Fender "Studio Bass" Strings

[david fitch]

Does anybody remember Fender Studio Bass Strings ? Are these the roundwound strings that came stock on Fender Basses in the late 70's early 80's ? How did they sound ? Anything like the Super Bass Strings of today ? Nickelwounds ? Stainless Steel ?

[fretlessguy]

I am not sure (my memory gets worse as I get older) but that Brand Name my have lasted as late as the early 90s before they switched to all the names and numbers they use to designate thier strings now. I think they were nickels and are probably closest to the 7250 SuperBass strings now.
I wouldn't swear to it, and I am probably wrong. To be sure, email them (you can get thier email from thier site). It may take them a few days to get an answer back. They do not get in a hurry.

[JTE]

They had both flatwound and roundwound Studio Bass strings. They were the stock strings on all Fender basses starting around early 1983 or so. The Vintage Series basses shipped with flats while all the others shipped with rounds. I think they were nickel as they didn't have the zing and zip that new stainless strings have. I used a few sets of the rounds back in those days, and kept the flats on my VS '62 P for about six months. That was a LONG time ago, but my recollection was that they were a nice full sounding flat with a definite note in them, and quite supple. Sort of like TI, but not as low-tension.

The rounds weren't very impresssive, they died horribly fast, just like all Fender strings. The owner of the store I managed was a notorious tight-wad, but the first thing we did on most new Fenders was cut off the strings and restring. Every single Fender guitar got new string when they came, and after Fender started shipping basses with rounds in '83, he also let me restring them.

jte