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Flats to rounds - DR Sunbeam or Pure Blues

denton57

denton57

Supporting Member
Nov 1, 2005
3,968
3,003
Arkansas
#1
Long time flats user here, and I’m wanting to string one of my P’s with rounds. Actually, I already have and purchased a set of .105 PB’s. They are impressive, and I’m excited about getting into the rounds world. I know very little about them, but I’ve been studying up on the DR’s.

Bass is a CS 57 Duotone P with maple neck. It even sports a high mass bridge, so it seems to be the perfect alternative to my flats vintagey P with rosewood.

Question is..would the Sunbeams be a better transitional string for me over the Pure Blues? Both round core, but the pure nickel of the SB might have been a better choice for me? I’m loving the aggressive grind I’m getting with the Pure Blues and they are only a couple days old, but I’m having to roll the tone knob down quite a bit to tame them a little. Playing a small gig Friday and at church on Sunday. With the relatively low cost of rounds (compared to flats), I’m wondering if I should slap on some Sunbeams if it will be a smoother transition from how I play with flats..
 
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#2
denton57 said:
Question is..would the Sunbeams be a better transitional string for me over the Pure Blues? Both round core, but the pure nickel of the SB might have been a better choice for me?
Click to expand...

First, Sunbeams are nickel-plated steel on a round core, not pure nickel. Pure Blues are nickel-steel alloy on a round core.

SB are all about a full and warm bottom with a sparkly (not zingy) top end, while PB provide a little more in the mids with a nice bite without being too bright. If I were you, I would try the PB first. They do get a lot of love among P bass players.

Question: What flats have you been using? I ask because both SB and PB, being round core, are two of the more flexible strings in the market, so it might take a bit of adjusting to their overall playing feel.
 
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#5
I’m coming from Pyramid flats primarily, but have experience with TI’s and used LaBella FS for a few years. So basically all over the map with tension. I like Pyramid because they are a middle ground between the TI and LaBella on tension and I love the tone.

The PB tension feels perfect to me. I’m just wondering with the maple and part ash body and somewhat hotter pickup that the Sunbeams may be a slightly chill option. Or, I may love the grind of the PB and never look back!

Yeah, $25 is like the cost of a lunch these days so very little risk in just trying them. But, this is Talkbass so..
 
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#6
denton57 said:
The PB tension feels perfect to me. I’m just wondering with the maple and part ash body and somewhat hotter pickup that the Sunbeams may be a slightly chill option...
Click to expand...

SB are certainly a little mellower and "more polite" if that's what your bass needs. I've tried both and liked them in different ways. Try them both and see...

I personally am more into the Lo-Riders for their hex-core firmness.
 
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#7
Also a longtime flats user - currently enjoying the GHS precision flats on my, well, Precision.

I’ve used DR Hi-Beams - a much more aggressive steel - on my Lakland 5 for the last two years but recently installed a set of Pure Blues to see how it goes.

I think I prefer the Sunbeams out of the box, they kinda seem a little smoother and slightly more mellow, but I’m going to stick with the Pure Blues this summer to get a good impression of them.
 
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#9
I really like both Sunbeams and Pure Blues. I don’t think you can go wrong with either choice. You’re getting a great quality string. It comes down to tonal preferences, as michael_t has covered very nicely.

One note I would add re: tension: My experience having used Sunbeams and Pure Blues in the same 45-105 gauges on the same bass with the same setup—Pure Blues felt a bit stiffer to me. For me, Medium Sunbeams (45-105) are the Goldilocks string. I didn’t enjoy the bit of extra stiffness I felt from the Pure Blues. I do however really like the Victor Wooten Pure Blues (40-95) set. You mentioned you think the Pure Blues tension feels right. I’d still encourage you to try Sunbeams as well, but if your experience is similar to mine then you might find Sunbeams a bit floppy. YMMV.
 
