I want long lasting strings so bright you need sunglasses!

BillyIVbass · #1 09-09-2010, 01:42 PM

I like the sound of a fresh set of strings, but I play my bass 1 hr. a day + gigs on the weekend. I've been having better luck with DR Hibeams and D'addario Pro Steels.

Is steel the way to go? I could sacrifice some highs for longevity. It seems when these strings go...THEY GO, no warning, just complete loss of highs.

I try to wash and dry my hands before I play and wipe down the fretboard after I play. Usually I get a month or 2 tops.

Any suggestions for strings? I haven't used Dean Markleys in awhile, also interested in Fodera strings, but never tried them.

Aaron_D · #2 09-09-2010, 01:44 PM

elixirs, they hold up to my acid hands

staindbass · #3 09-09-2010, 02:44 PM

i used to boil my strings once a week like eddie van halen

it works and they sound like new. take em off, coil them up, make sure the water is a rolling boil when you put them in and take them out. johnny a

bannerman · #4 09-09-2010, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyIVbass

Usually I get a month or 2 tops.

I don't play as much as you and I would love to get two months out of my strings. Mine never last that long. I have really sweaty hands, though.

NKUSigEp · #5 09-09-2010, 02:53 PM

DR Hi-Beams have worked best for me. Most like them, some don't. But I've had the same set of strings on for going on 7 months and they still sound respectable - between a 1/2 to 1 hour of playing a day, gigs or practice on weekends.

One Bad Monkey · #6 09-09-2010, 02:54 PM

Circle Ks.

When I play at a summerstock theatre in town (14 shows, 4 rehearsals in two weeks for each run and there are normally four a summer), I go through a set of strings every show. They start dying on me halfway through week two (and I'll still have about 4-5 shows left). So I was really leery of trying out Skip's strings last year, especially for a two week run of TOMMY (probably the only time I'm encouraged to play out in a theatre).

No problems at all. In fact, they lasted halfway through the show after that, before I went to GC to get a set to replace them.

Disco Batman · #7 09-09-2010, 02:57 PM

You could always go the coated route. DR's are Hi-Beams just with a little coating. I'm finding the Black Beauties to not be as bright as Hi-Beams out of the package, but they seem to hold the brightness longer.

Chrisk-K · #8 09-09-2010, 03:10 PM

Soak the old strings in denatured alcohol and they will come out as 95% new.

El Barbero · #9 09-09-2010, 03:25 PM

If thats what you want try Sadowsky. I generally get a good 12 months out of a set, and they are bright.

VroomVroom · #10 09-09-2010, 03:30 PM

FWIW, I'm a big fan of Cleartone strings. They cost more, but they're ridiculously durable...lasting easily 2-3x longer than any other string I've tried. Not super bright, but they do have a nice mid hump that makes you believe you're playing SS strings.

Caca de Kick · #11 09-09-2010, 03:48 PM

I get the most mileage from Highbeams and MTDs (both are stainless), typically get over a year per set.

My 78 Ray is still wearing the Highbeams that were on it when I took it to the Portland GTG may of '09, and still sounds killer, and the rest of my Musicmans I restrung back in December still sound fresh and zingy.

I just tried some Foderas, not even close, I just threw them away.

darkstorm · #12 09-09-2010, 09:55 PM

Dean markley blue steels. Brightest bass strings I know of that also have qaulity low bass content to. They also last longer then average.

Bass-desires · #13 09-09-2010, 11:28 PM

Blue steels are great, they are really bright, but I have noticed that when the 'die' it is really death. My d'addarios had better sound even when dead. I'm looking at the same question myself, I have pretty sweaty hands and I practice a lot. Thinking of trying flats/chromes and seeing if I can dig the sound.

jackduran · #14 09-11-2010, 05:56 PM

I've just restrung my Stingray with D'Addario Prosteels (40-95) and, so far, I love the brightness I'm getting from them. I've got really sweaty hands when I play so I only get around 2 months out of strings, and since January this year I've tried Hi-Beams, Elites and now the Prosteels with the Prosteels sounding the best/brightest/'crunchiest' straight out of the packet.

schecter5string · #15 09-11-2010, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisk-K

Soak the old strings in denatured alcohol and they will come out as 95% new.

+1, been doing this for a couple of years with great results

capnsandwich · #16 09-11-2010, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Barbero

If thats what you want try Sadowsky. I generally get a good 12 months out of a set, and they are bright.

Sadowsky Blue Label Stainless Steels are some bright strings that can last a while as long as you play with clean hands and don't get all sweaty. A little denatured alcohol treatment may help a few times as well.

Luis Fabara · #17 09-11-2010, 06:51 PM

Denatured Alcohol has been the best string cleaner I have used.

I even made a Tube for storage/inserting strings.... that is, until it was no longer sold anywhere due to regulations.

Blue Steels reputation is marketing hype, They lose thir zing quite fast, and then they die. Lots of bass though. Their B is stable.

DR High Beams are some of the best, and last very long.

I prefer La Bella Hard Rocking Steel, but they are now a little hard to come by. The had great mids,highs and life, plus Black silk windings

I have been surviving with Rotosounds, Dean Markley SR2000s, and lately with $8 "Good Strings" made in china, wich surprisingly are brighter than Blue Steels and are retaining their zing. This surprised me, being so cheap, nickel, bright and flexible.

Webstrings come with B strings that sound dead out of the package.

Rotosounds sound incredibly bright and cutting but start dying after a week or less.

Schlyder · #18 09-11-2010, 07:05 PM

+1 for Dean Markley Blue Steels. Very bright. Clean tone. And they stay very bright for a long time. And I mean a looooong time.
That's why I changed to Dean Markley SuperRounds. They go dead quicker.

darthplagis · #19 09-11-2010, 07:14 PM

i used to use warwick yellow labels, but they were not too bright.

but since getting my status i am now a convert

status premium hot wires are great strings and last quite a while with the intial zing.

im allergic to nickel so i cant really use nickel strings so i cant give an opinion on many of those, but i have tried earnie ball nickels and elites, but they dont have the attack of steel that i love

....... and give me tiny blisters on my figers

Lorenzini · #20 09-11-2010, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schlyder

+1 for Dean Markley Blue Steels. Very bright. Clean tone. And they stay very bright for a long time. And I mean a looooong time.
That's why I changed to Dean Markley SuperRounds. They go dead quicker.

+1 Blue Steels are crazy! Extremely bright and they last forever.

DR Hi Beams, comparatively, are super conservative as far as brightness and how long they last. And DR Hi Beams are bright!