DR Black Beauty Extra Life Strings

Chili · #1 06-03-2008, 09:49 AM

Hey, i was looking to order some DR high beams since i've heard nothing but good things about them, but while searching for them, i came accross DR Black Beauty bass strings, does anyone know if these strings are werth the money? I'm deffinitly interested in them, but they cost £32. Can anyone who has used these strings let me know what there like plz before i spend the money.

mike phillips · #2 06-03-2008, 10:53 AM

i like my black beauties. i use them on my geddy with an audere pre. its all i use. give a listen to some geezer butler. he uses black beauties on a lakland. the black coatin stays on the strings for me. i must have a low acid content.

CrashClint · #3 06-03-2008, 11:25 AM

I use them and really like the way they sound and the way they feel. When I use Black Beauties I change my strings about every four months and they still have plenty of life. In the US I pay $29 for 4 strings set and $40 for 5 string set.

98mtd · #4 06-03-2008, 11:34 AM

They are an excellent set. Not only do they last long and sound great, but they make your bass look attractive.

Nikoubis · #5 06-03-2008, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrashClint

I use them and really like the way they sound and the way they feel. When I use Black Beauties I change my strings about every four months and they still have plenty of life. In the US I pay $29 for 4 strings set and $40 for 5 string set.

Or 55 euros here...

Just got them today and put them on my L-2500. I hadn't tried them on my G&L, only on my crappy Squier. Awesome strings.

Would'e? · #6 06-03-2008, 11:37 AM

DR makes quality products by I would avoid the Extra Life strings if you use a pick at all, it takes the coating right off the strings, or if you play any kind of music where you need some zing from your strings. The coating makes for a very mellow sound.

KrispyJones · #7 06-03-2008, 12:52 PM

love mine ! played the strings a lot (including blooding and sweating) and yesterday my "teacher" at the school of art said how great my bass plays and sounds !
(its mex jazz with a badassbrige and barts)

thomann sells them for 30€ !!!!!

Chili · #8 06-03-2008, 01:26 PM

What about these strings on a musicman stingray? i dont use a pick so thats not a problem but i do slap. The black coating does look nice aswell, i think i might splash out on a set and then try DR high beams see which i like best.
Also, the black coating wont stain the frets will it?

CrashClint · #9 06-03-2008, 02:25 PM

I do some slap as well. The only place I see where the coating has come off on my Roscoe is where the string contacts the fret. Just little small lines.

rfclef · #10 06-03-2008, 03:57 PM

do the Black Beauties come in a medium scale? The bass i would like to try them on is a short scale, but has a tune-o-matic style bridge and string through body and requires a medium scale...

KrispyJones · #11 06-05-2008, 12:17 AM

... and they sound superb slapped !!!

**funkybass4ever** · #12 06-06-2008, 03:07 PM

I have used them for about a year- several sets and I must be the most brutal acid hand man because the coating just flakes off in tiny tiny pieces that get into my pickups. The strings sound great though even when they look worn. I get a lot of compliments on them but it only takes me 2 weeks to start slowly losing the color

primitiveworker · #13 06-24-2008, 10:26 AM

I just installed my first set this morning. Out of the package my E string is missing the coating on one edge for its whole length and the A string is flaky near the pickups. Is this relatively common with these?

ga_edwards · #14 06-24-2008, 10:36 AM

Negative reponse from me I'm afraid.

Whilst the Peacock Blues looked fab, they didn't have the midrange growl I was used to from much cheaper Rotos or Warwick Black labels. They did feel nice to the touch, with lower tension but just didn't sound quite right. If you're more into your vintage bass sounds then I think they'll be great, but not for me.

The other reason I went off them is the windings are too tight at the tuner end. I have a hipshot D-tuner on the bass I used them on and in a month or so the post had cut through the windings, which then slipped along the string core, no longer keeping the tension. If you use a D-tuner I'd be wary of using strings with tight windings, hey, even exposed windings for that matter. The Roto's I've gone back to have silk wraps and are much more 'grippy'.

theory028 · #15 06-24-2008, 10:45 AM

I don't mind the Black Beauties. I don't think I'll get another set for my P bass, but I don't regret getting them. I'd consider another set after I try out some Elixirs. I've got a set of heavy gauge Elixirs that I'm waiting to put on my LTD B-4E.

GeddyFlea1974 · #16 06-24-2008, 10:45 AM

The Black Beauty strings look and sound amazing. I've used them on my StingRay, and they're excellent, especially for slap. They've got kind of a loose feel, which I like. The only problem I've had with them is that they were a pain to install... both sets I used kept slipping out of the tuning posts on random strings. I don't know if anyone else here has had that problem, though.

ga_edwards · #17 06-26-2008, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeddyFlea1974

The Black Beauty strings look and sound amazing. I've used them on my StingRay, and they're excellent, especially for slap. They've got kind of a loose feel, which I like. The only problem I've had with them is that they were a pain to install... both sets I used kept slipping out of the tuning posts on random strings. I don't know if anyone else here has had that problem, though.

I wonder if this is a similar problem to mine mentioned above where the slot in the post cuts through the windings. Or it could simply be the combination of tight windings and slippery coating doesn't offer enough grip.

I still have my damaged string, I may email DR at some point and explain the issues I had. I'm not after free replacement strings (although I wouldn't turn them down) but I believe that there is an inherent design fault that should be addressed. We can't be the only 2 people on the planet with tuning issues with these strings.

knarleybass · #18 06-26-2008, 03:07 AM

I have used the colored DR strings, Black, green and pink, they all are great strings.

moomoocajoo · #19 06-26-2008, 06:56 AM

They're nice but I don't think I'll buy another set. They look the bomb and sound pretty nice too but I dunno...expensive. Unless they last as long as everyone says in which case they're worth the dough I suppose.

Jake Morris · #20 11-06-2010, 08:43 PM

@geddyflea1974... I actually had the same problem earlier today with the dr neons. I just used a flat head screw driver to hold and put pressure on the string right by the post hole.