Flats to rounds - DR Sunbeam or Pure Blues

[Paul New]

I like the "other" TIs on my round strung P. Infeld Super Alloys. It's a steel core with a softer wrap, which I'm guessing is a nickel alloy. The gauges and tension are closer are more usual than other TIs.

For rounds they are very warm, with a nice singing midrange, and not so zingy.

 

[6-3-2]

I'd go Pure Blues, they're warmer and fuller to my ears. I actually prefer Sunbeams, because they've got more high-end sparkle to me.

 

[iiipopes]

GHS BPN's have the pure nickel wrap. Because of that, they will have a tad more tension, similar to flats. Also, after the new string zing wears off, they can take on some of that woody organic goodness that we all love about golden era Fender flats.

 

[Phaidrus]

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.

Are the nickel Lo-Riders less "polite" than the Sunbeams?

 

[Clarence Walker]

Strung up a passive Jazz with the PBs last month for the first time and enjoying them very much.

 

[michael_t]

Are the nickel Lo-Riders less "polite" than the Sunbeams?

Nickel LRs are punchier with tighter lows. I wouldn't describe them as being "polite" like the SBs.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

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..

Personally I like and use DR Lo Riders, or GHS Bass Boomers. If you are looking for a John Entwistle Live at Leads sound out of your PB, Roto Sound Swings Bass are the ticket.

 

[2F/2F]

If you already have PBs, and you dig the way they feel, then I wouldn't bother with SBs. Basic onboard and amplifier controls can easily equalize the two. You have to turn down your onboard tone knob? So what? That's why it's there (not to mention the huge amount of control you have with your amp).

 

[denton57]

Yeah I'm going to roll with the PB that are on it. Funny how I never really used the tone knob on my P for years. Now I will be for sure.

 

[LowendG]

Nickel LRs are punchier with tighter lows. I wouldn't describe them as being "polite" like the SBs.

I'd almost describe LoRiders as being a bit like Roto 66s when they're at their best stage of their breaking in. Sorta, kinda. I guess what I mean is on a P they sound kinda "classic rock P w rounds" to me. Punchy for sure. They get to that state and then last a long time--I almost never change mine, same as w flats.

 

[Yahboy]

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..

For pure nickel bass string on P bass, i still prefer the Pre-mexico Fender 7150L , which has sweeter tonal compare to DR Pure Blue.

Beside Sunbeam, i also love Dunlop SBN and D'adario NYXL on Pbass. The well use Fender 7250L also sound nice too.

 

[rylie]

Tried a lot of strings for the past years on Fender J & P bass. What I found best, was GHS pressure wound. They are a hybrid of flats and rounds.
SETS - PRESSUREWOUND™

 

[groove pump]

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?

It's never really occurred to me to use an LPF - I probably just dial back my passive tone control or trim some highs with my eq if I need to control any clank or string zing. When I dial up my Broughton HPF, I just tweak it until the boom in my sound is cleaned up, then leave it alone for the evening. It works great, but I don't run into similar trouble with trying to get my high frequencies under control.

If you're string curious, I'd say the smart call would be to sample some Sunbeams after you get some more hours under your belt with the Pure Blues. Both strings have earned a pretty strong following, but they're not what I'd consider to be "about the same". When I tried one or two sets of Pure Blues a year or two ago, I expected them to offer only subtle differences just because they were a different nickel round from DR. But I was surprised with how much I didn't identify with them - not the same smooth 'n soft feel of the 'beams and they seemed to die off in a hurry after I started using them.

I've been a Sunbeams guy for years and use them almost exclusively in my basses. They're more or less my reference string and whenever I try something else - Fender, D'Addario XL, Ernie Ball, Dean Markley - I don't get that particular Sunbeam feel and personality that's my personal normal. I like them when they're fresh, but I love them after that zing gets played off after a little while. I've kept a set on one bass or another for at least a year or two in the recent past.

 

[jdjk7]

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..

