Looking for MY sound. Which strings to try first?

[gera799]

Well, a month ago I bought my first Precision. It's a Squier CV 60's P in Fiesta Red. It came with Fender strings I think.

Before the Squier I had an SX Jazz Bass, but I realized I didn't like Jazz Bass sound (maybe just that SX).
Now I am in love with my Precision, but I am still looking for MY sound.

I want to try different strings, flatwounds and roundwound, because I don't know what I'm looking for.
I listen to every kind of music; sometimes I like bright sound and sometimes I like warm sound. So, I need a list with strings I should try to find my sound. I am thinking about 2 options now:

- Rotosounds Swing Bass 66
- GHS Precision Flatwounds

Here, flatwounds price starts at $50 (the cheapest), and Rotosound 66 cost around $40, so I can't buy more than one set.

Which strings do you recommends "trying" first?
Thanks.

Gera.

[John Wentzien]

Can't go wrong with Roto's IMHO....I've used them for almost 40 years!

[jkjgiants26]

Ernie ball regular slinkys

[Jazzdogg]

What kinds of strings have you tried?

Do you have a clear preference for rounds or flats?

Do you prefer certain string gauges?

How important is string tension to you? High? Low? Moderate?

How often are you willing to change your strings?

Who sounds like you want to? Jamerson? Victor? Jaco? Miller? JauqoIII-X? Got links to clips or videos with "your sound?"

[gera799]

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

What kinds of strings have you tried?

Do you have a clear preference for rounds or flats?

Do you prefer certain string gauges?

How important is string tension to you? High? Low? Moderate?

How often are you willing to change your strings?

Who sounds like you want to? Jamerson? Victor? Jaco? Miller? JauqoIII-X? Got links to clips or videos with "your sound?"

I used one set of cheap strings only, so I don't know.
I prefer 45-105 gauge.
Never tried flats, so I don't know if I'm going to like them.
I like too many tones so I'm looking for "my sound".

There are certain strings that I think I must try, like the Roto's. I would like to try GHS flats as well.

Could you recommend certain strings to try?

[Jazzdogg]

Originally Posted by gera799

I used one set of cheap strings only, so I don't know.
I prefer 45-105 gauge.
Never tried flats, so I don't know if I'm going to like them.
I like too many tones so I'm looking for "my sound".

There are certain strings that I think I must try, like the Roto's. I would like to try GHS flats as well.

Could you recommend certain strings to try?

Try some affordable strings that get good grades from TBers who share your musical aesthetic, and seem suitable for the kind of music you like to play. Carvin sells flats that are OK and inexpensive; IIRC, they're made by La Bella.

If you like the brightness of stainless rounds, you may not like flats, which aren't as bright. OTOH, flats don't collect string smegma like rounds, and don't have to be cleaned or replaced nearly as often.

I play fretless basses strung with Thomastik Infeld flats. They are my favorite strings, but they may not be your cup of tea, and they're fairly expensive.

[darkstorm]

Start with your instrument. vary where you strike the strings relative to the bridge. Try close to it, just behind your P pup, right over it, just in front of it, and close to the neck or even over the lower portion of fretboard. Notice the diff in tone between these. Which 2 most turn you on? Your somewhat limited on tone tweaks via the pups and electronics. Slo you cant experience the sound tweaks of bridge and neck position blending. You could aproximate a bridge position P pup with active 2band eq via lowering the bass control a little below center. And neck position via boosting bass a little maybe cutting treble a little. Its the apporach I used when I had single P pup basses, which of course also had active 2band eq onboard.

Main point is start with experimenting with changing your tone with the bass via where you strike the strings and any electronics/pup voice changeing you have available on the bass.

For strings it depends what you want your bass to give you more of, less of, or a variation of. I'll use GHS boomers as a good middle of road string example.

Campared to ghs boomers, Ernie Ball slinkys will add a little more crunch to the sound.

Rotosound will give a bit more metallic sound with a tad more grind.

Daddario will give smoother sound, decreasing crunch a bit.

DR sunbeams will come closest to rotosounds for tonal balance and add a bit more low bass articulation and accent growl.

DR neons are birghter sounding then sunbeams as main diff. Slightly less loud harmonics then sunbeams.

Dean markley blue steel have hardest attack and crack of thunder type bass. Bright highs but not annoying like some strings have to me.

GHS again being a nice middle of road string that doesnt accent or detract from the basses sound and produces overall pleasant true to the basses own sound.

This is for roundwounds of course. I dont do flats so I'll leave that to someone else to list a few with their tonal diff's.

