Dunlop super brights vs. DR pure blues?

[JoeBiden]

I'm looking to get some lighter gague strings on my 4 string and found these two string sets. I don't have enough money to spend on buying these guys to see for myself and was wondering what the differences are

 

[michael_t]

Are you talking about the Super Bright Nickels or Stainless Steels?

 

[JoeBiden]

Are you talking about the Super Bright Nickels or Stainless Steels?

nickels

 

[40Hz]

DR Pure Blues:

Nice balanced string with decent lows and smooth highs. The mids are a little scooped however. Kinda old school nickel sound but with a bit more edge. Nice feel to them. I like them on a PB or JB.

Can’t comment much on the Dunlops. It’s been years since I last used a set and my memory has grown a little dim when it comes to specifics on that string. I do recall I liked them however.

 

[Yahboy]

For me, Dunlop SBN are lively version of DR Sunbeam, work great on dual pickups bass for tonal shaping.
I am not liking Pure Blue tone and playing feel myself, sound a bit dry to my ear especially on J bridge pups.

 

[vindibona1]

For me, Dunlop SBN are lively version of DR Sunbeam, work great on dual pickups bass for tonal shaping.
I am not liking Pure Blue tone and playing feel myself, sound a bit dry to my ear especially on J bridge pups.

Pure Blues are great and I initially liked them on my TRBX605 which now sport EBCF's. But Sunbeams are awesome and are on my two jazz basses. They feel great and are just bright enough, especially because my main jazz (5) has an Audere preamp which gives it a lot of tonal versatility.

 

[onda'bass]

I have used both and I'd go Dunlop in the future. PB's were to dark for my taste.

 

[MDBass]

For me, Dunlop SBN are lively version of DR Sunbeam, work great on dual pickups bass for tonal shaping.
I am not liking Pure Blue tone and playing feel myself, sound a bit dry to my ear especially on J bridge pups.

This is my experience as well.

I was a DR artist for years, and Super Brights are an even more “alive” sounding and feeling string than the Sunbeams are.

I liked the Pure Blues less than the Sunbeams myself, they felt and sounded a bit dull and flat in comparison.

 

[Yahboy]

Pure Blues are great and I initially liked them on my TRBX605 which now sport EBCF's. But Sunbeams are awesome and are on my two jazz basses. They feel great and are just bright enough, especially because my main jazz (5) has an Audere preamp which gives it a lot of tonal versatility.

Sunbeam and Super bright Nickel are great match with any J type or dual pickups bass guitar.

The EB Cobalt flat are great modern sound flatwound bass string for dual pickups bass guitar. Those Ibby SR500/505 onwer who dislike MK1 system tone, highly recommend a try with Cobalt flat before upgrade those electronic.

Cobalt flat also work great on PJ bass especially while both pickups run. Tight up the EA string meanwhile not duck queak thin sound tone on DG string.

 

[PBandJazzBass]

Another difference worth mentioning might be the cores. Pure Blues are round core (which is typically softer and more flexible) while, I believe, the Dunlop’s are hex (which is usually stiffer).

I could be wrong about the Dunlop’s, but it seems most companies standardize hex core (with the exceptions being DR and Thomastik).

 

[HaphAsSard]

Another difference worth mentioning might be the cores. Pure Blues are round core (which is typically softer and more flexible) while, I believe, the Dunlop’s are hex (which is usually stiffer).

Hexagonal cores are indeed stiffer per se, and Dunlop Super Brights do have hex cores, but they're unusually thin relative to the final diameter, which makes them fairly flexible.

but it seems most companies standardize hex core (with the exceptions being DR and Thomastik).

Hex is absolutely the standard, and has been since the Seventies as far as I've read, because of manufacturing reasons: hex core, whose corners dig into the underwindings preventing slippage, makes production more consistent and less wasteful, with a lot fewer duds caught by quality control.
(This doesn't mean hex cores are a 70s invention: they were adopted by some string manufacturers in the 1930s, along with other innovations such as phosphor bronze acoustic strings and Monel-wound acoustic-electric ones; some of those fell by the wayside come Wartime and were rediscovered later.)

Round-core sets can be found here and there in the product ranges of other companies like GHS, Optima and Pyramid.

 

[Stan_da_man]

A really nice halfway point between these two are the SIT Foundations. My roundwound of choice for the last three years.

 

[BrentSimons]

A really nice halfway point between these two are the SIT Foundations. My roundwound of choice for the last three years.

I slapped a set of Foundations on my Spector Euro 4LX a few months ago! Great strings and super customer support from SIT.

 

[NateThompson]

I know this is a very old thread now, but I just did this comparison and thought I'd add my thoughts.

I threw the Super Brights on my precision bass and absolutely loved the tone, although they did feel quite floppy. I love the tone however and feel like I could get used to the feel.

I put a set of the pure blues on to do a direct comparison, and they just sound so dull and lifeless. They don't give you that punch or grit or grind or anything. Just sound dead and dull. I really thought I enjoyed all DR strings the most but these dunlops might have changed everything.

I'm now about to do a comparison with daddario NYXL as well. I can add thoughts if anyone is interested.

 

[Stan_da_man]

I know this is a very old thread now, but I just did this comparison and thought I'd add my thoughts.

I threw the Super Brights on my precision bass and absolutely loved the tone, although they did feel quite floppy. I love the tone however and feel like I could get used to the feel.

I put a set of the pure blues on to do a direct comparison, and they just sound so dull and lifeless. They don't give you that punch or grit or grind or anything. Just sound dead and dull. I really thought I enjoyed all DR strings the most but these dunlops might have changed everything.

I'm now about to do a comparison with daddario NYXL as well. I can add thoughts if anyone is interested.

You should try the SB Steels. The SB Nickels were not as bright as I was expecting. I tried the SB Steels and there was the brightness I was looking for.