Steels for a P

DavePlaysBass · #1 12-02-2007, 03:22 PM

I have an alder / maple 50's P that has captivated me for a couple of months now. I have been slapping the crap out of it which is kinda weird given I have been a J guys for the last 20 years and do not slap that much.

So I am looking for a set of steels that would go well on a P. DRs scare me because of the Hi Beams are scooped and Low Riders never really did it for me. They seemed to lose their brilliance pretty fast and then were sorta dull. Rotos and Dean Markelys are rough and have a lot of finger noise but may be close to the sound in my head.

Any advice appreciated.

Dave

Luckydog · #2 12-02-2007, 06:08 PM

Dave,
I was gonna suggest HRS but you are selling them based on your sig line! Thats what I have on my '66 and I've gone through a b*ttload of rounds to get to these. Been using them for years now.

DavePlaysBass · #3 12-02-2007, 09:44 PM

Yeah I have been thinking HRS. Are you using the 40-100 or the 45-105? I am selling the 40-100 because they sounded thin on my Sadowsky when compared to Superalloys. I have not had my P long, but I am thinking 40 and 60 on the D and G could be pretty thin given the placement of the that pickup half. I really wish they did a 45-100 set. This seems to be my gauge of choice and I think this might balance the P pickup pretty well given the E and A are back farther.

Luckydog · #4 12-03-2007, 12:11 PM

45-105. Best steel strings for me. Plenty of depth, tome thickness, and not real chimey, but plenty of high end. Feel good too. Strings are hard to characterize, but I've been through so many sets...I (like many others I'm sure) have experimented with so many strings. Of course its an education too, so I don;t regret that, but its an expensive way to get to a favorite string.

DavePlaysBass · #5 12-03-2007, 01:30 PM

Yeah I really dug the HRS 40-100-128 on my Sadowsky for a while. Then one day I woke up and decided I needed a little more warmth and fatness and went with Superalloys. Superalloys only come in 45-65-80-105-125 and looking back I maybe should have tried the HRS in a thicker gauge. The SAs are quite dark compared to steel. Ironically I just sold a set of HRS 45-105 a couple months back. But i just ordered another set from Big City.

Thanks,

Dave

Nedmundo · #6 12-03-2007, 11:02 PM

I've liked Dean Markley Blue Steels (.045-.105) on my alder/maple Precision. I initially tried them to get more growl out of a Seymour Duncan Hot for P pickup, which was very smooth and fat-sounding, with a slightly muted high end. I liked the clarity and punch, and they were a good match for that pickup.

After replacing the Duncan with a Lindy Fralin pickup, and a long stint with GHS flats, I installed Blue Steels again for rock band rehearsal duty. They're slightly light on the low end compared to some other strings, and not exactly warm and fuzzy sounding (when new), but I remain impressed by the clarity, punch, and outstanding balance across the strings. The D & G strings ring out clearly, which is a big plus for me, and was not my experience with Dean Markley Nickel Plated Steels. Turn down the treble, and the thump is still there. For some reason, they seem to bring out strong acoustic resonance in the bass too.

They're slightly rougher than nickelwounds, and my fingers do notice after playing for a couple of hours. But it's not enough to bother me.

So, overall I really like them, and think they're a good match for a Precision in a rock context.

Sorefinger · #7 12-04-2007, 03:45 AM

+ 1 on the Blue Steels for rock.

For a 70s funk vibe, try GHS SuperSteels. I was pleasantly surprised how growly and tight they sound.

DavePlaysBass · #8 12-04-2007, 06:24 AM

How did the Blue Steels age for you? I played a G&L L5000 P style bass that had old Blue Steels on it. The bass had a really gutsy, punchy sound. Only played it for a few minutes without a band, but the sound has stuck in my head. It sort of reminded me of Rotos after they loose the inital zing. On a side note, it is too bad the string spacing is so tight on the L5000 or I would be looking for one.

Nedmundo · #9 12-04-2007, 10:32 AM

As I recall, the Blue Steels aged well, but honestly I don't remember how long I used them the first time around. They definitely mellow out, with a decrease in finger noise and "zing." I've barely used the new set, so I can't be any more specific.