Title says it all. Rotos are on there now. Bass is gen 1 1960 EB-0. Sounds good now with used, old Rotos but got Sunbeams to replace. Curious everyone’s thoughts before having it set up with either set.
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DR Sumbeams vs. Rotosound for Gibson EB-0 1960
- Thread starter xformerbass
- Start date
Nothing's better than a shiny new set of stainless roundwound Roto swingbass
Two very different sets. One bright and zingy, the other warm with a sparkly high end. One taut, the other loose and flexible. You like what you like.
TY all for replies thus far.
This bass has the stock “mudbucker” so there’s some approximation between what’ll be best given the dark sounding pickup / offset by whatever set of strings.
This bass has the stock “mudbucker” so there’s some approximation between what’ll be best given the dark sounding pickup / offset by whatever set of strings.
Rotos are significantly brighter than Sunbeams and the gauges are different as well.
I owned a bass like that in the '80s and strung it with La Bella Deep Talkin' Rounds at the time. Sadly, these were discontinued a few years ago.
If that bass were mine, I'd go with DR. The 0.90 E string in the RS66 set would drive me nuts.
My son's - formerly mine - '63 EB-0 wears DR Hi Beams. That would be my preferred pick for your bass as well, but the option was not offered so...
My $0.02 only...
I owned a bass like that in the '80s and strung it with La Bella Deep Talkin' Rounds at the time. Sadly, these were discontinued a few years ago.
If that bass were mine, I'd go with DR. The 0.90 E string in the RS66 set would drive me nuts.
My son's - formerly mine - '63 EB-0 wears DR Hi Beams. That would be my preferred pick for your bass as well, but the option was not offered so...
My $0.02 only...
Thank you for thoughtful reply. Just to confirm, the RS66 gauges are 45 65 85 105. I have them in hand and I see the above commenter’s mention they are “loose and flexible”. Have yet to have in hand a new set of RS66.
Are there any other strings you’d or others would mention? For rounds. I do come from playing flats almost exclusively but with this bass it feels appropriate to have rounds for some reason.
Thank you again, everyone.
I have nothing against the Roto's - I think I've only sampled a couple of sets in recent years in this or that and they were fine.
DR Sunbeams have been my personal normal for a long time and I've really grown to appreciate their moderate "softness" (that's referring to their feel, not their sound). They're not what I'd call "flimsy" in a 45-105 set, but other strings have given me a feel that seemed to be more stiff and even a little abrasive (including D'Addario Nickel XL's).
I also appreciate a relative warmth in the tone I'll usually get with the Sunbeams. They can give me more of a vintage thump just fine or they can get more snappy sounding if I either open up a passive tone control or leave the highs at my on-board preamp at the center detent (not cut). I can eq toward more of that modern slap sound with the mids flat and the lows and highs bumped up just a tiny bit. I don't keep a passive P-bass on hand strung with flats to give me "that" sound, but I also don't care for tones with a lot of highs or zingy-ness.
I'm usually happiest with a set of Sunbeams after I've played them for a month or two where some of that new string glassy personality has mellowed. Once they're settled in, I'll use them for a long time - maybe a year or three - until they turn flubby sounding without enough clarity and richness in the mids. That's just my story.
But these are OLD rotos in the original post (how old isn't specified) so they won't be as bright or have the tension of new ones. I'd simply assume fresher and brighter is better on an EBO unless you want an undefined (vintage) sound.
Thanks for the ask for clarity. I would say these Rotos aren’t super old. Maybe a year or less.
The bass is extremely dark inherantly so whereas I’d not normally want a “bright string”, I’m thinking some brightness would be good to offset the dark pickup.
For desired string feel, it’s a “strong feeling neck / instrument” so I do not want to go too flimsy on the strings.
I play Pyramid Golds on Fenders and Deep Talkin’ on Rickenbacker. This is my first Gibson.
Ahem. Are you certain that the RS are for a short scale bass ? Their short scale offering is 40-90...
Swing Bass 66 Short Scale| 40-90
Stainless Steel Roundwound Electric Bass Guitar Strings (40 50 75 90)
Medium scale makes for less tension so a hex core could be good too, the Lowriders.
Kudos for the catch. Was looking at long scale version. Here’s a photo of what’s on there now. Don’t have calipers unfortunately to verify gauges. Tech said he “knew these were Rotos”.Ahem. Are you certain that the RS are for a short scale bass ? Their short scale offering is 40-90...
Swing Bass 66 Short Scale| 40-90
Stainless Steel Roundwound Electric Bass Guitar Strings (40 50 75 90)www.rotosound.com
I spent 8 years in my early days fighting the mudbucker in my 61 Epiphone Newport which is the Eb0s little brother.
And I can tell you, unequivocally, that Rotos were a must have. Or at least your preferred rounds with as much top end as possible.
They won't completely tame the beast, but at least it will put a bit in its mouth!
And I can tell you, unequivocally, that Rotos were a must have. Or at least your preferred rounds with as much top end as possible.
They won't completely tame the beast, but at least it will put a bit in its mouth!
To confirm, you went Roto short scale and thus had to have a 90 gauge low E?
Maybe
Did they make "short scale" specific sets in 1973?
I bought what the music store had after complaining about the mud to the clerk.
He just said.."try these "
They worked, and along with a little MXR in-line eq, I was in buisness.
It's not just the gauges. Sunbeams are round core and have a thinner outer wrap. They're still a roundwound, but feel less rough under the fingers.
They also seem to last an unusually long time. I prefer them, but if you are trying to ply anything bright and grindy out of that mudbucker, Sunbeams wont do it.
I use Sunbeams on my Spector short scale... They are not loose on a short scale, but Rotos feel less flexible than a lot of other roundwounds out there.
They also seem to last an unusually long time. I prefer them, but if you are trying to ply anything bright and grindy out of that mudbucker, Sunbeams wont do it.
I use Sunbeams on my Spector short scale... They are not loose on a short scale, but Rotos feel less flexible than a lot of other roundwounds out there.
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I believe you're quoting me. Sorry, I wasn't clear. When I spoke of "loose and flexible," I was referring to the Sunbeams. The Rotos are much firmer in comparison.
edwinhurwitz
Supporting Member
I fought with this on a couple of Gibson 60s basses, most recently a '68 EB-3. My solution in both cases was to replace the pickups. Dark Stars on the EB-3 sound great with Pyramid Golds. It was beat up to begin with, so I didn't wreck a mint vintage instrument and when I put Bartolinis in my EB-2D, it wasn't vintage yet.
I like GHS Balanced Nickels on my short-scale basses. I have a set on my Dan Armstrong right now.
Round core. Pure nickel wound. They have a certain “thunk” that’s a good fit for Gibsons IMNSHO. For me, the feel/tension is justright as well.
www.ghsstrings.com
Round core. Pure nickel wound. They have a certain “thunk” that’s a good fit for Gibsons IMNSHO. For me, the feel/tension is justright as well.
4700 SET - SHORT SCALE BALANCED NICKELS
GHS is proud to release Balanced Nickel strings for bass guitar, a combination of traditional string materials and modern string design. Woun...
www.ghsstrings.com
