I have DR Marcus Miller strings on my MIM Fender Jazz right now. They sounded great for a month but they lost that new string "twang" I like. They don't really seem that bright anymore. I was wondering if anyone could recommend me some bright strings that would be great for slap and other styles. I was thinking about DR Hi-Beams or MTD strings. Does anyone have experience with the MTD's? Any recommendations are much appreciated!
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DR MM longevity? Need Recomendations
- Thread starter popandslap
- Start date
maybe try something in stainless. HI beams(or lowriders) are a good start..nickelwound strings will loose that "zing" quicker than steel..I'm sure others will post lots more suggestions.
The Marcus Miller strings are stainless? Either way I was looking into 3 types of strings. MTD Stainless, DR Hi-Beams, or Rotosound Swing 66.
Yes, the Marcus Millers are stainless steel. I don't think you'll find that MTDs last any longer than DRs. Regardless, if your strings are lasting you a month than I'd say that's pretty good. Mine last me a couple of gigs!
Really? Well I consider myself lucky then haha. I guess I'll have to do some more research and probably some trial and error before I find what I like.
I just experienced the same thing. They (fatbeams)sounded great for a few gigs/practices and now pretty bland without serious eqing.
I just randomly tried a set of Markley Blue Steels... Plenty of zing and bottom but a little mid shy..Id say these are great for slap. With a little eq they are in the MM ballpark...maybe a little zingier. They are a little sticky on the fingers...Ill see how long these last.
I cant remember where but thought I read that Markley makes MTD strings fwiw
I just randomly tried a set of Markley Blue Steels... Plenty of zing and bottom but a little mid shy..Id say these are great for slap. With a little eq they are in the MM ballpark...maybe a little zingier. They are a little sticky on the fingers...Ill see how long these last.
I cant remember where but thought I read that Markley makes MTD strings fwiw
I bought Hi-Beams today, lets see how long these last. I love the sound, they are bright and musical. Nice deep sound.
How long strings last can depend on how you react to them and play them. If your hands sweat, that'll kill them. More sweat = dead quicker. Mine don't sweat ('cause I'm so damn cool) and a set* can last me a few months and still sound great. I also use a relatively light touch (again, 'cause I'm so damn cool) and that can also extend the life of the strings. So can low action.
If your hands do sweat, wiping the strings off after each use can help. No, I don't wipe mine off ('cause... )
*I use Fat Beams on most of my basses.
If your hands do sweat, wiping the strings off after each use can help. No, I don't wipe mine off ('cause... )
*I use Fat Beams on most of my basses.
You can be... it's a state of mind.
Seriously, if your hands sweat, there's hope. My hands used to sweat and the more comfortable I got with my playing, the less they sweated. I refined my touch and now don't have to work as hard to get even more sound than I previously did. Now they stay bone dry. So get comfortable, calm down, relax and play. It can save you money on strings.
So the first step in the process is telling yourself how cool you are throughout the day. Should we say it in 1st or 3rd person?
Im comfortable with my playing and still sweat slightly...so not sure how much that affects things. For those playing heavier and a heavier touch (ala rock) how can your adrenalin not start a pumpin...
On another note...I think it has ALOT to do with body chemistry. Sure, sweat does hurt, but think its more of what in the sweat that kills em.
back on track...I bought some hi beams with the blue steels to compare....let us know what you think, they are fairly popular.
Im comfortable with my playing and still sweat slightly...so not sure how much that affects things. For those playing heavier and a heavier touch (ala rock) how can your adrenalin not start a pumpin...
On another note...I think it has ALOT to do with body chemistry. Sure, sweat does hurt, but think its more of what in the sweat that kills em.
back on track...I bought some hi beams with the blue steels to compare....let us know what you think, they are fairly popular.
hasbeen
Commercial User
- Sep 23, 2004
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I don't think you'll find much longevity difference between one set of DR's and another, as long as you're staying with the same material and core.
Having said that, I find DR's to be the longest lasting that I've played.
Side note: I used to be a Nickel Sunbeam-only diehard. I've recently started putting Hibeams on my Ken Smith 6 string and my Lakland 5 string. Like the Sunbeam, they are roundcore but, they are stainless.
I still put Sunbeams on all my other basses.
I got a lot of life out of both sets. The Hibeam feel smoother than anyother set of stainless on the market too. They don't chew my frets like some others.
Having said that, I find DR's to be the longest lasting that I've played.
Side note: I used to be a Nickel Sunbeam-only diehard. I've recently started putting Hibeams on my Ken Smith 6 string and my Lakland 5 string. Like the Sunbeam, they are roundcore but, they are stainless.
I still put Sunbeams on all my other basses.
I got a lot of life out of both sets. The Hibeam feel smoother than anyother set of stainless on the market too. They don't chew my frets like some others.
So the first step in the process is telling yourself how cool you are throughout the day. Should we say it in 1st or 3rd person?
Third person of course... don't want to let yourself in on what you're trying to do.
It can even work in that genre. My point was based on seeing people who sweat for no other apparent reason... not physical exertion, not heat, just sitting there and their hands are sweating puddles.
I took one of my fretlesses to a big local bass jam. I had a year old set of DR Sunbeams that still sounded great (as in regular bass, even for slap). A guy introduced himself and shook my hand. I hate when people know their hands are really wet and initiate a handshake. Anyway, he sat down with that bass and in less than 15 minutes the strings were completely dead. I mean Jamerson Funk Machine dead. I wouldn't have believed it could happen that fast if I hadn't seen it.
No doubt. Don't want to get all Zen about my point, it's just something I have noticed over the years. Maybe there's some other reason my hands stopped sweating, it seems that what I think happened makes sense. Even if I'm sweating from exertion or heat on a gig, my hands are bone dry. Maybe it's just my brain reminding my hands that new strings are pretty damn expensive.
The very first Brubaker (it was used) I got came with Blue Steels, which are strings that up to that point I really didn't care for. I mean really. On that bass they killed. Used them for years. I think the fact that I could dial in the action on that bass ridiculously low helped.
+1
I was also a longtime nickel user. Then I tried the Fat Beams and they gave me a smooth nickel feel with SS sound. I was hooked. I still use Sunbeams on my fretlesses and a couple of naturally really bright basses, the rest get MM Fat Beams.
I often catch myself thinking "Hey, these strings have been on there a long time, probably time for a change", only to plug the bass in and have it still sound great.
hasbeen
Commercial User
- Sep 23, 2004
- 4,808
- 2,676
- Disclosures
- Executive Vice President, The Adam Hall Group
