What strings I should buy ?

[MojoRizin]

Hello everybody !

I wanna change my strings in my squier jazz bass.
The actual gauge is 45-105

I looked on the internet guides, and I found three important criteria : the metal used (nickel, stainless steel, nickel plated steel or other) the wound (flat, round, halfround, groundwound) and the gauge.


So, my preferences are :

- For the gauge : I want a smaller gauge than mine actually, Minimum 40 in the G string, maximum 105 in the E string. The rest, not very important. I want strings with good tension, not with a weak/loose tension like Thomastik strings


- For the metal : My preferences goes like this : 1/Plated Nickel plated (for the versality/polyvalence, the good slide) 2/Stainless Steel : but I dont want a song too too bright


I like the coated strings (good preservation, good slides) and I can go for that !

Anf dor the wound : I finally dont go for flatwounds, my teacher thinks thats not a god idea for the moment, coz its expensive and not very versatile...
So, there is my preferences : 1/ Groundwound (I like coz they have the same texture than the flat but sounds more like the rounds, corrige me if I'm false !) 2/ Half-Round (Because its versatile EVEN, an intermediary between flat and round for the sound) 3/Roundwound


Thats all !
I want to play classic rock, psyche rock, progressive rock, ska (the clash, the specials), heavy (black sabbath), The Doors, and other style I like !

See my lastfm profile for more informations :

http://www.lastfm.fr/user/mojorizin69


PS : I put in the poll the 7 brands I can find easily in mi city, but dont hesitate to recommend others if you want !


Thx everybody

[Matthew_84]

I think that Halfrounds and Groundrounds are actually the same thing and that they're both roundwounds that have been sanded down. Which to me is actually a bit rougher feeling than roundwounds.

You may actually like Ken Smith's Compression Wounds (Compressors) though, which are rounds but compressed. They're super smooth and slide very nicely. Plus they sound great, and last a while as well. I think they may be nickel plated. You may have to buy them online though. Definitely buy them from www.bassstringsonline.com if you do and send Jason an e-mail, tell him you're a TBer and get some additional savings.

GHS has some Pressurewounds which are basically the same thing, but they're plated in some sort of alloy, which I wasn't a fan of (It rubbed off over time. They started off shiny like chrome but turned a dark grey in areas I played a lot. I feel like I may have had some black marks on my fingertips once or twice as well.). And the tension felt a bit looser than the Ken Smiths.

[Slackerprince]

I've used Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys, but they're probably too heavy for you.
I also use D'Addario XL's.
Both are fairly cheap and easy to find.
You may be able to find some used sets for cheap here in the TB classifieds. Buying those will allow you to try different sets at a very affordable cost. Many are used only for a few hours and someone wants to try something else and lets them go for cheap.
Good luck.

S

[matante]

If you're new to the instrument don't spend too much on strings. Buy some cheap ones or some coated strings. You can get more obsessive over strings when it's time to record or perform live.

[MojoRizin]

Originally Posted by Matthew_84

I think that Halfrounds and Groundrounds are actually the same thing and that they're both roundwounds that have been sanded down. Which to me is actually a bit rougher feeling than roundwounds.

You may actually like Ken Smith's Compression Wounds (Compressors) though, which are rounds but compressed. They're super smooth and slide very nicely. Plus they sound great, and last a while as well. I think they may be nickel plated. You may have to buy them online though. Definitely buy them from www.bassstringsonline.com if you do and send Jason an e-mail, tell him you're a TBer and get some additional savings.

GHS has some Pressurewounds which are basically the same thing, but they're plated in some sort of alloy, which I wasn't a fan of (It rubbed off over time. They started off shiny like chrome but turned a dark grey in areas I played a lot. I feel like I may have had some black marks on my fingertips once or twice as well.). And the tension felt a bit looser than the Ken Smiths.

The Ken Smith strings look very good but, the shipping in my country in this site is expensive and very long

[SLaPiNFuNK]

What country?

The Ken Smith Compressors visualized.

[MojoRizin]

Originally Posted by Slackerprince

I've used Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys, but they're probably too heavy for you.
I also use D'Addario XL's.
Both are fairly cheap and easy to find.
You may be able to find some used sets for cheap here in the TB classifieds. Buying those will allow you to try different sets at a very affordable cost. Many are used only for a few hours and someone wants to try something else and lets them go for cheap.
Good luck.

