TI superalloys vs. DR nickle lowriders

[basss]

I'm trying to decide on which one for my next string purchase. Has anyone used both? How do they compare?

[LoveThatBass]

I have used both...
If you want a deeper tone with more punch then the Low Rider.
I wasn't impressed by the TI SuperAlloy..the low end was not distinct enough...but that is just my opinion....others may like them.
The Low rider is slightly compressed making it a little easier on the frets and fingers alike. I has a good range of tone and some r/w sound. They have a very slight growl to them that when using on my Deluxe Zone bass.

[LoveThatBass]

Tension is medium..just about right

[Mike Dimin]

I have not played the DR's in years and so I will not comment. I would also like to say that I am a TI endorser. That being said, I will as always reflect my honest opinion. I just put on a set of super alloys and was very impressed. By usual string is the TI Jazzrounds and I am used to the very small diameter and tight windings of the the outer wrap on the JR's. The SuperAlloys have this as well. This makes them feel almost like a flat wound or half round. They are so smooth under the fingers while retaining all the advantages of round wound strings.

Unlike the JR's the Super Alloys have more of an "american guage". I use a 5 string set (E to C) and the guages are: 105, 80, 65, 45 and 30 (while the JR's are 89, 68, 51, 43, 29). The other difference is that the Super Alloys have a more standard feel to them - medium tension, while the JR are have extremely light tension.

Finally, The sound blew me away. As I have found with all TI strings, they are very blanced throughout the frequency spectrum. There are no weak highs overly blooming bass notes. The fundamental is really clear and harmonic content is well balanced. The strings are seriously punchy.

Mike Dimin

BTW, I endorse TI because I really love what they do.

[Mike Dimin]

Originally Posted by SMASH

Thanks Mike. Those gauges are ... unique. Think it'd be OK to use the 5-string set on a 4, using the 105 as an E, etc. ?

Any opinion on how the Superalloys sound vs. the Jazz Rounds or "Power Bass" strings?

Thanks.

I think you misunderstood. The Super Alloys were designed more like an American string set.

E - 105
A - 80
D - 65
G - 45
C - 30

Mike

[bassmonkeee]

Originally Posted by SMASH

Thanks Mike. Those gauges are ... unique. Think it'd be OK to use the 5-string set on a 4, using the 105 as an E, etc. ?

Any opinion on how the Superalloys sound vs. the Jazz Rounds or "Power Bass" strings?

Thanks.

I've been using the Superalloys for a couple of weeks now, and they have replaced the Powerbass as my favorite strings. I've got a set on a SC/H/P Bongo 5 and I played a 4 hour gig on them Saturday night. The tension is only a little less than the Powerbass, and the B string sounds amazing.

Like Mike said, the tension balance between strings is spot on, and notes on the B string mix really well with the rest of the set.

The smaller windings feel great under your fingers (especially for 4 hours), but they don't have the silk core wrap like the Jazz Rounds, so they have more harmonic content. I find them to be a bit more mellow than Powerbass out of the package, but not as mellow as the Jazz Rounds. But, if they are like every other set of TIs I've played, they will mellow even more.

In a side by side comparison with my Bongo 5 with Powerbass strings, I notice the slight tension drop off, but it isn't really THAT much difference, really.

I used to use DRs years ago, but I got sick of the poor QC. I understand that they've gotten those issues under better control, but I am so happy with TI Strings (I've got Jazz Rounds, Flats, Powerbass and Superalloys on different basses, as I type) that I really have no reason to ever look elsewhere for strings, again.

[basss]

I ended up going with the low riders this time around but I think I'll try the Superalloys next. I'm trying to limit myself to one set a month.

Would you describe the SA's as growly? I've heard that these strings have less of that metallic edge when new. Has this been your experience?

[bassmonkeee]

Originally Posted by SMASH

Thanks guys.

I guess I misunderstood the gauges in Mike's original post - he's going 5 string E to C rather than my presumption of B to G - because the gauges for the Jazz Flats and Rounds are unusually (IMO) thin.

Bassmonkee - do you have no trouble toggling among such very different gauges and tensions? And what are the silkwrap colour on those please ... or any of their varieties?

I haven't really had any problems switching between the different basses with different strings, but I've been using TIs for about 4-5 years now. The only one that I have to consciously "reel it in" on are the Jazz Rounds, and that only takes a couple of minutes, and usually only happens when I'm using a pick. I attribute part of the trouble to the teeny little neck on my Cort Curbow Retro that's set up with the Jazz Rounds, too.

The silk colors are as follows:

Jazz Rounds: Green
Jazz Flats: Red
Powerbass: Purple
Superalloys: Red
Acousticore: Purple