Are you a string swinger?

[Tad]

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?

No, I am really not.

I have a few strings that I really like. I have enough basses that I tend to put a set on that I think sound good on that bass and I tend to leave them on that bass.

I’m not really much of a string changer either. As long as the bass/string combination still sounds good, I just play the bass and leave the strings on it.

 

[Yaralag]

I was till I discovered that Dunlop Super Bright Nickels go dead in a way where I can get both zing and big fat thump depending on how I play. Granted, neither is dead on to the other, but I haven’t had to change strings in 3 years

I too am a Dunlop Super Bright Nickel convert. Wonderful strings.

 

[mrjim123]

Not so much of late. I'm 71, so string flexibility is becoming my prime concern in string selection. Not too many years ago GHS Pressurewounds were my faves, and then I went mainly with GHS Round Core Bass Boomers. I went through a period where I experimented quit a bit, but now I find that DR Sunbeams and DR Pure Blues are even more flexible and, the cool thing is, I love their tone even more than the GHS's. IMO, from what I've read on TB, Sunbeams seem to be the most popular string - having played them for a while I get it.

 

[woody357]

What would you say are the Fattest sounding nickel strings with good highs for slapping

 

[aus_bass]

No. I know what I like, and I stick with it. Deep, thick and dark thump for me, all day. I absolutely despise the zing, twang and clank of rounds. They also feel like sandpaper under the fingers.

All my basses wear flats, of different types (for a little variation).

 

[aus_bass]

No. I know what I like, and I stick with it. Deep, thick and dark thump for me, all day. I absolutely despise the zing, twang and clank of rounds. They also feel like sandpaper under the fingers.

All my basses wear flats, of different types (for a little variation).

Having said that... I've never had a complaint about my tone. Never been told I sound muddy or too dark. I think the look on our singer's face, says it all...

 

[MultiScaleMale]

In my ultimate string swing, I just ordered another set of TI Flats (accordion accessory style) after playing rounds for awhile. I hated TI's the last time I tried them, but there is so much love for them here I probably should give them a second chance.

 

[MrAB4003]

I used to have Rotosound 66 rounds on most of my basses and I later switched to Rotosound 55 pressurewounds. But I have since switched to LaBella tapes (regular white and gold white) and they're amazing! They sound like rounds, but feel kinda like flats. I've also had various other rounds and flats on a bass or two just to experiment, but those experiments usually failed.

I can't say that I'm a string swinger, but my tastes have changed over the years. I'm pretty firmly in the tapewound club right now and I'm not sure if I'm going back to rounds or pressurewounds anytime soon. If it ain't broken, I don't want to fix it.

 

[KevinDBassist]

Not anymore . I have settled on what works for my two basses . TI jazz flats on my Lakland Decade and Rotosound Swingbass 66 stainless on my Fender Precision . I change the Rotos as needed which is typically every 6 months .

 

[klattman]

Down to 4 for types for different basses
EB cobalt flats are the default
Modern bass gets roto Ultramag rounds
Squier paranormal gets LB gold flats to match the pickguard and sound great
Epiphone wears GHS pressurewounds.

Unless the music demands it, no zing and tons of midrange for me.

 

[thrashingbass]

I try to match strings to specific basses. When I had only one bass a long time ago, I would choose flats. With a few more now, I enjoy using flatwounds, roundwounds, and tapewounds-though I tend to stick to a specific brand/line once I like something very much. Changing all the time works for many, but it's easier-for me-to stick to something you love and know how will sound and work for your play style (would perhaps try more brand lines if I had more basses, but IMHO, one does not need a bazillion basses to fit every need. Having many basses *is* cool! But kind of a privilege more than a need, in particular for me.)

I do not understand the "team sports" mentality of having to choose just one thing. Only flats, only rounds, only shorties, only actives, etc. Each to their own, however. Play what *you* love.

 

[J-Mags]

I've never really found a sound that Fender flats on a PJ can't do (although I have found sounds that I can't do), but I like to spread the wealth. I'm currently enjoying DR Sunbeams as dark-sounding rounds on my Mustang, and I've recently been trying out steel rounds on another bass.

I have a gigging bass, which is pretty much always the same, and then the other basses have various other strings on them, which can change according to mood. I skate longboard skateboards and consider myself a wheel-o-holic. The brightly colored urethane arouses so much curiosity in me and I like to see how they respond differently. I like most of the wheels that I try. Bass strings are becoming a similar addiction.