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08-11-2011, 11:17 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Just South of Chicago | | | How to tell if you have nickel or steel strings?
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Hey all. I just got a hold of my guitarists MIJ 70's Jazz bass and I really like the strings that are on it. The thing is he has no idea what kind are on there. Nickel or Steel? Is there a way to tell which they are? They are really old so even if they are steel the steely zing is gone. Maybe physically there is a difference?
Thanks,
Jim.
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08-11-2011, 11:22 PM
| | | | Nickel will be more shiny, almost like a coin. Steel has a brushed metal look. Gray-ish almost. That's appearance, anyway. Also, steel will feel rough when you move your fingers across the strings. Nickel will feel slightly smoother. |
08-11-2011, 11:25 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Just South of Chicago | | | So keeping in mind that they are really old strings steels would have that brushed metal look?
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08-11-2011, 11:27 PM
|  | I'm gonna love and tolerate the **** out of you! | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Memphis/Knoxville TN | | Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmyjames77  So keeping in mind that they are really old strings steels would have that brushed metal look? | Probably even more so. I doubt you'd be able to tell by look if they're that old. |
08-11-2011, 11:28 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Just South of Chicago | | | Yeah I figured. Wish I knew. I put some new steel roto 66s on it and didn't like the feel or sound of them comparatively.
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08-11-2011, 11:33 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Narvik, Norway | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by jimmyjames77 Yeah I figured. Wish I knew. I put some new steel roto 66s on it and didn't like the feel or sound of them comparatively. | Roto's have really tough surface which i don't like. So i use the nickel plated roto's! Warmer, feel good, and nicer to the frets |
08-11-2011, 11:35 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Windsor, Ontario | | | chances are they are nickel. If you have really old steels they will sound really dead, thumpy but not the good way everyone talks about. Old steels get a darker grey colour to them then nickels, which stay, well, nickel coloured lol
Steels are also alot rougher, and probably higher tensioned then nickels. (I think)
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08-11-2011, 11:46 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Just South of Chicago | | | Good info.
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08-13-2011, 12:11 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Narvik, Norway | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by recreate.me chances are they are nickel. If you have really old steels they will sound really dead, thumpy but not the good way everyone talks about. Old steels get a darker grey colour to them then nickels, which stay, well, nickel coloured lol
Steels are also alot rougher, and probably higher tensioned then nickels. (I think) | Not sure if nickel nickel plated will have lower tension than steel. The core and most of the coil are steel, so tension should be about the same. But nickel feel smooth, and as mentioned have a silvery color, while steel are more kind of gray and usually not as shiny. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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