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Vintage and punchy?
D'Addario Chromes
If you must use rounds, I suggest Sunbeams or Boomers. Both great on J Basses.
D'Addario Chromes
If you must use rounds, I suggest Sunbeams or Boomers. Both great on J Basses.
I have GHS Pressurewound 44-106 on my Jazz, tuned to DGCF. Deep, full-bodied lows with clear mids.
The PWs have been my number one go-to string for a couple of reasons: 1) Tight, punchy lows with crunchy mids without zingy brightness, and 2) Smoother-feeling than any roundwound I've tried, thanks to the "rollerwound" outer cover, without having to give up too much of the roundwound tone.
Long time DR Hi Beams user on my Fenders and Sadowsky. No reason to look elsewhere ever, from my experience.
Mike Tobias told me that some of his customers have lost studio gigs due to bad sets from DR; but, I have yet to have any significant issue. I believe in the past three decades of use, I had one bad B string, which the company replaced immediately at no cost, express delivery.
I will say that my non-Fender Jazz Bass-ish Tobias and MTD sport Fodera Nickels, which are very similar to DR sunbeams; and I like those a lot as well.
Mike Tobias told me that some of his customers have lost studio gigs due to bad sets from DR; but, I have yet to have any significant issue. I believe in the past three decades of use, I had one bad B string, which the company replaced immediately at no cost, express delivery.
I will say that my non-Fender Jazz Bass-ish Tobias and MTD sport Fodera Nickels, which are very similar to DR sunbeams; and I like those a lot as well.
I use newtone strings( steel, round core ) for everything as I find the company great to work with and have been happy with their strings for many years.
My Squier Jazz is 22 years old now and i have used about every roundwound string known to man, from Ken Smith to cheapo GC house brand strings. The 2 that stand out are Rotosound and Di Addario Pro Steels. I use the pro steels now because i found they are way more durable. When the Roto's wore out it wasn't the sound that went off, it was more of a tuning/intonation issue, can't really explain it but that's why i favour the pro steels.
on my american standard I use DR high Beams, also use those on my elite 5 string. i'll probably use those on my P bass when i get one for rounds
I use super slinky's on all my basses.
But I'm not one that puts too much weight into strings. Flats or rounds, sure can actually hear a difference. All rounds in a band/live setting sound the same, so I use the super slinky's becaue I like the feel.
Just another reason I use flats I couldnt afford that...
I also was looking 4 new strings. I am not one to change strings so lean towards flats. I am using 9050’s on my passive Lakland jazz right now due to TB’ers’suggestion. They are cheap and I like the warm thump. Also I think they are articulate in higher register and I am even fine w slap tone -nothing compared to fresh rounds but for my needs, it works. To me, vintage-punchy means a good,warm low end thump plus also have a bit of aggressive mid-hi’s but we all have our own interpretations plus styles of playing ! HOWEVER there is a missing ingredient though with my current strings as the mid range sound “tinny”-if that makes any sense. Based on prior comments, I’m leaning towards DR Sunbeams. Can’t justify ti’s right now without gigging now but would love to try eventually.
maybe not what you're looking for but just for fun.....i have a fretless fender jazz and i play 760fs (standard) flat wound Labella strings. they definitely sound vintage but i'm not sure they have the punch you would be looking for. they work for me though!!
I am flat out in love with the Thomastik Infeld Jazz Flats I put on my Jazz Bass...I don't know if I'll ever change them again! They are a year old and just keep getting more and more mojo!
I'm a big fan of the DR Pure Blues on my Fender J. I also like the Rotosound 66's and D'Addario EXL170's.
Depends on the sound I’m after. Sometimes it’s daddario ProSteels for a scooped trebly sound, sometimes its nickel rounds for a bright midrange sound.
