Stainless Steel Or Nickel Strings

[javier69]

Whish one you consider the best... and why?

I prefer the Stainles steel... i like the bright sound of its (Rotosounds) too much tension... but who really cares about it!

[mulambo]

Nickel. SS allways sound too harsh to my taste. Alnd with the exception of Hi Beans, too harsh on my hands too. Also, there is a lack of middle freq on SS strings i dont like. The only SS strings i dig a lot are Chromes.

[john keates]

I think people in guitar shops try to sell nickel because they die quicker. They also start of less bright although shop attendants always tell me otherwise.

Nickels are softer on the fingers but overall I prefer steal.

[capnsandwich]

I like a nice modern slap tone like you hear on gospel albums and the only way to achieve that tone is to have a set of stainless steels on your bass. If SS strings are a bit too aggressive or harsh for a certain song then you can always EQ the harshness out. That's why I love active preamps too.

[Bassman316]

Me, personally, I've always favored nickel strings. They fit the music I play better than stainless steel strings do. I've always felt that stainless steels feel a bit to rough in my hands, and they sound a bit too gritty for my taste. But that's just me. As with much everything else, to each his own!

[mlove]

Nickels for me.
I like the pronounced mid range and slightly muted high end as well as the feel.
FYI - A few months ago I tried a pair of the Randy Jackson Alchemy strings and the sounded and felt a lot like nickels and lasted for a long time but the looks are not for everyone (or for me).

[Bassman316]

As for the more mellow tone of nickels compared to stainless steel, I would imagine that pure nickel strings have a slightly more mellow sound than nickel plated strings, right?

[mlove]

I wouldn't call it a mellower sound. It's less harsh (not as much high end) but to my ears what you loss in high end you get back in mid range.

[Jaco who?]

I like both, depending on the bass. Nickel Sunbeams and steel highbeams feel almost exactly the same.

[DavePlaysBass]

I have used a lot of both. Today, and this is subject to change, I am liking nickel plated steel. They are more versatile for the range of music I play (country, rock, gospel, contemporary praise). And the mid range really sits nicely in the pocket. I should add I seldom slap. Although I find that the right set of nickel rounds with the right EQ can slap nicely.

[Grateful]

My preferred string is nickel, but I have basses with both. I have a P/J with Marcus Millers (Stainless) that is geared for more aggressive sounds, a fretless with tapewounds and my other basses, including the Gretsch Baritone, all have nickels.

I prefer the smoother feel of nickel in an everyday situation.

[RCCollins]

Originally Posted by john keates

I think people in guitar shops try to sell nickel because they die quicker. They also start of less bright although shop attendants always tell me otherwise.

Nickels are softer on the fingers but overall I prefer steal.

I steal all my strings but I try to get nickel plated DRs, lo-riders or sunbeams depending. They do not die quickly - they last longer than your average SS string and like 40 times longer than roto swing 66s.

but I like SS for flats.

[DavePlaysBass]

IMO, end of life nickels are more playable than end of life steels. End of life steels sound like crap.

[El-Bob]

I loooooove me a set of dead nickels. i love mid's, and always cut all my treble, so SS seems like a pretty bad idea for me.

[HelloJerk]

I've had the same set of SS flats on my acoustic for ever, and they sounds as warm and mellow as the day I put them on. I have to change the nickel wounds on my jazz all the time or else they sound like crap. I'm thinking about putting SS flats on the jazz and forgetting about the whole strings thing for a while.

[bass12]

I kill strings after one show - doesn't matter if they're steel or nickel. I don't like the sound of steel straight out of the package, but I should add that I haven't played many different brands of steel strings. Over all, my impression is that I prefer nickel - they are certainly easier on your frets!

[Rendog92]

I prefer thicker gauges, at that point I think nickel is fine. However, steel sounds really good for metal. Thats just my take, the rougher texture makes it a different experience.

[ryco]

I use both depending on the bass

Jackson P/J = SS SuperSteps -- rock, funk, fusion
Ripper fretless = nickel GHS Halfies -- jazz, blues
passive P = Chrome Flats -- rock, blues, country
Ric 4001 = nickel Roto Swing66 -- rock, punk

[Phalex]

I voted nickle. SS strings are more abrasive on my fingers, and I really don't care for a snappy bright tone. YMMV.

[Holy War]

Gotta go SS on this one. They were hard to get used to at first (feel wise), but man does the tone come through. Once you play SS for awhile, the feel doesnt bother you at all, plus Ive actually grown to prefer it. I love that bright aggressive sound, especially when paired with my Stingray and Jazz. Sure they may wear your frets faster, but screw it, Im here to play rock and roll, not patty cake. I specifically like the roto 66s (40-105)