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#11
Can’t go wrong. I’ve found PB to be a bit zingier and last longer than SB, which, as others have stated sound rather broken in right out of the box. Both will feel substantially different from flat wound. If you’re looking for a transitional set, check out GHS pressure wound.
 
#12
michael_t said:
First, Sunbeams are nickel-plated steel on a round core, not pure nickel. Pure Blues are nickel-steel alloy on a round core.

SB are all about a full and warm bottom with a sparkly (not zingy) top end, while PB provide a little more in the mids with a nice bite without being too bright. If I were you, I would try the PB first. They do get a lot of love among P bass players.

Question: What flats have you been using? I ask because both SB and PB, being round core, are two of the more flexible strings in the market, so it might take a bit of adjusting to their overall playing feel.
Click to expand...

+1 on the Pure Blues

Great all around string, and they settle in nicely after you wear them in.
 
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#14
I’m going to roll with the PB this weekend. Will try to practice as much as possible to break them in beforehand.

Been playing flats exclusively since 2006, when I discovered they existed after reading about them here on TB. Had a Ric 4003 at the time, and I put some TI’s on it. Haven’t used rounds since that time. Should be interesting!

I have a Broughton HPF/LPF coming today and adding it to my board. Is there a magic threshold to cut any string noise from my poor technique?
 
#15
Can't go wrong with either,
Personally I love Sunbeams had them on my jazz for bit till I switch to flats on my jazz.

Roto Swings on my P currently but gonna switch to Sunbeams because I for sure personally prefer those rounds.
 
#16
michael_t said:
I personally am more into the Lo-Riders for their hex-core firmness.
Click to expand...
Ditto. My P's sport old Labella flats and Nickel Lo-Riders. I lean towards "classic" tones.
The LR's to me break-in super fast, are very "warm" and I can use that bass on gigs where I'd normally bring the flatwound P and nobody bats an eye. Roll the tone down and you can get "thumpy" with them. But you can also dime the tone and clank away with a pick.
 
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#17
denton57 said:
Long time flats user here, and I’m wanting to string one of my P’s with rounds. Actually, I already have and purchased a set of .105 PB’s. They are impressive, and I’m excited about getting into the rounds world. I know very little about them, but I’ve been studying up on the DR’s.

Bass is a CS 57 Duotone P with maple neck. It even sports a high mass bridge, so it seems to be the perfect alternative to my flats vintagey P with rosewood.

Question is..would the Sunbeams be a better transitional string for me over the Pure Blues? Both round core, but the pure nickel of the SB might have been a better choice for me? I’m loving the aggressive grind I’m getting with the Pure Blues and they are only a couple days old, but I’m having to roll the tone knob down quite a bit to tame them a little. Playing a small gig Friday and at church on Sunday. With the relatively low cost of rounds (compared to flats), I’m wondering if I should slap on some Sunbeams if it will be a smoother transition from how I play with flats..
Click to expand...
Pure Blues. I’m a flats guy but I love the PBs on a jazz bass or my Sting SCPB P bass.
 
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#18
The PB’s are great rounds for the P bass in my opinion. I actually just put new sets of PB’s on one of my P’s and PJ’s this week. I’d give your ears a few weeks to acclimate to the sound of rounds since you’ve been used to flats for so long.

I keep one of my P’s strung with flats, and I love going back and forth between both of my P’s with drastically different strings…they’re totally “different” basses.
 
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#20
While I like the TI flats tonally for the most part, the tension and light gauge are not for me. I haven’t checked the gauges of the rounds, but I’m assuming they are similar to the flats? The cost is also hard to swallow if they don’t work out. I just bought a set of TI flats for this specific bass, and pulled them off after an hour. Sold them for a significant loss. I have owned several sets so I should have thought it through first before purchasing, but still a costly decision. I also have a set of Dogal Helborg flats sitting here that the winding on the E string is unraveling.

I think I’m done with the boutique strings just because of the cost just to try them out.
 

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