Switching back to rounds - DR vs Rotosound

[NortyFiner]

Regarding the Beams vs. Riders question:

Beams = round core, lower tension.

Riders = hex core, higher tension.

That's a generalization, but should give you a basic idea.

I was a flats guy until I got my Big Al. It came with DR Sunbeams on it, and I became an instant DR convert. YMMV, of course.

[Midak]

Originally Posted by NortyFiner

Regarding the Beams vs. Riders question:

Beams = round core, lower tension.

Riders = hex core, higher tension.

That's a generalization, but should give you a basic idea.

I was a flats guy until I got my Big Al. It came with DR Sunbeams on it, and I became an instant DR convert. YMMV, of course.

Actually, it was a DR Fat Beams vs. Rotosound Swing Bass 66 tension & stiffness question.

[Catbuster]

The Swing 66 are much stiffer. Much stiffer than the tension would lead you to believe. Overall, I think the Swing 66 are a mid-tension string, & the "Beam" series are very low tension.

[Deaky]

Well I put a set of rotos on..............then put the DRs back on!!!!

Get the DRs you won't be sorry.

[darkstorm]

The only strings I like the sound of as well as rotosound swing66 is DR neons. Better low bass articulation and equally nice balance of lows thru highs, pleasant mids. Not quite the same sound as rotos, but as good as imo. Actually I like the neons sound wise better overall. More hifi detail to sound and the more articualte low bass makes it explode with sound goodness. Not a fan of sunbeams, to subdued in the treble.

[Johnny Crab]

Rotos since they have been sold to the public. Tried DR's and they didn't work for me. Currently trying cheapo brands of all flavors in a quest to locate a cheapo that is close to Roto but lasts longer. I HAVE had some appear on basses from Japan and when I asked about them was told "Oh those are the cheapest string we have. I don't think you can get them in USA and with shipping, price high".

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by Midak

I believe we have a winner so far. I was considering a set of .45-.105 Lo Riders, but I think I'd go with a .45-.105 set of Fat Beams. Indeed, I liked the Roto's sound, but if there is a set close to them, smoother and with a longer-life prospective, I would definitely give it a try. How about tension and stiffness? How is set of .45-.105 Fat Beams compared to a set of .45-.105 Swing Bass 66?

Just about any make & model of string can be worth your investment - at least on a one-time trial basis - although in my opinion you could benefit from reading between the lines a bit better on the somewhat subjective advice you've just been given...

You may recall from your original post that the mission here was to identify a make of DRs with the "...bite of (the) rounds", that would enable a "...warm, yet classic Jazz Bass tone with a fair amount of bite and growl when needed." Add from the above-posted remarks that you would like to find DRs that are "close to" Rotosounds, yet "smoother" and longer-lasting. To some extent, you may be asking for mutually-exclusive attributes here.

I use DR FatBeams on all my fretless basses, and love them for their phat, smooth tone. But let's be clear: DRs are not a roundwound string. They are a compression-wound string - which means that although they may growl nicely with the right gear settings and playing technique, providing the "bite" and "growl" of roundwound strings is really not their strong suit - and certainly not to the degree that the Rotosounds provide it.

FatBeams are relatively warm for being stainless-steel strings. But in my experience, SS strings are rarely, if ever, as warm as nickels. FatBeams don't have that roundwound outer wrap that provides the "bite" you seek. And, as FatBeams are a roundcore string, they have a softer, more relaxed feel and tension than Rotosounds, which are stiffer due to their hexagonal-core construction (if memory serves me correctly). So you see, in a number of key respects, FatBeams are really not that "close to" the tone or feel of Rotosounds after all.

If you're looking for a smoother, DR make of strings to try as an alternative to Rotosounds, Lo-Rider stainless steels are an approximate substitute for Rotosound stainless rounds; and Lo-Rider nickels are an approximate substitute for Rotosound nickel rounds. I'm an experienced user of both Rotosounds and DRs, and I can tell you: that's about as close as you're going to get. You might love 'em; you might not.

But hey, go ahead and shell out for whatever DRs you want - it's your money. That's how we learn, after all. It's certainly the way I had to learn - through trial & error, and via years and years of personal experience - having come up in the pre-Internet days, before there was anybody available on such a thing called TalkBass.com to provide easy, spoon-fed (and frequently inaccurate) information.

At the end of the day, personal experience - and trial & error - may yet be the best way to learn after all...

MM

[Midak]

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

Just about any make & model of string can be worth your investment - at least on a one-time trial basis - although in my opinion you could benefit from reading between the lines a bit better on the somewhat subjective advice you've just been given...

You may recall from your original post that the mission here was to identify a make of DRs with the "...bite of (the) rounds", that would enable a "...warm, yet classic Jazz Bass tone with a fair amount of bite and growl when needed." Add from the above-posted remarks that you would like to find DRs that are "close to" Rotosounds, yet "smoother" and longer-lasting. To some extent, you may be asking for mutually-exclusive attributes here.

First of all, read and think of what did I ask. Indeed I want a set with specific characteristics, but I never demanded it to have them. I want it to be as close as it can be.

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

I use DR FatBeams on all my fretless basses, and love them for their phat, smooth tone. But let's be clear: DRs are not a roundwound string. They are a compression-wound string - which means that although they may growl nicely with the right gear settings and playing technique, providing the "bite" and "growl" of roundwound strings is really not their strong suit - and certainly not to the degree that the Rotosounds provide it.

Did I ever say that the "bite" & "growl" sould be identical to that of the Roto's, or that the Roto's "bite" & "growl" is the one upon which everything else is jugded? No. In fact, I never mentioned anything about the Roto's except that I liked their sound and tone, which of course by no means declares that they are the "perfect-to-me" strings.

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

FatBeams are relatively warm for being stainless-steel strings. But in my experience, SS strings are rarely, if ever, as warm as nickels. FatBeams don't have that roundwound outer wrap that provides the "bite" you seek. And, as FatBeams are a roundcore string, they have a softer, more relaxed feel and tension than Rotosounds, which are stiffer due to their hexagonal-core construction (if memory serves me correctly). So you see, in a number of key respects, FatBeams are really not that "close to" the tone or feel of Rotosounds after all.

Already they meet my "warm tone" desire. And being smoother and more relaxed in tension than Roto's is a welcomed feature. I didn't say I love Roto's stiffness either.

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

If you're looking for a smoother, DR make of strings to try as an alternative to Rotosounds, Lo-Rider stainless steels are an approximate substitute for Rotosound stainless rounds; and Lo-Rider nickels are an approximate substitute for Rotosound nickel rounds. I'm an experienced user of both Rotosounds and DRs, and I can tell you: that's about as close as you're going to get. You might love 'em; you might not.

But hey, go ahead and shell out for whatever DRs you want - it's your money. That's how we learn, after all. It's certainly the way I had to learn - through trial & error, and via years and years of personal experience - having come up in the pre-Internet days, before there was anybody available on such a thing called TalkBass.com to provide easy, spoon-fed (and frequently inaccurate) information.

At the end of the day, personal experience - and trial & error - may yet be the best way to learn after all...

MM

I totally agree.