Are nickel strings more common than steel?

paf77 · #1 02-01-2010, 12:46 AM

I'm just curious if nickel roundwounds are more commonly used than steel roundwounds. I haven't heard much about it, but it seems like the majority uses nickel. There does seem to be a good amount of people that go for the steels though...

uethanian · #2 02-01-2010, 12:56 AM

IME, it's the opposite. i play nickels, and i have a hard time finding anything other than steels at music stores.

paf77 · #3 02-01-2010, 01:24 AM

Oh I see. I order most of my strings online, so I haven't checked around much to see what stores have in. When I'm at music stores checkin out basses, I never look at the strings either cuz I'm too distracted.

Meatrus · #4 02-01-2010, 04:56 AM

It seems like most people start off with Nickels (probably because they come fitted on new basses), but SS strings seem to be much more popular with the famous bass players. Geddy Lee, Les Claypool, Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Cliff Burton, and so on, all use SS strings.

I'm not sure about what you will find in most shops, but here its normally just Rotosound, and normally stainless steel, but I do live in the middle of nowhere!

SwamiRob · #5 02-01-2010, 06:21 AM

I see a nice balance, but if a shop stocks only 1 or 2 types it's usually Nickel. On here I'd say it's a good balance between the 2, perhaps a few more on Stainless, but if you take into account the people that predominately use flats then it's probably reasonably even.

Stainless do seem to be more popular with the "obvious" if you will popular bass players, the ones that tend to really stick out, but that's kinda in the nature of Stainless strings anyway to produce a cutting sound so they can dominate the mix to some extent.