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AV II 54 P-Bass string dilemma - help! (for recording)

T

themarqueeyears

Mar 30, 2012
40
42
#1
Ok say no one can tell me which strings to use but what do you guys do when you're lovin' two different set of strings (and no currently I can't afford a second AVII 54)

I bought an AV II 54 because I love that Sting Stax/ Motown kinda vibe he gets and this new AV II 54 I've bought has it in buckets!

So I know Sting uses DR nickel Low Riders and so I switched out the stock Fender 9050's (too high tension for me anyway) and stick on DR nickel Low Riders and "boom" it's "that" sound - I even play the same Tirando - thump and fingers (classical guitar style playing)

BUT

I have TI flats on my Fiesta Red 2010 FC CV bass and they're fantastic and totally silent when moving around (no squeaking in the slightest)
I love playing the TI flats they are so smooth for tracking bass.

So I just can't decide if I should take the DR LR off my new AV II 54 and put TI flats on it too for a super smooth recording experience or stick with the
more punchy rock n roll sound of the DR Low Riders.

Long term I probably will buy another AV II 54 as it's my perfect bass but for now this string dilemma is driving me nuts!

How do you guys settle of strings when you have more than one favorite?
 
#6
blr2 said:
Mind that string noise, unless extreme, is not audible in the mix.
Click to expand...
I probably worry too much about the sound of my playing soloed - as you say it's the sound in the mix that matters.

I do remember years ago bass ample libraries priding themselves on including string noises for authenticity!

I guess I'm just trying to do the best job possible when tracking, I need to remember some string noise using rounds isn't
as big an issue as I'm worrying about..


Thanks.
 
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#7
Easy, cause I just have one favorite, TI flats. They sound amazing on my AVII54.
IMG_0549.jpg
 
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#8
2saddleslab said:
Easy, cause I just have one favorite, TI flats. They sound amazing on my AVII54.
View attachment 7333568
Click to expand...
Lovely!

I have the Blonde one - I love this bass so much - I can't stop playing it!

I see you put the cover on - looks great.

Darn it ..... maybe I should just go with the natural vibe of this 50's bass and put a set of TI's on it and just make life smooth and easy on my 62 year old hands.
 
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#12
blr2 said:
Mind that string noise, unless extreme, is not audible in the mix.
Click to expand...
I agree. I have two Pbasses, both with the same pickups, one with broken in Nickel LoRiders and one with old Labella flats. In the studio I don't choose one over the other because of any string noise concern. I just go with whichever sounds the best for the tune.
Think of all the players who use roundwounds, even on ballads and whatnot, and you don't hear squeaky squeaks in the final mix - like Lee Sklar with his stainless steel rounds. Or neo soul players with roundwounds and active basses with enough highs dialed in for slapping here and there, but then during fingerstyle and thumb pluck sections in the same track it just sounds super bassy and clean. Sure, in a really sparse mix some string noise might be apparent depending on how you play, but the tone knob and external EQ can usually remedy that. And sometimes, that little grunt from roundwounds, even if barely audible, is just the ticket, even on a mellower tune. It's a type of detail that is very effective. How good your phrasing and playing in the groove is, how you're dovetailed with the other instruments in the mix is the biggest factor as to whether or not string noise starts detracting from the whole mix.
 
Last edited:
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#14
themarqueeyears said:
Ok say no one can tell me which strings to use but what do you guys do when you're lovin' two different set of strings (and no currently I can't afford a second AVII 54)

I bought an AV II 54 because I love that Sting Stax/ Motown kinda vibe he gets and this new AV II 54 I've bought has it in buckets!

So I know Sting uses DR nickel Low Riders and so I switched out the stock Fender 9050's (too high tension for me anyway) and stick on DR nickel Low Riders and "boom" it's "that" sound - I even play the same Tirando - thump and fingers (classical guitar style playing)

BUT

I have TI flats on my Fiesta Red 2010 FC CV bass and they're fantastic and totally silent when moving around (no squeaking in the slightest)
I love playing the TI flats they are so smooth for tracking bass.

So I just can't decide if I should take the DR LR off my new AV II 54 and put TI flats on it too for a super smooth recording experience or stick with the
more punchy rock n roll sound of the DR Low Riders.

Long term I probably will buy another AV II 54 as it's my perfect bass but for now this string dilemma is driving me nuts!

How do you guys settle of strings when you have more than one favorite?
Click to expand...
The correct TB answer here is, just get another bass, even if you need to use a credit card.
My actual advice though, is to just remember that strings aren’t a permanent part of your bass. Leave the DR LR’s on it until you need a string change. Then re-evaluate the choice at that point.
 
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#16
themarqueeyears said:
I probably worry too much about the sound of my playing soloed - as you say it's the sound in the mix that matters.

I do remember years ago bass ample libraries priding themselves on including string noises for authenticity!

I guess I'm just trying to do the best job possible when tracking, I need to remember some string noise using rounds isn't
as big an issue as I'm worrying about..


Thanks.
Click to expand...
Isolated bass tracks from some of the greatest hits ever recorded sound like someone is working on a Buick in the background. Don’t worry about the string noise
 
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#19
I had a Sting signature model years ago. I flip flopped between Chromes (that were on it when I got it) and Low Riders. I kept putting the Chromes on because I felt like the bass needed flats for the classic vibe, but it sounded best with the Low Riders. And I, like you, had other basses with flats. So I finally gave in and kept it dedicated to the Low Riders. Those strings just sound great on that bass. (And my choice of bass and strings had nothing to do with Sting.)

Chromes will be similar in tension to the 9050s, by the way.
 
#20
TDR1138 said:
I had a Sting signature model years ago. I flip flopped between Chromes (that were on it when I got it) and Low Riders. I kept putting the Chromes on because I felt like the bass needed flats for the classic vibe, but it sounded best with the Low Riders. And I, like you, had other basses with flats. So I finally gave in and kept it dedicated to the Low Riders. Those strings just sound great on that bass. (And my choice of bass and strings had nothing to do with Sting.)

Chromes will be similar in tension to the 9050s, by the way.
Click to expand...
Thank you for you’re reply and sharing your experience.

It does sound great with Low Riders on it - for me I wasn’t into the 9050’s that came stock on it.

So as the 9050’s are on the high side for me tension wise, I’ll struggle a bit with chromes from a tension point of view.
 
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