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Been away from Rounds for years and need advice.

#22
MrRiff said:
I’m use to floppy feel with the TIs, wonder how Pure Blues compares with Sunbeams? thanks
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Pure Blues were my go-to strings for a while and they have a fuller sound than Sunbeams. Sunbeams have more high-end and are a bit more modern. If I remember right, Pure Blues aged into a nice vintage sound, whereas Sunbeams just got dull. I love them both and I'd use either one depending on the sound I want.
 
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#25
Pure blues Victor Wooten .040 are pretty close to TI jazz flats as far as tension.

D’addario xls come in an .035 set for even lighter feel.

These are my go to rounds and allow me to switch pretty seamlessly from TI JF to rounds that set up, intonate and feel pretty close.

You’ll have a shocking amount of string noise coming from the mellow plating TI JF, but your technique will quickly adapt.
 
#26
Ukiah Bass said:
One thing I've learned about strings: no matter what people say on this forum, the selection of strings comes down to the individual player's preferences and performance of the strings on each particular instrument. Often I've been surprised, and for this reason expect to budget $150-200 or so on trying a bunch of "candidate" strings on a bass that's new to me. That's maybe 5-10% of the price of a decent bass, and an even lower percentage the cost of acquiring a higher end bass. Despite this low $$$ amount, the strings may well contribute most to the tone and feel you get from the instrument. You can get lost in comments about strings and blow a ton of time hyperventilating over choices. It takes just a few weeks or so of hands-on trials to quickly zero in on the winning selection. Have fun while you do it! (And let us know what you learned!)
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Yes.
 
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#27
Weirdly enough, I kind of like the Rickenbacker string set. I think they're made by D'Addario, and just nickel plated steel, but the gauges are graduated differently, 45, 55, 75 and 105. The middle two are different than the stock Fender 7250 string that came on your Jazz Player II. They feel a lot different.

The as-issued Fender 7250 strings are pretty decent actually. Bright and punchy, plated steel.

I tend to like pure nickel wrap better than plated.

My Geddy Lee USA Jazz and Am. Pro-II Jazz fretless are wearing TI Jazz flats.
 
#29
if you haven’t used rounds for a while, nickel-plated is a good start

if you want them easy on tension, consider SuperBrights. frankly the 105-45 set is already low tension enough, I’d say, lower than the typical 40-100 set. so I’d suggest to start with 105-45 and see if that’s enough. if not, they also have it in 100-40
 
#30
I am 2 months in on my rounds from flats transition. I’m loving .105 sunbeams on my 62RI P. I am trying some old nickel low riders on my CS P. I also have a set of pure Blues here as well. I really like DR’s…just trying to get the right sets on the right bass. I have a 60’s style rosewood P and a late 50’s style maple P.
 
#35
Silky Johnson said:
TI jazz rounds are awesome but don't last forever like the flats and given the steep cost I would recommend any DR string but I really like the pure blues 100-45, the fat beams are a close second
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I went on a fat beams kick and really enjoyed them. I've since switched back to hi beams due to local availability, but I can use both interchangeably. I like the way hi beams age better. That being said, neither are nickel and both are pretty darn bight. Likely too bright for someone used to nickel.
 
#36
Having a ton of options is great, but you know what’s terrible? Having a ton of options. That being said, as I just mentioned in another thread, Ernie Ball Slinky’s have always worked well for me. Rotosound 66’s (steel or nickel) are also nice. GHS Boomers if you want something stiffer. DR Sunbeams if you want more flexible. D’Addario XL’s are easy to find, most retailers will carry them. S.I.T Powerwounds sound good on some basses.

Having said all that, once you find something that works for you, just stick with it and don’t worry about experimenting. Make music and enjoy life.
 
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#37
PBandJazzBass said:
Having a ton of options is great, but you know what’s terrible? Having a ton of options. That being said, as I just mentioned in another thread, Ernie Ball Slinky’s have always worked well for me. Rotosound 66’s (steel or nickel) are also nice. GHS Boomers if you want something stiffer. DR Sunbeams if you want more flexible. D’Addario XL’s are easy to find, most retailers will carry them. S.I.T Powerwounds sound good on some basses.

Having said all that, once you find something that works for you, just stick with it and don’t worry about experimenting. Make music and enjoy life.
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Very well said! Land somewhere and enjoy the music!

.
 
#38
MrRiff said:
Just got a new jazz bass my other two have TI flats. I want to keep rounds on the J bass. My P and fretless jazz have TI flats but I can see keeping rounds on my new jazz bass. Will use the stock fender strings for now. Looking for light gauge nickel wrap. Considering DR Sunbeams maybe TI Jazz Rounds (if the nut will handle the thin gauge). I dunno help. Thanks
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The TI Jazz Rounds? Yes, the nut on your new Jazz Bass will handle them just fine. As for the TIJR's themselves? Well...
As somebody who's played flats, almost exclusively, for 50+ years? I'd recommend a set of TI Jazz Flats; or better yet? A set of Fender 9050Ls... But, I do have one bass (out of 28) with rounds on it. A '93 Gretsch Broadkaster, with short scale TI 324 Jazz Rounds. Which, considering how much I dislike rounds? They ain't bad, at all. They feel pretty good to my nerve damaged fingers; and, while they're brighter strings than I'd really like, on a bass like the Gretsch? After 12 year of trying to find strings that made it sound even remotely like a Bass? I'll happily live with the things... As for DR Sunbeams? I had a short scale set on my Warmoth Mini-Precision for a while. I have to admit; on a mini-me clone of my '78 Fender P-Bass? They did sound pretty darn good. But the feel of them rasping on my fingers... well, they got replaced by a set of La Bella 760FL-S's, and my fingers are a lot happier...
So... yeah; give them a try. There aren't many people around here who use the TI Jazz Rounds, but... those who do? They all seem to like them. I'm probably the one, here on TB, that likes them the least. However... if I wasn't suffering from damaged fingers - and could stand to play rounds, for more than a few minutes? I might be using TIJR's a lot more... :cool:
 

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