D'Addario vs. Rotosound Nickels

[Toptube]

XL's are probably the slickest feeling non-coated strings. They are higher tension than many strings I've tried, but still exhibit good balance from string to string. They sound scooped in the mids, compared to both stainless steel and nickel rotos. I cannot say if they are actually scooped, or if they just exhibit a more balanced tonality.

The Nickel rotos feel really nice. They aren't quite as slick as the XLs, but they are not grabby at all. XLs I feel are just exceptionally slick. Nickel rotos have a more moderate tension, maybe even a low tension. also have good balance from string to string. They are some of the punchiest nickels I've used (though not as punchy as the stainless rotos) and have a really great mid honk and growel. Even just playing them acoustically without an amp, you can hear the large difference from the XLs. They come with a blue silk that I like to call "beer can blue", because the silk gives it a sheer look. The blue itself is very similar to the blue on the front of an Ashdown Electric Blue Amp head.


As someone who LOVES stainless rotos, I like nickel rotos more than XLs because they have that mid-range honk and just compliment an aggressive tone and playing a bit more. they don't match the stainless rotos completely for tone, but are as close as I've heard from a nickel, and they do feel better than stainless rotos initially do when fresh from the package (though the stainless feel quite smooth later). XLs are really nice strings though and work great for lower action or someone who wants a bit higher tension.

 

[Duke21]

I"ll comment on the Roto 66 Nickels:

[*]lots of emphasis on the note fundamentals
[*]goodly amounts of mid growl
[*]far less metallic than steel rounds
[*]last longer than the GHS Boomer nickels I'd used previously
[*]treble level easily accentuated/cut with amp EQ


Note that I associate that piano sound with good amounts of mid-to-high mids and growl. I don't know how you classify the sound, perhaps zingy/trebly. These strings have plenty of zing on tap, but nothing like steels - with a good deal less treble.

Agree to that regrading 66 steel VS 66 Nickel (which I prefer). But I'll add that the Roto's RB45 are the same string as the 66 Nickel but cost almost half of the 66 Nickel. The Rb45 don't have the light blue silk, thats all.

 

[Toadsmacker]

Everyone's done great on fully explaining the Rotosounds, and Toptube gave an awesome comparison between the Rotos and the XLs... Rotosound is the clear winner in this thread. Also the above post turned me on to the Rotobass strings, which are cheaper because they are unsilked (thanks for that!)

Still, the D'addarios will always be more budget friendly... but Toptube's observation that they lack midrange punch/growl is a big turnoff. Maybe I should buy a D'addario 2-pack, wait as long as I have to for the first set to die (hopefully a looooong time) and then buy the Rotos before opening the 2nd pack of XLs. If the Rotos are better, the spare XLs become a backup set. If the XLs win, then how convenient, I've got another set!

 

[UnfortunateTony]

I found that the D'Addario's died a bit quicker and sounded less full then my Rotosounds, which I bought within a few days of the D's. Serves me right for going out of my comfort zone

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

I found that the D'Addario's died a bit quicker and sounded less full then my Rotosounds, which I bought within a few days of the D's. Serves me right for going out of my comfort zone

Not to add more confusion, but you may also want to try GHS Boomers after you try the Roto's. I checked their price on Juststrings.com and they're pretty inexpensive. GC sells them at a really cheap price as well.

IMO GHS Boomers are similar tonewise to the Roto's I'm using. Boomers feel like they're higher tension, but that might just be my imagination.