I was in GC perusing and an employee pointed out these strings to me. He said they're the best bass strings he's ever played. I asked why. He spouted out contradictory buzz words. They're warm and bright. Mellow and great for slap. It made my day.
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D'Addario NYXL Bass Strings
- Thread starter Linnin
- Start date
I'd imagine the markup on D'Addarios is pretty good and the company is probably pushing them to sell the NYXL strings. They are just too expensive to justify me doing another failed string experiment. Honestly, the only other string I really want to try are MJC Ironworks stainless steel."Because they are the most expensive strings we carry, that's why!"
I've still had no issues yet with dying off FYI. I'm thinking it most definitely is a YMMV type of thing.
No issues with mine after several sessions, rehearsals, gigs, and lots of practice. They still sound great! Granted, I'm not going for the bright "boing" of stainless strings. To me, they have the clarity of a just-worn-in stainless string with the fundamental and warmth of a nicely worn nickel string. They didn't have that sizzly/metallic highend that I've gotten right after putting fresh Pro Steels on, for example.
Tried a set on my fretless, just something about nickel roundwounds that don't get along with me. Going back to stainless steel rounds as they tend to have some sort of magical component to them that makes them sound amazing on fretless basses.
At least from my experience with the guitar strings, if you're happy with the cobalts I wouldn't suggest the NYXLs as a substitute.
Very impressed with these. I'm running them on both my Dlx Active J, and my passive Precision. I usually favor D'Addario anyway, but I was curious about these, at the price point.
I decided to try a set on my J, and they just really opened up the sound on that bass. Miles ahead of the stock strings, and better than my usual D'Addario XLs. When I got my new MIM P bass, first thing I did was get the NYXLs for it.
These strings just seem to, as I said, " open up " the sound of the instrument, to it's better potential. It's like the instrument "breathes" better, or something.
I hate strings that are too bright, but these are not.
At the same time, they have tremendous clarity, and warmth.
That's the best I can describe. I'm not sure what the "secret formula" is, but I am pretty stoked about them. Worth the extra ten bucks, or so IMO.
I decided to try a set on my J, and they just really opened up the sound on that bass. Miles ahead of the stock strings, and better than my usual D'Addario XLs. When I got my new MIM P bass, first thing I did was get the NYXLs for it.
These strings just seem to, as I said, " open up " the sound of the instrument, to it's better potential. It's like the instrument "breathes" better, or something.
I hate strings that are too bright, but these are not.
At the same time, they have tremendous clarity, and warmth.
That's the best I can describe. I'm not sure what the "secret formula" is, but I am pretty stoked about them. Worth the extra ten bucks, or so IMO.
scotch
It's not rocket science!
- Nov 12, 2006
- 6,944
- 2,081
- 51
- Disclosures
- Please see Profile for Endorsement disclosures
Still using the demo set. I need to wait for Guitar Center to actually get them in stock, but it's the string of choice now for my FNA hands down....
I'm a looooong time Boomers user (since 1981) although I have tried many others since, I always go back to Boomers (on a 1978 Sting Ray Bass). I use XL's Balanced on my Jazz and Fender on my P, so I have a palette to compare these strings to.
Recently I changed strings on the MM deciding to tryout the NYXL's after demoing them at NAMM. I have lived with them for about two month before submitting my impressions. Some other reviews have mentioned tension, I like the added tension as little as it is. I prefer a tense feel and my playing style benefits from that.
The tone has remained consistent from day one with very little drop off in the normal areas, i.e high end loss and dull thud of old worn round wounds. And that tone is obviously going to be different on every bass, so I tend to base my choice more on feel, followed by longevity and then tone. Again this is how I evaluate strings. IMHO you can reasonably create a great tone from most string brands of the same metallurgy using the tone shaping on an amp and your fingers.
In comparison to Boomers they are brighter and have a little upper mid rang bump. They sound like Stainless Stell string to me. This is not a negative it's just an observation. Very high output from these things, I have had to tweak more than just tone, my compressor settings look a lot different as well. Again, this does not bother me and it is not a negative.
The NYXL's have really impressed me most with their longevity, nearly no drop of from new to 100-150 hours on them, gigging, practicing and rehearsals.
I like them and will try then on my other basses as the need to change string arises, but for the Sting Ray they night be a little to different from my normal string.
How's that for. Non-committed review!
Recently I changed strings on the MM deciding to tryout the NYXL's after demoing them at NAMM. I have lived with them for about two month before submitting my impressions. Some other reviews have mentioned tension, I like the added tension as little as it is. I prefer a tense feel and my playing style benefits from that.
The tone has remained consistent from day one with very little drop off in the normal areas, i.e high end loss and dull thud of old worn round wounds. And that tone is obviously going to be different on every bass, so I tend to base my choice more on feel, followed by longevity and then tone. Again this is how I evaluate strings. IMHO you can reasonably create a great tone from most string brands of the same metallurgy using the tone shaping on an amp and your fingers.
In comparison to Boomers they are brighter and have a little upper mid rang bump. They sound like Stainless Stell string to me. This is not a negative it's just an observation. Very high output from these things, I have had to tweak more than just tone, my compressor settings look a lot different as well. Again, this does not bother me and it is not a negative.
The NYXL's have really impressed me most with their longevity, nearly no drop of from new to 100-150 hours on them, gigging, practicing and rehearsals.
I like them and will try then on my other basses as the need to change string arises, but for the Sting Ray they night be a little to different from my normal string.
How's that for. Non-committed review!
scotch
It's not rocket science!
- Nov 12, 2006
- 6,944
- 2,081
- 51
- Disclosures
- Please see Profile for Endorsement disclosures
Jeffrey Stella's experience largely echos my own. Longevity and a little upper mid bump are hallmarks of the NYXL strings, in my opinion.
I have also noticed increased overall output from every instrument I have installed NYXL's on (basses and electric guitars). The output increase is slight, but enough that I noticed the difference without having to change any of my gain staging. Tuning stability is also improved from day-to-day, environment to environment.
I'm more enthusiastic about these strings than I have been about almost any other music product in recent memory. I like EXP's a lot, for instance, but they aren't the eyebrow raising experience that NYXL's have proven to be for me.
Yes I am a D'Addario endorser, but I comfortably put my reputation behind these strings. Sure, not for everyone, (string choice is an important, personal thing) but if nickel roundwounds are your 'thing' & you want longer life and a little more grit from your mids you really shouldn't shy away from trying NYXL bass strings!
I have also noticed increased overall output from every instrument I have installed NYXL's on (basses and electric guitars). The output increase is slight, but enough that I noticed the difference without having to change any of my gain staging. Tuning stability is also improved from day-to-day, environment to environment.
I'm more enthusiastic about these strings than I have been about almost any other music product in recent memory. I like EXP's a lot, for instance, but they aren't the eyebrow raising experience that NYXL's have proven to be for me.
Yes I am a D'Addario endorser, but I comfortably put my reputation behind these strings. Sure, not for everyone, (string choice is an important, personal thing) but if nickel roundwounds are your 'thing' & you want longer life and a little more grit from your mids you really shouldn't shy away from trying NYXL bass strings!
Just put some on my Fender Deluxe 5. At first I didn't dig them because they feel like they are higher tension than what I'm used to. But then as I played them and got more used to them, I began to notice how articulate they are. They have this very cool bouncy feeling to them...hard to explain. But the notes seem to jump out better. I don't have to work as hard for a solid tone it seems. That's the only way I can describe them. I'm gigging them tonight...see how it goes.
