Nickel Low Riders. I'm diggin' 'em, but...

Craig_S · #1 01-19-2010, 05:04 PM

I'm a long time D'Addario XL user, who also likes the nickel Dunlops (okay, maybe better than the D'Addario's).

Is the difference in tone of the Low Riders worth the difference in price? I'm not so sure. What do you think?

mmbongo · #2 01-19-2010, 05:27 PM

I like them all three. D'Addarios are great when you're short on cash...$23 for TWO sets is super. But I do prefer Dunlops over them. But DR Sunbeams are my 'top teir' nickels, at about $7 more per set than Dunlops though.

dave64o · #3 01-19-2010, 09:28 PM

For me personally, yes, they're worth the price. I love the sound and I also love the feel, the tension, and how long they last.

However, judging solely on the way you asked the question, it sounds like they might not be worth the price to you. Sure, you say you're digging them but it also sounds like, if you were to apply the "gun to your head" test, you'd say you prefer the Dunlops. No shame in that.

Craig_S · #4 01-19-2010, 11:11 PM

Dave, I just don't know. I'm going to have to play these for a while to see for sure. I'll spend the money if I think something is worth it. The DR's sound good, the Dunlop's sound good and I can get what I want out of the D'Addario's, as well. They're all good strings, IMO.

The DR's feel a little odd to me. They're not as smooth as the others. They are nice as far as the tension and stiffness go; Very comfortable.

bertbassplayer · #5 01-21-2010, 10:00 AM

After playing DR for a while, I ended up getting some D'Addarios (used to be a LONG time D'Addario user) just on a whim. I found I lost some complexity to my sound, like something was missing. I ended up going back to DR.

I have Nickel Lo-Riders on my bass right now, and I have to admit when I first put them on they did feel pretty rough for a nickel string. I thought they were actually rougher than the Lo-Rider stainless strings I had on there previously.

PaulMacCnj · #6 01-21-2010, 10:34 AM

I think they are worth it. They have a great tone with growl. Plus, they last a very long time.

While on the subject, D'Addario's sound very bright to me, but not as shrill as Ernie Ball's.

Craig_S · #7 01-21-2010, 10:14 PM

I definitely hear a difference. It's not a difference I think the audience will hear. I have the Low Riders on my American Deluxe Jazz right now. I'll play it this weekend and see if they make a difference to me in a live situation.

Paul, The D'Addario's do sound a bit brighter. I would call them more even than the Low Riders. I have no problem at all with the way the XL's sound. I usually roll the highs off a touch, anyway. I have the highs set flat with the DR's right now. The Low Riders are good. I just don't know if the price justifies the difference I'm hearing. I've always been complimented on my tone, so the D'Addario's have worked well for me for a good long time.

I'm not trying to knock DR at all. Some of the best sounding strings I've ever played are the Fat Beams that came on my Stingray.

Slax · #8 01-21-2010, 10:22 PM

I like the stainless steel lo-riders over the nickel ones myself. I actually just switched over to DR black beauties the other day and I couldn't be happier with the tone of these strings. They seem to be exactly what I was looking for ATM.

steamthief · #9 01-21-2010, 10:25 PM

I played nickel Lo-Riders for a long while, but found I liked the Fender 7250s better. A wee bit higher tension, a little more low end oomph, quite a few bucks less per set.

DavePlaysBass · #10 01-22-2010, 06:53 AM

I played Nickel Low Riders on a Modulus Q5 that had XLs on it prior. The XLs kicked the crap out of the Low Riders on that bass. The NLRs were dull and the B string was very questionable on the Q5. The XLs just made it sing. That great warm, punchy, and bitey nickel tone.

Craig_S · #11 01-23-2010, 11:40 AM

Tried the Low riders for two sets last night. I didn't like them at all. The mids that I like to hear were gone. All I could hear was a big fat low end with no definition. Mind you, my rig and bass were set flat. The Low Riders will be coming off directly.

I won't say they're bad strings. They're just not for me. D'Addario wins, in this case.

Craig_S · #12 01-23-2010, 02:36 PM

I'm selling the Low Riders.

