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Does this happen to you?

#44
cool breeze said:
So, I’m happy with the sound of my bass guitar yet every time I read threads on changing strings for improving sound it makes me want to change my strings! What ye say TB’ers?
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Hi cool breeze :)

When I started playing bass I was still in school.
I always bought the cheapest strings they had in our local shop.(ten min. on my bike)
The guys who worked in the shop, knew me and could tell, whether this or that would work for me...
I learned a lot that way about brands and gauges, intonation and neck setup...

Today? :crying:

The nearest shop, that has more than one brand of strings, is a two hours drive away...(one way with my car)

Luckily I found how to get my sounds 30 years ago with the only strings I use (Roto Swingbass rounds)

but TB gives me GAS for other stuff :hyper::hyper::hyper:

may the bass be with you

Wise(b)ass
 
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#45
My quest for the perfect string has more to do with gauges and tension at different tunings than what people on TB say. I tried what was at the time Circle K strings based on suggestions here. Very early on I thought I would try flats based on the recommendations here, and that's when I learned half the people here are cracked. Worst decision ever.
 
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#47
Sure, change your strings, ok. next you'll be swapping the pickups, then it's the tuners. Pretty soon you'll be wanting to try a different brand of tubes. Before you know it you'll end up with a dozen basses, 3 amps and an ex wife wondering why you can make your child support payment. So think twice before changing your strings!
 
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#48
socialleper said:
Very early on I thought I would try flats based on the recommendations here, and that's when I learned half the people here are cracked.
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half????? :D

string_construction_219x206.jpg


...so rather one third??? :D:laugh::roflmao:

greetings

Wise(b)ass
 
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#50
HolmeBass said:
I tried some TI Jazz Flats on a friend's P-bass, based on rave reviews here onnTB, and loved them. I will probably put a set on my jazz in the next few months. Except I am in this band now where I need the 70's jazz funk tones, so... Probably not, after all.

If I had a gig that needed my Pbass, like a soul and Motown gig with no funk or disco, I'd throw a set on right away.

I am otherwise happy with DR Sunbeams roundwounds.

The only thing I think about is retrying the strings of my youth to see what I think about them now: Roto 66 Swingbass, Boomers, Blue Steels would be the ones I'd try again. But I probably really won't do that experiment.
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IMHO, TI Jazz flats would be perfect for jazz-funk tones.
 
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#53
HolmeBass said:
I have not tried any other nickel round wounds. What probably makes sense is to try the D'Addario nickel rounds, just to see. But DR stainless steel strings were my favorite stainless roundwounds, I would not be surprised if I preferred the Sunbeams to others.

Have you tried any other nickel rounds ever? If so, what did you think? (Specifically, obviously you have stated your preference for Sunbeams.)
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I've tried almost all of them, and that's no exaggeration. Even the ones that often come up as being similar to Sunbeams (Dunlop, GHS RC) aren't even in the same ballpark in terms of feel and sonics. That kind of goes for DR as a whole though...there aren't many companies (if any) that use an outer wrap similar to DR's, which is a big part of the equation, not to mention the round cores on much of the line. The closest I've tried were TI rounds and they only made me wonder why DR wasn't asking more money for theirs.
 
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#54
I changed the round wound strings on my ibanez to Addario Tape wound. I love the feel and sound of them. Make playing the bass easy on the fingers as they don't shred the skin as much.

On my Thunderbird I've kept the original round wound on as the sound of the bass is punchy and just how I like it.
 
#56
I'm pretty much in the same school with @Malak the Mad when it comes to strings. New bass? The search for the ideal set of strings to pair it with begins. However, once I find something I really like, that's what I'll use on it for the rest of the time I own it.

It's gotten less expensive now that I have a lot of years experience doung this under my belt. I can usually nail the exact sound I'm looking for after trying out only a few different string sets.
 
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#58
HolmeBass said:
Well, not enough high end bite and snap to make the pops stand out. It always has struck me as a round wound kind of tone.
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I guess you could go with the rotosound swing 66 strings, because they definitely have all the high end and treble that you're going to want, it depends what the ratio of funk to Jazz is in the music that you're playing. Not that I would Define funk music by slap by any means. Really there are no rules, I'm sure with the tone pot turned up, the ti Jazz Flats will pop just fine. At the end of the day it probably just comes down to each individual's taste in tone. If it were me and I was playing some funky jazz, I would definitely give the Thomastiks a go on a Jazz bass just to see how they fit with the sound of the band and the mix. Or I would get a maple fretboard precision bass string it with rotosound swing 66, and go for that Paul Jackson sound with Herbie Hancock a la "Thrust"! :thumbsup:
 
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