Fender nickel 45-105 round equivalents

[Gervais Cote]

Hi bass fellows,

I was wandering if any of you have been using sets of 4 strings that sound as close as possible to the Fender nickel rounds 0.045-0.105 ?

I use these strings on a few basses but I’m often facing the fact they are back order with a long lead time so I need another option.

I love everything about these strings from their voicing, tension and corrosion resistance so something similar would be very appreciated.

Thanks ahead for your recommendation.

 

[onda'bass]

D'addario's Xl's

 

[michael_t]

I was wandering if any of you have been using sets of 4 strings that sound as close as possible to the Fender nickel rounds 0.045-0.105 ?

Since Fender strings are made by D'Addario, you can always try the XL Nickels 45-105 (EXL165), although they're not identical in specs.

Or, you can try the SIT Power Wound Nickels, which happen to be one of my favorites for all-purpose NPS rounds.

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[thisheregiraffe]

SIT Power Wound Nickels are indeed an excellent choice!

 

[Gervais Cote]

Since Fender strings are made by D'Addario, you can always try the XL Nickels 45-105 (EXL165), although they're not identical in specs.

Or, you can try the SIT Power Wound Nickels, which happen to be one of my favorites for all-purpose NPS rounds.

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Never saw any SIT before but looks interesting…………

 

[michael_t]

Never saw any SIT before but looks interesting…………

It's a smaller company based out of Akron, OH. Their strings are of excellent quality and their customer service is simply amazing!

 

[trothwell]

I've heard of SIT but never really looked into them. Do they offer individual strings or custom sets? (Looking on their web page and not seeing it, but they seem to have a wide variety of gauges.)

EDIT: Never mind, found it: Single Strings - S.I.T. Strings

 

[monsterthompson]

Curt Mangan might have something close.
Plus they offer custom sets at reasonable prices. I just ordered a couple of sets of stings from them and I’ll be testing them this weekend.

Best Guitar Strings for Acoustic, Electric, Guitar, Bass

Curt Mangan makes high end USA made guitar strings with the best quality nickelwound, pure nickel, stainless steel, phosphor bronze, and 80/20 bronze wire…

www.curtmangan.com

 

[Dincrest]

+1 on SIT being good, solid strings at reasonable prices. Like D'Addario and GHS, SIT also makes a lot of private label strings for other companies. Totally worth a shot, since they're under $20 at StringsByMail.

And though I cannot say if they're similar to the Fender spec strings at all, but Dunlop Dual Design Hybrid Nickels (the red box Dunlops) are a very nice string. The flexibility and smooth texture feel great under the fingers and they sound great if you like the tone of broken-in nickel rounds. I prefer a brighter sounding string, but the way these strings feel under my fingers is chef's kiss.

 

[Coldmilk]

Sonically similar, in my opinion, would be the DR Pure Blues.

 

[MCF]

Never saw any SIT before but looks interesting…………

And if you like stainless, the SIT Power Steels are wonderful.

 

[SharpCat]

All the suggestions so far are good ones. But Fender web site has 7250 45-105s in stock. Nothing sounds closer to Fender strings than--Fender strings.

 

[J Wilson]

For me (longtime nickel-wound users who prefers less expensive strings) Fender 7250's, traditional D'Daddario XL's, and GHS Bassics are roughly interchangeable tone and feel-wise, and can generally had at the less expensive end of the bass string price range, and I've never had any trouble at all finding them in the usual-suspect gages, for four or five.

From time to time, I'll buy the Fender 'Pure Nickel' 7150's to think I'm real old-school, and they do sound a bit warmer than 7250's. At one time they offered a .128 single B to add to the set for 5-string basses, but they quit offering it several years ago. Drat !

 

[LowendG]

For me (longtime nickel-wound users who prefers less expensive strings) Fender 7250's, traditional D'Daddario XL's, and GHS Bassics are roughly interchangeable tone and feel-wise, and can generally had at the less expensive end of the bass string price range, and I've never had any trouble at all finding them in the usual-suspect gages, for four or five.

From time to time, I'll buy the Fender 'Pure Nickel' 7150's to think I'm real old-school, and they do sound a bit warmer than 7250's. At one time they offered a .128 single B to add to the set for 5-string basses, but they quit offering it several years ago. Drat !

Man, I used to use the Pure Nickel 7150s religiously. They're so great. I will say though that now I use DR Nickel LoRiders and I'm getting what I loved about those Fenders plus a little extra....heft.

 

[J Wilson]

Man, I used to use the Pure Nickel 7150s religiously. They're so great. I will say though that now I use DR Nickel LoRiders and I'm getting what I loved about those Fenders plus a little extra....heft.

That heft is the price difference. I just run up the 100hz knob a bit.

 

[HowieD72]

Since Fender strings are made by D'Addario, you can always try the XL Nickels 45-105 (EXL165), although they're not identical in specs.

Or, you can try the SIT Power Wound Nickels, which happen to be one of my favorites for all-purpose NPS rounds.

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Have you tried DR Lo-Rider Nickel 45-105? If so, how do they compare to the SIT Power Wound Nickels in feel, sound, tension etc. I like the DRS but I've heard great things about the SIT PWs. Not to mention how inexpensive they are next to DRs. Thanks.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

Since Fender strings are made by D'Addario, you can always try the XL Nickels 45-105 (EXL165), although they're not identical in specs.

I found the Fenders and the Daddarios to be completely different experiences. I do like Daddarios Chromes and Pro Steels, but I'm never trying the XL Nickels again, horrible soulless things. Loved the Fenders though. If anything the Pro Steels feel more closed related to those than to the XLs

 

[Yahboy]

Hi bass fellows,

I was wandering if any of you have been using sets of 4 strings that sound as close as possible to the Fender nickel rounds 0.045-0.105 ?

I use these strings on a few basses but I’m often facing the fact they are back order with a long lead time so I need another option.

I love everything about these strings from their voicing, tension and corrosion resistance so something similar would be very appreciated.

Thanks ahead for your recommendation.

String by mail list stock available
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...ng-scale-bass-strings-045-125-medium-5-string

Sweetwater has 5 string set but list $26.99 only
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[FearNoEvil65]

Sweetwater has the 7250M's in stock, maybe he wants pure nickel rounds. Fender has the pure nickel rounds.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...-steel-long-scale-bass-strings-045-105-medium

Search Results

www.stringsandbeyond.com

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[michael_t]

Have you tried DR Lo-Rider Nickel 45-105? If so, how do they compare to the SIT Power Wound Nickels in feel, sound, tension etc. I like the DRS but I've heard great things about the SIT PWs. Not to mention how inexpensive they are next to DRs. Thanks.

I've used Nickel Lo-Riders 40-100, Power Wound Nickels 40-100 and GHS Bassics 40-102, which are my top 3 all-purpose NPS rounds.

NLR vs. PWN... Very close in terms of overall feel with similar stiffness and tension; if anything, NLR might be ever so slightly smoother in texture. In terms of tone, NLR are smoother in mids, while PWN have a hint of grunt almost like the Boomers, which I like. It all comes down to value for money, PWN being the clear winner.