Help With Mystery Strings

[StainlessTerror]

About a month ago I picked up an Ibanez GSR 190 at a local pawn shop as a fixer upper for $100. It came with a set of strings that feel great to play and have great sound; unfortunately I have no idea what kind they are. The G string seems to have been replaced with a different brand, but the original 3's sizing is:
E-105
A-80
D-68

Those should be pretty close, but my micrometer might be a bit off.
Here are some pics of the strings and red coating.







I'm not sure but I think they are nickel. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Ryan

[mlafrancis]

I'm probably wrong, but I had D'Addario strings put on my ibanez, and they had the red fabric stuff on the top and bottom parts of the strings like those do. So maybe D'Addario?

[The modifier]

D'Addario's have colored ball ends so these arent it, im guessing either Fender or Rotosounds.

[StainlessTerror]

Rotosound Swing Bass 66's maybe?

Also, are these nickel or stainless do you think?

Thank you so much

[Mr. Ray]

GHS Bass Boomers have red wraps top and bottom.

[BassicJohn]

I agree. They look like Boomers. Boomers have a mellow tone (as opposed to bright).

[The modifier]

Originally Posted by Mr. Ray

GHS Bass Boomers have red wraps top and bottom.

GHS bass boomers have BRONZE ball ends and only have red silks at the top of the string not the bottom, so im pretty sure they're not boomers.

[The modifier]

The strings you show here look a lot like the Rotosounds the user 60bass just got for his new Fender Precision Special, if you look at post #20 of his thread Just Scored This Fender Bass you'll see his bass strung with the new Roto set he just bought, which look to be the same set that you have here.

[Darkstrike]

Not Boomers, Daddarios, or Rotos.

Fender seems likely, I have a Fender set that looks near identical.

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by The modifier

The strings you show here look a lot like the Rotosounds the user 60bass just got for his new Fender Precision Special, if you look at post #20 of his thread Just Scored This Fender Bass you'll see his bass strung with the new Roto set he just bought, which look to be the same set that you have here.

Nope, those Rotos are dark greyish colour, unlike the OP's.

Unless its an artifact of the OP's pic that makes them look brighter than they should.


Are they rough to the touch, like steels should be?

EDIT: Looking at the last pic, of the headstock, they do look steel grey, so they could be Swing 66's after all.

[StainlessTerror]

Thanks! After a bit of research I think I have found them with your help the modifier. I believe them to be Rotosound swing bass 66 RS66LD. Check it out http://www.rotosound.com/swing66.html

I think they are definitely it. Input?

[StainlessTerror]

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

Nope, those Rotos are dark greyish colour, unlike the OP's.

Unless its an artifact of the OP's pic that makes them look brighter than they should.


Are they rough to the touch, like steels should be?

EDIT: Looking at the last pic, of the headstock, they do look steel grey, so they could be Swing 66's after all.

Very rough

[The modifier]

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

Not Boomers, Daddarios, or Rotos.

Fender seems likely, I have a Fender set that looks near identical.

That was my second guess due to the fact they do look kind of bright in the picture.

[The modifier]

Originally Posted by StainlessTerror

Very rough

Rotos do have a reputation for being rough so they might be it after all.

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by The modifier

That was my second guess due to the fact they do look kind of bright in the picture.

Its really hard to tell, they do look like Fenders in one pic, and Rotos in another.

So, I just took a quick check of my Roto equipped basses, and my Fender equipped one.

Rotos, have bronze ball ends.

Fender have silver ball ends, as the OP's

But Fender have less red on the nut end of the strings, as the strings get lighter, but Rotos all go to one length from the nut, like to OP's.........

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by StainlessTerror

Very rough

Thats *exactly* how Roto's feel, to me.

[Darkstrike]

Its definatly between Fender Stainless Steel Rounds and Roto Swing 66's though.

I suggest trying a set of Rotos, they are some of the best steels.

[StainlessTerror]

hmm. Mine does have silver ends as opposed to bronze. I really wouldn't give a hoot about what strings were on there, but they sound so great to me. Much better than my 5 string with west music brand nickel strings.


Edit: After re-measuring my strings, they are 105, 80, 65. Matches roto but not fender. Confusing.

[The modifier]

Im sticking to my guess that they're rotos, as the rotos shown here Just Scored This Fender Bass look to have silver ball ends just like yours, and do not have the aforementioned bronze.

[The modifier]

Wait I take that back, the rotos in that thread DO seem to have bronze ends, hmmmm very confusing.