Calling all MetalHeads! What type of strings do you use?

HeavyFingers · #1 05-12-2006, 11:36 AM

Greetings!

I have recently changed my genre style back to metal (back to my roots

!) after about a year long stint in a kinda jammy/pop/rock band. I finally got fed up with the guitarist thinking that he "owned the band" b/c of his position (big surprise, right? heh) and left....along with the drummer

.

Anyway, I've been playing with Ernie Ball Regular Nickle Roundwound's (its nickle wound over steel) on my Spector DLX 4-string. The strings have been pretty good so far for that "happy music sound" ie. good high mids and regular mids but when I dig down for that low E-vil...well, I get an E but not as dark or clear sounding as I would like. That being said, any suggestions out there? I have been thinking of getting a pair of DR Lo-Riders (nickle) due to all of the talk about them and would also not be too apposed to trying out a SS pair as I have yet to play on a set of those...

So MetalHeads, what strings have you guys been using to bring out the best of your E-vil?

anonymous278347457 · #2 05-12-2006, 12:17 PM

I play metal, but i havent got around to getting new strings for a while

but im guessing wider guage ones will produce a darker sound

metalguy2 · #3 05-12-2006, 12:48 PM

Yo wassup dawg! The most evil tones I have achieved have been through as follows!!!

Stainless Steel Strings
and Ground Rounds

The stainless steel strings were always ominous sounding in the newest stage where they were fresh!
The ground rounds I have just started using. They sound.. ala Dillinger Escape Plan? When they were new they sounded more Steve Harris. Hope I was a help

bassfacekevin · #4 05-12-2006, 12:58 PM

Well, I am rather partial to D'addario Xl's, they sound great, stay fresh, and get a really cutting tone

MaskedJackal · #5 05-12-2006, 02:04 PM

I've found I like medium-gauge strings for my tone better than thicker gauge.

darthplagis · #6 05-12-2006, 02:16 PM

yeah go with roundwound stainless for that brooding e string tone or flats of any metal for that darker steve harris thump (try the signatures for some serious neck bending strings). also your amp/bass eq plays an equal part as the srtings too

tplyons · #7 05-12-2006, 03:01 PM

Back in my metal days, I was using LaBella Hard Rockin' Steels 45-105 and loved 'em!

Giel · #8 05-12-2006, 03:38 PM

DR High-Beams

JanusZarate · #9 05-12-2006, 04:32 PM

Haven't tried Hi-Beams, but I give a +1 to DR Lo-Riders!

They're currently my string of choice. A bit stiffer than your usual strings, but great deep tone.

HeavyFingers · #10 05-12-2006, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darthplagis

yeah go with roundwound stainless for that brooding e string tone or flats of any metal for that darker steve harris thump (try the signatures for some serious neck bending strings). also your amp/bass eq plays an equal part as the srtings too

My gear is as follows, for those interested:
Spector Rebop DLX 4 string
SWR T.O.P. (Tower of Power Model) that kicks ass at 750watts @ 4ohms - my eq, right now, is the standard "double arch" albiet nothing is really turned up more than 1/4 of the way
Zoom B2 pedal for some cheap reverb, a little extra eq'ing and various effects
and....the cab that I started with (and I'am now waiting for it to blow-up so I can replace it with an Avatar)...a Behringer BB410 cab

Anyone have any advice as to how I might get rid of that and maybe get a little cash back?

Back to the Strings:
Seems like the overall concensus is that Round Wound Steels are the way to go for metal. Now that we got that much out of the way does anyone have an opinion on the guage of the strings? Would going heavy on a set of strings, say for instance, the DR Lo-Riders be tone overkill (not really trying to make mud here)? In my experience I've only played on regular guage strings, so I'm all ears in this department.

A few more questions:
MysticBoo, do you play on the Nickle or Steel DR Lo-Riders?
MetalGuy2 mentioned playing on GroundWounds - I've read up on these but have yet to find a company that sells em (looked around, but not too hard). Seems like they would be nice to reduce some noise from finger transitions and save my tips a bit more as well. Does anyone else have any experience with these?

Oh, and thanks for all of the feedback I've recieved so far!

christle · #11 05-13-2006, 12:04 AM

I used to use DR Lo Riders or D'Addario Chromes (flats) with great success. Back then I used to use a Precision or a Jazz so those strings really worked well for those basses.

steve21 · #12 05-13-2006, 12:45 AM

Dean Markley Blue Steel 50-105 or DR Hi-Beam 50-105 is my preferred strings.

And D'Addario XL Roundwound 6 strings.

Keeaumoku · #13 05-13-2006, 02:05 AM

Back in my HEAVY metal days, I used only Rotosounds... but they abused my frets to the point where I eventually had to have a fret job... prematurely IMO... and this was on a Ric 4001...

...then along came GHS SS roundwounds, and I never went back to Rotosounds...

...now, for the last year or so, I've been using DR Hi-Beams on my 4-string, and DR Fat-Beams on my 5-string... and I'm very satisfied with these, thus far.

I've always felt that metal required SS roundwounds... and they gotta be changed at least every 2 - 3 months... Both types of DRs have thus far given me my maximum time-frame of 3 months on a consistent basis...

Fathand · #14 05-13-2006, 02:48 AM

Currently GHS Bass Boomers, .45-.105.

Used some Warwick cheapos (red label) before, but I ain't going back to those.

jamesblue · #15 05-14-2006, 03:24 PM

My bass' are passive:

Boomers are good, but don't last long.
DR FatBeams for a growly and slighlty scooped sound, less thumpy bottm.
DA Chromes for old style thump, growl and cutting through, these are my main strings now (not sure what they sound like on an active bass).

Daytona955i · #16 05-14-2006, 03:50 PM

Does your spector have passive EMGs?

I use a 5 string DR Hi-Beams pack (125-45) on my 4 string, dropping the smallest string, on my ESP, and it pounds.

Nyarlathotep · #17 05-14-2006, 06:28 PM

I use D'Addario EXL 160-5s on a 4 string passive (P-Style PU), dropping the high string. When I run it into my ParaDriver set to SVT (from the manual), with the drive a little higher, I get the Coal Chamber type bass tone. Really deep and rumbly

invisiman · #18 05-14-2006, 06:30 PM

I use DR Bootzilla'z on my Spector. They sound great.

mister fister · #19 05-14-2006, 06:32 PM

elixirs..

JKwo · #20 05-14-2006, 11:18 PM

Well, DR lowriders have the most ominous, growliest bottom end of any string I've tried. At first, they're a little too bright, but after about a week, they settle in, so they still have the cutting steel sound, but they gain some more midrange warmth (i think it's actually just a perceived difference due to tamed treble), either way, the low-end growl has the clarity of the steel, but it has a bassy presence, as well. It's outrageously tight, punchy, thick, with a strong fundamental.. and all the rest of the sound of the strings have that powerful, punchy Steve Harris quality.. just perfect strings for your purposes.