Which will cause less fret wear?

K-Funk · #1 07-30-2008, 08:44 PM

I'm torn between Dean Markley SR2000's and DR Long Necks. Which will last the longest and cause the least amount of fret wear?

I'm pretty paranoid about using stainless strings and having my frets eaten alive, as I've always used D'Addario XL Nickels. However, my new Warwick 5-strings require tapered strings, which only come in stainless. I've heard that DR's are easy on your frets, but the SR2000's look cool as well. Another reason I'm switching from D'Addarios is that they only last a few hours before the bite and snap disappears.

So, guide me to some fret-caressing strings that last forever, please!

vapochilled · #2 07-30-2008, 09:19 PM

I can't comment on either string directly. But I have had Dean Markley "Blue Steel" strings. They played excellent. Have had the longest round wound string life I've owned. Fret wear was minimal simular to nickle plated round wounds. I am trying Elixir now they are suppost to last long, I've only had them on a couple days and I've only played that bass with them once. I also switched to tuning E-A-D-G-C rather than B-E-A-D-G. I actually like this better from the one tryout session I did (34" scale low B sucked on my bass).

But from what I have head, seen and experianced. If you want the longest string life period go flat wound. Great jazz sound, not very bright though. I have heard "Thomastik Infeld" has the brighest sounding flats. Those are the next set of flats I will try. I used D'Addarios on a Fender P clone back in the day it was very muddy sounding. But the tone never changed and the strings never stopped.

K-Funk · #3 07-31-2008, 06:31 AM

I use 3-year-old Chromes flatwounds on my Fortress Flashback to play indie-type rock in a side-project band, but I just recently joined a new progressive metal band, so I need the brighter, kick-you-in-the-face tone of roundwounds. My two Warwick 5-strings also need taperwounds, so I'm pretty limited to SR2000's and DR Long Necks. My last resort will be to file the bridges to fit standard strings. I don't know how many people do this and make it work, but if it's a safe procedure that won't threaten my intonation, I'll probably go ahead with it.

Revmizery · #4 07-31-2008, 08:26 AM

I use the DR long Necks since my BTB's need a tapered B string. I love the tone of these after they are broken in and they last a good amount of time. I also like to bend the strings and add a little vibrato, they don't seem to wear my frets down that much at all.