Not digging my Lo-Riders

[steamthief]

Based on a lot of positive comments here, I bought a 45-105 set for my alder/maple P/J, and so far I'm not that happy with them.

I've had them on my bass for about two weeks now. I play fingerstyle and tend to dig in, and they seem very noisy with tone turned up anywhere past 1/3. I also seem to be getting some weird harmonics on the D string from the 5th fret to the nut.

Will these strings mellow out anytime soon?

[SUNNyday r.]

I wasn't fond of them either. I enjoy the Hi Beams and Sunbeams (in that order) the most. I like the easier tension. Maybe you got a bum set?

[Squice]

I bought a set yesterday to put on my Sadowsky

seem to be getting some weird harmonics on the D string from the 5th fret to the nut.

Seems like you got a bum set. I like those strings alot but the B-string suck.. totally crap compared to the Sadowsky B-string that came on my bass. But i love the other four.

Been playing those sadowsky strings for 4 months and the B-string is still much better than new Lo-rider. On lo-r. around 10th fret and up you almost get like a double tone, just f***d up.

[SGT. Pepper]

HI-Beams, FATBEAMS, and SUNBEAMS are smoother.

[1kinal]

I never really liked the DR B-strings while I LOVE most of their 4-strings sets. Lo-riders, sunbeams and fat beams depending on the bass.

[Squice]

Same here.. I Bought a 5string set.. The B-string was crap.
So i just put back on the Sadowsky B-string. And it´s great, Sadowsky B-string sounds great with the DR-lorider string.

[Thumper]

Sunbeams (Sadowsky, 66J), Coated Hi-Beams (Modulus, Zon and Epiphone Les Paul) Low-riders on the Lakland.

I really disliked the Low-riders until they settled down (about 4 months, but as you might guess, it splits time with others), now that's what I'll put on it when they die. Give 'em time unless you're the type that likes zingy new strings.

At to the harmonics, that sounds like a bad string, I'd ask them to send you another.

[bbocaner]

I always hear the unpleasing harmonics on the lo-riders. It comes from the stiffness of the string because of the hex core. That's why I MUCH prefer the hi-beams.

[rockstarbassist]

I've always liked them, but different things I guess?

[SherpaKahn]

I put a set on my main Ibanez about a month ago. I also bought some Hi-beams in the same gauge and put them on my frankenP bass. At first I wasn't crazy about how quickly the Lo-riders mellowed out compared to the Hi-beams (my last set took four months before I replaced them), but the Lo-riders have really grown on me. I feel like they sound very focused; not snappy or bright, or with booming bass and snappy treble, but rather they just sound very "together", which works very well in a mix.

However I noticed that within a week, my E string was putting out a lifeless "Thud" instead of the nice "thunk" the rest of the strings had, and emailed DR about it. They're sending me a new set as we speak! We'll see how this next set pans out.

[Fuzzbass]

Originally Posted by steamthief

Based on a lot of positive comments here, I bought a 45-105 set for my alder/maple P/J, and so far I'm not that happy with them.

I've had them on my bass for about two weeks now. I play fingerstyle and tend to dig in, and they seem very noisy with tone turned up anywhere past 1/3. I also seem to be getting some weird harmonics on the D string from the 5th fret to the nut.

Will these strings mellow out anytime soon?

IMO, you took a chance and it didn't pay off. No big deal, it happens to all of us. What works for me might not work for you and vice versa.

Another important thing I've noticed about strings: a set that sounds magical on one of my basses might not work well on another. I liked Hi Beams on my old MTD 535, but they did not work well on my old Lull. These days I use Sadowsky or Elixir on my Sadowsky, Hard Rockin' Steels on my Fender RB5, and Lo Riders on my Benaventes.

I wish there were easy answers to tone questions, but unfortunately there aren't. Good luck in your string search.

[chadds]

Originally Posted by Fuzzbass

IMO, you took a chance and it didn't pay off. No big deal, it happens to all of us. What works for me might not work for you and vice versa.

Another important thing I've noticed about strings: a set that sounds magical on one of my basses might not work well on another. I liked Hi Beams on my old MTD 535, but they did not work well on my old Lull. These days I use Sadowsky or Elixir on my Sadowsky, Hard Rockin' Steels on my Fender RB5, and Lo Riders on my Benaventes.

I wish there were easy answers to tone questions, but unfortunately there aren't. Good luck in your string search.

Great answer!

[RayO5421]

You guys are just making me feel great about my first purchase of lo-riders I made a couple days ago on MF haha. I'll get them before the end of the week, I hope they sound nice, I'm gonna be using them on my P bass.

[Lorenzini]

If you don't like Lo Riders, give Hi Beams or Sunbeams a chance.

They are like a different string.

That said, I just got a set of Steel Lo Riders to try on my new Cirrus. Will string today and see how they play.

[rockstarbassist]

I gotta get some Lo-Riders for my Flea ASAP!
Hopefully they'll tame it down a tad.

[Lorenzini]

Originally Posted by rockstarbassist

I gotta get some Lo-Riders for my Flea ASAP!
Hopefully they'll tame it down a tad.

Then get the nickels

[rockstarbassist]

Originally Posted by Lorenzini

Then get the nickels

Didn't think about that.
I used those on my old fretless Q5 and dug the crap outta them.
Maybe I'll give 'em a whirl,and that's what should be on my Q5 now!

[steamthief]

Well, it's been about six weeks since I put the Lo-Riders on, and I like them a whole lot better now that they're broken in. Bright but not zingy, excellent volume balance from string to string, and the weird harmonics I experienced when the set was brand new have vanished. Since I'm a ham-handed player, I prefer the extra tension of the hex cores.

These should last for at least another few months. I bought a set of Sunbeams on eBay to warm up in the bullpen, but I'm more and more pleased with the Lo-Riders the more I play them.

[dangnewt]

Thanks for the update, I was wondering what your take would be after a while.

Glad to here that they settled down for you. That has been my experience with the Low Riders as well.

[groove pump]

I pretty much play un-bright stuff and have always been a little suspicious of hex cores, so the Sunbeams are my ropes as far as DR goes. They've never disappointed.