do for a living it's just part of the cost of doing business.

If you want a fairly (but not super) bright string that keeps it's brightness the longest, I'd say get DR Sunbeams. They are nickel rounds, and while not the brightest, as bright as they are they will stay that way for a very long time.

No getting around it though and lots of string cleaning threads confirm it...if you want super bright rounds you have to use stainless steel and change them often.

[4-string]

DR Hi Beams, D'Addario Pro Steels, Elites steels.

Both Hi Beams and Elites have a long life IME, the Pro Steels not so much.

[lug]

I 2nd the D'Addario Pro Steels.

[Stickk]

DR Fat Beams.

[HogieWan]

Elixirs are very bright. They will cost a little over $30, but they'll stay brighter longer than any two sets

[chunkstyle]

D'ad Pro Steels and whatever that super abrasive grindy Rotosound set.

[mikezimmerman]

MTD stainless are pretty bright.

Mike

[dhomer]

GHS Super Steels

[UnderTone]

Originally Posted by HogieWan

Elixirs are very bright. They will cost a little over $30, but they'll stay brighter longer than any two sets

+1

i have a set on my sr506 and they are almost too bright for my tastes. next ones that i want to put on are dr black beauties, which are just slightly duller in comparison.

[tom5string]

Fodera Diamond Steels - the hardest and brightest I have played so far.
Also, D'addario Pro Steels - which I personally find too rough for the fingers (be a man, play them ;-)).

[KJung]

Originally Posted by Grizzly700

I am looking for the brightest set of roundwounds possible, any suggestions? I would like to spend less than $30.

EDIT: Don't confuse bright with tinny, I still want as full of sound as possible.

The term 'bright' means different things to different players. If by 'bright', you mean a lot of upper treble (i.e., the Marcus Miller type tone), I find the Hi Beams at the top of the heap for that tone. They have plenty of low end and mid presence, but not a lot of upper mid grind, which allows that upper treble sizzle to really come through.

On the other hand, if by 'bright' you mean a very present upper mid grind (like the presence control on the GK amps, for example), then the Sadowsky Blue Label stainless steel strings, and also the Lakland Stainless steel strings, to my ear, have the best sort of 'Flea tone' type upper mid/lower treble grind.

Both the Hi Beams and Sadowsky Blue's last a LONG time also... bonus!

IMO and IME.

[Thundar]

Dean Markley SR2000's...beautiful string, and they last

[uptowndirt]

i was on the same search and after many dollars spent and many strings in the spare box
i go with dr black beauties ......many think it has to do with the color but they are steel coated strings that last long.....they sound just as good on my alembic, warwick, p-bass and j-bass .......... the only real way is to try half a dozen brands and make up your own mind ..... the sound you want is in your head ...not somewhere else.

[otis_thick]

Not for everybody

Ken Smith Slap Masters 30-50-70-90 Stainless Steel
Rotosound Funkmasters 30-50-70-90 Stainless Steel
GHS 30-50-70-90 Stainless Steel

Great for harmonics, ease of speed, bending and lets you use lite touch
They will also sound fatter than you think... All depends on attack, setup and EQ
I get full range from very low to zingy tone.

[Makatak]

IMO the key to " bright " strings is to keep them clean , dont squaff down a cheeseburger and chips and then go play bass for an hour , wash hands first , wipe strings before and after with a lint free cloth and IPA ....common sense . You can triple the brightness length with some good housekeeping .

[otis_thick]

Originally Posted by Makatak

IMO the key to " bright " strings is to keep them clean , dont squaff down a cheeseburger and chips and then go play bass for an hour , wash hands first , wipe strings before and after with a lint free cloth and IPA ....common sense . You can triple the brightness length with some good housekeeping .

++I use hand sanitizer to dry them before playing. I am not above boiling either due to multiple basses....and I don't want to blow a new set just for jamming and rehearsals between shows.

[spellcaster]

I've been after a string with a nice growl. Just put on the Sadowsky Nickel Blues with excellent results. May try the steels as well.

[sbassface]

I vote for DR Hi-Beams, way brighter than I would have liked, to each their own.