Roundwound string suggestions for a Hofner

soulfool · #1 04-02-2010, 10:19 PM

I recently put La Bella "Beatle Bass" Flatwound Strings (.50 - .100) on my Hofner Ignition, aka Icon. I love the lack of string noise BUT I'm actually missing the woody quality of the roundwounds. They seem to enhance the acoustic aspect of the beatle bass more than the flats.

Can anyone recommend a good roundwound string that fits a Hofner Beatle bass?

So far what I've been able to find is Rotosound RS66M Bass Strings Medium Scale. They are lighter gauge (.40 -.90)... which may be too light. Although, being new to bass, I might appreciate the ease of playing a lighter string but don't want to lose tone and tension that I have with the heavier gauge.

I also found D'Addario EXL160M XL Nickel wound, which apparently offer less string noise due to being nickel-plated.

darkstorm · #2 04-02-2010, 10:54 PM

Id try regular rotosound66's. That 90 for low E will likely be too loose and floppy for many peeps.

soulfool · #3 04-03-2010, 12:43 AM

I just noticed D'Addario makes an XL Nickel wound Environmental Medium Scale (.050 - .105). They might be good for lessening the finger noise.. But wonder if they'd be pushing it gauge-wise on a beatles bass?

soulfool · #4 04-09-2010, 09:36 PM

update: Nevermind, back on flats again. Given a week or so to break in the La Bella Beatle Bass flats sound perfect to me. I was still curious about roundwounds but, after breaking a D string tonight, I had to put on a back-up D'Addario Chromes flat string in it's place temporarily. I realize the D'Addario string is new but I do NOT like the metalic twang it has in comparison to the other three... which seems like the sound I'd get from roundwounds. Off to buy more La Bella flats!