Biggest string disappointment ever - whats yours?

[KF2B]

All things being subjective... meaning your mileage may vary:

Elixir Nanoweb 045-100 (14052)​

Those are mine - what a huge, HUGE, disappointment
They cost an arm and leg and whilst they do feel slick and durable what an utterly bland tone.

Well, all affecting everything I really cannot blame the strings per se but the mismatch with my bass (stock 2001 MIM Classic 60´s Jazz - one of the first batches) is apparent. - The force is not strong with this combo so out goes the Elixirs. Never again.

 

[mmbongo]

Any flatwound. I kept trying them assuming they would be fat juicy sounding, but every time they just ended up sounding boxy with nothing but low mids and a super stiff feel.

 

[fretlessguy]

You hit the nail on the head with Elixers. In fact, I just do not like coated strings of any kind.

 

[fjadams]

RotoSound tapewound. They sounded OK when I put them on, but the E and A both unwound. The E after just a couple weeks and the A a week or two later.
Never have had trouble with any other tapes unwinding.

GHS not offering the 3060 Tapes in short scale.

 

[Baird6869]

Any flatwound. I kept trying them assuming they would be fat juicy sounding, but every time they just ended up sounding boxy with nothing but low mids and a super stiff feel.

Same here. I have 3-4 sets of barely used flats in my drawer that I may have a project to use them on in the future, but I just don't like flats.mif I put flats on a bass, it will usugly pull them off after a couple of days. Just not my thing.

I like tapes strangely enough.....

 

[adivin]

Daddario Half Rounds. Just get dead rounds.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

TI Jazz Flats. Sounded cool, but just couldn't deal with the tension. And they're frikkin expensive!

 

[MD]

TI Acousticores.
No acoustic volume due to low tension. Frets will eat through the strings after several weeks. For the price, 2 sets of tapes can be had. and will last for years.
Nice tone though; would probably work for plugged in, fretless applications.

 

[Ironbar]

Roptosound 77 Monel Flats. Dead as a door nail.

 

[strictlybass_ic]

Tie between Elixir Nanowebs and DR Black Beauties.

Elixirs were too bland and floppy
DRs might as well have been cheese graters

 

[FrenchBassQC]

The last set of DR Lo-Rider I purchased, they were just too resonant and I was getting so much overtones it was like being constantly out of tune... One thing good about that experience is that they made me discover the GHS Progressive.

 

[iiipopes]

1) Fender discontinuing the 9050CL flats set 45-60-80-105, and not selling singles;
2) D'Addario not making a 60-D-string in their "Reds";
3) Gibson discontinuing their classic "Sonomatic" flats for guitar;
4) More companies need to publish their tension specs and offer "balanced" sets so none of us need to custom order singles.

 

[michael_t]

1) Fender discontinuing the 9050CL flats set 45-60-80-105, and not selling singles;

4) More companies need to publish their tension specs and offer "balanced" sets so none of us need to custom order singles.

I'm 100% with you on these two.

 

[michael_t]

GHS Precision Flats not being offered in "long scale" (36.5" winding length) for their factory sets.

Plus, the long scale 105E not being offered even in singles from BSO.

 

[2saddleslab]

Pyramid flats.

 

[Neon Blues]

Every Round Wound ever....

 

[loveandbass]

Daddario Half Rounds. Just get dead rounds.

2nd this

Terrible strings

 

[SirMjac28]

Chromes

 

[Moosehead1966]

LOVE the Elixir Steels.. To each their own. I was greatly disappointed with Spector Strings I bought when I had purchased my Spector (NS-2J) in 2009. They sucked royal and died within a few days of being strung.:***:.. It's OK. The active Spector bass is gone too! Was awesome in it's modern design but was a not me. I'm " old school P to da bone".

That said. It's great that there are so many diverse opinions on strings.

Marc

 

[bolophonic]

Daddario Half Rounds. Just get dead rounds.

2nd this

Terrible strings

I love the sound and feel when they are new, but dead ones are really dead.

My big string shocker were Labella Jamersons. I couldn't really tell you what they sounded like because they felt so much stickier than any string I have ever played.