Ken Smith Steels vs. D'Addario ProSteels?

FunkMetalBass · #1 02-01-2012, 03:18 PM

I'm planning to get a 6-string jazz soon, and I'm thinking it needs steels.

I'm not too impressed with the .145 D'Addario ProSteel B-string on my P-bass (seems to be lacking alot of the mid/upper-mid clarity that the other 3 strings have), but it could just be that all the good tone is over the bridge pickup, and my P doesn't have one.

So, can anyone give me tonal comparison?

mmbongo · #2 02-01-2012, 05:57 PM

DR HiBeams/FatBeams are where it's at for Stainless Steel. They don't have a .145, but neither does Ken Smith (.130 is as big as you can get from Smith.) Jason at Bass Strings Online sells the DR HIBeam .135 as singles, so you can just get a 4 string set then add the .135 and the C string that you want.

Of course Jason sells Ken Smith also, so if you don't want DR's he can do a custom set of Smiths too. But if you ask me...DR's are waaay better.

FunkMetalBass · #3 02-01-2012, 09:47 PM

Since when did DR start offering a .135 hi-beam? That's new. Also, Warwick and Ken Smith both make .145 strings, but I'm really only interested in the offerings of Ken Smith and D'Addario at this time.

SLaPiNFuNK · #4 02-02-2012, 03:52 AM

DR has a .135 Hi-Beam and .135 Lo-Rider... Their Stainless Steel they go up to .135, NPS only .130 (sunbeam / nickel lo-rider). They are not available in sets, only as singles...

Ken Smith has a .145 Tapered string and a .140 Non-Tapered. Both are in Stainless Steel as OP mentioned.

Its hard to really compare a string on an instrument you don't have yet. A B string can sound great on one bass and horrible on another.

mmbongo · #5 02-02-2012, 04:47 AM

I stand corrected on the Smith .145. Don't know how I missed it!

Ken Smith Stainless Steel Single - Low B String .120 - .145

SLaPiNFuNK · #6 02-02-2012, 04:51 AM

Maybe since its Tapered? and you stopped at .140...

Ill think of a way to revise that...

(by the way, the .145T is standard in the Metal Masters sets...)

FunkMetalBass · #7 02-02-2012, 10:02 AM

You're right, it is hard to gauge without the instrument, but I was hoping to save some coinage by getting reviews from Jazz users with experience with both. The über large gauges are kind of a niche market, so I expected user experience would be slim. Guess I'll have to spend the money and try them all myself.

Does D'Addario make a tapered 145s in their ProSteels?

mmbongo · #8 02-02-2012, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLaPiNFuNK

Maybe since its Tapered? and you stopped at .140...

Ill think of a way to revise that...

(by the way, the .145T is standard in the Metal Masters sets...)

I think I was just using my experience recently scouring every manufacturer for a .135 in nickel, and finding very few. I never looked at Steels, and probably just figured if they don't make it in nickel, they don't make it in steel either

SLaPiNFuNK · #9 02-02-2012, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

You're right, it is hard to gauge without the instrument, but I was hoping to save some coinage by getting reviews from Jazz users with experience with both. The über large gauges are kind of a niche market, so I expected user experience would be slim. Guess I'll have to spend the money and try them all myself.

Does D'Addario make a tapered 145s in their ProSteels?

The ProSteel is only available as a full wound .145.

LaBella has a stainless steel round wound series .145 that is tapered.