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DR or D'addario?

#21
mielkeway2121 said:
Looking to replace the strings on my 6 string ibanez Sr506. I play mostly metal.
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For metal? D'Addario Pro Steels. :bassist:

Personally I play - and love - DRs. I'm into a smoother, more refined kind of tone, and DRs are ideal for that. But they're not ideal for generating the aggressive grind that works so well for high-octane hard rock or metal.

For one thing, DRs are NOT roundwound, as everyone seems so fond of saying. They're compression-wound, i.e. roundwounds that have been put through a set of high-pressure rollers to compress the surface of the outer wrap. No wonder they sound smoother: They are smoother! :hmm:

MM
 
#22
madbassplaya said:
The DR's cost more, yes, but they also have lasted longer for me. Body chemistry has a lot to do with a string lasting though and everyone's is different.

Also, if you were using a string like Low Riders, they don't have a ton of top end to begin with IMO. So you may need to try a different string if you want really bright strings.

Like mmbongo, I also buy my strings at http://www.bassstringsonline.com/

Great prices and service! Register as a VIP if you're not!
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Yeah I don't understand the whole 'they are too pricey' thing.

There is a $2 swing either way between DR, LaBella, MTD, Sadowsky, EB Cobalt, Ken Smith, Dean Markley, GHS Progressives, or Fodera. How is that 'pricey'?
 
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#23
mmbongo said:
Yeah I don't understand the whole 'they are too pricey' thing.

There is a $2 swing either way between DR, LaBella, MTD, Sadowsky, EB Cobalt, Ken Smith, Dean Markley, GHS Progressives, or Fodera. How is that 'pricey'?
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D'Addario will sell you two 5 string sets for less money than one set of the above mentioned sets. :D
 
#28
I hear a lot of good things about DR strings, however I personally have been using D'Addario strings for years and have nothing but good things to say about them. I use the regular light gauge on my P bass, works great for me.
 
#29
mmbongo said:
This is true! Hard to beat D'addario if you can't afford good strings :)
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D'addario makes good strings. :)

MostlyBass said:
There's absolutely nothing wrong with D'Addarios, they just left me wanting more... FWIW, the last night I played them they were on an Ibanez SR505.... I currently play a Carvin Icon with Carvin stock strings and I really like them but it's difficult to compare the two with such different instruments.
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D'Addario strings may not be everything to everyone. Nothing wrong with them at all though.
 
#34
If price doenst matter, then try as many different ones as you feel like. IMO no one person can tell you which strings are better for you. I personally use D' Addario strings a lot, but I also use Ernie Ball, La Bella, and others as well. Depends on the bass and the sound/ feel IM going for.

I do think, however that La Bella produces some of the better quality strings available.

Also between the D' Addario and DR's I would think the DR's will likely last a bit longer.

If you're going for a very bright aggressive tone, you may look into stainless strings as well. They can be aggressive on you frets and fingerboard though.
 
#35
bassgrooves2 said:
If price doenst matter, then try as many different ones as you feel like. IMO no one person can tell you which strings are better for you. I personally use D' Addario strings a lot, but I also use Ernie Ball, La Bella, and others as well. Depends on the bass and the sound/ feel IM going for.

I do think, however that La Bella produces some of the better quality strings available.

Also between the D' Addario and DR's I would think the DR's will likely last a bit longer.

If you're going for a very bright aggressive tone, you may look into stainless strings as well. They can be aggressive on you frets and fingerboard though.
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The above suggestion is very valid. I've used D'Addario's in the past. They are good strings and have a good amount of top end to them. IMO.

I also agree that different basses respond better to different strings. I have been a fan of Dunlop Nickel strings for a while as well and I put them on a bass that a set of D'Addario's sounded terrible on. The Dunlops did too though. Stainless strings ended up being the ticket for that bass and I really don't care for stainless strings at all. No nickel strings I tried worked well on it, so I sold it.

D'Addario makes good strings and they are a good company. You just have to try them and see if they're for you.
 
#36
I'm a long-time fan of D'Addario strings, having used them on guitars since about '73, and on basses since '78. They're very consistent set-to-set, they sound great, and they have a reasonable life. I managed a guitar store from '77 - '88 and tried a LOT of different strings on both guitars (acoustic and electric) and on basses. I always went back to D'Adarrio. For bass I used HR-72 (the original nickle half-rounds), XLS-570 (their stainless rounds), and then XL-165 (nickle rounds) for ever.

But I tried some DR's about ten years ago, and even though over that ten years I've also used D'Addario, GHS, TI (flats and rounds), and Dunlop, I've found the DR Hi-Beams work best for me on my fretted Laklands and the Sunbeams on the fretless (the Fenders all have GHS Flats on 'em).

The DR's are noticeably more flexible (probably due to the round core vs. the hex core of the D'Addario) and have a balanced sound across all four or five strings. D'Addario strings are great, and my feeling is that with stings it all comes down to individual feel and body chemistry. Try a few sets of each brand within the different styles to see what works for you.

John
 
#37
bassgrooves2 said:
If price doenst matter, then try as many different ones as you feel like. IMO no one person can tell you which strings are better for you.
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+1. IMO string brand performance varies from one user to another. I would advise the OP to try out a few different brands and see (and hear) which brand performs the best for your needs.
 

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