DR disappointment

[Koki]

I bought sunbeams... Maybe the best sound and feel ever. Liked the roundcore. Really great strings BUT DR supposed to be long life strings..
They went DEAD after few days (2 to 4 days) and the G string broke after 2 weeks or so...
I'm going back to d'addario now although I would like to try lo-riders or lo-rider nickels

[NKUSigEp]

Might have been just that pack in particular or whatever else but I always get at least 2-3 months out of my hi-beams.

[nad]

My first set of DRs died within a couple of days, and I avoided them for years.

I tried them out again and haven't looked back since. Sunbeams last me about a month with lots of playing, and even then they still sound pretty good.

[fatsobasso]

I have been using daddario for years,nickels,just tried dr nickel sunbeams and have to say i love them.Much softer feel then daddario,better tone,not alot of really high side sound,more subtle and bassy,but the feel is great soft and flexible,daddarios were more tension and not as soft.

[Tony G]

There are a lot of factors in how long strings can last, including humidity, how much dead skin and oil your fingers deposit on the strings at any given time, etc. It is impossible to say that the same two packs of strings will last exactly the same amount of time. I have used DR and many other brands of strings over the years, and I have found they are, for the vast majority of sets I've had, some of the longest lasting strings out there.

If you like a slightly brighter sound from your strings, I suggest getting DR Hi-beams. They seem a bit bright at first, but they break in nice, and almost have a "fresh from the package Sunbeams" kind of sound to them once they do. I find that nickle strings mellow out to quickly for my tastes. Maybe this is the case for you as well?

[fatsobasso]

Originally Posted by xgabriele

There are a lot of factors in how long strings can last, including humidity, how much dead skin and oil your fingers deposit on the strings at any given time, etc. It is impossible to say that the same two packs of strings will last exactly the same amount of time. I have used DR and many other brands of strings over the years, and I have found they are, for the vast majority of sets I've had, some of the longest lasting strings out there.

If you like a slightly brighter sound from your strings, I suggest getting DR Hi-beams. They seem a bit bright at first, but they break in nice, and almost have a "fresh from the package Sunbeams" kind of sound to them once they do. I find that nickle strings mellow out to quickly for my tastes. Maybe this is the case for you as well?

True,nickel does mellow out quick,how is the softness on high beams and tension?

[alexofc69]

Originally Posted by xgabriele

There are a lot of factors in how long strings can last, including humidity, how much dead skin and oil your fingers deposit on the strings at any given time, etc. It is impossible to say that the same two packs of strings will last exactly the same amount of time. I have used DR and many other brands of strings over the years, and I have found they are, for the vast majority of sets I've had, some of the longest lasting strings out there.

If you like a slightly brighter sound from your strings, I suggest getting DR Hi-beams. They seem a bit bright at first, but they break in nice, and almost have a "fresh from the package Sunbeams" kind of sound to them once they do. I find that nickle strings mellow out to quickly for my tastes. Maybe this is the case for you as well?

I us DR Hi_Beams-yes, they are really brite. They last about 3 months. Longer if I use the DR Stringlife. Also, If you dont make sure you crimp the string end on the round cores they will go dead quickly. make sure you follow the directions in the package.
http://store.drstringsgear.com/stringlife.html

[Tony G]

Originally Posted by fatsobasso

True,nickel does mellow out quick,how is the softness on high beams and tension?

They are some of the softest and lowest tension steel strings I've ever used. They are a touch rougher than nickle of course, but not bad at all. They are currently my favorite string.

[Tony G]

Originally Posted by alexofc69

Also, If you dont make sure you crimp the string end on the round cores they will go dead quickly. make sure you follow the directions in the package.

I was not under the impression that crimping strings had any thing to do with the life of the string. The way I understood it was that you should bend (crimp) the top of the string before you cut it to size simply so that it is less likely it would come unwound from the core.

[CrashClint]

I know customer service is top notch at DR. I use Black Beauties and love them. I have to give credit to Gard at Roscoe Guitars, he turned me onto these strings. I had a "B" string break down by the bridge. I went to all the local Guitar Stores to see if anyone had or could get me a Black Beauty "B". No one could, so I contacted DR and told them what happened, within 10 days I had a complete new 5 string set sent to my house at no charge.

I recommed following the instructions on crimping the string as well, any shift on the core can cause the strings to sound dead. The BBs on my Jazz have been on for 6 months, granted I do not play it much, but they still sound great. The BBs on my Roscoe 6 are 3 months old and still sound great, this is my main gigging bass and of course the BBs on my Roscoe 5 have been on less than a month.

Remeber, if you have to order strings, The Perfect Bass gives a discount at check-out if you type in Talk Bass in the discount code area, depending on the string it could save you about $5.

[Tony G]

CrashClint, I too have tried a few sets of the Black Beauties, but have overall decided they weren't for me. I feel the don't retain the same characteristics of the Hi-Beams as they age. I love the feel of the coated strings, but after a while, they start mellowing out too much for me, similar to my experience with nickel strings. I always crimp the strings before I cut and install them, but I have always found the Hi-Beams to last longer in my hands than the Black Beauties.

[hunta]

I was enjoying the hi-beams on my fretless jazz for about 2 weeks before I broke the D string, and then the A string about a day later. They sounded pretty nice but I was bummed they broke so fast. I tried to get a replacement set but the local shop just had lo-riders and sunbeams, so I'm giving the lo-riders a whirl. So far I'm liking them alright, they're a little different but it's all good with DR.

[Koki]

well it looks like I'm gonna have to try another set... Here is the thing.. I like less flexible strings (like d'addario) so maybe I should try lo-riders or nickel lo riders? (hex cores)

Also I had to adjust the intonation after putting sunbeams on... And again when I put my old d'addario prosteels on.

[Tony G]

yes, the Lo-riders are wound on a hex core and will have a higher tension than the Hi-Beams and Sunbeams which are wound on a round core.

[alexofc69]

Originally Posted by xgabriele

I was not under the impression that crimping strings had any thing to do with the life of the string. The way I understood it was that you should bend (crimp) the top of the string before you cut it to size simply so that it is less likely it would come unwound from the core.

Thats correct. Thats why I said follow the directions on the package.

[Tony G]

Originally Posted by alexofc69

Thats correct. Thats why I said follow the directions on the package.

Right, but I thought you meant that you do that so they don't die too quickly. I didn't realize there was a correlation between not crimping before cutting, the windings moving on the core, and the string dying off quicker.

[myosin]

Ive used both Sunbeams and Black Beauties. The sunbeams lasted at least three months before I changed them out for Black Beauties and I did so to try new strings not because they died on me. I still have the Black Beauties on after several months and play alot of pop and slap style. My hands arent very oily thogh and are usually clean.