Blue steel went to hell.

[wolfkeller]

For years ive been using roto 66s but i used blue steel for years before them. I swirched back recently as i could get em for $13 a set from sweetwater. Well, first they didnt get em in, had to wait. I got the med guage from them and the heavy gauge from zzounds.

First, some sets have silks on the tuner ends, somw do not . They no longer have silks on the ball ends. I was instantly surprised at how weak they sounded. I used wm on 6 different basses for maybe 5 gigs and have now gone back to rotos.

The agressive, punchy tone I remember simply isnt there and again, this is multiple sets on several different basses. On top of that, no one really seems to have em in stock. Real bummer but so it goes wanted to just pass on my experience

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Seems everything from Dean markley has changed.

 

[wolfkeller]

Seems everything from Dean markley has changed.

Real bummer, use to love em.

 

[jmlee]

I’m with you completely!

Blue Steels were my go-to strings for years and years. Last few sets have been awful, and I was reminded of that tonight while I was cursing the set on my L2500. They were the last set I got with silks—and they are history.

I wrote to Dean Markley about the lack of silks and how hard it made it to mount up the G string. I got a completely dismissive note back after two weeks with a tone like “Yeah, we did it. So what?”

I’m finding DR Pure Blues are a good substitute.

 

[rufus.K]

 

[Anemic_SluG]

I am in the same camp. I have played them since their debut. And sad to say the silks are gone. I emailed them and they said they are going without. But they do not sound like they used too. Super sad. I just got some ghs steels, some dr and pro steels to try.

 

[musicman666]

Interesting. I put a set on my jazz a few weeks ago. Silks and tone the same as I remember. I must have gotten an older set.
Pro steels are a great alternative.

 

[Root 5]

GHS Super Steels.

 

[wolfkeller]

Back to roto66 and good to go

 

[Anemic_SluG]

Interesting. I put a set on my jazz a few weeks ago. Silks and tone the same as I remember. I must have gotten an older set.
Pro steels are a great alternative.

Yes a old set. Recently all my sets were dark blue silk with the black and blue ball ends. Then some silk. Like a random g string but the rest naked.
Mostly I was disappointed at their response when I asked the question. Felt like I was wasting their time. And the newer string don’t have that zip, tension and feel if the old. Now on the hunt for a new string.

Never liked the longevity of the roto 66’s something in my DNA dull them and boomers quickly from brute to dead. That is why I played BS for more than 25 years.

 

[mmbongo]

I know they closed their winding plant a couple of years ago. No telling who makes them now.

 

[eriky4003]

Wolfkeller, thanks for the warning. I believe you had a post a few months back and I thought I should try them again - but now I'll skip. Anemic Slug, if you liked Rotos but dislike the longevity I suggest Marcus Miller signature Dunlop Super Brights. I'd say they are very similar.

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

They we my favorite strings for my Jack Casady bass for 15 years. I'm disappointed with them now. They don't feel the same, last the same amount of time, or sound the same. That's a pity, they had a good thing going.
Rotosound 66s are more consistent and are widely available these days.

 

[armyadarkness]

I’m with you completely!

Blue Steels were my go-to strings for years and years. Last few sets have been awful, and I was reminded of that tonight while I was cursing the set on my L2500. They were the last set I got with silks—and they are history.

I wrote to Dean Markley about the lack of silks and how hard it made it to mount up the G string. I got a completely dismissive note back after two weeks with a tone like “Yeah, we did it. So what?”

I’m finding DR Pure Blues are a good substitute.

WOW!!!! And I've been in the DR Low Rider thread all day talking about Blue Steels! They were my go to string, best I ever heard by far!!

I use to change strings a lot, and one day before a gig I was tuning up a new set, and the G snapped while barely wound and no where near up to tune yet. So I opened another set and went on.

The following day I called Markley and told them what happened. Not only didn't they care, but when I asked to buy another G, they said no!!! So... even though I buys dozens of packs a year and have a buddy with a signature set... they were dicks.

So I switched to Ernie Ball, but the tone wasn't as nice, and they eat fingers like termites eat newspaper...

Now today I was reminiscing and ready to re try Blue Steels... Glad I was tipped off to this thread.

And happy that G&L puts stainless frets on my basses to deal with the Ernie Balls!

 

[Anemic_SluG]

Wolfkeller, thanks for the warning. I believe you had a post a few months back and I thought I should try them again - but now I'll skip. Anemic Slug, if you liked Rotos but dislike the longevity I suggest Marcus Miller signature Dunlop Super Brights. I'd say they are very similar.

Yeah I bought 3 sets of strings and didn’t get the Dunlop’s. But they are next in my list. Still disappointed that Markley changed.

 

[bigtone23]

I also lament the old Blue Steel wind and recipe. Those were my jam in the 90s and early 2000s. I still have 2 sets from the 90s left. (Strings last forever here, even when unsealed)

 

[jmlee]

OK, so I just took my last set of disappointing Dean Markley Blue Steels off my G&L L2500. I replaced them with a nice fresh set of DR Pure Blues 45-125. Holy Crapoly! They sound fabulous: muscular, focussed, a delightfully clear B string, and with a great mid punch and some nice brightness for a bit of bite.

I remember how I used to feel chuffed when I put on some new Blue Steels, but this last batch were tepid and weak-sounding, completely uninspiring—plus a pain to mount without the silk and nearly a bare core wire—and on the G-string *exactly* a bare core wire—to put in the post.

These Pure Blues mount beautifully, they fit through the B-string ferrule for through-body on the G&L, and the lower 4 strings are tapered to a perfect diameter for mounting. DR Pure Blues are just what I need.

This is about the 4th set I've deployed on various basses, but the first I've had the chance to directly A/B with nearly new Blue Steels.

Blue Steels are gone, so gone...it's Pure Blues all the way!!

 

[FunkHead]

I’m with you completely!

Blue Steels were my go-to strings for years and years. Last few sets have been awful, and I was reminded of that tonight while I was cursing the set on my L2500. They were the last set I got with silks—and they are history.

I wrote to Dean Markley about the lack of silks and how hard it made it to mount up the G string. I got a completely dismissive note back after two weeks with a tone like “Yeah, we did it. So what?”

I’m finding DR Pure Blues are a good substitute.

Pure Blues are a decent string. At least the set I tried. I am always happy with D'adorio XL170's but I think they're Nickel.

 

[ghettoshelf]

I was using the Nikki Sixx sets as they were the gauge I use and Stainless rounds. They quit making them. I went to Blue Steels. Now I can't find those in 050-110. I've been trying to contact Dean Markley with no luck. I used Rotos for years,even had a deal with them for a bit,went to La Bella, then on to Dean Markley. Guess I'll switch string companies again after reading this.

 

[wolfkeller]

I was using the Nikki Sixx sets as they were the gauge I use and Stainless rounds. They quit making them. I went to Blue Steels. Now I can't find those in 050-110. I've been trying to contact Dean Markley with no luck. I used Rotos for years,even had a deal with them for a bit,went to La Bella, then on to Dean Markley. Guess I'll switch string companies again after reading this.

Zzounds has em but so does rotosound. Thats the gauge i use for my Thunderbirds. Rotosound has an 85 for A, blue steel is a 90. All done with BS