A question for DR String users

[pbass2]

My long-time favorite was the classic Rotosound RS66 set, but they had QC issues for awhile so I've adopted DR Lo Rider Steels as the next best thing

I grew up on those Rotos and I think the reason why my faves now are Nickel Lo-Riders is they kinda resemble RS66's that are at that perfect broken-in point for me (before they go south). I like very well-broken in rounds, rarely change 'em unless I have to, or it's a new to me bass.

 

[LSM07]

I have found Black Beauties to be useful for taming the highs on my (active) Stingray. (I use Chromes on my passive Stingrays.)

 

[Mojo34]

Dragon Skin 40-100 were provided stock on my Mayones Patriot, and I absolutely love them. Getting some backup sets. I play a wide variety of pop, new age, rock and jazz. These strings on that bass give me all the tones and playability that I could dream of.

 

[Holdsg]

Old-guy Rock, Blues, and Soul covers - I use DR Pure Blues on my P bass.

 

[pfschim]

I play a wide variety of originals in 3 gigging bands, and typically covers when subbing outside of those 3 bands.
Styles include jazz, blues, funk, rock, celtic, world music, fusion, singer songwriter stuff and americana/country rock.

I use either Pure Blues or Sunbeams 45-100's on my 2 main players which are 1) Lull M4V and 2) Fender Roscoe Beck IV.
The Lull currently has a 7 year old set of Pure Blues on it and they still sound outstanding! The RB IV has a fairly new-ish set of Sunbeams.

 

[SkylineFiver]

Hi Beams on a Lakland 55-02 Deluxe.
smooth jazz,funk, Motown and 80’s new wave/pop etc…

 

[ravlin]

Fat beams and Legends. Music ranging from country blues to heavy.

 

[Methaneman]

Also, what style of music do you play and what is your primary bass? Thanks for playing.

I voted black b's. They sound good to me and seam to keep their zing longer with the coating. Feel smoother, seems easier to bend the strings. I have them on a Ric, Geddy Jazz and a Ibanez RB850. I have a Fender P that has DR high beams I believe. I like those also.I play mostly classic rock.

 

[Lo-E]

Sunbeams are my go-to for fretless in most styles. The only non-Sunbeam fretlesses I own are a couple strung with flats (not DR).

I generally don’t use DR strings on my fretted basses but I’ve been considering trying Pure Blues on one of my Jazz Basses for rock.

 

[Igotsoul4u]

I use fat beams in a light gauge for an easier playing string that still has some warmth/thickness.

 

[klokker]

SS lo riders, G&L M2500. Pretty much classic rock.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

Also, what style of music do you play and what is your primary bass? Thanks for playing.

I have used but don't currently use the DR Black Beauty strings. They sounded better on my Jazz than the Dean Markley Blue steel strings that I used for many years. A friend of mine was endorsed by DR and suggested I try them as that was what he used. So I got a set and put them on my 1982 Jazz Bass. They did sound better than the Blue Steel strings and were better balanced although playing the low notes on the D and G strings often sounded thin. So instead of playing an E on the 2nd fret of D string I'd play it on the 7th fret of the A string for a fuller sound. Same thing with that higher A. I'd play it on the 7th fret of my D-string instead of the 2nd fret of my G-string.

They looked nice on my Olympic white Jazz with stark white pick guard, pickup covers, and numbered control knobs. Bad news is that they didn't last very long for me. We played most Friday nights hosting an open mic night at a small brew pub plus usually two 4-hr. gigs per month on Saturdays. Inside of two years my Black Beauty strings turned into Speckled Gray Ugly strings and the back of the strings were super shiny where they contacted the frets. So I went looking for different strings.

About 6-years ago I switched to the LaBella White Tape Wound strings. They are smoother than flat wounds, which took a little getting used to after using round wound strings for over 30-years. Unlike most flatwounds though they do have a lot more of the higher harmonics. And they are so well balanced from string to string that I can play the E on my D-string or A on my G-string or on the 7th frets of my A and D string, whichever one is more convenient to my current hand position. There is very little difference in the sound between the two and you'd be hard pressed to tell me which was which. So I like those a lot.

