DR String user's, Please step in.

[IZE]

Just wondering what's the longest you had a set on till you had to change them. I put on a set of Hi-Beams in April, now it's 7 month's later and I need to change them. Great sting's tho.
Now I'm thinking of putting on a set of the DR Neon's now.
What color would look good on a black and rosewood?

 

[BWB]

Just wondering what's the longest you had a set on till you had to change them. I put on a set of Hi-Beams in April, now it's 7 month's later and I need to change them. Great sting's tho.
Now I'm thinking of putting on a set of the DR Neon's now.
What color would look good on a black and rosewood?

One week. I broke 2 of them, pulled the other 2 off, and said never again. Those are 2 of the approximately 5 strings I have broken in 30+ years on the bass.

 

[Tanner5382]

I don't remember exactly, but I had them on for a long time. The only reason I changed is I had gotten some flatwounds. Hi-Beams are the only DR string I've tried so far, but I love them. In regards to your color question, I think the green would look good. I thought about putting those on my black Gibson Thunderbird.

 

[mdogs]

I have been using DR's since the early 90's and never broken one. Well, I did have a B string break once when I was putting it on, they replaced that set with 2 sets, I was happy. The coated DR's are great strings, I have used them in the past. I guess I like to live in the past though as I am pretty happy with my FatBeams and SunBeams, they last forever compared to other uncoated strings and they sound great.

On a black and rosewood bass, you have your pick as they would all look pretty awesome. Personally, I would go with either the pink or the green but, YMMV...

 

[fearceol]

I use DR Sunbeams. I think I get around six to seven months out of them before I feel the need to change.

Never had any break on me.

 

[mmbongo]

7 months is extraordinary for a set of non-coated strings. Most brands won't last anywhere near that long.

If you install them right, you don't have to worry about any breakage.

I have Orange Neons on my black/rosewood Lakland

Why not get a rainbow set???
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[stiles72]

I use DR Black Beauties on all but one of my T-birds, and I leave them on until they break. The older they get, the better the sound IMO. E & A strings usually last me about 6-7 months before they break, and D & G strings last me forever. I order extra individual E's from my local shope anytime I buy a new set of 4.

 

[MostlyBass]

Not long but just because I love to experiment with strings and different gauges. However, I've found that DR retain a great sound as long as I've had them on. Even if that 'first 5 minute zing' is gone the sound after that is still beautiful.

 

[logans59]

I've had a set of DR HI-Beams on my aerodyne for over 2 years, but i play fairly softly finger-style

 

[IZE]

7 months is extraordinary for a set of non-coated strings. Most brands won't last anywhere near that long.

If you install them right, you don't have to worry about any breakage.

I have Orange Neons on my black/rosewood Lakland

Why not get a rainbow set???
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Yea...I thought so, 7 month's is a long time but the last few month's these string's sounded great for what I play. For the first 2 month's I had alot of finger noise and overtone. Now the string's are getting stiff like it's getting harder to bend the string. So I thought to try some Sunbeams/Neons/BB or Cool Blue's, all the same string as I understand it.

 

[hotbass57]

Black Beauties currently. Had a set of Sunbeams on for 6 months.

 

[4001]

I used DR Hi Beams for a few years when I was having issues with dead strings from Rotosound. The strings sounded good and lasted quite a long time but I switched back to Rotosound when I felt confident that those dead string issues would be over. The DR's were good but didn't have that "sound" that Rotosound strings have.

 

[Rockin Mike]

The coated strings sound very different than Hi-Beams to my ear.
Black Beauties and Neons have more thunk and less sizzle.
Depends on what you want.

I vote Orange strings for your Black bass on Halloween.

 

[portlandguy]

I use DR Sunbeams usually and sometimes HiBeams - I keep both on for 6 months to a year. I play quite often but do not have a hard attack - kind of a smooth player!

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

I use them for a month, maybe 2 if I am feeling cheap, but by 3 months I have to change them. I like fresh strings, they bring a lot more life out of a bass as far as I am concerned.

 

[Webtroll]

I used to swear by the DR coated strings. Last few sets I've gotten were the K2 formula strings, and not a one set was without problem strings; one set had one dead string out of the 5, and within a couple of weeks of light playing now has 3 dead strings with another dying.

 

[IZE]

I've had a set of DR HI-Beams on my aerodyne for over 2 years, but i play fairly softly finger-style

I use DR Sunbeams usually and sometimes HiBeams - I keep both on for 6 months to a year. I play quite often but do not have a hard attack - kind of a smooth player!

That's just not my style tho. I guess I'm hard on my sting's and don't use a pick.
My style is a cross between Geezer Butler and Steve Harris along with bending string's, hammer on's, pull off's and and punching the body of the bass.

 

[Texan]

On my passive basses I wait until they break, they get better with age for that vintage tone. On my active basses I change when they lose their crispy tone so that I can retain the hifi sound.

 

[Pupiit]

I've only ever had one set break, some legend flats, but I think that was because I put the on wrong. Other than that, I've never had any break I get about 5 months out of the coated strings, and about 3 1/2 out of the non-coated ones. I play black beauties and sunbeams.

 

[Technotitclan]

Forever!! I'm all seriousness a very long time. I keep my DR hi beams for about a year if I clean then about once a month in denatured alcohol. Check it out.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f16/cleaning-strings-846675/