Are current Dean Markley SR2000 strings as good as they used to be?

[funkytoe]

As the title states, I played these for a number of years on my Yamaha BB basses and really loved them. I went through a couple of years where my p bass with flats got the majority of the work and eventually sold or traded my Yammies.

I am now gigging another Yamaha bass (this time a BB5000) and have been interested in going back to these strings. But I see that Dean Markley has undergone some changes in their string production, with some key employees leaving and starting another company. There are even threads complaining of quality control issues specifically with the new SR2000 strings.

Anyone using the current SR2000 strings who can comment/compare them to the SR2000's of old? I like higher tension roundwounds. Currently using DR Low Riders and Rotosounds on most of my roundwound basses. But, I really want to change them for a roundwound that is similar to the SR2000's of yester year. Anyone have a recent experience with these strings you are willing to share? Thanks.

 

[wolfkeller]

If theyre anything like blues steel are now, crap. Not at all like they use to be, hard ro find, ect. Rotos all th way

 

[K-man]

fret nation has these on sale right now. Maybe cheap enough for you to give them a try again.

 

[scuzzy]

i just put some on my 6 string ibby sr706, and they sound very very nice. lots of harmonic overtones without being overly brittle on the top end. a very nice low-mid growl is on tap now as well. gonna order a few more sets from @SLaPiNFuNK

 

[Aidil]

i just put some on my 6 string ibby sr706, and they sound very very nice. lots of harmonic overtones without being overly brittle on the top end. a very nice low-mid growl is on tap now as well. gonna order a few more sets from @SLaPiNFuNK

Which set did you get?

I also ordered a couple of SR2000 sets from Jason a few months ago. I got the Medium Light .046/.063/.080/.107/.125 set for my 5 string BTB (35") which turned out to be too much tension for my liking. Seems I've been spoiled by Dunlop Super Bright MM 45-125 set in terms of tension and flexibility which I previously had on that bass.

 

[scuzzy]

Which set did you get?

I also ordered a couple of SR2000 sets from Jason a few months ago. I got the Medium Light .046/.063/.080/.107/.125 set for my 5 string BTB (35") which turned out to be too much tension for my liking. Seems I've been spoiled by Dunlop Super Bright MM 45-125 set in terms of tension and flexibility which I previously had on that bass.

The 6 string set, I believe .027-.107. I like a stiffer responsive string, usually playing mediums. I like the feel of these.

I just ordered two different sets of 4 string and another 6 string set.

 

[ajkula66]

I had a recent set of SR2000 (bought from FretNation) on my EB-0L and they were fine. A bit higher tension, but feeling and sounding great. The only reason I took them of was because I wanted to try tapewounds on that bass.

Obviously, YMMV.

 

[s_wood]

Zombie thread revival:
What’s the current thought on the quality of SR 2000s these days? if you’ve given up on them what’s the closest replacement string anybody has found?

 

[GTHintz]

I'd say try them. I played them about a year ago or so and they were great. I prefer blue steel but I think these are something I'd try again. The other string that might be close are ghs contact core or rotosound exposed core. Playing exposed core strings like sr2000 is a bit of a small niche but they are out there. If you've never played them they are just a bit more articulate in the overtones vs normal steel rounds and depending on the bass it'll make things sound more focused and tighter. That was the overall impression I got from them. Blue steel sounding but more glassy articulate so it sounded like less bottom end however it does change as they break in. The low punch comes in as they break in and they stay sounding focused pretty much indefinitely. I had them on my bass for a long time and only took them off to switch brands so I can try something else. 9 months or so. And I still used them on other basses meantime.

 

[s_wood]

Excellent, thanks. I use SR2000s on my MTD 535, and I would describe them as you did. I just ran out of the last of my old stash, so I wondered if they are the same now (given the new maker) as they were before.

 

[GTHintz]

Excellent, thanks. I use SR2000s on my MTD 535, and I would describe them as you did. I just ran out of the last of my old stash, so I wondered if they are the same now (given the new maker) as they were before.

Considering how expensive the ghs and rotosound competition is I'd give it a shot again first. I've never seen contact steel or roto ps under 40-45 and up. The last set of 2000's I found I got for 25$ shipped. I guess whatever you can find a deal on is good but hard to go wrong with what you know. The only other string I've tried with that much shimmer and character was DR high beams but I definitely prefer the mids of sr2000 over the hi beams. Another string that I believe could compete is Ken Smith taper cores. They are another very articulate string that is probably the closest in tone overall. The taper is fatter on these but they are very close. Almost as if ghs makes strings for both of them. We know ken Smith is just custom built ghs but maybe they also build the sr2000. We know Dean stopped making his strings in house years ago so who knows.

 

[JKaftertwoxans]

Current day Sr2000s are by far the worst set of strings I have ever purchased. A while back I noticed their 47-107 set #2690 on special and decided to give them a go, it's a complete waste of money. They have no silks which I don't mind but the D and G were unfinished literally no outerwrap whatsoever, on a fender style headstock you will be forced to wrap the exposed core onto the tuner shaft and they tended to slip out of tune often. The A string arrived with its core separated from the windings without me even cutting the damn thing....the one and only saving grace is the E...it had what I can only describe as a chime to it that I haven't been able to replicate with other strings. Save your cash, this company is an embarrassment to the once great legacy they had built up around that brand.

 

[GTHintz]

Current day Sr2000s are by far the worst set of strings I have ever purchased. A while back I noticed their 47-107 set #2690 on special and decided to give them a go, it's a complete waste of money. They have no silks which I don't mind but the D and G were unfinished literally no outerwrap whatsoever, on a fender style headstock you will be forced to wrap the exposed core onto the tuner shaft and they tended to slip out of tune often. The A string arrived with its core separated from the windings without me even cutting the damn thing....the one and only saving grace is the E...it had what I can only describe as a chime to it that I haven't been able to replicate with other strings. Save your cash, this company is an embarrassment to the once great legacy they had built up around that brand.

That's sad to hear. I liked the gold silk on the last set I used. And they were nice strings. That sucks they are going downhill.