I've been using Sunbeams for the last seven months, and it seems they are the reigning winner for me...they have pretty much kept their tone since new, and sounded great out of the box..
I sometimes tune in dropped D, and was thinking the added tension from Lo-Riders may help me lower my action a bit..so I bought 'em, and took them off in two days...less bright than the Sunbeams, but more "clacky"
I thought since I did not really like the Hi-Beams I purchased a while ago, yet love the Sunbeams,(even thought they are only the nickel equivalent of the Hi-Beams) I might try the Nickel Lo-Riders....now these have been on one day, but they sound nowhere near as good as the Sunbeams to my ears(still too much clack!)..
So, back on go the Sunbeams...I thought Lo-Riders would be so much easier to play with a little lower action(not really much), but it's the same, and I hate the way they sound...Sunbeams are both Bright and Warm, with round lows and stinging highs at the same time, not clack, clack, clack!(I play with a pick)
It took me like 27 different kinds of strings to get me to Sunbeams, and I imagine it will take even more to get me to change to a different string....Oh Well!
P.S...I can see why Lo-Riders work for fingerstyle bassists..they seem to have the right tension for fingerstyle to me..
Hope that helps someone, as I did not find way too much on nickel Lo-Riders vs Sunbeams on a Rick..
