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Dunlop super bright nickels tension ????

tggorgon

tggorgon

Jan 11, 2007
45
10
Portland, Or
#1
Anybody else think the tension on these is just to light??? I've been playing them for a bit now and I think they might just be to floppy for me. Really like the sound.....but the tension is starting to bug me.
Anybody got an alternative that's maybe not costing an arm and a leg, especially since I get artist pricing on Dunlop??
 
#4
Marko 1 said:
That's why I won't even try them...

If they came in hex-core I probably would.
Click to expand...

Super Brights are hex core.

I don't stiff strings, so I find the SuperBrights perfect tension. In fact, I normall use 45-105 SuperBrights and I just ordered 40-100 because I want something lighter with less tension, and Bass Strings Online has them on sale so it's the perfect time to try them if you're hesitant.

Another string a little stiffer would be Fodera strings...which ARE round core. DR Dragon Skins are also fantastic strings which are stiffer, and also round core.
 
#6
Marko 1 said:

I really thought they were round core.

If they’re less stiff than what hex-core usually are…

I don’t want my B strings getting floppy.

I'm also used to a 130 B.

Imma think about this... lol





(Sorry I can't seem to get the bold out of this post):***:
Click to expand...

'Back in the day' (well...last year!) I used .135 B strings because I also didn't want a floppy B string. I used Fodera or Circle K singles along with my 4 string set of choice, which became Super Brights. Then Dunlop sent me some .130's to try, even though I knew I wouldn't like them. Holy cow! I never thought I'd go away from those other B strings because it took over a year of experimentation to find them. The .130 SuperBright is fantastic, and Jason sells them as singles. Keep in mind my basses are 35" scale, and one is a Roscoe and the other is a USA Spector so that may have something to do with it. But as cheap as they are right now, there's no reason to not give them a try at least.

SuperBright are low tension, but there's nothing floppy about them at all. They have a very snappy feel, not tight and constrained like other hex cores.
 
#7
Wellllll.....I beg to differ......just my opinion and feel of course......but been doin this professionally for 33 years..... and I just got done playing another rock festival this weekend........and again, for a rock bassist.......they were to floppy for me.
Was playing D'Addario Exl 165 and they were a decent all round basic good string, but was turned on to the SB nickel for sound, and yeah they sound good but.....lowwww tension for me. Even my in town tech, that has been working on my and many others basses, was amazed at the low tension.
So anyways.........keep throwin suggestions please.....and thanks.
 
#8
Sorry to revive an old thread but I had to do some searching because after putting a set of these on my bass last night I was having issues. I was using standard D'Addario Nickel .45 -.105 for the longest time. Got a deal on these and after putting them on my open A was rattling so bad. I was messing around with break angles, re-stringing to make sure I didn't twist it when putting it on, etc. Just trying to figure out what was going on. Had fret buzz in spots that I usually didn't either. Noticed my neck had slightly bowed back which got me wondering if there was a tension difference. I usually run a slight forward bow and the neck had gone back to almost fully straight. So it's nice to see light tension seems to be the case with these strings. I'll make some truss rod and string action adjustments to see if it takes care of it. I did dig the sound though.
 
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#9
mattattack187 said:
Sorry to revive an old thread but I had to do some searching because after putting a set of these on my bass last night I was having issues. I was using standard D'Addario Nickel .45 -.105 for the longest time. Got a deal on these and after putting them on my open A was rattling so bad. I was messing around with break angles, re-stringing to make sure I didn't twist it when putting it on, etc. Just trying to figure out what was going on. Had fret buzz in spots that I usually didn't either. Noticed my neck had slightly bowed back which got me wondering if there was a tension difference. I usually run a slight forward bow and the neck had gone back to almost fully straight. So it's nice to see light tension seems to be the case with these strings. I'll make some truss rod and string action adjustments to see if it takes care of it. I did dig the sound though.
Click to expand...
Yeah, they're considerably lighter tension than XL's. Didn't have to adjust the action very much when I made the switch but I did have to adjust the truss rod. Totally glad I made the switch, too. Love the feel and the sound, especially when they go dead.
 
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#10
JimmyM said:
Yeah, they're considerably lighter tension than XL's. Didn't have to adjust the action very much when I made the switch but I did have to adjust the truss rod. Totally glad I made the switch, too. Love the feel and the sound, especially when they go dead.
Click to expand...

Even after adjustments I had issues on that particular bass. Put the XL’s on and bam! Back to playing how it was. Too bad because I really did dig the sound of the SB’s. I had a set of regular Dunlop nickel that I put on my stingray style bass and those work and sound pretty good.
 
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#11
I'm glad to know this, but for the opposite reason ... My favorite strings for feel are super-flexible TI flats, but I prefer nickel rounds these days for the tone they give me on fretless. Have been ok with D'Addario XLs, but would like something less stiff. I'll try these out
 
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#12
mattattack187 said:
Even after adjustments I had issues on that particular bass. Put the XL’s on and bam! Back to playing how it was. Too bad because I really did dig the sound of the SB’s. I had a set of regular Dunlop nickel that I put on my stingray style bass and those work and sound pretty good.
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with XL's...I used them for 30 years before I switched, and still have them on one bass that always breaks the Dunlop E. It's got Sperzels and a Kahler whammy bar and the fat part of the string is too long.
 
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#13
I’ve just swapped Super Bright nickels 45-125 to NYXL 45-130. D’Addario’s 100 string is comparable in tension with Dunlop’s 105, 45 one feels stiffer. (The big difference is 130 vs 125 of course.)
 
#14
Couldn't be any less happier now I've switched 3 basses to the Super Bright (2 nickels and a stainless which used to be the MM stainless). The tension & flexibility are just perfect.

Indeed they are less tension in which I had to loosen the truss rods coming from 45-100 XL Nickel to 45-105 DBSBN and 32-45-65-85-105-130 Elixir NPS Nanoweb to 30/130 DBSBN. Also the other one, which came from D'A Flex Steels (which were advertised as less tension and flexible) custom set 45-60-80-105-135 to 45/125 DBMMS (and then to 40/120 DBSBS), obviously I had to loosen the truss rods.
 
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#15
I like low tension strings, but having put them on my Jazz B last night for the first time.

1) too bright, harsh highs
2) too floppy even for me. I use TI Flats and DR rounds High Beans, Pure Blues or Sunbeams normally... They all are low tension but this was a bit much.
3) G string is thin sounding


Going to give them a go for a normal string cycle, but first impression wasn't great.
 
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