Balanced string recommendation for slap on a Warwick Thumb 4 string?

[SouthTunnel]

I just bought a Pro Series Thumb bass, that came with DR Sunbeams 40-100. The strings feel great, super easy to slap on that bass. However the sound is too thin. The E string has no bottom at all.

I want a set of strings with bold, low presence on the E and A, but a D and G that are still light enough to pop with ease. Any recommendation?

 

[mmbongo]

I just bought a Pro Series Thumb bass, that came with DR Sunbeams 40-100. The strings feel great, super easy to slap on that bass. However the sound is too thin. The E string has no bottom at all.

I want a set of strings with bold, low presence on the E and A, but a D and G that are still light enough to pop with ease. Any recommendation?

www.bassstringsonline.com has a 'build your own custom set' feature.

Get .105 and .85 Sunbeams to replace your E and A strings. Done. It's odd that you don't have much bottom end though..Sunbeams have huge bottom. Might be something else wrong, but try the larger Sunbeams first.

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[SouthTunnel]

Interesting. I hope its not something else. I've played plenty of Thumb's in the store, but this one I bought used online without playing first. Judging by appearance it seems to be in great condition.

I was previously playing medium DR's on my Jazz bass, so that's why I thought it might be the lighter strings. In general it's the tone is just a little thin/bright, with not much bottom. If not the strings then what else could it be?

 

[mmbongo]

I'd try the strings first before worrying too much about electronics, which would be the next step. No telling how dead those strings are since the bass was used so you might want to replace the whole set.

 

[SouthTunnel]

One thing I didn't mention is that it has EMG pickups, not the original MEC's. But from the research I've done, EMG's should not sound thinner than MEC's.

 

[Dredmahawkus]

All active basses sound thin to me.....on my thumb I have circklek....but if I wanted to make a bass sound more full I would use infeld superalloy or thomastik jazz rounds. they arent the best for slapping but have a very full sound. circlek slaps great on my thumb and sounds pretty good too with low tension and balanced.

 

[mmbongo]

One thing I didn't mention is that it has EMG pickups, not the original MEC's. But from the research I've done, EMG's should not sound thinner than MEC's.

I definitely disagree with that. To me, EMG's sound very thin and sterile.

 

[Jon Moody]

I definitely disagree with that. To me, EMG's sound very thin and sterile.

+1.

I have a '96 Corvette that the original owner had put EMGs in, and I thought the sound was good. Until they died and I replaced them with Seymour Duncan active pickups.

EMGs sound great if you're looking for that "EMG" sound, but on a bass as tonally focused as a Thumb, you need something that is going to work with that sound over enforcing its own sound on it.

Back to the OP, for string recommendations I'd probably go with a Pressurewound set. They have some nice warmth to them, but you can still get some upper end clarity and snap.

 

[ixlramp]

Something around 105 75 55 40, balanced and very slightly bottom heavy (inverted tension). Although remember stock strings can be in bad condition, and it could be brand instead of gauge, 'thin' sound doesnt mean 'gauge is too thin', in some ways you can get a fuller tone with lower tension.

 

[punkjazzben]

I really enjoyed having a set of Fodera stainless steels on my Warwick - very ballsy and bitey.

 

[spego]

My thumb has had EMG's put in it.....along with a VMC and BTC and stacked volume pot......it was quite versatile. However it ended up with the stock MEC preamp and pickups back in it because they just sound a lot deeper in that bass.

So I'm a fan of EMG's.....but honestly I can't say they were an upgrade over the MEC's in THAT bass anyway.

I use Prosteels (med)......mine has a ton of low end......no kidding a ton. It's deeper than my streamer stage 1 and for that matter deeper than all my other basses.

Change the strings first.

What kind of preamp is in it?

 

[Bassdude15]

One thing I didn't mention is that it has EMG pickups, not the original MEC's. But from the research I've done, EMG's should not sound thinner than MEC's.

+1 to all the "EMG's are thin/sterile" comments. Change them out mate! I second circle k strings- maybe the 43-106 set.

 

[Jensby design]

I'm use these Link Removed great for slap but for slap I prefer more traditional tension
.090 .067 .051 .039
So I would recommend a .098 or .094 balanced set free shipping on orders over $50 so if you get both

oh, yeah that could be the best $50 you have ever spent

 

[adamaarts]

Warwick's black label or EMP would sound great. They have that heavy bottom end with a higher strong snappiness. It's like they were made for that bass, oh wait they were!!!