[jallenbass]

GHS Precision Flatwounds are quite dark which I like. If you need everything from dark to bright on one base you might want to look at Chromes or the new Fender 9050 flatwounds that could go dark or bright depending on EQ. Also, if you haven't tried flats before go with light guage.

[Tinderwet]

Strings won't change whatever your sound is. What I mean is, your sound should come from you, the way you play, not the strings you use.

[mdogs]

Originally Posted by Tinderwet

Strings won't change whatever your sound is. What I mean is, your sound should come from you, the way you play, not the strings you use.

In a perfect world...maybe, in the real world strings make a HUGE difference.

[Ezmar]

Which to try first?

All of them.

But seriously, without knowing anything about what you want, First try each different kind of winding, Flats Vs Rounds, and then try the various subsets, Pressurewound, tapewound, half-round, groundwound, etc. Then Brand. Then pick gauge based on feel, not sound. The right gauge will allow you to get "your" sound based on how easily you play them. If they feel right, then you'll have a lot of control over your sound.

[aus_bass]

Originally Posted by jallenbass

GHS Precision Flatwounds are quite dark which I like. If you need everything from dark to bright on one base you might want to look at Chromes or the new Fender 9050 flatwounds that could go dark or bright depending on EQ. Also, if you haven't tried flats before go with light guage.

This.

If you want bright and thump, then Chromes are the way to go. You get nice low-end thump with a clear and articulate top-end.

[Pilgrim]

You ALREADY have "your sound". No matter what strings you play, you will sound like you.

Yes, you can shift some characteristics of that sound, but you will always sound like you - because you play a certain way (which may change over time), and you will set up your amp to sound the way you like.

Result: your sound, starting day one.

I don't think you should spend hundreds on strings. People drive themselves nuts obsessing over some mythical "sound" or "tone" instead of practicing and learning to play better.

Try a good, solid set of flats (Like Chromes or Labella Deep Talkin Flats) and a similarly popular set of rounds. Choose flats or rounds, then you're most of the way home. After that, if you really feel driven, try one or two other sets of the type (rounds or flats) that you like.

Otherwise, just PLAY the strings. You will sound like yourself.

[Leeforeman9]

I started playing rounds because thats what was on my bass, and thought tapewound and flatwounds were the same. I used several different brands, stainless and nickel, and could never really tell /that/ much of a difference. All i knew is that i hated changing my strings because they sounded to bright and metallic. My last set i kept on for about a year and a half gigging at least 3 times a month. They were woooorn out, but i liked them. So my guy at the music shop had a set of Dean Markley flats (now discontinued) that he took off of his bass, and he gave the to me to try. I fell in love with the flats. Buy you the rotosounds or any set of rounds and use them. They'll wear out quicker than flats. if you like the sound when you first put them on, buy some more. If you like the sound more right before you take them off, try a set of flats. I wish i would've tried the flats years ago.

Your sound may be in your fingers, but the again why do they make so many different basses, amps, effects, strings??? Your tone. And I'm finally satisfied with mine. This week at least. Your "tone" and "sound" won't make you better player, but will make a good player sound better, imo at least.

[4001]

Rotosound RS66 Swing Bass

[markanini]

If you've tried cheap no-mane strings you've probably become used to nickel-plated steel rounds. Going with either the RS66(stainless steel rounds) or the flats will be a good next step as those two are in a many ways diametric opposites at either side of the spectrum of string types.

[Antoanto]

If you don't know what sound you are looking for, you'll never found it.

I have had the same experience when I switched from guitar to bass. I was looking for my own sound but liked too many different sounds and styles. I changed many basses, amps, strings and playing techniques before I realized that it was just too early for me. Then I decided to just play a lot and let things come. I gradually focused on a certain sound without even noticing because it was what naturally came to me given the kind of band I was playing in. Now The less I focus on trying to have a sound, the more people tell me I have a sound, and the good news is, this is pretty independent from the gear I use (well, a fast loudspeaker cone is definitely helpful)

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by mdogs

In a perfect world...maybe, in the real world strings make a HUGE difference.

Sort of they do, but in a gigging situation, you'd be surprised how little they really matter.

[FunkMetalBass]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Sort of they do, but in a gigging situation, you'd be surprised how little they really matter.

I habitually throw a new (or DA-soaked, newish sounding) set on my bass before every gig. Does the audience know or care? Nope. Does the band? Probably not.

I do it for me - if I think I sound good, I play well and enjoy myself.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

I habitually throw a new (or DA-soaked, newish sounding) set on my bass before every gig. Does the audience know or care? Nope. Does the band? Probably not.

I do it for me - if I think I sound good, I play well and enjoy myself.

I got no problem with that.