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Famous bassist strings and their gauges

#24
FA108208usat2 said:
Famous bassist strings and their gauges

READ!

Before anyone says "It's all in the fingers" or "You have to be____Himself" or "You have to have your own style". I'm just making this list to help anyone that needs reference, on what strings did their favourite bassist use , maybe they want to try it, and see if that works for them. Maybe If the strings works for their Idol/Hero, It might work for them as well. There are a lot of famous bassist, so I will try to update this list once In awhile, and I know some bassist use more than one type of strings, and I will try to update that aswell.

This list is fairly accurate, I take some of the Info from the web and TB as well, but I can't guarantee you that this is 100% accurate.

Feel free to add correction and Information of the bassist's Strings and Gauges.
Please use this format, If you can please give me the type of strings as well(Roundwound,Flatwound,etc)

Bassist name
Strings :
Gauges :

So I can copy and paste them directly.
Thank You.

A
Abraham Laboriel
Strings 1: GHS Brite Flats
Gauges 1 : ?
Strings 2 : GHS Super Steel
Gauges 2 : ?

Aston Barret
Strings : Fender Flatwounds
Gauges : Medium 45-105

Adam Clayton
Strings : DR Sunbeams
Gauges : Medium 45-65-85-105

B
Bootsy Collins
Strings : DR BOOTZILLAS
Gauges : Medium .045-.105

Billy Sheehan
Strings : Rotosound BS66
Gauges : 43-65-80-110

Bob Glaub
Strings : La Bella 0760M
Gauges : 52-73-95-110

C
Cliff Burton
Strings : Rotosound Swing Bass 66(Roundwound)
Gauges : Extra Light .030 - .090

Chris Squire
Strings : Rotosound Swing Bass 66
Gauges : .045, .065, .080, .105

D
Donald Dunn
Strings: Labella 0760M
Gauges : 52-73-95-110

Duff McKagan
Strings: Rotosound Swing66
Gauge: 45-105 or 50-110 (for downtuning)

David Ellefson
Strings 1 : SIT DE-45105L(4 String)
Gauges 1 : Medium .045-.105
Strings 2 : SIT DE-545128L (5 String)
Gauges 2 : Medium .045 - .0128

Doug Wimbish
Strings : Rotosound Swing Bass
Gauges : 40-60-75-95

E

F
Flea
Strings : GHS M3045F Flea Signature Bass Boomers(Roundwound)
Gauges : Medium .045 - .105

Frank Bello
Strings : D'Addario EXL170 Nickel Wound Bass
Gauges : .045-.100

G
Geddy Lee
Strings : Rotosound Swing Bass 66
Gauges : Light .30 - .095

Graham Maby
Strings: Rotosound Trubass88
Gauge: 65-115

Gary Willis
Strings : D'Addario XL Nickel Wound
Gauges : 45-65-85-105-135

Geezer Butler
Strings : DR K3 Coated bass strings
Gauges : -

H
Herbie Flowers
Strings: Rotosound TruBass88
Gauge: 65-115

I

J
Jaco Pastorius
Strings : Rotosound Swing Bass 66(Roundwound)
Gauges : Medium 46-63-80-102

John Paul Jones
Strings 1 : Rotosound Swing Bass 66(Roundwound)
Gauges 1 : 46-63-80-102
Strings 2 : Electric Bass Nickel Plated Steel with NANOWEB Coating
Gauges 2 : Medium .045 - .105

John Enwistle
Strings : Rotosound Swing Bass 66(Roundwound)
Gauges : Medium 46-63-80-102

John Deacon
Strings : Rotosound 77 Jazz Bass Strings
Gauges : Light

James Jamerson
Strings : La Bella 760M James Jamerson
Gauges : .052-.073-.095-.110

K

L
Leland Sklar
Strings : GHS Super Steels
Gauges : 40-58-80-102 (4-string)

Larry Graham
Strings : GHS L3045 Bass Boomers
Gauges : 40-55-75-95

Lemmy Kilmister
Strings : Jim Dunlop Lemmy Icon series
Gauges : 50-70-85-105

M
Marcus Miller
Strings 1 : DR Strings Marcus Miller MM-45 Fat Beams(Roundwound)
Strings 2 : Jim Dunlop Marcus Miller Super Bright Brass Strings
Gauges : Medium .045 - .105

Mark King
Strings: Rotosound Funkmaster
Gauge: 30-50-70-90
Strings 2: Status hex core steel double ball
Gauge: 30-50-70-90

N
Neil Jason
Strings : Personal custom gauge D'addario XL
Gauges : 45-65-80-105

O

P
Paul Mccartney
Strings 1 : Pyramid(Flatwound)
Strings 2 : Maxima 40(Flatwound)
Strings 3 : Thomastik JF344

Pino Palladino
Strings: Labella 0760M
Gauges : 52-73-95-110

Q

R
Roger Glover
Strings : Ernie Ball(Flatwounds)
Gauges : -

Roger Waters
Strings: Rotosound Jazz77
Gauge: 45-105

Ron Blair
Strings : D'Addario Pro Steels
Gauges : Medium 45-65-85-105

S
Steve Harris
Strings : Rotosound SH77 Steve Harris Signature(Flatwound)
Gauges : Heavy .050 - .0110

Sting
Strings : DR Nickel Hi-Beams
Gauges : Light 40-60-80-100

Stanley Clarke
Strings: -
Gauges: .035 - .090

T

U

V
Victor Wooten
Strings 1 : D'Addario EXL170 Nickel Wound Bass(Roundwound)
Gauges 1 : Light .045 - .0100
Strings 2 : D'Addario ETB92 Bass(Tapewound)
Gauges 2 : .50 - .105
Strings 3 : D'Addario Piccolo Bass(Nickel Wound)
Gauges 3 : .20 - .052

W

X

Y

Z

​
Click to expand...
jae-maxima89 (1).jpg
.John Entwistle. MAXIMA GOLD ROUND WOUND. 45.65.85.105.
 
#25
Chuck Rainey:

He played Precision bass and La bella Flatwounds 52-110 when he started and for the most part of his career, nowadays he plays Xotic jazz basses and DR lighter gauges 40-100.

(he still has Pb with Labella on ;) )
 
Last edited:
#26
Nice! It would be nice if all gauges were available, though. 045-105 only specifies half the set... ;)

Personally it is satisfactory to see that if I become famous, I have a niche for my own signature set, since I have flatwounds in gauges 045-060-080-105 on all my basses. So none of the famous ones use this set of gauges?
 
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#38
FA108208usat2 said:
But did Mccartney also use Pyramid, or do I need to erase it.
Click to expand...

yes, he now uses them in the 40-55-70-100 gauge, the short scale set of Pyramid. :)

Paul McCartney
Strings 1: Rotosound Jazz77 short/medium (Hofner during Beatles days)
Gauge: 40-90
Strings 2: Rotosound TruBass88 short/medium (Hofner during Abbey Road/Let It Be sessions)
Gauge: 65-115
Strings 3: Pyramid Gold Flatwound (Hofner, today)
Gauge: 40-55-70-100
Strings 4: Maxima Flatwound (Rickenbacker, Beatles and Wings days)
Gauge: probably 40-95
Strings 5: Thomastik JF344 Flatwound (Rickenbacker, today)
Gauge: 43-56-70-110
 
#40
Seems not many pros use Elixirs or coated strings.

But then I wouldn't need to either if I had a tech to change my strings before every gig.

(Not detracting from the thread, I think i's a great idea. Just pointing out that there are
differences between their needs and the needs of the average bassist.)

...oh and yes I know, you don't have to change flats for decades.
 
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