What has your SIT string experience been like?

[Spfairchild]

I am wondering what people have thought of SIT strings that they've tried, especially the Power Steel and Rock Brights in Stainless varieties. I'm particularly wondering about users' thoughts on set to set and string to string consistency, length of life, etc.

I've been using them for a few months now and have started to take note of an issue or two, but I do very much enjoy the strings I've purchased. Without going into detail just yet and possibly "leading the jury", I'm curious to know about others' experience.

So, what do you think?

[mpdd]

generic nickel rounds stay in tune, are pretty flexible, lasted a long time, and have a softish e string

[Adam Wright]

decent strings, I like the Power Wounds a lot. Not my preferred string brand overall but I like them better than most and they are priced very reasonably.

[mmbongo]

Agree with what has already been said. Their Power Wound nickels are among some of the brighter, punchier nickels I've tested.

Can't go wrong for the price, custom sets and singles available at www.bassstringsonline.com so there's not to much more to ask. Except...

...a .135 string. Their lack of anything over a .130 keeps me from being able to use them.

[Spfairchild]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. Keep it coming! For those of you who have used more than one set of SIT strings, especially in succession, what are your expectations when you put on a new set? Are they pretty consistent from set to set? They are at least partially handmade, so I know there can be some variation in that scenario. Have you experienced variation either among the strings in the same set or from set to set?

I also appreciate the price, and indeed ordered my last 3 sets through Bassstringsonline.com! Jason over there is awesome Also, mmbongo, I believe they do make heavier strings, but you need to get your store/provider to order them through SIT. Bassstringsonline didn't offer the .130 in Power Steel until I asked for them, and they had to be special ordered from SIT. They make a bunch of strings for extended range instruments, so they may have something that'll work for you. Google around for one of their catalogs - it lists all the gauges and types of strings that they currently make or are capable of making.

[JimmyM]

SIT are good strings. Used to use them on my 8-string. A little brighter and twangier than the D'addarios I use now, but I used probably 3 sets of SIT's on my 8-string before I sold it and they were all solid and sounded and felt the same.

[Musiclogic]

SIT Power Wounds are my favorite .125 set for 5 string 34" scale. They have a good life and ar very consistent

[fretlessguy]

I use their Powerwound nickels as well. I've used them on my 8 and 5 string basses as well as my short scale. I find them long lasting, easier to keep in tune, and the quality to be very consistent. The only set I have bought I did not care for were their inverse round wounds (basically groundwounds). They were just to finger-noisey for my own liking even thought they had a great tone.

[Spfairchild]

Thanks all, I appreciate the feedback.
I was curious because I've had a bit of bad luck, and was trying to discern whether or not it was actually bad luck or if their strings were a little on the hit and miss side. Seems it might be the former, from what you guys are saying.

The first set of SIT strings I got came on my Drozd bass, and they had the exposed cores. I changed these quickly to my then-favorites, and rediscovered the exposed core SIT ones much later and decided I really liked them. Seeking them out, I ended up speaking with the VP at SIT, Tim, and he was very helpful. Unfortunately, it seemed that the exposed guys weren't very readily available, so I ended up ordering a set of Power Steels from him with a tapered B. These are all 6 string sets I'm referring to. All the strings sounded great, except for the E - but Tim sent me not just one but two replacements, which I thought was very cool. The replacements sounded great.

I recently ordered 3 sets of essentially the same Power Steels (this time non-tapered B) from Bassstringsonline.com, and right off the bat I got a totally dead C string. I tried the same exact gauge and type of C from one of the other 2 new sets, and that one was just fine. But the E from this first new set seems to have a little less life and clarity than the others in the set, which kind of raised my suspicions a little. Although I guess I've been a bit sensitive to variations between their strings now.

Anyway, I really like the strings in general, and was impressed with Tim and the customer service. He was also a nice dude in person when I got to meet him at this last NAMM show. The strings are priced super awesomely too, especially with that VIP deal through Jason's site! So I just wanted to see if I needed to worry about a certain percentage of the SIT strings I order being not up to snuff. Thanks for your input, and anyone else who's like to contribute their experiences, please go for it!

[JAUQO III-X]

I've been using and endorsing SIT strings for over a decade and I have never had a problem at all with the quality and I have used pretty much every series that they offer before I settled on my custom power steels.



And all the guys at SIT are very kool and down to earth.

[Spfairchild]

That's good to hear - especially with as many strings as you must put on at one time on that bass in your avatar! So, no dead strings at all in 10 years, or other issues? That's impressive for ANY brand, if that's the case. And I agree, the folks there are cool and nice/easy to work with.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by Spfairchild

That's good to hear - especially with as many strings as you must put on at one time on that bass in your avatar! So, no dead strings at all in 10 years, or other issues? That's impressive for ANY brand, if that's the case. And I agree, the folks there are cool and nice/easy to work with.

I'm being totally honest I have never had any issues with a SIT string.

[SturmUndDrang]

Fair enough Jauqo III-X. I'm looking forward to having SIT powerwounds put on a newly acquired Guild B-301 when I bring it in for a set up on Tuesday. But the real question is, where to get the best Chicago dog in the windy city? My vote goes to Superdawg!

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by SturmUndDrang

But the real question is, where to get the best Chicago dog in the windy city? My vote goes to Superdawg!

[AwesomeWithAQ]

I had a set of PowerFlats for around 6 months. Everything about the strings struck me as average. Good tone but no real flavor, they broke in nicely and didn't lose tone too quick. The one real issue I had though is the tuning stability. A bit ironic considering the company is called Stay In Tune. Good strings but nothing special.

[NorCal Dog]

bought a 4 string set of silencers, after reading up quite a bit on them. after like 3 days on the bass, i took a pair of sidecutters & literally cut up a new set of strings & threw them in the recycling bin. they felt hideous under the fingers.

have never thrown out a set of new strings so quickly.

[ELS]

NorCal Dog,
This is common for those who try the Silencers. Players either love them or hate them.No in-between. Send me an email with your address, Ill send you out something else to try.
eddie@sitstrings.com

[Spfairchild]

Hey, we got SIT up in the house! That's awesome Eddie, thanks for the customer service.

[zachoff]

I've had a set of SITs on my Reverend for probably 8 years now. They're mellow, but not dead.

SITs are great, but I've moved on to Circle K balanced sets though... Because balanced sets rule.

[Lo-E]

I used a set of nickel rounds recently and found them to be bright and long lasting. I thought they were a little rough on the fingers, though, and a little higher-tension than I usually like. That aside, the quality seemed quite good.