Favorite strings for a jazz bass?

[Arthur U. Poon]

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

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I LOVE this set on my EBMM USA-made Sterling. I’m thinking they’d also sound great on a Jazz Bass.

 

[gigetto]

On Jazz Bass I use old rotosound swing bass 66.

 

[DaveAceofBass]

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.

GHS Pressurewounds are my favorite string for a fretless Jazz!

 

[SasquatchDude]

I've been wanting to try these on my main BG (Fender Highway 1 P) but I'm pretty content with my La Bella's. I might still give them a try at some point.

I enjoyed rocking a set of LaBella 43-104s for quite some time, and these are definitely an entirely different beast. Not better, not worse; purely different.

The LaBellas have that thuddy low, low-mid punch that almost resembles the kick of a bass drum, and then are largely scooped with a clean, bell-like high end. The DRs have less fat, low-end oomph, but punch through with a growly, springy mid-range presence (yes - such objective technical descriptions, I know ), similar to what you hear in the original, stock Fender flats from the 50s and 60s.

Also totally different in terms of feel... obviously the LaBellas are known for their suspension bridge cable-like qualities; the DRs being round core are comparatively supple, without being outright noodley and floppy.

 

[gigetto]

I'm curious to try Cocco Nickel 100-

 

[bassdog]

I swap between sunbeams and TIs on my P an J when the inspiration hits. Right now just loving the TIs on the J and Sunbeams on the P. Probably leave 'em alone for a while. The TI silks are deteriorating and I don't want to contribute to further damage.

 

[Dave Cudlip]

La Bella Low Tension Flatwounds.

 

[Tom Burton]

Hey, all-- the question I have is what it says in the title. If you play a jazz bass, what strings do you use, & why? Just got my bass and looking to replace the factory strings soon-ish, just not sure what with! I used to use Ernie Ball super slinkys on my p-bass, but I don't know that I want that sound on mt fender jazz (looking for something vintage-punchy, if that makes sense...?)

I like the sound of rounds on my 1972 Jazz and the Elixer strings sound good for a long time when popping and slapping and just generally hitting it hard. Definitely flats on the P though.

 

[robmclucky]

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.

They do last a long time...I've had a set of TI jazz flats on my '65 J for like 20 years...I use a lot of different basses so they don't get everyday use, but they still sound great

 

[FrenchBassQC]

I like the Cleartone Nickel Plated bass string, the DR Pure Blues and DR Nickel Lo-Rider.

 

[hollowman]

GHS Balanced Nickels (balanced tension and output from string to string is very helpful)

 

[trothwell]

My favorites have been Rotosound 66 (have used especially stainless steel, but the nickel 66 sounds good too), GHS Round Core Boomers, and the now-discontinued-but-supposedly-coming-back GHS Progressives.

I recently acquired a 2nd Jazz Bass, on which I have been enjoying GHS Precision Flats. I think that's a great sound, and am very happy with it, though if I had to choose between roundwounds and flatwounds for a Jazz Bass, I would go with roundwounds.

 

[bpritchard]

Always Bass Boomers on my Jazzes because they have balls

 

[scott cuppello]

Rotosounds always on my Jazz.

 

[gigetto]

Rotosound 66 for me, more natural tones when old.

 

[CallMeAl]

@Deleted member 367456 , have you made any decisions?

 

[Deleted member 367456]

@Deleted member 367456 , have you made any decisions?

I know I want to avoid flats b/c I want to get better at slap (not a primary focus; but a good tool to have in the box). I'm leaning DR Sunbeams to start. RotoSounds are tempting, but I'm a bit wary of how fast they seem to fade.

 

[Doug4321]

Rotosound Swings. The most interesting rounds.

La Bella Low tension flexible flats I’d try too, for something very different. Dark, strong, woody, rubbery tone.

 

[BBassBassington]

I only read the OP and I don't doubt these have been suggested but here goes nothing.

For flats I'd say EB cobalts (think week old Fender rounds but in a flat that ages much slower then rounds), or Fender flats (a slightly brighter traditional flat without the odd high-mid bump of Chromes).

For nickle rounds I'd go for Fenders. I haven't tried DR strings though and they have many good reviews so for the right price I'd look into those.

If you're willing to step outside of the vintage part I'd also recommend EB cobalt rounds, as they're probably my favorite string for a Jazz bass. They're warmer then stainless steel strings but only by a bit, they're a pretty neutral string in terms of what frequencies they'll emphasize. They're also quite aggressive, which is how I like a Jazz Bass to be. If I want woolly I'd much rather go for something with humbuckers and flats or a P bass with flats. A Jazz IMO should really jump out of the mix.

 

[notneb]

Chiming in with agreement with several. Since the '70s I used nothing but Rotosound 66, the lightest gauge I could find (either 40-95 or 35-90).

I recently decided to try some Ernie Ball Cobalt Flatwounds (got the 40-95 gauge #2815).

I LOVE them. Amazingly bright for flats, and smooth as silk on the fingers.