Which Rotosound? Nickel or Steel?

[supremo]

I am in a classic rock band and I have an American Precision.
So I don't know which is better to choose for better classic rock sound.

[mario222]

I'd go with the nickel. Slightly warmer with better mids.

[kyral210]

Definitely Nickel. Look at all the 'classic rock' bands out there, most of them play with Roundwound nickel. The exception would be Steve Harris with his signature series Rotosound Flats, but still, roundwound nickel all the way for me. Steel gives too much of a harsh noise, maybe good for industrial, but not classic rock!

However, I don't like Rotosound at all, D'addario are way better in my opinion! I am cut between D'addario and Jim Dunlop, but definitely not Rotosound!

[Shaun_Bass0]

IME experience the nickels hold their tune pretty much from the first time you tune them and require a lot less playing in to stay in tune also.

[KPAX]

Good question. The steel definately last longer. It's such a buzz-kill when one of the strings goes dead. Nickels are offenders on that front.
Which did Geddy use? As I recall, Rotosound Swing Bass 66 used to be nickel only. When did they start offering stainless steel? 80's?

[david fitch]

Alot of the "Classic" recording bands of the 1960's & 1970's used Flatwound strings. I have played in too many Classic Rock bands to count and have used Rotosound 66 Steel Roundwounds or D'Addario XL Nickel roundwounds. I do prefer Nickel Rounds for Classic Rock.

[Honk'n_down-low]

Yeah - cuz your audience is gonna slay you if you lay down the old school with Steels

[david fitch]

Naw..They ain't gonna slay ya,Hell they don't even know or care. I like the more warm vintage type tone Nickels seem to offer playing live music that was originally recorded with Flats . Never heard a complaint when using the steels.

[BTBplayer]

I use the swing bass 66 , stainless steel. absolutely love them , great tone , I had to get use to them, during my 1st set (the feel) , but now I'll never go back or use any other strings .

I'm a Rock player by the way

[FaithNoMan]

Originally Posted by kyral210

Definitely Nickel. Look at all the 'classic rock' bands out there, most of them play with Roundwound nickel. The exception would be Steve Harris with his signature series Rotosound Flats, but still, roundwound nickel all the way for me. Steel gives too much of a harsh noise, maybe good for industrial, but not classic rock!

However, I don't like Rotosound at all, D'addario are way better in my opinion! I am cut between D'addario and Jim Dunlop, but definitely not Rotosound!

Many classic rock bands used roundwound stainless strings:

The Who
Yes
Rush
King Crimson
Guns 'n Roses

...are just a few that used Swing Bass 66 Stainless, as well as a very well-known bassist named Jaco.

Yes, they mark up your frets a bit - They are rougher on your hands than almost any string I have tried also, but I am sold on them for the very aggressive "in the mix" sound. I also have some mean callouses on my fingertips to go with the useage.

[PBass101]

Originally Posted by KPAX

Good question. The steel definately last longer. It's such a buzz-kill when one of the strings goes dead. Nickels are offenders on that front.
Which did Geddy use? As I recall, Rotosound Swing Bass 66 used to be nickel only. When did they start offering stainless steel? 80's?

Uh...wait a minute.

Nickel is reputed - and I've experienced this firsthand - to last MUCH longer than steel. Because...it does. Not sure where you got that SS outlasts nickel...

I've had Rotosound Swing Bass strings on for a few weeks before they were so dead as to sound muted slightly; my Thomastik nickel-coated roundwounds have been going strong for a month and a half.

Rotosound Swing Bass '66 were NEVER nickel only, in fact, when John Entwistle went to Rotosound to develope a stainless steel wire-round string, they offered the set using his name on the package and it was stainless steel only for many, many years. That was back in the mid-sixties. In fact it could have been the first stainless steel roundwound bass string, not sure.

I think you need to re-check where ever it is you're getting your facts from.

[fretlessman71]

For me, the Swing Bass 66 strings sounded great out of the package but died within a few weeks.

The nickel Rotos (pink box) sounded AWFUL out of the package and never stayed on my bass long enough to die. No definition of tone, no grit to them, no soul. Either I was the victim of a bad run of strings, or the nickel Rotos just aren't my thing.

Maybe a hybrid choice would work? GHS does nickel-plated steel; it's a good halfway point between the two tones and feels, and is a solid bass string.

[tapp01]

Daddario XL's FTW

[ser1960]

Nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, I would say nickel.

[Bassman316]

Originally Posted by ser1960

Nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel, I would say nickel.

+1. Major.

I have Rotosound 66 stainless steels on my SX P-bass, and in my opinion they feel too.... harsh. And sticky. On the other hand, I have my Douglas six-string with D'Addario nickels, which are my favorite string as of right now. They have bangin' response and just the right tension.

If there is a nickel string players' club, sign me up.

[Moving Target]

Tried nickels a couple of times and liked the zinginess but was disappointed by how fast they went dead.

Now I use Rotosound pressure-wounds instead. Easier on the fingers.

[Gubna]

I used the nickle ones for years. My finger calluses were very thick, and they chewed up my frets good. BUT I'll say they sounded good.

they did go dead quick. I used to change them every couple weeks, or before big shows.

I was just delivered a set of Stainless to set up on my precision with a BEAD tuning, so I'll see how they are. the other stainless strings I've played, I really like.