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Do DR Lo-Riders break in less "zingy"?

Does the zing go away and leave everything else?

  • Yes, of course. This is a dramatical error.

    Votes: 14 56.0%

  • Nope. It's there to stay. Get used to it.

    Votes: 2 8.0%

  • Wash them, and yourself, down with carrot juice.

    Votes: 9 36.0%
  • Total voters
    25
#41
two fingers said:
I shoulda known better. I have been trying other strings for decades. But I keep coming back to D'Adarrio XL Nickels. I should just stick to what works for me.

But based on a few recent threads, I figured the Lo-Riders would be worth a shot.

They FEEL great. Not much different from the XLs... only a little more even across strings.

But the top end zing is driving me nuts. Yes, I can tone it down with the tone knob and/or EQ of the amp. But it takes so much to dial it out that by that time the whole tone is lifeless.

I'm willing to give them a week or so. But if that top end isn't tamed by next weekend they will have to come off.
Click to expand...

yeah it goes away eventually. I love that zing so I notice when it disappears. I'm a D'Adarrio Pro Steel guy myself so the zing is my thing. I used Lo Riders for a long time too because they kept that zing for a bit. But yes, it will die off after some time.
 
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#42
michael_t said:
By the way, if you like the tone of well-broken-in nickel rounds, you should also try the GHS Pressurewounds. Very little zing out of the package with some extra punch and crunch where they count.
Click to expand...


Nickel Lo Riders and Pressurewounds are my two favorite strings. I haven't seen them both mentioned in the same post before. Nice.
 
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#44
two fingers said:
I shoulda known better. I have been trying other strings for decades. But I keep coming back to D'Adarrio XL Nickels. I should just stick to what works for me.

But based on a few recent threads, I figured the Lo-Riders would be worth a shot.

They FEEL great. Not much different from the XLs... only a little more even across strings.

But the top end zing is driving me nuts. Yes, I can tone it down with the tone knob and/or EQ of the amp. But it takes so much to dial it out that by that time the whole tone is lifeless.

I'm willing to give them a week or so. But if that top end isn't tamed by next weekend they will have to come off.
Click to expand...

They used to be my string of choice for stainless strings that extra zing is what I liked. Love for it to last. Am not a nickel string lover. Love very bright zingy punchy loud strings. Always looking for the right combination of balance flexibility and strong fundamentals and tone.
 
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#45
gregmon79 said:
yeah it goes away eventually. I love that zing so I notice when it disappears. I'm a D'Adarrio Pro Steel guy myself so the zing is my thing. I used Lo Riders for a long time too because they kept that zing for a bit. But yes, it will die off after some time.
Click to expand...
I want to try ProSteels again, but after that disappearing from the mix fiasco I am not going to do it while there are imminent gigs, unless I can figure out how to keep that from happening again.
 
#48
gregmon79 said:
yeah it goes away eventually. I love that zing so I notice when it disappears. I'm a D'Adarrio Pro Steel guy myself so the zing is my thing. I used Lo Riders for a long time too because they kept that zing for a bit. But yes, it will die off after some time.
Click to expand...
The Blue Steels had the best zing that I ever heard... I think I'm going to ty them on my P again and monitor fret wear. It'll definitely be no worse than Pro Steels or DR I imagine
 
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#50
I've gotten into a flats kind of mood these days (I guess mostly because of what the band I just joined is playing). However, nickel Lo Riders are still my favorite overall string.

They'll gradually lose their initial zing and then they'll settle into a warm, low mid punch that can give you little bit of grind when you want it. I also like that they last a really long time for me (I've gone a couple of years on a single set and still loved 'em), they're smoother than a lot of rounds, they have a nice stiff feel that I like in a string, and they're the one string I've tried that has sounded fantastic (at least to me) on every bass I've put them on.

I've had some fun experimenting with strings once in a while, but I've always seemed to go back to nickel Lo Riders.
 
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#53
armyadarkness said:
Errrrrr..... BRAKES SQUEAL! Thanks for the heads up. Just read it and a fellow and my fellow G&L buddy @jmlee is in there cursing them. I'll stick with the Ernie Balls... They sound awesome, just drop off a bit too fast... but cheap to change. Thnks for the heads up!
Click to expand...

DR Pure Blues! Warm, bitey and punchy!
 
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#54
armyadarkness said:
The Blue Steels had the best zing that I ever heard... I think I'm going to ty them on my P again and monitor fret wear. It'll definitely be no worse than Pro Steels or DR I imagine
Click to expand...

I use Pro Steels because that zing stays for so long. I haven't played any other string that lasts as long than them. For me anyway. I think I've tried Blue Steels before. It's been a while though. I'll have to try them again. Are they hex core by chance?
 
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#55
gregmon79 said:
I use Pro Steels because that zing stays for so long. I haven't played any other string that lasts as long than them. For me anyway. I think I've tried Blue Steels before. It's been a while though. I'll have to try them again. Are they hex core by chance?
Click to expand...

No, don't try them...really. The discussions here on TB have reached a consensus conclusion that Dean Markley has lost its way somehow and the Blue Steels are a lost treasure.
 
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#56
Thanks for all the tips guys... glad to see a nice stainless following. I used Stainless Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys for a long time, but couldnt get my finger use to the abrasive feel... after 4 years of hard-core use... I gave up. I'm anxious to try the others, but gauge will be an issue.

I like heavy D and G strings, and they all seem to go in the other direction.
diegom said:
Vaseline usually kills zing dead. On flats, a bit rubbed with a cloth, put about 100 gigs on them. Dead and thumpy!
I love it on flats, don't know what it would do to rounds...

Diego
Click to expand...
Under normal circumstances, I'd say that you were nuts, but this is exactly what Steve Harris does. Love him or hate him, his tone is gorgeous.
 
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#57
jmlee said:
No, don't try them...really. The discussions here on TB have reached a consensus conclusion that Dean Markley has lost its way somehow and the Blue Steels are a lost treasure.
Click to expand...

Yeah I saw that after I followed the link posted in this thread. Thanks for the heads up guys. That's a shame. Idk why companies do things like that. I guess there's a reason somewhere for them.
 

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