these new ProSteels are chewing on my fingers

[kdiggity]

The title pretty much says it all:

I just bought a new set of D'Addario XL ProSteels (EPS170-5), and they are chewing the crap out of my fingers. In other words: they're rough!

On top of that, these strings seem to 'stick' to my fingers, and I'm not able to play as quickly (on either hand).

I've played with D'Addarios before, but usually the XL Nickel Wounds (EXL 170-5). Those seem much smoother to the touch (not like flats of course), resulting in less finger wear and quicker playing.

Yes, I do have the requisite callouses on my fingers - it's not that. They just seem rough and sticky to me.

This is my first time with these super bright steels. After reading on TB about all the people who love their sound, I decided to pickup a set. I like the sound they make (and I think it will be even better once they've mellowed out just a bit), but I want to know if they feel this way to everyone else, or just me.

Do they break in a little, or is it always going to feel like I'm playing strips of sandpaper?

Thanks for your insight!

-K

[ixlramp]

Yep they are rough, see on the pack it says they are 'textured round'. Plucking the rough surface seems to give the tone more 'zing'. I haven't noticed them getting any smoother with time. Because I like to string bend I scratched my frets so I'm changing to nickelwounds.

[bassplayer7770]

I don't like the way Stainless strings feel on my fingers when I play, and that is just one reason I use Nickels. Stainless tends to feel rough and "stick" to my fingers. No thanks.

[darkstorm]

I used to use fret ease aerasol spray when I was getting used to rotosounds and stainless strings in general. Over time fingerprints got worn down enough that didnt need to use the fretease any more. Lol..

[maurilio]

just practice a little longer and you'll be building calluses.

After 10/15min SS loose the "sticky-graspy" feel....

Never liked nickels, too smooth and slippery....

[wagstaff]

I use these strings an have found that they do require a little time to break in, after that, they play smooth and sound amazing

Mark

[cheezewiz]

They chew on my ears worse than my fingers. Horrible, horrible strings. All clank and boom, no mids, no musicality. Just like FiElDy in a box.

[kdiggity]

Thanks for the feedback, TBers.

To comment on a few of the posts:

- I'm looking at the package now, and it doesn't mention 'textured rounds' anywhere that I can see. Nor does it seem to say that on their site. Regardless, they certainly do have a texture to them!

- Some like it, some don't, but I'm one of those who use FastFret (and love it). However, it makes absolutely no noticeable difference (to me) on these strings. They're just as rough, with or without it.

- Callouses and practice (both of which I have) aren't the issue. These strings are rougher and stickier than the nickels that I previously had on the bass. That's just a fact. Callouses or not, the difference is very noticeable, and wasn't expected.

- It's true that they can be BRIGHT and clank-y. However, I would disagree that that have no mids or musicality (but, to each their own). If I roll the tone/treble back, the clank is completely controlled, leaving a clear and defined sound that cuts through a mix very nicely.

They still seem sticky, though, and that can't be fixed with a turn of the knob. I've also noticed that they seem much more flexible than the nickels were. I'm not a huge note bender, so that's nice, but not a big selling point for me.

Final verdict: I like the sound of the ProSteels, and with the right EQ and setup I can understand why so many others do too. Time will tell if the stickiness and texture can be overlooked, in exchange for the sound.

I'll probably go back to nickels again, but I'm glad that I gave these a shot and experienced them for myself. Thanks again for the feedback.

-K