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Finally opened up NOS Dean Markley Nickel Blue Steels

vibroverbus

vibroverbus

Mar 20, 2018
203
299
#1
So I'm not a huge rounds guy - I like feel and tone of flats, currently my basses have GHS Precision Flats, Fender 9050's, GHS Pressurewounds, two with LaBella tapes (white and copper), and I think some old DA Groundwounds on a short scale IIRC. What I don't like about rounds is sharpness/friction on the fingers and high levels of 'zing' noise.

But I had this box of strings lying around since I got them off a sale table like 15yrs ago or something, and I just tossed them onto my 'new old' beater P-bass, and I REALLY like them! Have a great feel on the fingers and some nice brightness without being noisy at all.

So... I read somewhere that the 'current production' DM are 'not the same as they used to be!'.

Can anybody provide any more details specifically on that? Trying to figure out how much thats real and how much is just "things were always better BITD!".

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#2
My old P has been wearing a set of Blue Steels since about 2008. After decades of running Rotosounds. I loved them right off the bat.
I'm not a guy who changes his strings alot ( obviously) but a few years ago I thought I'd get another set, only to find out they dont make em anymore. 🤨
I did find out they were being made elsewhere, but, just like you, I heard they weren't as good as the originals. Wish I could find some NOS like you did.
 
#6
Cann't believe this, I did the same a couple of years ago!
I bought four packs of Blue Steel at a local shop back in 1998 for the same amount of money of a single rotosound set.
I remember only that i did not like the first set and the fact they died in a few hours, the remaining boxes were left in a drawer for more than 20 years.

I'm using a set of those on my Jazz classic vibe 70s :) and i think that are not bad at all, nice feeling. will try to post a picture.
F
 
#8
#11
Silky Johnson said:
Ya I used to use those a long time ago, they were very clanky and had a nice feel, if I remember right they always seemed to go dead quickly was the only bad thing
Click to expand...
The sudden death syndrome is what I remember about these. I switched to Blue Steels from Rotos in the early 1990s and I liked them a lot but they would be great for about a month and then go dead very abruptly.

Eventually I switched to nickel rounds for their smoother feel and warmer tone but in my SS days I enjoyed these quite a bit.
 
#12
Lo-E said:
The sudden death syndrome is what I remember about these. I switched to Blue Steels from Rotos in the early 1990s and I liked them a lot but they would be great for about a month and then go dead very abruptly.

Eventually I switched to nickel rounds for their smoother feel and warmer tone but in my SS days I enjoyed these quite a bit.
Click to expand...
These particular ones are the nickel version - DM made/makes both in the "Blue Steel" cryo line
 

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