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DR Sunbeams
- Thread starter Dan_reeves
- Start date
Personally, I don't really notice them being a huge amount more floppy than anything else. I notice chromes being really stiff, and tapes or thomastiks really floppy, but these seem pretty average, to me. I dig in a bit, and they don't seem to mind too much. But of course, everyone's mileage varies.
Right now I am rolling with medium Boomers and I am guessing they are quite a bit stiffer feeling. I personally like how the Boomers are/play/feel at the moment which feeds my hesitancy. I will try the SBs eventually though.
Going from the medium Boomers to Sunbeams, expect a rather drastic change in stiffness/flexibility as well as in tone. They're at opposite ends of the NPS roundwound spectrum both in tone and feel.
I finally pulled the trigger and ordered some of these last night - months later LOL!
I had a stint with some Hi Beams and so think I am prepared for the slinkier nature. I actually loved everything about the Hi Beams except they were more scooped than I would prefer. I am back on a flats kick at the moment but I am sure the pendulum will swing back soon enough so I’ll be prepared for the Sunbeams.
I had a stint with some Hi Beams and so think I am prepared for the slinkier nature. I actually loved everything about the Hi Beams except they were more scooped than I would prefer. I am back on a flats kick at the moment but I am sure the pendulum will swing back soon enough so I’ll be prepared for the Sunbeams.
I played hi beams fo awhile then tried a couple other things and have been on TI flats for several years but I have a real desire to buy another bass just so I can put some DR’s on it.
I am no expert on rounds, but with the DR Sunbeams, I had way too much fret-buzz. My action was at 7/64, and still there was a fair amount of buzz. The round core apparently allows the string to vibrate more freely.
Went back to D'Addario EXL. The bass (Yamaha TRBX304) came with EXL170s, but when I replaced the Sunbeams, I used EXL165s, which I like more. Got action down to 6/64, no buzz. Arguably a bit high, but I have a heavy hand, both for dynamics, and I learned on flat-wound "bridge cables". While I have La Bella 760FLs now on another bass, previously I used fairly heavy flats: 760FM.
BTW, with the Sunbeams, be sure to put a 90 degree bend in the end before cutting to length. While there is a place in the string where it was squeezed to prevent slippage, some folks still have the Sunbeam windings slip. I put-in the 90 degree bend: no issues.
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I feel pretty good about it, as I used Hi Beams for a while in the same gauge.
Didn't realize the Hi Beams were round core too. Buzz should not be an issue then.
Following for your reaction
What kind of bass are they going on? I found them very nice on my p bass. I actually just put mine away; but had a very happy 18 months with them
Following for your reaction
What kind of bass are they going on? I found them very nice on my p bass. I actually just put mine away; but had a very happy 18 months with them
I have a few basses they’ll go on. My pickiest tend to be my P bass, my 5 string jazz and my Beatle bass copy. I need to decide when to take the flats off (Labella 760FL) - I think I’ll wait a little while, and also save the flats in case I bounce back to flatwounds.
Yessir they are! I think that, if I remember correctly, the tension between Sunbeams and Hi Beams are really close, with the Sunbeams maybe being ever so slightly less so. I hope so at least!
Sunbeams are “home base” for me in the string world. I own and play a ton of different sets but usually end up stringing some Sunbeams on one of my basses just to have them for comfort 
I ran them for ages on my ‘76 Jazz, but only in recent years have I found that I actually prefer them on a P Bass. As other forum
members have noted, the flat-ish / lightly scooped mids of the SB pair beautifully with the mid-hype of an Alnico 5 or ceramic Precision pickup: the combo makes for a very balanced tone.
I didn’t like the Sunbeams as much as Nickel Lo Riders on my P Basses with A2 and A3 Precision pickups…. Not a conclusive comparison, since body woods / necks are different, but still worth mentioning.
I ran them for ages on my ‘76 Jazz, but only in recent years have I found that I actually prefer them on a P Bass. As other forum
members have noted, the flat-ish / lightly scooped mids of the SB pair beautifully with the mid-hype of an Alnico 5 or ceramic Precision pickup: the combo makes for a very balanced tone.
I didn’t like the Sunbeams as much as Nickel Lo Riders on my P Basses with A2 and A3 Precision pickups…. Not a conclusive comparison, since body woods / necks are different, but still worth mentioning.
The alternative string choice to Sunbeam are Dunlop Super bright Nickel if you need more a bit of sparkling high out from your bass even tone knob are wide open.
Since the SBN using smaller hex core, she produce similar soft and comfort feel/pluck/fretting like Sunbeam.
If you love play Ti jazz round string, the SBN 40-100 are the closest in stiffness feel.
Since the SBN using smaller hex core, she produce similar soft and comfort feel/pluck/fretting like Sunbeam.
