Favorite strings for a jazz bass?

Vintage Punchy? The fender strings on the instrument already are pretty good. But, I would try the DR Sunbeams.

 

I have TI jazz flats on the one I've been playing the most, EB Cobalt flats on others. The TI's have a nice, complex midrange, and the EB's are a bit brighter than most flats. For roundwounds, I'm leaning towards a set of TI's as I understand that they tend to last longer than most.

 

I love DR sunbeams. They’re moderately bright at first, but fade into a mellow punch quickly. They’re very flexible, I can play lightly which I like, but they’re on that end of the spectrum.

Flats might be a nice “vintage punch” for you too. Fender Flats 9050 are nice and punchy, great “flats experience” but flexible with just a touch of sparkle.

My choices are light and flexible; but it might come down to the flexibility/tension you’re looking for

 

Break the strings in a little more and you'll get that right sound.

 

Actually, this is a good point! IIRC, they’re shipping these out with 7250s? If so, I had a set on my main bass for nearly a year, and they performed very well. Mellowed out nicely to a good grind and punch. Got many a compliment with those strings...

 

For the last 3 years I've been using D'Addario NYXL strings on my active Jazz. They sound great, are a good price and last forever.

I once tried flats on a passive Jazz, but I didn't like them so much. I thought the sound of flats on a Jazz overlapped with the sound of my P bass with flats and the P bass does that sound much better.

 

Sun Beams are a good option, for me though Fat Beams are the strings for Jazz Basses.

 

I prefer EB cobalt flat 2814 on jazz bass, the mid voice just meaty and juicy up the jazz bass tone while both pickups run.

 

I use these on all my MIA Jazz Basses and change them after about 10 hours of playing.

 

I bought a Jazz one year ago today and it came with D'Addario half-rounds. I'd tried them on my EBMM Sterling before, didn't sound good on the EBMM Sterling. So I took those off and restrung the Jazz with my go-to GHS Pressurewounds. Guess what? This Jazz does not sound good with the Pressurewounds. Fourtunately, I had a newer set of D'Addario half-rounds and put those on. My Jazz sounds great with 'em.

 

I use EB Slinky’s (45, 65, 80, 100, 130) [the green pack] or D’Addario Nickels (same gauges) as my #2 string choice on ALL my basses. I only play 5’s.
Right now, I have a 4 year old set of the D’Addario Nickels on my passive Jazz (been boiled about 4 times) and they sound great! It’s been about a year+ since their last boil session, and still sound great.

 

LOL I just put rotosound swing bass on all my BGs and call it a day. You can always roll off the tone and palm mute if ya need more thump.

 

I had Rotosound Roundwounds on mine for a long time, as I liked the punchy tone; I just didn’t like the fact that they didn’t retain the tone as long as I would have liked. I tried Dunlop Super Brights on it- meh...

I may try GHS Bass Boomers on it, as I liked them on my P Bass. Yeah, the “Zing” doesn’t last all that long, but I do enjoy their tone as they age. (Not so much with the Rotosounds.)

I’ll be following this thread.

 

D’Addario Nickels

 

Oh Yea Love fat beams. But he said he wanted vintage and punchy. Fat beams are not vintage. But I still love them. Also Hi Beams.

 

Rotosound swing nickels.

 

For me, vintage-punchy on a Jazz Bass equals:

 

Dunlop Super Brites on my Deluxe Okoume and Fender flats on my mim fretless.

 

I've recently had luck with GHS Balanced Nickels