Recommend me a string for my 'new' '72 Jazz

HitByABlimp · #1 08-04-2010, 06:22 PM

I recently bought a '72 Fender Jazz. Awesome! I wanted to change the strings, because they felt very rough. The tone was great though. I got some d'addario XL165 (.45 - .105 nickelwound). I wish I didn't. I really hate new strings, but that's not the issue. I feel I lost some warmth and they sound a bit mote harsh, specially in the upper mids. So I doubt I will let them fully break in and just change them right now.

I've read a lot of posts in the string section. A few brands and types seem to come up a lot when taking my wishes into consideration, but nothing specificly for a 70's Jazz.

I'm looking for warm, lower mid-punch Jazz-Funk tone. Bit more open than the d'addario's. I know the bass can produce this tone, but the d'addrio's seem to mask it a bit). I don't like flats by the way.

Strings that came up in my search:
- DR Lo-Riders (nickel or steel)
- DR Sunbeams
- DR Fat beams
- Elixers
- Fender nickels (7250 or something?)

So, what would you guys say might be the best match for my new love.
Other suggestions are offcourse welcome.

king_biscuit · #2 08-04-2010, 06:24 PM

Give the Daddarios a chance to break in for a while. Any round you named is going to sound like you described the Daddarios when new.

BZadlo · #3 08-04-2010, 06:25 PM

...G.

HitByABlimp · #4 08-04-2010, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by king_biscuit

Give the Daddarios a chance to break in for a while. Any round you named is going to sound like you described the Daddarios when new.

I will take it into consideration. The thing is I expected the zing, but totally not the harshness and loss of warmth.

HitByABlimp · #5 08-04-2010, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BZadlo

...G.

?

BZadlo · #6 08-05-2010, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HitByABlimp

?

You said "a" string...alright, I guess it wasn't funny.

camiloochoa · #7 08-05-2010, 11:10 AM

i know you don't like flats, but based on the tone you are searching you should really try a set of sadowsky flats

BZadlo · #8 08-05-2010, 11:10 AM

Dunlap is worth checking out. They're pretty cheap too.

HitByABlimp · #9 08-05-2010, 11:13 AM

Hahahaha yes it is funny!

I just didn't get it

peterpalmieri · #10 08-05-2010, 11:20 AM

I would try a set of DR Hi Beams, based on your tonal description that would be my best guess.

Kipaste · #11 08-05-2010, 11:48 AM

I love 70's jazz basses with a passion and have tried almost every string available in my neck of the woods with those type of basses. Now I don't like any string when they're totally new. My sweet spot for strings usually starts at around 2-6 weeks, depending on the string. That's when they still sound very alive and "perky" but start to develop that fat and warm quality with some meat in the mids. Your mileage may vary though, my hands don't really sweat.

After some time, I've pretty much settled on these:

GHS boomers. They sound nice, warm and fat but are very short lived. These get good at around two weeks or even earlier and last maybe three or four weeks after that, but the good thing is that for my taste, they sound almost "recordable" even when brand new. My choice when I wan't fat, twangy and midrangey slap tones.

DR Fat beams. I'm not usually a great fan of SS strings due to the zingy sound when new, but these strings age absolutely beautifully, it just takes a longer time. I usually start liking these at around 6 weeks, but the last set I had on lasted for almost five months after that and still didn't sound dead when I replaced them. They develop an unusually fat sound for SS strings given a bit of time. Also, even though I usually go with the medium 45-105, the 40-100 set, even though ridiculously low tension, ages to a super funky slap tone.

DR Sun beams. These sound really good too and are lower tension than the GHS boomers, which I kinda like. Not quite as fat though.

Fender 7250. Very basic, but around here very affordable. I can buy almost three sets for the price of one DR set.. These are pretty warm too and even if they definately aren't my favourites, I don't have any major complaints either and could easily live with these strings.

Dunlops I haven't tried yet.

And by the way, I absolutely hate the D'addario nickels too. They don't even age well IMHO... Elixirs are also something I don't find appealing at all.

HitByABlimp · #12 08-05-2010, 03:00 PM

Thanks a lot guys (and Kipaste for the extensive reviews!).
It seems DR comes up alot in other threads and again in this post. I probably should check into these...

eyecandy · #13 08-05-2010, 05:10 PM

Dunlop Nickels, DR Sunbeam and GHS Boomers are my personal favorite...

mcm · #14 10-07-2010, 09:01 PM

165's rock on my dj

pbass2 · #15 10-07-2010, 09:04 PM

Nickel Lo-Riders!!!!!!!!!!!
To me they feel a bit broken-in out of the package, have a very nice smooth top, and great low mids and lows. Punchy and warm.
For what you describe I highly recommend them. To me they sound kind of "modern-classic"....

Boot Soul · #16 10-08-2010, 05:48 AM

I agree, as was said, that you should give your 165s some more time. They are for me, on my old Fenders, and other basses, my desert island string. But let me qualify this.

I don't think D'ad 165s are the very best sounding or feeling string amongst nickle plated rounds. For that, and with regard to your described preferences, Sunbeams and Nickle Low-Riders (stiffer than Sunbeams, hexcore) are better, as also was said. But in terms of longevity, cost, and the ability to be washed in alcohol and come back to life, XLs are unparalleled. And they don't get the tarnished/rusted areas on them that other old strings seem to get, at least with my chemistry. Once broken-in, they sound a lot like, and have similar tension to, broken-in nickle Low-Riders, IMO.

And they are less than half the price of DRs. In the 2 pack, from MF, they are $12.50 a set. They have been my standard, my home base string for years.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.c...ngs?sku=100155

And if you can take a lighter gauge E and A, here is THE deal. $10 a set with a free T-Shirt.
http://accessories.musiciansfriend.c...irt?sku=712751

baileyboy · #17 10-08-2010, 06:04 AM

I use D'Addario half-rounds (.45 - .105) on my '73 J and think they are great, but I don't have much experience with other strings. I started using them years ago, really liked them with the Fenders, and never tried others.

Volume4 · #18 10-09-2010, 09:44 PM

I'm using Sadowsky Blue Label SS Rounds .45-.105 on both my Jazz and Ric. They sound good right away but do get even better after a couple of weeks.

I also really liked the Sadowsky flats and nickels I tried.