Steel Strings That Wont Chew Up my Fingers?

jokerjkny · #1 05-13-2006, 11:35 PM

i'm a regular nickel string user, but the sadowsky and d'addario nickels dont have enough grind for the more rock gigs i've been of late.

but,

along with my granny-butt back that i've pampered w/ neo loaded speaker cabs and an uber lightweight 15 lbs. amp head, my fingers like to be spoiled as well.

so, any suggestions on an aggressively biting steel string that's also easy on the fingas?

i really liked the sound of a friend's jbass strung up w/ rotosounds, but after an hour of play, my fingers were pretty chewed up. also, my trusty MTD635 with its MTD steel strings, while awesome in their midrange thickness, pretty much nubbed my fingers to torn up stumps.

anything similar yet not as gnawing?

Trevorus · #2 05-13-2006, 11:37 PM

warwick black labels, or DR low riders.

ukbassboy · #3 05-14-2006, 07:56 AM

Rotosound 55 Solos are good on the fingers. They are pressure wound and still sound pretty good too. Check out their site for soundclips of all their strings.

Smallmouth_Bass · #4 05-14-2006, 08:00 AM

GHS Super Steels are pretty good. I also tried some Ken Smith Masters and found them to be more coarse.

mvw356 · #5 05-14-2006, 08:03 AM

choose the string you like the most soundwise., and stick to it. i recently disovered rotosound swing bass 66 (i think thats what they are called) and they are really agressive on the fingertips. in the beginnig (couple of days) it was a bit painfull, but then my skin got used to it and now i have no more problems. i know htis is not exactly an answer you asked for, but it's my advice anyways.

Nedmundo · #6 05-14-2006, 09:33 AM

I was a nickel guy forever, until I tried Dean Markley Blue Steels on my P-bass. They aren't quite as smooth on the fingers as nickel, but they're close enough that I don't notice a difference when playing, and they added exactly the growl/grind I wanted on the P.

DavePlaysBass · #7 05-14-2006, 10:44 AM

If you play steels two to three times a week, the fingers will toughen up real quick especially if you are already playing nickel rounds.

I carry a bottle of New Skin in my gig bag. It is like a clear finger nail polish meant to protect blisters. If I am really out of practice and on my way to several hours of playing, I will coat my fingers with several small coats before I begin.

Dave

**Marcus Willett** · #8 05-14-2006, 11:10 AM

I just recently checked out the nickel plated Blue Steels. I have never been a fan of Blue Steels, but I like these a lot. They have the edge of steel strings (which I've always used), but are smoother to the touch. After years of playing steel strings, they feel like butta.

Jason Carota · #9 05-14-2006, 02:09 PM

I find Fodera's steel strings to be quite soft.

**cheezewiz** · #10 05-14-2006, 02:17 PM

Grow some callouses Jae ya big wuss!

dangnewt · #11 05-14-2006, 02:21 PM

I used to use the Rotsound Swing bass 66's; now I use DR hi-beams. The DR's feel a little smoother. The Rotos are not rough but they do feel drier. The DR's feel somewhat slinkier to me.

Lorenzini · #12 05-14-2006, 02:23 PM

Get some DR Sunbeams. Has what you want.

jokerjkny · #13 05-15-2006, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

Grow some callouses Jae ya big wuss!

lol,

but, but, but, my job as a hand model!

Gene Leone · #14 05-16-2006, 10:10 PM

Consider a set of TI Powerbass stings. Might be just what you are looking for sound-wise and feel-wise.

http://www.thomastik-infeld.com/guitars/index.html

Fret

pickles · #15 05-17-2006, 02:32 PM

Smoothest feeling steels for me are DRs and especially Labellas.

Sadowskys and MTDs are the roughest I've used.

marc40a · #16 05-20-2006, 10:15 PM

I'm surprised to see DR's mentioned.

I find Lo-Riders to be rough and slightly tacky. It's an addictive feel for me... especially under sweaty gig conditions.

I just tried my first set of Sadowsky stainless this week and I found myself missing that DR feel. The Sadowskys feel more polished and smooth to me. I haven't gigged with them yet, though. That'll be the real test.

Dave Siff · #17 05-21-2006, 10:52 AM

La Bella Hard Rockin' Steels are pretty easy on the fingers. I've torn my fingers up something awful on nickel strings, just from digging in too hard, but the La Bella steels haven't given me any problems.

The BurgerMeister · #18 05-21-2006, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvw356

choose the string you like the most soundwise., and stick to it. i recently disovered rotosound swing bass 66 (i think thats what they are called) and they are really agressive on the fingertips. in the beginnig (couple of days) it was a bit painfull, but then my skin got used to it and now i have no more problems. i know htis is not exactly an answer you asked for, but it's my advice anyways.

+1

and +1 on rotos. i use the stainless steel swing bass 45-105s too... i love them. nothing else sounds like rotos.

another person mentioned the "solo bass" pressure wounds by rotosound... those are still fairly growly but the winding feels "tighter" (less coarse/painful).

12bass · #19 05-22-2006, 01:56 AM

I like the feel and sound of DR Hi-Beams....

DavePlaysBass · #20 05-22-2006, 07:59 PM

I just put a set of La Bella Hard Rockin' Steels on (40-100-128). They seem super smooth for a stainless and I am a bit out of practice. The B string sounded great thru head phones.

Dave