DR Hi-beams...Tone Heaven

[baxter_x]

10 years ago I breifly tried Rotosound strings. According to what I remeber it was very nice. But never tried it again since then though.

 

[eriky4003]

opivy3056,
If you didn't like the Hi-Beams, try the Fats. I believe you'll find your low-end warmth with still a bright string. The Lo-Riders I do love but they won't be as bright as the Fats or a set of Rotos.
Now, if you want to move away from DRs, the Marcus Miller Dunlop Super Brights are very similar to Rotos (even in their roughness) but seem to keep their tone for a long time.

 

[ComeHomeShane]

Late to the party... but resurrecting the thread because I Just had a practice session with my first set of DR strings; Hi-Beams on my Ray Special 5 string. I'm reserving judgement until I can have some true band practice sessions and gigs, but so far so good! I'm impressed with the evenness of tone from B string to G. They feel pretty similar to the EB cobalt rounds I've been using, but definitely more flexible.

The thing that struck me the most is how responsive the DRs are to the onboard EQ. I've always felt that the mids knob on the SRS5 did not do much. At one point I even considered changing the pre-amp, but decided to just deal with it and adjust at the head. But with these hi-beams the mid knob is crazy effective. I've never heard the mid knob on this bass make such a big shift.

The hi-beams aren't as bright/zingy as I thought they would be, but honestly the tone sounds really natural and fitting for the Ray. If I need crazy bright zing I can always just pop on something else.

The word that comes to mind for these strings is 'deep', but the true test will be on Monday when I have a 3 hour rehearsal and then Friday, my first gig with these strings on the way.

Anyone else play a Ray Special with hi-beams?

 

[Benny4P]

I love the 4 string high beams but not the five string sets. I tried pretty much all DR offerings on my 5H Stingray special and have always found the B strings to be too dark and muffled. I have moved on to Kalium strings and am much happier now. As always, YMMV, etc.

 

[ComeHomeShane]

Which gauges do you use?

 

[Benny4P]

120 and 125 I think... but its been a while

 

[Chris Brinker]

Can’t beat them…. They do need a minute to “calm down”. But, it’s worth it.

 

[Matt Dean]

I run Hi-beams on my Mike Lull NRT4 and Pure Blues on my P bass.

 

[mikeswals]

Been using Highbeams since '96 on the majority of my basses.
Sure I've picked up an odd pack of something else here and there, but always back to DR's.

 

[marc40a]

DRs are among the best. I used stainless Lo-Riders for years.

These days, running nickel lo-riders on my passive jazz. Love the tone, extra tension and feel. Much better than the DAddario XLs that I tried before them. The XLs were less balanced feel-wise and sounded scooped - too hyped on the low and high end.

 

[rockscott]

After 4 decases of playing lots of strings, im a DR guy all the way, with the exception of my breedlove acoustic, i like ernie balls on that! If i cant find high beams, i also dig dunlop super brights!

 

[allboutbass]

I use several brands but on my 75 Avri Jazz Bass I love Fat Beams, sadly I switched to Hi Beams just a few days ago, what a disappointment, they sound present but cheap.

I am definitively going back to Fat Beams.

 

[ElectricBass72]

I use DR High Beams on my multi-scale. The HB's are a perfect fit for Ibanez Soundgears with bart pickups, in my humble opinion.

 

[MT1994]

Hi Beams are the best Put them on something with a maple fretboard and you have the brightest sounding bass ever

 

[GTHintz]

I like Fat beams and Black beauties the best from DR.

 

[hbarcat]

DR's are my "go-to" string and I rarely even try other brands anymore. Hi Beams are my favorite with the EMG jazz pickups and I use the HI Beam flat wounds with my fretless and EMG P pickup. FatBeams are on my acoustic electric.

Follow up:

That post was made eight years ago and it's still true today.

 

[Salem6127]

How do both the Hi Beams & Fat Beams compare to the Roto Swing 66?

Edit: Tonewise I mean

 

[Jim C]

I've been happily using Sunbeams for the last 5 years and have enjoyed the warm tone, long life, and flexible feel.
A new project requires a Pbass with a piano like, clear, whirring tone. I had thought Roto's might be one way to get there, but after reading this, I wonder if Hi Beams will get that growly piano like tone too?
Not looking for clanky bright or super bright.

 

[Al Kraft]

I've been happily using Sunbeams for the last 5 years and have enjoyed the warm tone, long life, and flexible feel.
A new project requires a Pbass with a piano like, clear, whirring tone. I had thought Roto's might be one way to get there, but after reading this, I wonder if Hi Beams will get that growly piano like tone too?
Not looking for clanky bright or super bright.

I think it depends on the bass and your technique Jim, but for me the answer to your question would be yes. I find Hi Beams to be a little less "metal sounding" than some stainless strings. They have nice harmonics and for me they maintain their tone for a longer time than many other types and brands of strings. I also like the Dunlop nickel rounds to get a slightly warmer sound (almost as clear) that is very reminiscent (for me) of grand piano "left hand" notes.