Changing from Rotos to Hi Beams: What gauge?

Ezmar · #1 11-19-2012, 05:21 PM

So I use Rotosound pretty exclusively, because basically everything about them meshes with how I play. But I'm curious to try some Hi Beams, just for kicks.

So the round core gives them a wider vibration and a lower tension, correct? So if I typically love the Roto 66 40-95 set, what set of Hi Beams should I go for?

Ezmar · #2 11-20-2012, 01:08 PM

Does the round core actually lower the tension at pitch, or is it just a feel thing? If I get the same gauge in the Hi Beams as the Rotos, will it actually be looser?

hasbeen · #3 11-20-2012, 02:16 PM

a round core won't affect the tension...all things being equal (mass of the string, pitch, length etc.) As you mentioned in your second post, it affects the "feel".

This is because the string (again, depending on other construction concerns) will have more side to side flexibility.

Many, many bassists talk about string tension when they are really referring to flexibility.

hasbeen · #4 11-20-2012, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ezmar

Does the round core actually lower the tension at pitch, or is it just a feel thing? If I get the same gauge in the Hi Beams as the Rotos, will it actually be looser?

yes. If you get the same gauge as the Roto's, the string will feel looser.

Waaaaaaaayyyyyyyy back in the day, I was a Boomer player when I played professionaly. I played .040-.095. When I switched to Sunbeams, I went up to .045-.105.

I hope this helps.

Ezmar · #5 11-20-2012, 04:07 PM

So if I like the sound and feel of the thinner strings, and I don't particularly like the heavier strings, would I be mostly all right with the 45-100 gauge? I'm not sure I want a .105 E string, even if it feels looser.

I probably won't continue to use the Hi Beams, since the Rotosounds are pretty much perfect for me, but I figure I'll give them a shot. Who knows?

joelb79 · #6 11-20-2012, 04:33 PM

I've played a lot of DR sets and my old standard is still the RS66LD set, The 105-80-65-45 set of Rotos. I would say that set seems pretty interchangeable with the 45-105 Hi Beam set. I have both here, and I can swap back and forth without having to adjust the truss. But the comments about a looser feel are applicable, the Roto's have slightly more stiffness and bounce than DR's. I would start with the 40-100 set on Hibeams if you like the looser Roto 95 E, just judging from the feel difference from the 105 roto to the 105 dr.

I also really liked mixing it up, the best feeling Hi-Beam set is 45-60-80-100. Very balanced. More Rotosound like in feel to me. Roto puts an emphasis on the G string. DR G strings feel very loose, so the 45 added much to the 40-100 set.

Hope this helps.

Caca de Kick · #7 11-20-2012, 04:54 PM

Doesn't hurt to try a set. They do make them in 40-95 too.
I received a bass that had a new set of 95's included in the case, but I never use that gauge so I threw them under my workbench.
Then one day I tried em on a bass, and I thought they were pretty cool...kinda seemed like a slappers delight.

joelb79 · #8 11-20-2012, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelb79

DR G strings feel very loose...

So

Joke time.. If your gonna gain weight, the looser fitting G string might be the choice in undergarments.

Ezmar · #9 11-20-2012, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

Doesn't hurt to try a set.

But it DOES. It hurts exactly the price of the strings. :P Being a student and all.

But if the 40-95 set of Rotos falls exactly in my sweet spot, in terms of string size, would you place more importance on the gauge or the tension? I know it comes down to personal preference, but I don't want to get the heavier gauge and feel like I'd have been better off getting the same gauge after all.

joelb79 · #10 11-20-2012, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ezmar

But it DOES. It hurts exactly the price of the strings. :P Being a student and all.

But if the 40-95 set of Rotos falls exactly in my sweet spot, in terms of string size, would you place more importance on the gauge or the tension? I know it comes down to personal preference, but I don't want to get the heavier gauge and feel like I'd have been better off getting the same gauge after all.

I would think the 100 E string would feel exactly like your 95 in terms of size. .05 is pretty thin. But the DR might be a chewier feeling string, and certainly the round core allows it to ring more.

DR's make my bass vibrate like a mother. It seems like the bass just runs through the wood like an earthquake. The Roto's have a different ring to them where you tend to hear every harmonic ring through the wood.

Rotos also have a heap more mids in their tone. The way they ring out has a big influence on this.