Jaco pastorius string gauge

[jazzbass64]

Well I know jaco pastorius was using rotosound swing bass but I' m not sure about the tention/gauge.
I have read 45-105 , then 40-100... .Perhaps he have tryed different gauge during is carear ?
Well if someone have good source on this subject don' t hesitate !

[ffej]

The original Rotosound swing bass were guaged:
46-63-80-102.
This is what Jaco used and would be closer to 45-105
than 40-100.

[jazzbass64]

So string gauge of "old" swing bass set were very closed to the actual 45-65-80-105.Or even closer to 45-65-80-100 (from other manufacturer).
I use swing bass in 45-105 (80) for a year now.Nothing sound better on my jazz to my opinion !
Just put DR fatbeams with same gauge.they are much more flexible and in a sense easyer to play but the sound was below : big drop in volume, sound is different, great but not as "speaking" as the roto for me.
Thank' s very much for this interesting information on roto string and jaco...

[joegeezer]

I think DR Highbeams are closer to the sound of the Roto's, and are softer, and easier to play, in my opinion.

[jazzbass64]

Perhaps high-beam in 45-100 would be a good thing to try for me...But are the high-beam really different when compared to fat-beams ?
I know they are both stainless steel with round-core...This is why I have thought they are similar.So ?

[DavePlaysBass]

Originally Posted by ffej

The original Rotosound swing bass were guaged:
46-63-80-102.
This is what Jaco used and would be closer to 45-105
than 40-100.

Ken Smith has a balanced set of steels that go 44-63-80-102. I am playing a set right now. They are a good steel string.

Dave

[babaseen]

Still believe Roto Swing Bass 66 are in a class by themselves IMHO

[Rodriguez]

What I remember about the strings is that the silk ends were different on every string, he told me they were Rotosounds, I don't remember the order, but the colors were:

Red
Green
Yellow
Blue

I know this because after a basketball game in Molde, Norway (Late July '82). I went the band to the gig and got a set of used strings that I asked for backstage, they were wrapped and I ready for the trash ... I haven't seen those strings in years...

[P-BASSLOVER]

Originally Posted by jazzbass64

Perhaps high-beam in 45-100 would be a good thing to try for me...But are the high-beam really different when compared to fat-beams ?
I know they are both stainless steel with round-core...This is why I have thought they are similar.So ?

High Beams are a bit more trebly than Fat Beams. Fat Beams are deeper sounding with more pronounced mids than Hi Beams.
Hi Beams have more of a scooped mid sound. Fat Beams are also smoother feeling but slightly higher tension.

[Eublet]

Hi Beams would eat up a fretless board faster than most anything.

[narud]

Originally Posted by Eublet

Hi Beams would eat up a fretless board faster than most anything.

ive used hi beams and lo riders exclusively on my fretless f bass with no issues.

[babaseen]

Originally Posted by ffej

The original Rotosound swing bass were guaged:
46-63-80-102.
This is what Jaco used and would be closer to 45-105
than 40-100.

I'm not sure the information quoted by ffej is true.

From the John Entwhistle website (i.e., the man who helped James Howe conceive the Swing Bass 66) it states that the gauges were .045 -.105 (at least for the G and E) from 1966 to the 80's.

[4-string]

Originally Posted by narud

ive used hi beams and lo riders exclusively on my fretless f bass with no issues.

+1. Worry about fretboard wear if and when it happens. My fretless J has had ProSteels for the last couple of years.

[Deep]

Rotosound Swing bass 66 strings are THE sound. I think for me the DR Low-Riders are closer to it than Hi-Beams or Fat-Beams for me anyway.

[4001]

Originally Posted by Deep

Rotosound Swing bass 66 strings are THE sound.

+1
I used DR's for a few years and although they were really good strings, they didn't have that sound. When I put a set of Rotosound Swing Bass strings back on my Rickenbacker 4001, I realised that I missed them. So now, that's all I will use.

[camelspotter]

Originally Posted by Deep

Rotosound Swing bass 66 strings are THE sound. I think for me the DR Low-Riders are closer to it than Hi-Beams or Fat-Beams for me anyway.

DR Low-Riders are great when using the neck Pu and the tone all the way down.. great mid scooped jaco sound in my jazz with S.Duncun AntII pus.
Now i'm trying Rotos 66' 95-75-60-40 gauge. Tried on my fretted, on my fretless, great sounding, clear bottom end, not muddy but they lack midrange imho. tone all the way up goes way bright and trebly, all the way down with the neck PU but now i can't get that jaco or even better the Sinclair (caravan era) tone, i could nail with the DRs..
It's all a matter of taste.
I want to put samples and compare two in both fretted and fretless jazz basses.