How Would You Rate These Popular Stainless Strings? (TOP 5)

[Modern Growl]

How would you rate these from first to last. (Or your Top 5 Choices).

Whats your rating? Ratings based on tone. (Explanations would be awesome)

Labella Hard Rockin' Steel
MTD Stainless Steel
Rotosound Swing 66 Stainless
SIT PowerSteel
SIT RockBrights Stainless
DR Low Riders
Dean Markley SR-2000's

[43apples]

Hmm, do a search maybe? Isn't this your third post about strings?

My top 5 list:

-Rotosound Swing Bass 66: Because they are very brigth and growly
-Dean Markley Blue Steels: Almost as brigth as the Roto's, but smoother and they last longer\more consistent
-DR: They work wonderfully when playing with a band, they emphasize the bass and low midrange while not having so brittle treble. Atleast that's my experience with the DR Nickels\Titefits.

In my opinion of course

-Erlend

[G]

DR - great all arounder. Great slap. Longevity.
Roto - the only thing I'll put on my Jbasses. But then I won't use them on anything else either. Strange.
MTD - Very finite life, IMO (whereas, say, the DRs die in a much more progressive fashion). Sounds great for that time though.
Dean Markley - Lots of people like these, but I really don't have much of an opinion either way.

I haven't tried SIT. Sorry.

[Modern Growl]

Hey "G"
Alittle off topic, but in your profile you have a Carvin Bolt-on Kit Bass listed. Was it the jazz type? If so, how does it sound compared to a Fender American jazz?

[eldave777]

The DR's have great tone and last and last!

[G]

4 string with the humbucking pickups originally. I have used that bass as a test bed for all sorts of gear. Plain alder body. Maple neck. Ebony board.

When I put Fender American single coils in it it sounded like a USA J. Maybe a little more artiulate in the low mids. With the original carvin pickups it was more "modern," if that makes sense. A little more scooped. A little less growl.

And getting back on topic, I have had DR's on that bass consistently for about 4 years.

[James Hart]

D'Addario Pro Steels trump them all IMHO!

I was a long time Roto user (too inconsistent when I stopped buying them inthe late 80s) , turned Ken Smith user (loved the tone, became too hard to get locally in the early 90s), turned GHS super steel user (hated them but my guitarist use to get them to me for about $8 a set of tenor 5), turned DR user (nice but a little less aggressive to my ears).

I use to change strings weekly to keep them bright and crunchy... the DR lasted a while longer but the D'Addario Pro Steels are deeper, brighter and just a better overall tone to my ears. My last set was on 2.5 months.

I needed to put flats back on my fretted bass, but that gig is over and I just ordered a couple new sets of Pro Steels to put back on it (my new fretless is going to be set up by the builder with the Pro Steels... my other fretless uses half rounds)

[Modern Growl]

I always thought Daddario's were very, plain, run-under-the-mill strings. No real character, just bright.

I'm looking for a Nasty, Supper Aggressive, Growly, Edgy string.

I'm sure Daddario's are not them.

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by Modern Growl

I'm sure Daddario's are not them.

well they are for me. The newish Pro Steels and previous Prisms at least. I'm not a fan of the nickel rounds though.

[pickles]

Originally Posted by Modern Growl

I always thought Daddario's were very, plain, run-under-the-mill strings. No real character, just bright.

I'm looking for a Nasty, Supper Aggressive, Growly, Edgy string.

I'm sure Daddario's are not them.

Those are sounds I usually associate with a Bass, not strings.

If you want growly nasty and agressive, get an old Gibson bass like a ripper or an RD-Artist and an Ampeg SVT. You'll worry about strings no longer.

[G]

IMO, for the nastiness I think Rotos are the way to go.

I use the D'Addario pro steels on my 6 every now and then. I like them. Maybe I'll pick up a set on my way home... Thanks for the reminder James.

[Modern Growl]

I'm playing a G&L L-2500 (Dont know if you can get any more growl then that)

and one for the new Fender 250/115 combo's. I also have the LPB 2UBE from EHX. I find with this set up, I get good growl, but strings have a major impact on it as well.

Your not going to get good growl and bite from say... Nickle's IMO too warm and fat. You need something Stainless, for 1, and a string that is designed to be nasty - say Roto's or MTD's/Labella Hard Rockin's.

[Blues Cat]

Pro Steels. A little extra tension, great for b string. Can get the action real low. From the description I thought they might be trebly annoying but I find them to be balanced. I'm using .130-.45 right now but I'm going to try .135 .110 .90 .70 .50 to see if I can get action lower.

[bass-shy]

DR Hi-Beams. Best........Strings.........EVER!

[groov'ster]

Just put on a set of Pro Steels a few hours ago. So far they sound great on my 6.
I am curious to see how long they will last.
Good overall balanced tone with just the right amount of brightness. B string feels good as well.

[Fuzzbass]

#1 - Labella Hard Rockin' Steels
I love these strings... they've been #1 on many of my basses. They aren't the brightest of the bunch, but they have a wonderfully rich tone and fade slowly.

#2 - DR Low Riders
As noted, DR strings also last a long time. I think I prefer these to HiBeams because they seem to be phatter.

#3 - Rotosound Swing 66 Stainless
These used to be my #1 string bar none. They are indeed very bright. I've played brighter strings, but those strings didn't have the harmonic richness of Rotos. The reason I rank them #3 is because they do seem to fade fast.


On your list, but I haven't tried:
MTD Stainless Steel
SIT PowerSteel
SIT RockBrights Stainless
Dean Markley SR-2000's


Unlisted strings I recommend:
Ken Smith Tapercore steels
Sadowsky Bright Nickels (try steels if you want extra brightness)
D'Addario XL Nickels (excellent price; sounded great on my Modulus)

[Luckydog]

of those you listed, I've used the DR and Labella. Much prefer the Labella over the DR.

[JimmyM]

LOL, I get a kick out of someone saying D'addarios sound plain and run-under-the-mill (actually the term is "run of the mill"). And yet, who is D'addario's biggest endorser? Victor Wooten.

Play the strings you like. Don't play the strings you don't. For every set of strings that someone thinks is crap, there is a wildly talented person using them. I used to think Fender guitar strings were crap until I saw Eddie Van Halen. They sounded pretty damn good on his guitar. Maybe it ain't the strings...? Hmmm....

[Figjam]

dr lo riders = mmm goood

[Thurisarz]

I have only played the Roto's off the ones listed. I thought they sounded very good, infact they sounded like the best roundwounds i have ever tried, but they schew up my fingers, so i'm not buying them again.