Fun String Dilemma

[MuseChaser]

Since joining this forum and getting more serious about my bass playing, I've bought quite a few sets of used strings from some kind forum members just to try and settle on what works best for my basses, playing style, and desired sounds. I thought I had it figured out, and my wife was kind enough to buy new.sets of the ones I liked most on each bass for my birthday. Now I'm second guessing myself, and figured I'd ask for some second and third opinions before cutting and installing the news sets.

This is what's on my three basses now, all used strings in fair, at best, condition right now. I have the equivalent new sets on hand, and was going to stick with this....

Ibanez SRH500F (hollow body piezo fretless) - LaBella DTF black nylon wound
Roscoe SKB3005 fretless - TIJF
Alembic Epic5 fretless - GHS pressure wounds

The "second thoughts" lie with the Roscoe and Alembic. Good plan as is, or swap those string choices? Right now, they are VERY different sounding basses, which is a good thing (why else have different bassss, right?), but the Roscoe is very mild and polite sounding, with sort of a slight chesty nasal sound to it, while the Alembic is very aggressive-sounding and completely unforgiving of anything other than perfect technique (which I rarely possess).

I know that sounds like I hate these strings, but I don't. I've tried a shole BUNCH of strings, and have settled on these as the ones I like best. I'm just exaggerating the.negative qualities to help clarify the choice.

I play mostly straight ahead jazz, with a little "smooth" "contemporary" and funk stuff occasionally. Thanks for any thoughts

 

[Wyrdlow]

I'm absolutely no string expert, but it seems to me that since you've settled on these particular sets, the thing to do is put the new sets on and see if you like them as much (or better!) than the old ones, and find out how they break in and change, etc. before adding any more variables. Especially as you already have the new sets to hand - good work Mrs. MuseChaser!

If it was me, I'd just bang some RS66s on, as often as I could afford to - but that's just me!

 

[MuseChaser]

Understood... one of my (many) personality flaws is decision paralysis (except in matters of urgency); I don't like to do anything until I'm SURE it's the right decision. My concern is that, based upon the used strings I've bought, re- and uninstalling strings can be hard on them, especially the silk windings on the tuner end and the tapers. I tried the used ones on more than one of my bases, and each time there was a bit more obvious fraying.

You're probably right, though.... it's more a matter of personal desires than a "best" solution. Just have to decide if I want to tame the Alembic a bit w the TIJFs and goose the Roscoe with pressure wounds, or stay with what I'm used to, only newer, I guess. Would love to hear from anyone using any of these combination of basses and strings.

 

[micguy]

I applaud your experiment, but one thing I will throw in is that the best sounding strings are often... the new ones. The sound and life of a set of strings depends on your skin's chemistry, how long you've had them on, how many hours you play on them on a regular basis, and how clean your hands are when you practice or play.

I keep a list of what strings are on what bass at any given time, and also (this is very important) when they were put on there. If I find myself changing strings frequently, I know those strings are not a good value - they're too dull for me, so I only like them when they're really new. Strings that last a good time before I want to change them are a good value in terms of life per dollar.

The best strings for a given user are strings that, when new, are too bright for your taste. All string start out their brightest, lose some zing quickly, then settle into a prolonged period where they are pretty much the same for quite a while. To take advantage of that long stable period, you need to start out too bright, so the long period is about right for you. When someone says "my strings died fast" what they are really saying is they bought the wrong strings - they bought strings that probably sound great at first, which means they will be too dull pretty fast.

Anyways, all that said, my point is you're starting with strings of unknown age and condition - if you really like a set of strings, sure, it's a good idea to try some new ones of that type, but if you hate a set of strings because they're too dull, you may be unfairly judging them - they could be very used, or the person who played them had dirty hands, or acidic hands, etc.... and thus you may not be hearing what they sound like for most of their life.

 

[LowG]

You have lots of money invested in your basses, don’t overthink the strings choice - you’re not out much money comparatively if you change your mind. And no matter what, you’ll be changing the strings and will have an opportunity to try something else.

I suggest going with your initial plan to highlight the characteristics of each instrument rather than trying to counteract the instrument with the string choice.

 

[Passinwind]

Just have to decide if I want to tame the Alembic a bit w the TIJFs and goose the Roscoe with pressure wounds, or stay with what I'm used to, only newer, I guess. Would love to hear from anyone using any of these combination of basses and strings.

Can't help on the bass end, but as a fretless only player for many years I can say that TIJFs are no longer a favorite at all. Your description matches up perfectly with my impression, FWIW.