If you love play Ti jazz round string, the SBN 40-100 are the closest in stiffness feel.
Alright, so finally revisiting this thread as I have recently moved some of my basses to Sunbeams.
So far I have restrung my P bass, Stingray, and Jazz 5. I was particularly interested in how they'd sound on my Jazz 5 - it is a very picky bass when it comes to strings. The Stingray sounds good with anything - the P bass is somewhere in the middle. What came off all three basses were Labella DTF 760FLs. I saved them - they have plenty of life and probably are no where near "broken in" as many describe them. Recently I played a brief gig at a wedding with just two acoustic guitars, a vocalist and me. As I was playing, I noticed what I thought was too much bass (gasp!) and thought that rounds would have been more full frequency and most likely sounded better with the band on that gig. I have heard Sunbeams described as "full frequency", a great
all-around" string, etc. So I decided to make the change now to prepare for our next gig. Anyways that was my thought process - not a knock on Labellas at all as I like them, but they had too much in some frequencies and not enough in others for what I wanted to sound like.
With maybe only a few hours or so playing time on the SB's, here is how I'd assess them, to my ears:
So that is where I am. I am interested to see how they age over time. My goal over the weekend is to string up my Beatle bass, which is also notorious for being super picky with strings. We'll see. Thanks!
So far I have restrung my P bass, Stingray, and Jazz 5. I was particularly interested in how they'd sound on my Jazz 5 - it is a very picky bass when it comes to strings. The Stingray sounds good with anything - the P bass is somewhere in the middle. What came off all three basses were Labella DTF 760FLs. I saved them - they have plenty of life and probably are no where near "broken in" as many describe them. Recently I played a brief gig at a wedding with just two acoustic guitars, a vocalist and me. As I was playing, I noticed what I thought was too much bass (gasp!) and thought that rounds would have been more full frequency and most likely sounded better with the band on that gig. I have heard Sunbeams described as "full frequency", a great
all-around" string, etc. So I decided to make the change now to prepare for our next gig. Anyways that was my thought process - not a knock on Labellas at all as I like them, but they had too much in some frequencies and not enough in others for what I wanted to sound like.
With maybe only a few hours or so playing time on the SB's, here is how I'd assess them, to my ears:
- Full frequency is a good adjective for them - I can hear what sounds like an equal amount bass/mids/highs. Which makes me think they are really going to be versatile with the right EQ adjustments.
- Typical DR quality - they feel nicely made and they sound very balanced (as in all the strings have similar output and tonal characteristics, with a few set up tweaks)
- A lot of people describe them as smooth - I am coming from flats so they don't feel particularly smooth to me haha. I would say I don't feel as much "drag" as I did when playing Hi Beams, but I would not say that they necessarily feel smoother than say a Daddario XL or EB Slinky.
- In comparison to the XLs and Slinkies - they do not have what I consider a nasally or annoying high midrange that I would use to characterize a typical brand new set of nickel rounds. They have a much more balanced and pleasing high mid profile. It is hard to describe, but when I use XLs or Slinkies, I cringe a bit when they are new until they settle - they just have something that I would maybe call "unpleasant brightness"? Hard to describe - but Sunbeams did not have this. I would put Sunbeams tonally somewhere in between Boomers and XLs/Slinkies.
- There is a weird "thwack" sound I get when I play round core strings - when playing fingerstyle, I tend to pull through the string to settle on the next lower string - and I have noticed that this "landing" deal tends to be a bit exacerbated when I play round cores. Not there when I play with a pick, so I know it is me. It is present with the Sunbeams (as it was with Hi Beams or Fat Beams) but I really only notice it when I am practicing alone - its not something you hear in a band context.
- Side note, but a game changer for me was picking up an EHX Battalion as a DI box/preamp for use live - Sunbeams sound fantastic with the few effects I use (I am a minimalist with effects) which is great because I love the Battalion.
So that is where I am. I am interested to see how they age over time. My goal over the weekend is to string up my Beatle bass, which is also notorious for being super picky with strings. We'll see. Thanks!
Everything is relative...
When I first tried the Sunbeams, they felt just like any rounds. And that's only because they replaced the D'A Chromes flats that had been on my J bass for 4 yrs. Then I tried the Nickel Lo-Riders, then the D'A XL Nickels after that. This is when I noticed the XL Nickels felt much rougher with more drag compared to the two sets of DR's that preceded them.
I know exactly what you mean by "nasally or annoying high midrange" XL Nickels start out with when brand new. This is something I haven't experienced with DR or GHS.
Round Core strings will be more flexible than most, and Sunbeams are not high tension. If your coming from stiffer and higher tension flats, you may need to lighten up a bit with your right hand. This is one reason i like them, especially for longer gigs.
