Got some D'Addario Pro Steels

Plain Old Me · #1 12-13-2005, 01:33 AM

I went to GC, and since they were out of DRs, I asked what the guy recommended for rock and metal. NEVER TRUST A GC REP! I got the Pro Steels he recommended, and I hate them. They are very twangy, wayyy too bright, and definately not what I was looking for. I have been told that the Nickels D'Addario makes are better, so I'm not holding anything against the company... But I do not like the Pro Steels at all. I'm thinking that I'll go Nickel DRs (I'm thinking Lo-Riders, what do you think?) as soon as these wear out, or maybe before. Keep in mind that I am using a 5 string, and I think these strings were the biggest gague they had. Anyway, just my ears. I'm sure these might sound great to someone somewhere...
/end rant

pickles · #2 12-13-2005, 07:06 AM

I agree with you on every point, especially the one about trusting a salesman at GC. Pro Steels are NOTHING like DRs. Take them back and read him the riot act.

carl-anton · #3 12-13-2005, 01:04 PM

I think you should listen to me and get a set of Blue Steels. They're fat, and not particular bright (like me). If you don't like 'em, that's ok. I live too far away to have you showing up at my door anyway

Nickel Lo-Riders sound like a good choice too.

**cheezewiz** · #4 12-13-2005, 01:27 PM

The Blue Steels are decent, as are the D'Addario nickels. I prefer DR's over either. Pro Steels are, and remain, the absolutely worst string I've ever tried, by a LARGE margin.

carl-anton · #5 12-13-2005, 01:30 PM

Funny, now I'm getting curious. I thought Pro Steels were liked by most. What is it you guys don't like about them?

**cheezewiz** · #6 12-13-2005, 01:32 PM

Pro Steels have a HUGE, absolutely uncontrollable bottom end, and bright, clanky, brittle highs. There are absolutely no mids and any bass I've tried with them gets immediately swallowed up in the mix. I'm amazed ANY time I see a player post they like them. They are the absolute antithises of good bass tone to me. It's like FiElDy in a box. I'm absolutely honest in that I've NEVER tried a set of strings in almost 30 years of playing that I dislike half as much as the pro steels.

carl-anton · #7 12-13-2005, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

Pro Steels have a HUGE, absolutely uncontrollable bottom end, and bright, clanky, brittle highs. There are absolutely no mids and any bass I've tried with them gets immediately swallowed up in the mix. I'm amazed ANY time I see a player post they like them. They are the absolute antithises of good bass tone to me. It's like FiElDy in a box. I'm absolutely honest in that I've NEVER tried a set of strings in almost 30 years of playing that I dislike half as much as the pro steels.

Hehe... excellent post

I now totally understand why you dont like these strings, and I'm shure I wont either. Thanks

..."FiElDy in a box"... heheh

pickles · #8 12-13-2005, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

Pro Steels have a HUGE, absolutely uncontrollable bottom end, and bright, clanky, brittle highs. There are absolutely no mids and any bass I've tried with them gets immediately swallowed up in the mix. I'm amazed ANY time I see a player post they like them. They are the absolute antithises of good bass tone to me. It's like FiElDy in a box. I'm absolutely honest in that I've NEVER tried a set of strings in almost 30 years of playing that I dislike half as much as the pro steels.

Not to mention they are ultra stiff and rough on the fingers.

We've all got different basses, amps, tastes, and fingers ... and some people really DO like them. I don't.

Plain Old Me · #9 12-13-2005, 06:27 PM

They make me sound like the bassist in Korn!

Texx · #10 12-14-2005, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Pro Steels have a HUGE, absolutely uncontrollable bottom end, and bright, clanky, brittle highs. There are absolutely no mids and any bass I've tried with them gets immediately swallowed up in the mix. I'm amazed ANY time I see a player post they like them. They are the absolute antithises of good bass tone to me. It's like FiElDy in a box. I'm absolutely honest in that I've NEVER tried a set of strings in almost 30 years of playing that I dislike half as much as the pro steels.

