I Can't Make Up My Mind

[theory028]

I spent a good portion of my day working on my project Squier P bass. I was pleasantly surprised by the arrival of my new bridge (not a Badass, unfortunately) and even more surprised when I checked the mail and found my Seymour Duncan quarter pounder. I wasted no time and began putting everything on.

The only thing I have left to do is to find some new strings. Now I have a slight dilemma. Here's the breakdown.

I have two sets of strings on the way. With any luck, they should both be in my hands by tomorrow.

- Heavy gauge Elixirs
- Medium gauge DR Black Beauties

The Black Beauties were ordered at my local music store and the kind lady informed me that a set was available in Mason City and one of the managers was going there later today. Those have a good chance of being here tomorrow. The Elixirs are in the mail somewhere. I expect them to arrive tomorrow, but can't say for sure.

At any rate, I can't make up my mind about which bass to put them on.

My original plan was to put the Elixirs on my P bass and the Black Beauties on either my LTD B-4E or Ibanez GSR200. Now I'm starting to question that configuration.

The B-4E has a string thru-body bridge; perhaps that would be better suited for the heavy gauge strings? The DRs would look great on my P bass with the black bridge, but also good with my B-4E and it's black nickel hardware.

I would do that but I'm quit fond of the bright sound that my LTD has provided for me. It is also the easiest bass I have for slapping. That wasn't exactly what I was aiming for, but it has grown on me. I'd hate to try out the Elixirs and not like the sound and then not be able to get the old strings to sound the same.

So, what do you guys think would work out the best? I want improve the P bass's "slapability", but there is a fair amount of fret noise that I'd have to work around.

[adronchase361]

I'm not a pro with strings or anything, but I find that the Elixirs would sound nicer on the P-bass. Just from my own opinion and hearing other P-basses with Elixirs on them.

[spaz21387]

You want to slap on a p bass with a duncan spb3 pickup. I dont think your going to get a very good slap tone from it. Since the pickup has way more bass and treble then normal p bass pickups. For slap you should get eather the fender 62 p bass pickup or the nordstrand np4. As for strings I would put the elixers on the p bass too.

[theory028]

If the pickup and P bass don't really work well for slapping, that's fine. I'm not much of a slapper anyway. :P

It looks like I may just have to put the Elixirs on the P bass.

Thanks for the suggestions!