I'm gonna send a mail-in ballot and say try Rotosound Ultramags. They have a really thick, strong tone for roundwounds-- brighter than nickels, but beefier and less brittle than steels. I was a flats-only player for years until I played those strings.

 

[dougjwray]

I think Pure Blues will give you more of the strong mids that you are probably used to with flatwounds. To me, Sunbeams sound mellower than Pure Blues because the mids are not as present.
Also, (to me), the missing mids mean that more sparkle up high is revealed. Pure Blues have a more even balance from low to high and everything in between, IMO. Less "hollow."

 

[denton57]

After some time with the PB's, I ordered a set of the SB today. I absolutely love the tension of the PB's, so I'm hoping for a similar experience with the SB (understanding they will be a little less tension). To my ear, there seems to be something with the tone on the PB that I just am not used to…I am assuming it's the alloy. I love the punch, the playability, etc. It may be I am so used to pure nickel, that my ear is looking for that? Anyway, will report back.

It is so wild switching back and forth with my two P's - Pyramid flats and PB. I should have rediscovered rounds like 10 years ago and just kept two P basses instead of buying a bunch of Jazz basses and putting the same strings on them all. Strings make such a huge impact and putting the same string set on them was dumb. I'd like some of those basses back so I could try them with rounds. Anyway, at least I am here now

 

[Selim]

After some time with the PB's, I ordered a set of the SB today. I absolutely love the tension of the PB's, so I'm hoping for a similar experience with the SB (understanding they will be a little less tension). To my ear, there seems to be something with the tone on the PB that I just am not used to…I am assuming it's the alloy. I love the punch, the playability, etc. It may be I am so used to pure nickel, that my ear is looking for that? Anyway, will report back.

It is so wild switching back and forth with my two P's - Pyramid flats and PB. I should have rediscovered rounds like 10 years ago and just kept two P basses instead of buying a bunch of Jazz basses and putting the same strings on them all. Strings make such a huge impact and putting the same string set on them was dumb. I'd like some of those basses back so I could try them with rounds. Anyway, at least I am here now

One thing about the PBs that is different from the flats is the round core. Hex core strings (round or flat) have a front of the note attack/ping, whereas round core IME have a more "cushy" attack. I'm using heavy gauge (the step up in gauge is not a problem for me) PBs on a jazz bass and the front of note attack is a little better (less cushy), but if you really want that sharper ping, it seems you can only get it with hex core. But the PBs are a punchy string with nice lows, so depending on the music you're using them with, they could be just the ticket.

I am also a flats player who recently started experimenting with rounds. PBs, nickel lo riders and Dunlop regular nickels have worked out the best for me, for the music I play (which is predominantly reggae). But it seems I'm always trying for and missing the things you can only get with flats…

 

[Selim]

. PBs, nickel lo riders and Dunlop regular nickels have worked out the best for me, for the music I play

Overall, nickel Lo riders have worked out the best for me. One reason is that they have a little thump once they've been broken in - something a flats player can appreciate and something the other 2 don't really do.

And also, they keep their harmonic information for a good long while.

 

[denton57]

I put on some Sunbeams and rolled with them for a couple days, but I just put back on the PB. Maybe I was just getting used to the PB and they were breaking in nicely, I don't know but I'm going to roll back with the PB for a bit.

I also changed pickups today, so I'm not really using the scientific method here. I do know I prefer the slightly more tension on the PB than the SB.

30 min later…put the SB back on. The metallic zing on the PB is a little much for me. Back to SB. Would like to try some Pyramid nickel rounds next.

 

[metalrabbit]

The Pure Blues have a real siren call. I like light gauge, so I'm familiar with the Victor Wooten, 95-40 set. Very different, interesting string, to me. Very nice. The SunBeams are nice in a way I'm familiar with, and I do like the round core of these 3 sets,,,the third being the Hi-Beams. I really love these, and have them on right now, but may not be as transitional a string as you'd like. All three are winners, in my book. Just took possession of a set of Hi-Beams 90 70 50 30,,,but won't put them on right away,,,I'm curious.