I found that Sunbeams were a little bright. I’ve been using DR Lo Riders for the last 20 years. Nice pleasant tone and I get about 100 hours of use before they start to get clunky. They are great on stage and in the studio. Sound men love them.
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DR Sunbeams vs. Pure Blues
- Thread starter Lowbrow
- Start date
Thanks for the tip. The feel and tone of the RC Boomers on my main bass (an Ibanez Soundgear SR4600) are a great match. I still want to try Pure Blues to see if it's a viable alternative to RC Boomers for me. Always good to have options.
Thread resurrection. So I have used DR's since the early 90's. Used Hi beams for many years 40-100. Switched to Lo-riders ( nickel or steel ) because I wanted a little more tension. I've always used Sunbeams 40-100 on my fretless. On a whim I switched to Pure Blues when they came out and have stuck with them. I am an 80% four string player and 20% five string player. I've actually never tried SBs on a fretted bass but I have a 71 Jazz with TI flats that I'm getting ready to put rounds on. My 71 is a very, very middy bass ( Lollar single coils ). I'm replacing them with Fralin stock wound hum cancelling. I was thinking of putting a set of SBs on it. My dilemma is that I just put a set of Low-rider nickels on my 34" 5 string J ( Bart Js and Audere preamp ) and I really don't like the midrange growl. I went with the LRs because I thought I should have a little more tension on the low B so it would speak better.
Curious to hear your thoughts.
Curious to hear your thoughts.
I was bouncing back and forth between Bass Boomers and Nickel Lo Riders for a while on my Stingray Special 5HH. Just yesterday, I decided to try Hi Beams. I find the Hi Beam low B speaks better than the previously mentioned strings. It has lots of clarity but still lots of lows. I got the .45 to .130 set (vs .125) specifically to have a bit more tension on the low B. My band tunes half a step down and I’m pleasantly surprised that the strings do not feel floppy or weak at all. I also always subscribed to the theory that higher tension speaks better. As a strictly nickel on hex guy for years, using my first steel on round core, I’m kind of blown away by the clarity of the latter.
Thanks for this info but to clarify which do you think has less mids? How do they feel different to you?
Consider Fat Beams. I am a big fan of Sunbeams, but I had a bass that I felt was never as dynamic and interesting sounding as I wanted it to be. Went from Sunbeams to Fat Beams and the experience was exactly as you describe.
They could almost have passed as Sunbeams, but not quite as polite, like they had a little bit more to say. Also really great strings.
I sold that bass and if I were to choose between Sunbeams, Pure Blues, and Fat Beams on my current one, I would go to Sunbeams first, because they are excellent and my reference point. I would only go to PB or FB if I was trying to change something semi-subtle from Sunbeams.
Took that bass in a different direction out of the gate, though.
I just love this kind of threads!
People like to describe the sound with funny crazy words and descriptions
-bright -bumpy -clean -punchier -aggressive
-mid grind -clanky -middy -flatter -undistinguished
-growl -clunky -character -thinner -tighter
-mellow -clangy -metallic -dull -sparkly
-stiff -fuller -girthier -scooped -''speaks better''
-dark -felxible -lively -comfy
-snappy -even -warm -musical
-polite -balanced -gracefull -soft
-complex -clear -smoother -denser
I didn't mind listing everything that has appeared so far. I found it so funny
People like to describe the sound with funny crazy words and descriptions
-bright -bumpy -clean -punchier -aggressive
-mid grind -clanky -middy -flatter -undistinguished
-growl -clunky -character
-thinner -tighter-mellow -clangy
-metallic -dull -sparkly-stiff -fuller -girthier
-scooped -''speaks better''-dark -felxible -lively -comfy
-snappy
-even -warm -musical-polite
-balanced -gracefull -soft-complex
-clear -smoother -denser I didn't mind listing everything that has appeared so far. I found it so funny
I just love this kind of threads!
People like to describe the sound with funny crazy words and descriptions
-bright -bumpy -clean -punchier -aggressive
-mid grind -clanky -middy -flatter -undistinguished
-growl -clunky -character
-mellow -clangy
-stiff -fuller -girthier
-dark -felxible -lively -comfy
-snappy
-polite
-complex
I didn't mind listing everything that has appeared so far. I found it so funny
"warm but bright" us my all time favorite.
They are not that different. Sunbeams are a bit more dark but both have smooth highs. Pure blues are maybe barely quieter and detailed. But the overal feel and sound is close
After using EB Super Slinkies for almost a decade on my Stingray, I put a set of DR Pure Blues (45-105) and they sound and feel pretty great to me. Slightly more flexible compared to Super Slinkies, but overall similar tension (it didn't affect my action height much). I haven't used Sunbeams for a long time, but I remember liking them quite a bit. I think I'll grab a set and compare it to Pure Blues. I avoided round core strings for a while as I thought they'd be too flexible and soft for fiercer live gigs, but I don't feel that with Pure Blues right now. I'll see how they fare on a gig.
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
- 23,042
- 45,892
- Disclosures
- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
Are you using the extra light PBs on fretless? I've been thinking about giving them a shot, the mediums were great on my fretted fiver.
Yeah, the Wooten set, 95 to whatever it is. They seem about perfect on the Pino fretless.
Had the hi beams on for a month or so and have been digging the tone and feel. Decided to throw fat beams on while the hi beams were still fresh to do a good comparison. For those interested, fat beams sound like hi beams if you turn the treble down a hair and then the bass up a hair. Nothing extremely different. Tension and flexibility has no discernible difference to me. Made zero chances to my setup/action.
What I do notice, however, is the fat beams are quite a bit more comfortable due to the slower winding. Hi beams are a bit “grabby” on my fingers. Fat beams are smoother and make faster passages and slides a bit more seamless. I think you could interchange these strings with minor EQ changes and be perfectly happy. The slower wound/tighter winding gives the fat beams a leg up for me!
What I do notice, however, is the fat beams are quite a bit more comfortable due to the slower winding. Hi beams are a bit “grabby” on my fingers. Fat beams are smoother and make faster passages and slides a bit more seamless. I think you could interchange these strings with minor EQ changes and be perfectly happy. The slower wound/tighter winding gives the fat beams a leg up for me!
Would you say that Sunbeams feel less stiff compared to Pure Blues (in the same gauge of course)?