If you're interested, they're here: DR Nickel Low Riders SLIGHTLY USED

pickles · #13 01-24-2010, 09:00 AM

I find XLs, Nickel Lo Riders, Slinkys, and Dunlops to be incredibly similar. Which makes sense given they're made of basically the same materials, and basically the same design. The differences are very subtle, but some basses will react to one set or the other in a certain way that makes them pop.

Double Agent · #14 01-24-2010, 09:23 AM

The reason that I think the nickel Lo-Riders are worth the extra money compared to other nickel rounds is not the tone, even though I do prefer the tone of the DRs. The reason they are worth the higher price is how long they last. I will use a set of NLRs for 3-4 months before I change them, compared to the XLs which used to only last me 3-6 weeks before going dead (IME/IMO). But, if you're in a bit of a pinch, the XLs are a good string and they will definitely get the job done well.

Craig_S · #15 01-24-2010, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pickles

I find XLs, Nickel Lo Riders, Slinkys, and Dunlops to be incredibly similar.

But they're not. If that's the case, why waste your money buying the DR's?

pickles · #16 01-25-2010, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig_S

But they're not. If that's the case, why waste your money buying the DR's?

I don't buy Nickel Lo Riders. If I want that kind of string I usually just use slinkys. My strings of choice are DR hi beams, Pedulla Stainless, Carvin Nickels, and Sadowskys (on various basses) ... which are all very different from any of the common hex core nickel rounds, and pretty different from each other. There is a big wide world of strings out there. There are subtle differences between the 4 nickel sets I mentioned, but they're very similar. Nothing to get worked up over, just rotate through them and you'll probably like one or the other a little better. If you like the expensive ones best then just pony up, it really isn't very much money.

bassplayer7770 · #17 01-25-2010, 09:54 AM

I've been enjoying NP Lo Riders on my Yamaha for a while, but I just put on a set of Dunlop Nickels. First of all, the tension must be higher because I had to decrease the relief (tighten the truss rod) on the neck. Tonally, I think they sound pretty darn good. I also think they feel pretty good under my fingers. So far, so good!

Craig_S · #18 01-26-2010, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pickles

I don't buy Nickel Lo Riders. If I want that kind of string I usually just use slinkys. My strings of choice are DR hi beams, Pedulla Stainless, Carvin Nickels, and Sadowskys (on various basses) ... which are all very different from any of the common hex core nickel rounds, and pretty different from each other. There is a big wide world of strings out there. There are subtle differences between the 4 nickel sets I mentioned, but they're very similar. Nothing to get worked up over, just rotate through them and you'll probably like one or the other a little better. If you like the expensive ones best then just pony up, it really isn't very much money.

I use Slinky's on my SR5. I wasn't worked up, at all. It's not a matter of money, either; it's a matter of value. I like both the Dunlop and the D'Addario strings.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassplayer7770

I've been enjoying NP Lo Riders on my Yamaha for a while, but I just put on a set of Dunlop Nickels. First of all, the tension must be higher because I had to decrease the relief (tighten the truss rod) on the neck. Tonally, I think they sound pretty darn good. I also think they feel pretty good under my fingers. So far, so good!

The Dunlops are slightly higher tension. I think they sound and feel great.

If anyone want's these Nickel Low Riders, PM me. I'll give them to you for the cost of shipping, since there was no interest in them when I had them up for sale.

pickles · #19 01-26-2010, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig_S

I use Slinky's on my SR5. I wasn't worked up, at all. It's not a matter of money, either; it's a matter of value. I like both the Dunlop and the D'Addario strings.

Sorry, I didn't mean "worked up" directed at you ... just for folks in general, not something to stress about. I just meant if somebody likes the DRs better, they should just pay the premium. Obviously anybody that likes the cheaper strings better is good to go!

If I look back at just the 70s precisions I've owned and played, the best strings on each of them was different. XLs on one, Slinkys on another, hi beams on the 3rd.

Hollywars · #20 01-26-2010, 04:04 PM

Almost all DR strings last longer, which is another thing you want to take into consideration.