LaBella makes 4 different colors of tape wounds. The opaque black ones have the warmest sound and the semi-opaque white tapes have the brightest sound. They also have a gold core and copper core set with the semi-opaque tape and they are somewhere in between the black and the white for sound. I chose the white ones to go with my white bass and luckily accidentally picked the best of the tape wounds for my bass, not knowing that their different colored tapes had different sounds.

 

[GTHintz]

I go for fat beams lo riders and black beauties. Fat beams and black beauties sound good on my Warwick streamer. On my Ibanez SR 505 I would go lo riders. I tried black beauties on both and I like them but it's overall more mellow because of the coating. I like aggressive growly rock and metal tones. I've used hi beams but wasn't as happy with the mids as fat beams and lo riders. Even black beauties seem to have a nicer mid range. Haven't played on the nickel offerings but I can't play nickel because of my skin anyway.

 

[One Way]

Pure Blues are my favorite DR string

 

[woodyng2]

I’ve used Black Beauties (didn’t care for the coating), hi beams, and sunbeams for years, am currently digging the Pure Blues sets.
I primarily play rock, pop, alternative, and a bit of funk.
I play Rickenbacker 4004 models, but also have GL and Veillette-Citron basses.

 

[Steve88]

Currently using Fat Beams on my Sadowsky RV5, which are a great match for that bass. Good lower mid punch with a really enjoyable sort of "unrefined roughess" when I dig in a bit over the neck pickup.

I've used Sunbeams on several other J style basses and liked them alot. For me they give a good general purpose J bass tone.

I did not like Black Beauties at all.

 

[Chewy_B_i_T_s]

I have Nickel Lo-Riders on my Akai Project 1997 SB511 and my Ibanez ATK805e.

 

[Pacman]

DR endorser. Sunbeams all day, on everything I don't have flats on (my main two these days are a Fender Elite V and a Lakland 55-02). Playing everything from hip-hop to worship music to Latin to wedding and pop music.

 

[John K]

Hi Beams for me, as I have gotten into slapping and tapping. I play a vintera precision, modded with Dimarzio Relentless pups and a kickass bridge. Have also used Sunbeams and the colored ones. All good, but still love Hi Beams the best.

 

[hasbeen]

I have used but don't currently use the DR Black Beauty strings. They sounded better on my Jazz than the Dean Markley Blue steel strings that I used for many years. A friend of mine was endorsed by DR and suggested I try them as that was what he used. So I got a set and put them on my 1982 Jazz Bass. They did sound better than the Blue Steel strings and were better balanced although playing the low notes on the D and G strings often sounded thin. So instead of playing an E on the 2nd fret of D string I'd play it on the 7th fret of the A string for a fuller sound. Same thing with that higher A. I'd play it on the 7th fret of my D-string instead of the 2nd fret of my G-string.

They looked nice on my Olympic white Jazz with stark white pick guard, pickup covers, and numbered control knobs. Bad news is that they didn't last very long for me. We played most Friday nights hosting an open mic night at a small brew pub plus usually two 4-hr. gigs per month on Saturdays. Inside of two years my Black Beauty strings turned into Speckled Gray Ugly strings and the back of the strings were super shiny where they contacted the frets. So I went looking for different strings.

About 6-years ago I switched to the LaBella White Tape Wound strings. They are smoother than flat wounds, which took a little getting used to after using round wound strings for over 30-years. Unlike most flatwounds though they do have a lot more of the higher harmonics. And they are so well balanced from string to string that I can play the E on my D-string or A on my G-string or on the 7th frets of my A and D string, whichever one is more convenient to my current hand position. There is very little difference in the sound between the two and you'd be hard pressed to tell me which was which. So I like those a lot.

LaBella makes 4 different colors of tape wounds. The opaque black ones have the warmest sound and the semi-opaque white tapes have the brightest sound. They also have a gold core and copper core set with the semi-opaque tape and they are somewhere in between the black and the white for sound. I chose the white ones to go with my white bass and luckily accidentally picked the best of the tape wounds for my bass, not knowing that their different colored tapes had different sounds.

Thanks so much for taking the time. I've tried a LOT of strings, but I haven't tried LaBella White Tapes.....I'll have to give them a try.