S

Yes, 50 and 70 for the D & G strings... This is a little too muche, but do you have any advice and the other Ernie Ball ?

If you're new to the instrument don't spend too much on strings. Buy some cheap ones or some coated strings. You can get more obsessive over strings when it's time to record or perform live.


Why I should buy coated strings after you ? And for coated strings I'll go for Elixir's, right ?

[MojoRizin]

Originally Posted by SLaPiNFuNK

What country?

The Ken Smith Compressors visualized.

They look nice !

I come from France

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Doesn't take long to France... 2 weeks-3 at most for First Class Mail International.

You have PM by the way...

[matante]

Originally Posted by MojoRizin

Why I should buy coated strings after you ?

I don't know what you mean.

Cleartone and Elixir make .040-.100 sets.

[MojoRizin]

Originally Posted by SLaPiNFuNK

Doesn't take long to France... 2 weeks-3 at most for First Class Mail International.

You have PM by the way...

You have PM by the way... ? What is PM ?

[MojoRizin]

Originally Posted by matante

I don't know what you mean.

Cleartone and Elixir make .040-.100 sets.

according to you*, why I should buy coated strings ?

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Private Message... (we have been private messaging at this point already)

[matante]

Originally Posted by MojoRizin

according to you*, why I should buy coated strings ?

Because they will last you a long time with a fairly fresh sound. If you are a beginner (not performing) there is no need to spend a lot of money on strings. Either buy cheap strings or buy coated ones for more money that will last you much longer.

[mellowgerman]

I would recommend DR strings. Really fantastic, regardless of which specific kind you get. I like Lo Riders on my Thunderbird because they have good tension and are nickel wound. They sound perfect on that bass. Their flatwounds are great too.
On a side note, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss flats. They might be a bit more expensive but they will also last forever and practically never need to be changed. Also, to say they are not versatile is silly. Finger technique, pickups, tone knob, and EQ on your amp should be where you look for versatility... strings are strings. Regardless of what kind you get, once they're on, they will only do one thing... vibrate. They player has to be versatile. That's something your "teacher" should already know.

[MojoRizin]

Originally Posted by matante

Because they will last you a long time with a fairly fresh sound. If you are a beginner (not performing) there is no need to spend a lot of money on strings. Either buy cheap strings or buy coated ones for more money that will last you much longer.

true, so for coated i'll go for elixirs, right ?

And if I chose "cheap" strings, I'll go for what... ?

[matante]

Originally Posted by MojoRizin

true, so for coated i'll go for elixirs, right ?

And if I chose "cheap" strings, I'll go for what... ?

Elixir or Cleartone. I think Cleartone lasts longer.

For cheap strings the best deal is the D'Addario twin pack. 2 sets of strings for about $21.

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Originally Posted by MojoRizin

Anf dor the wound : I finally dont go for flatwounds, my teacher thinks thats not a god idea for the moment, coz its expensive and not very versatile...
So, there is my preferences : 1/ Groundwound (I like coz they have the same texture than the flat but sounds more like the rounds, corrige me if I'm false !) 2/ Half-Round (Because its versatile EVEN, an intermediary between flat and round for the sound) 3/Roundwound


Thats all !
I want to play classic rock, psyche rock, progressive rock, ska (the clash, the specials), heavy (black sabbath), The Doors, and other style I like !

Groundwounds and Half-Rounds are the same string... Just different names...

THey may be too mellow for the heavy stuff. Pressure Wounds / Compressors that were mentioned in the thread earlier are a good compromise. The Nickel/Iron Alloy is long lasting, smooth surface for slides, can be punchy and gritty when you want them to be, and can be mellow and smooth just as easily.

[MojoRizin]

Originally Posted by matante

Elixir or Cleartone. I think Cleartone lasts longer.

For cheap strings the best deal is the D'Addario twin pack. 2 sets of strings for about $21.

Thx !

someone can confirm this? (for the D'Addario mainly, because they are not expensive at all)

[MojoRizin]

Up before sleeping !