...my experience too.
But the daddario exl 165 bring my P-Bass to life

Ian Perge · #11 12-14-2005, 04:09 PM

This is why opinions are a great thing - I love ProSteels, think they're great in the upper-end and harmonics, have nice tight low/low-mids through my rig, and I'm generally a fan of tighter tension and rougher feeling strings.

...but everyone's been extremely eloquent in why ProSteels don't work for them, and I respect that immensely. A large market of bass strings is a wonderful thing in cases like these.

Ostinato · #12 12-14-2005, 04:45 PM

I've tried one pair so far...sounded perfectly fine to me and I've been using steels for a decade. I can't comprehend how any steel string could have "no mids". Nickels, yes...but steels?

Turock · #13 12-14-2005, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ostinato

I've tried one pair so far...sounded perfectly fine to me and I've been using steels for a decade. I can't comprehend how any steel string could have "no mids". Nickels, yes...but steels?

Wow man, you got a two-string bass?

While not my favorite, I do like the pro steels. They last a very long time.

**cheezewiz** · #14 12-14-2005, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ostinato

I've tried one pair so far...sounded perfectly fine to me and I've been using steels for a decade. I can't comprehend how any steel string could have "no mids". Nickels, yes...but steels?

Our ears must differ greatly. I usually hear a great deal more midrange out of nickel strings than just about any steel string, and I normally use steel strings.

DavePlaysBass · #15 12-14-2005, 08:46 PM

I personnally like ProSteels on my Sadowsky RV5. The highes are a little more behaved than the Sadowsky steels that came on the bass which makes them easier to use in mellow applications IMO. Yet they can sparkle expecially with a touch of treble boost or even better favoring the front pickup. The lows are clear and punchy (more so than XLs). I agree there is some mid scoop to the sound but I tend to add mids at the EQ anyway. Set flat, they do not cut as well as XLs. But I am a mids junky and seldom play without boosted mids, usually at 800 Hz.

I have received numerous compliments on my tone since putting the ProSteels on. The B string in the 45-100-130 set is OK, not great IMO. I just ordered another set and added a tapered B string a la carte for A/B comparison.

My biggest complaint is the broken D string I just experienced. First broken string in three years.

Dave

nowontonsforme · #16 12-14-2005, 10:53 PM

prosteels are my third favorite steel string ive tried. 1st is DR highbeams, and 2nd are MTD's. I thought the prosteels were a touch thinner than the other 2, but still had a good voice. I also like that theyre cheap.

HMZ · #17 12-15-2005, 04:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scarred2112

This is why opinions are a great thing - I love ProSteels, think they're great in the upper-end and harmonics, have nice tight low/low-mids through my rig, and I'm generally a fan of tighter tension and rougher feeling strings.

...but everyone's been extremely eloquent in why ProSteels don't work for them, and I respect that immensely. A large market of bass strings is a wonderful thing in cases like these.

Me Too

Ostinato · #18 12-15-2005, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turock

Wow man, you got a two-string bass?

While not my favorite, I do like the pro steels. They last a very long time.

I said one PAIR didn't I?

Wolf · #19 12-15-2005, 08:23 PM

D'Addario are really pushing these hard. Just about every
music-store-guy I've bumped into over the last few months
has been trying to dump a load of them on me.
I've got 2 packs in my drawer - the 2 lightest gauges they
make - but I haven't gotten around to trying them yet -
my rotosounds still ain't broke ; )

Sounds to me like they're just not very well suited for rock.
probably more for the flamenco slap-n-tap styles which are
becoming quite commonplace nowadays.

I got them simply cuz they were D'Addario, and they were
dirt cheap!

pdusen · #20 12-15-2005, 08:34 PM

I play hard rock with a hint of folk rock. My tone is fairly Geddy Lee esque; Excellent mids and strong lows, but with a great high-end snarl, and some distortion.

That's my tone, and the Prosteels are the closest to the tone in my head I have been yet. Second were the D'addario nickels, which I had on before them.