RS66LD vs. ProSteels

deckard · #1 02-07-2008, 09:05 AM

I've been a Rotosound RS66LD guy since I first tried them back in the early 70's.

Never had a bad string, love the gauge, tone, growliness (new word?), etc., etc., etc. on my HGThor-epoxied-fingerboard fretless.

I've tried other roundwounds but they just don't "do it" for me.

What I REALLY want is RS66LD's that have a longer lasting "new string zinginess" thing going on...

Have never tried ProSteels, though, so:

is there anyone else out there who has loved RS66LD's and has compared them to ProSteels?

Or is this like the quest for the Holy Grail, aka as "if it ain't broke, don't fix it?"

Uziel · #2 02-07-2008, 01:44 PM

You should give a try to SIT powersteel

JustOpenYourMind · #3 02-07-2008, 01:52 PM

If you like brightness, you'll absolutly fal lin love with prosteels. Before, I used only the 66's and exacly like you I found those string to be very short lived. I tried a bunch of strings, including Dr high-beams wich are supposedly the best in stainless strings around here...

Prosteels have a really bright tone that lasts and lasts, before I tried them, I couldn't remember when I kept a set of strings for more than a month, now I keep them on for like 3 to 5 months depending on my gigging schedule.

They are bright and they keep being bright.

Those strings don't seem to be liked a lot on Tb but I bet that those who hate prosteels are the same guys that swears by flatwound strings. wich are never going to be bright enough for my tastes.

osciphex · #4 02-08-2008, 01:19 PM

DR SS Lo-Riders have been described as "longer lasting RS66's". They're both hex-core stainless steel rounds and supposedly sound similar.

I use the Lo-Riders and like them a lot, they stay zingy decently long (though this is my first brand of stainless steels, so I don't have anything to compare it to.) I've never tried the rotosounds.

BeyondFiredUp · #5 02-09-2008, 08:56 PM

DR SS Lo-Riders are close, and they do last longer and have a good broke-in sound, and I do have them on one of my basses and like them. HOWEVER,,,the mids on pretty much all DR strings I've tried seems "scooped" (less full mids) and the Rotos seem to give a better mids presence. It's kinda hard to describe but that full mids "roto sound" while they last (it varies on how you play) is hard to beat.
They haven't been used by top pros over the years "just because", or because they've had some endorsement deal...players like Geddy Lee, the late great Entwistle and countless others could play any string they want and get an endorsement from any string company they want. Think about that...

Drewskie · #6 02-09-2008, 10:40 PM

I'm sure most have checked this out but what's cool about the roto site is they have audio samples of all the strings and they are bad ass...

http://www.rotosound.com/bass.html

I want to pick up some of these. All I've used so far are the swing bass 66s.

Ian Perge · #7 02-10-2008, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustOpenYourMind

If you like brightness, you'll absolutly fal lin love with prosteels. Before, I used only the 66's and exacly like you I found those string to be very short lived. I tried a bunch of strings, including Dr high-beams wich are supposedly the best in stainless strings around here...

Prosteels have a really bright tone that lasts and lasts, before I tried them, I couldn't remember when I kept a set of strings for more than a month, now I keep them on for like 3 to 5 months depending on my gigging schedule.

They are bright and they keep being bright.

+1. I was the guy who never really found "his sound" in regards to strings until playing a set of D'addario Prisms (the precursor to ProSteels) on the advice from a pro friend whose tastes were close to mine - piano-style high end "chime", strong low-mids... I haven't played another brand on my fretted basses in 6 years, and thank him for filling in that gap in my tone. If that's what you like, give them a try... especially at the prices D'addario sells them at.

James Hart · #8 02-10-2008, 02:00 AM

LaBella Hard Rockin Steels

DavePlaysBass · #9 02-10-2008, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Hart

LaBella Hard Rockin Steels

+1 and I normally don't do the "+1" thing.

Back to the church band after nearly a year off. The medium gauge nickels on the Sadowsky are great for classic rock / country but they were boomy as heck at Thur practice. So yesterday I replaced them with the old standby of HRS 42B. Wow. Great tone. I missed these strings. It does not have the low mid bump of the nickels I have been playing but the clarity and upper mids are great. And the B, E, and A were clear, punchy, and warm. I received compliements all around (the band has been playing without a bass player).

DavePlaysBass · #10 02-10-2008, 02:16 PM

Going back the original post, HRS have a long life for steel strings IME. Most steel strings as they die get this muddy buzzy sound. I have heard this from Pro Steels. The HRS seem to die a bit more gracefully and it takes a while. They also have more mids than Pro Steels. I prefer the 42B. They feel smoother. I tried the M45 set one time and I could really feel a difference. They seemed coarser. I probably just noticed the steel coarseness more because of the higher tension.

Dave