 

[Killing Floor]

Not all the "aggression" comes from the strings.

I'd swap just to validate preferences. Then I'd probably buy a new delay or fuzz or maybe an overdrive.

 

[Killing Floor]

Can't help on the bass end, but as a fretless only player for many years I can say that TIJFs are no longer a favorite at all. Your description matched u p perfectly with my impression, FWIW.

That's the magic of experimenting and finding your own preference. I Love TIJF in general but I use a LaBella on fretless because they fight me more and I'm sure that causes me to play a little differently in turn.

 

[Dincrest]

I am a total string GASer. Like Pokemon, I "gotta try 'em all." I'm a firm believer in that the bass often chooses the strings, and I'm still making that determination on my basses. I'm still on that string quest to find my huckleberry.

Strings are the least expensive "mod" you can make to dramatically change your tone and even the feel of the bass. Sometimes, when I hear about people wanting to swap out pickups or preamps, I ask if they've tried a different set of strings, because sometimes that's all it takes to get the tone you want. (For example, I once had an Ibanez bass with the old MIK Bartolini soapbars and Ibanez preamp. Most people bag on those electronics, yet that bass with a set of DR Fat Beams growled like an absolute beast in all the best ways. The right set of strings made "meh" electronics sing).

So I say have fun experimenting with strings. And if you don't like them, you have sets of ones you like that you can put on. Of course, that may just be my inner "TalkBass GAS enabler" talking.

 

[GIBrat51]

Since joining this forum and getting more serious about my bass playing, I've bought quite a few sets of used strings from some kind forum members just to try and settle on what works best for my basses, playing style, and desired sounds. I thought I had it figured out, and my wife was kind enough to buy new.sets of the ones I liked most on each bass for my birthday. Now I'm second guessing myself, and figured I'd ask for some second and third opinions before cutting and installing the news sets.

This is what's on my three basses now, all used strings in fair, at best, condition right now. I have the equivalent new sets on hand, and was going to stick with this....

Ibanez SRH500F (hollow body piezo fretless) - LaBella DTF black nylon wound
Roscoe SKB3005 fretless - TIJF
Alembic Epic5 fretless - GHS pressure wounds

The "second thoughts" lie with the Roscoe and Alembic. Good plan as is, or swap those string choices? Right now, they are VERY different sounding basses, which is a good thing (why else have different bassss, right?), but the Roscoe is very mild and polite sounding, with sort of a slight chesty nasal sound to it, while the Alembic is very aggressive-sounding and completely unforgiving of anything other than perfect technique (which I rarely possess).

I know that sounds like I hate these strings, but I don't. I've tried a shole BUNCH of strings, and have settled on these as the ones I like best. I'm just exaggerating the.negative qualities to help clarify the choice.

I play mostly straight ahead jazz, with a little "smooth" "contemporary" and funk stuff occasionally. Thanks for any thoughts

Well...
- The Alembic. I have one, too; a fretted, '95 4-string Epic. Mine wears TIJF's; mainly for the tone, but also because it's the one bass I use for Jazz. As such, it gets finger picked all the time (my other 26 basses get played with a pick 99% of the time), and my picking technique is geared toward heavy gauge flats. Besides, very few players I'm aware of, play Jazz with a pick, anyway. So, yeah; TIJF's are a good choice for an Alembic, IMO. The jury is still out, it seems, on the TI's B string. Some people hate it; some people are OK with it; and some people replace it with something else. As for the Alembic being "completely unforgiving"? Hate to say it, but - that ain't the strings; it's the bass. Mine is an equally harsh Mistress - with every string I've ever had on it; but, it's plenty loud...
- The Roscoe. I don't own one; however, I seem to recall from reading posts here on TB, that "very mild and polite sounding" is a common description. Which, to me, points to the pickups and electronics. If that's the case, then NO; TIJF's are not going to fix that. Going down in the basement or up in the attic, tone-wise, would be the way I'd go. Since I'm strictly a flatwound/tapewound player? Unless I wanted to go 'waay down in the basement - with La Bella DTF's - or tapewounds ? I'd go with La Bella LTF-5A Low Tension Flats (I have the LTF4-A's on my G&L Kiloton Fretless); SIT power Flats; or maybe GHS M3050-5 Precision Flats. If You want to go high and bright? D'Addario ECB81-5 Chromes, or Ernie Ball's EB2816 Cobalt Slinky Flats... And, I'd probably turn the volume up on the Roscoe, too...