Growly strings

D'addario XL's growl. They are nickels, and I tend to think that nickels growl a bit more because of the more overtones they produce compared to steels. IMO, YMMV, etc.

Lately though, I've started to dislike them because of their slightly chorused sound (too much overtones happening!), but it's only really noticeable if you record direct and have the bass up-front in the mix. (Although that was kind of the idea with my whole home studio...! )

Run through an amp, they give a nice, balanced bite. They're cheap. Try a set!

 

Hell......I'd like to know what the elusive "growl" is.

My dogs growl at the mailman, but I've never had a bass sound anywhere close.

 

I've got D'Addario XL's (.065 - .130) they have a nice bite, but don't give a growly sound. I only got them recently, i couldn't afford Lo-Riders (being a poor college student-bum).

And with the strings i bought i got a 5-string set, it set me back £27 (irish).

I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what the prices are like in america. Everything here (ireland) is mad exspensive - amps, basses...the whole lot.

It sucks.

 

Uhm, I mean chorused sound and overtones. Sorry, I have no better way of explaining it.

 

Let's say that they "sing" a bit more. Do you know how a chorus effect works, making the pitch vary slightly over time? That's what I'm getting at. I tend to think that steel strings have a more "stable" tone, it stays at the pitch, and doesn't wave around with the chorusy effect... Again, for me it's only noticeable when playing solo through a direct box. Even then, I doubt everyone is able to hear it. Maybe I have sensitive ears?

 

I think most people are referring to a bit of an overdriven sound in the low mids and mids... not fuzzing up the bottom or breaking up the highs. A couple of degrees before "midrange honk".

 

Thanks for being that explicit, eli! Okay, so I'm thinking Juan Nelson. A sound that isn't scooped I guess.

 

Warwick Black Labels are the growliest strings I've ever come across. XL's are indeed rich in overtones, and will give that "chorus" effect. They are definitely not "growlers".

 

When I think of it, you're probably right. I guess I kind of thought (as in wanted to believe) they were "growly" because I've used them for so long, and I don't quite remember how other strings were. I take it back.

 

I think it mostly has to do with amplification and the bass itself, with the strings merely serving as the final delivery point for good growl. Geddy has used stainless Roto 66's forever, and he's laid down some of the best growl ever recorded, listen to anything from Moving Pictures to see what I mean.

I believe he used his Jazz for the whole album through a Sunn and SVT (plus gratuitous gain and EQ adjustments). He probably could have had any number of rounds on his bass at the time and gotten good growl with that setup. Granted, the strings are part of it, but won't get you there by themselves.

 

Is your 65-130 set for BEAD? Just wondering.

D'Addario strings over here are pretty cheap. Sometimes they sell multipacks--the most recent one that I remember was two five string sets for about $31 from juststrings.com.

 

Yes, you got it. I *LOVE* Juan Nelson's sound.

 

DR Sunbeams have some nice growl. Not overwhelming, but enough to still be defined. see my impressions in the DR strings thread.

-KB

 

No i have them set for FCGC tuning, mostly so i can play the bass lines from White Pony.

 

Have you ever tried lowering your action? that could make it growlier.. since growl usually means fret noise when you the strings hit the frets

The lower the action, it will give a growlier tone, but you will lose low end on that (as in boomy).. so lower to as much as you like. and then you should get a nice growl

I'm a big fan of that Growl sound.. if you listen to our band, you will notice