Are you a string swinger?

[GregT]

No reason to ever change strings after trying TI flats a long, long time ago. Why would I?! And yet, someday I might have to try the TI Jazz rounds just because people who like one, seem to also enjoy the other. They are the only other strings that have piqued my interest in years.

 

[G On Bass]

It's always 1 bass with flats (currently TIs), one with rounds (currently DR Pure Blues). Both basses get equal use. I alternate the rounds though: I'll put on a set of stainless (Dunlop MM lights) for at least a year or so, then maybe swap those for nickels for the next year or so. I don't change strings very often as I don't really like rounds until they have been on for at least a month.

 

[Gorilla Monsoon]

No reason to ever change strings after trying TI flats a long, long time ago. Why would I?! And yet, someday I might have to try the TI Jazz rounds just because people who like one, seem to also enjoy the other. They are the only other strings that have piqued my interest in years.

I tried probably over a dozen different strings when I decided to investigate the differences . This would have been about 1990. Dean Markley Cryo, LaBellas, Dunlops, whatever string was featured in the last months edition of Bass Player magazine. Finally settled on DRs, but to my point- the Tomastiks were, by far, hands down the worst purchase I’ve ever made to this day. They were $85 at a time when I could have bought four sets of any other strings for that kinda $$$, and I had to wait almost two months to get them. Every string sounded different in both tone AND volume...one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, I guess, but every time I see someone praising the TIs, I have to laugh...

 

[perfektspace6]

I go back and forth between nickel and steel rounds. I don't think that gives me swinger status but close.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I tried TI Flats but hated them. They felt like toy guitar strings. Couldn't get them off fast enough. For flats I normally use Dunlop stainless or Cobalt flats. Chromes aren't bad, but take a week or so to feel right. For rounds, I'm not too picky and end up using DR most of the time, probably 70% of the time it will be Pure Blues because GC always has them in stock. I'm trying Stainless Lo-Riders because they were in stock.

 

[rashrader]

I’m a set it and forget kinda player. Changing string gauges and types will kill a good setup. I just wanna play instead of tweaking truss rods, adjusting bridges and setting intonation.

 

[Jogobass]

I use nickel roundwounds on all my basses. I don't know why people hype about flatwounds on fretless. that's just how my roundwounds sound after a year.

 

[Rib 13]

pretty much a brand new rounds guy on all my basses except for two (one with flats; one with tapewounds) which I will take with me to studio gigs as well as rounds basses ( I should say "took with me" - I dont get a whole lotta calls these days lol)

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

I am. I go flats, rounds, flats, rounds, repeat, repeat. Ok I’ll keep flats on a Pabst’s and that Marcus-ish J will keep rounds, but the general purpose basses will go through cycles. I like the zing, the I like the mellow, I miss the zing, where’s the mellow? Anyone else in the same boat?

I am sort of like that, but with old strings vs new. Every time I change strings, I realize how much I love the sound of brand new. But then two months later, I think "oh now we're talking... slightly dead strings are where it's at". Then a year later, I'm like "I can't change these, they're magic. Maybe I should even put margarine on them.". Then I change them at some point and am back to thinking "new strings sound amazing, why didn't I change them sooner?"

 

[FrenchBassQC]

For all the swingers try this method, E string (round), A string (flat), D string (pressure wound), G string (tapewound). It might sound weird but at least you might swing less this way...

 

[el murdoque]

I am. I go flats, rounds, flats, rounds, repeat, repeat. Ok I’ll keep flats on a Pabst’s and that Marcus-ish J will keep rounds, but the general purpose basses will go through cycles. I like the zing, the I like the mellow, I miss the zing, where’s the mellow? Anyone else in the same boat?

I'm the exact opposite. I hate changing strings and I have exclusive tastes in that regard - a set of flats for my 6 string usually comes with a three figure price tag, my brand of choice for rounds is Elixir, which are not that much cheaper. Once I find a set that works for a bass, I usually stick with it for good.

 

[Bass-ball]

Somewhat. I've settled on flats for pretty much >90% of what I play, but I keep switching brands. So far nobody seems to do better than LaBella DTFs.

But on the fretless I'm exclusively Sadowsky rounds.

 

[Ric5]

I am. I go flats, rounds, flats, rounds, repeat, repeat. Ok I’ll keep flats on a Pabst’s and that Marcus-ish J will keep rounds, but the general purpose basses will go through cycles. I like the zing, the I like the mellow, I miss the zing, where’s the mellow? Anyone else in the same boat?

you need one of these ... string one neck with rounds and one with flats

 

[Gorilla Monsoon]

For all the swingers try this method, E string (round), A string (flat), D string (pressure wound), G string (tapewound). It might sound weird but at least you might swing less this way...

Whoa! ...That’s like havin’ FOUR chicks...

 

[Gorilla Monsoon]

Somewhat. I've settled on flats for pretty much >90% of what I play, but I keep switching brands. So far nobody seems to do better than LaBella DTFs.

But on the fretless I'm exclusively Sadowsky rounds.

I put Roger’s flats on my Smith. They’re never coming off. As an aside- I liked them so much I wanted to try them on my 35” Gould. I emailed him, and the guy got back to me in an hour. Though he doesn’t have the 35” strings made for him, the fact that a man running a business of the size of his, I was most impressed.

 

[SLO Surfer]

My basses let me know what strings they prefer. On a new-to-me bass I will start with my general favorite round, then try my general favorite flat. The bass let’s me know if it prefers flats or rounds, then I may try a few different brands of that style. Eventually I settle on one type of string for each bass. I’ve only got 4 basses; one with flats, two with steel round wounds, and one with nickel round wounds. That’s what each of those basses sound best with. If I need thump I pick up the bass with flats, if I need zing I’ve got several zingy options. I’m never missing one or the other.

I let the bass decide what strings it prefers.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I used to use nothing but flats. Then, in 1969, I heard a stack knob Jazz bass with Rotosounds.. they were new to America then. I was stunned. After that, I began using nothing but rounds with an occasional foray with flats, like my new '73 Precision bass... which eventually got rounds. I got my Carl Thompson in 1976, and used his brand (made for him by D'Addario) of nickel heavy gauge for years. Now, 55 years after beginning bass, I am solidly in the flat wound area of things. I have several modern fives that are my builds- see my Avatar - strung with rounds. They'll stay like that. I have two five string Sire V7's (J-bass) and one has a new set of Ernie Ball Slinky flats. These are, by far, the most round wound sounding flat in the long history of flats I've tried. And I've tried almost all of them. Yes, including the Thomastiks. I'm about to remove the factory rounds from my newest Sire and install a set of the EB's. Almost all the 'zing' without the nasty upper harmonic rattle and sizzle. They also have a better feel, a better fundamental, and a punch only a flat can give you. The majority of my instruments wear flats now.

I'm with ya, brother!

 

[Thumpin6string]

I go rounds>rounds>rounds>rounds.

 

[Isaac_James]

Nah, after a period of experimenting to find out what I liked, I've settled on one bass (Fender P) with flat wounds, another (Ibanez SR800) with rounds, and my main player (Yamaha 5 string BB) with pressure wounds. The Fender has Labellas that have just gotten better since I put them on two years ago, the Yamaha gets new strings every 2-3 months, the Ibanez gets a change infrequently since I don't play it much - not due to strings, I just don't care for the pickups.

 

[TheArchitect]

Well, with 2/3 of my instruments being new to me, I will be experimenting a lot with strings in the coming months.