First time replacing strings..need advice

I have a Fender Jazz bass like you and we probably are in the same ball park with respect to action. I use Rotosound 77 Jazz flat wounds on mine. They have decent tension (a big thing to the individual's touch) and can be surprisingly bright and ring through the mix, depending on how you set your guitar controls and your amp's controls. They have a wonderful feel, and when muting with your hand or fingers they can sound really woody and upright-ish (in an electric sort of way). DOn't be afraid to spemd the next year (or better, two) psyching yourself up to let it be OK to change out strings every 6 months with a new, different set. Hold on to the old ones as they won't "wear out". You can always change back if you don't like the new set. But a lot of people really like flats on a jazz bass. You might as well.

 

You can also make a soaking tube out of 1" pvc pipe for a few dollars in parts. Throw the old strings in the tube filled with denatured alcohol from the hardware store.

This will clean and refresh the strings. You'll have spares that are already cut and wound for your bass. Plus you can revisit sets and compare with other sets.

It's a quest

But at the end of the search, there will be TI jazz flats

 

Ti sound really sweet in my pbass, string from string tone balance is excellent, nice solid E and full G sound than others light gauge and medium Flatwound string I been use. But if I have a jazz bass again, I will back to Sadowsky blk label flat 40-100 if I wanna mix in loud band. If I just play in light band, sure with the Fender 9050L, I really love it unfine tone , raw and wild.

My2cents

 

I used to have flatwounds on my Jazz but they sounded dead after a while so I put back medium gauge rounds. I like D'Addario the best for their consistency. Never a bad string. Setup will require allen wrenches for neck truss rod/action, and phillips screwdriver for intonation. EZ PZ.

 

DR Sunbeams or Chromes. Don't worry about getting it right the first time as your taste will probably change over time anyway. Good luck!

 

Ignorance is bliss in this case. Buy some strings and play. Practice A LOT. I have slinky and super slinky on my 2 main players. The super slnky feel more flexible. God knows what else on the others but they arent slinky or super slinky but they all work and sound good.

 

You could spend the next week doing nothing but reading string threads on Talkbass. I haven't tried a ton of brands, but I kind of knew what I was looking for (feel and sound-wise) and the reviews and experiences of the guys on here really helped me narrow things down. Here's where I'm at:

For rounds, I'm currently playing the DR Low Riders. Great roundwound sound with a little more string tension going on that allows me to set my action nice and low. Got the nickel ring, without the zing. When it comes to flats, I like everything about the LaBella 760FL and mine seem to keep getting better the longer they're on...might be the last set I ever have to buy. While they don't sing like a piano, they seem a bit more musical than some flats I've tried and really are a pleasure to play. Good luck setting up your new bass!

 

I wouldn't take my bass in to a guitar tech to have the action lowered. There are some things that every musician ought to be able to do for themselves on their instrument. It's very simple to set up an instrument--all you need are a few basic tools like feeler gauges, a ruler graduated in 64ths, a phillips head screwdriver, and allen wrenches. You absolutely can't hurt the instrument by learning to set it up yourself (just don't get crazy with the truss rod), and you'll discover something even more important than string choice (or pickups, or amps, or pedals, or pickguards), which is playability. Your instrument's playability will affect your playing more than anything else, other than desire and practice.

 

Well to be honest, your Fender already comes with new stock Fender roundwound strings. If you don't know what you want yet, I'd just stick with the strings you have until you figure it out. You can change your strings at any time, even after it has been set up by a tech.

 

Do your self a favor and invest in Dan Erlewine's book on repair and setups.
https://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Player-Repair-Guide-3rd/dp/0879309210
This is a good vid also:


DRs can be a bit pricey to experiment with. D'Addarios are a couple of dollars cheaper per set. I'd suggest getting some flats and see what you think. As mentioned, carefully remove the current set and save them. The alcohol or naphtha soak is a way to clean out the old skin that you put in the windings that tends to dull the sound. If you hate the flats, put the old ones back on. That will at least put you one or the other side of the dividing line.

 

There are a million choices, but I'll make it easy for you. Start with DR Pure Blues. Perfect match for a Jazz Bass in a classic rock and blues setting. Plus, they're easy to find, not very expensive, and last forever. Should be the perfect "baseline" string for you.

Thats a great idea. Again, it's a classic choice and makes for a solid baseline for future experimentation.

 

Learn to setup your bass yourself. Round wound strings. I recommend Dean Markley helix or blue steel but there are lots of good strings out there.