Help choosing deep warm strings for my Gretsch Thunder Jet

[DeepHotBass]

I need some help choosing strings for my new Gretsch Thunder Jet. I am looking for a deep warm sound for classic rock and Motown. Recently saw the DVD concert where Verdine White of Earth Wind and Flower is playing with Chicago at the Greek. His bass had an incredible deep sound, much more than the bass player from Chicago. I think he was using an Ibanez. Anyhow, I am looking at the D'Addario XL Nylon Tapewound, DR Sunbeams, Thomastik Infeld, Pyramid Gold Flatwounds, and the Black Diamond Nickel. I hear that the D'Addario coated strings may sound a bit dull. Any suggestions? Or any idea what Verdine was playing on in that 2003 concert? By the way, I am playing with a soft felt pick.

 

[soulman969]

Deep and warm would describe a flatwound. GHS Precision Flats or La Bella Deep Talkin' Flats should be what you're looking for a Classic Rock or Motown sound.

I play the GHS PFlats on my PBass. Great for the rock, blues, r&b/soul stuff I usually play.

 

[bassist4dalord]

My D'Addario Tapewounds are far from dull. They are quite warm sounding. Little bit of zing from the roundwound underneath, but with more of a solid, old-school sound. Really fantastic strings!

 

[jasper383]

White uses DR rounds I believe.

I suggest Fender Pure Nickel rounds if you don't want to go with flats. fat and warm.

Leave them on for a couple months.

 

[DeepHotBass]

I noticed on the Black Diamond website they are quoting Verdine as saying they are "the best strings he has ever played on". Anyone use them and have a comment? Also a technical question. Is there really any difference to going pure nickel vs nickel wound with stainless inside? Or is it just a way to get more money?

 

[funkytoe]

I read a Bass Player article a few years back where Verdine credited Raphael Saadiq to turning him on to black nylon tapewound strings. At that time, he was using LaBella's.

I have D'Addario tapes on my Gibson SG bass and it sounds very warm and round. They sound even better when played with a pick. I think you would love them on your Gretsch.

 

[darkstorm]

Dr sunbeams are warmer then most. Lacking the treble top of the Neons as well.

 

[DeepHotBass]

I am told that Paul McCartney has been using La Bella for several years. They make a Beatle Bass version that was custom designed to his specs. Anyone using La Bella?

 

[Pilgrim]

Deep warm = Labella Deep Talkin' Flats. At least to my ear.

 

[mpdd]

settled down hi beams?

 

[DeepHotBass]

I ended up with the La Bella Deep Talkin Hofner Beatle Bass series. Much better than the stock steel round wound that came on it. Nothing like the smooth feel of a flat wound.

 

[Pilgrim]

Nice to hear. I hope a Thunderjet is in my future.

 

[britune]

I bought a Gretsch Thunder Jet and the volume knobs function differently than every other bass I have ever owned. If you have them at full volume and rotate them a small amount, the sound is all the way off. The whole range of volume is in a partial turn of the pot. Maybe a 1/4 turn. Are you other Thunder Jet owners experiencing the same thing?

 

[GIBrat51]

I bought a Gretsch Thunder Jet and the volume knobs function differently than every other bass I have ever owned. If you have them at full volume and rotate them a small amount, the sound is all the way off. The whole range of volume is in a partial turn of the pot. Maybe a 1/4 turn. Are you other Thunder Jet owners experiencing the same thing?

I don't have a Thunder Jet (no leftys), but I do have several basses in the same price range - more or less. IME, "cheap pots" is the operative phrase here. With an inexpensive bass (or guitar), volume pots that give you "nothing...nothing...nothing...LOUD" are pretty much normal. As are tone pots that do little/nothing. The only solutions are to; learn to live with it; or, replace those pots with some that do what they're supposed to do.

 

[britune]

This is a $2000 bass. They used cheap pots?????

 

[GIBrat51]

Oops! Sorry; I was confusing it with the Junior Jet. My bad... But, still, the symptoms you're describing are - IME - usually caused by cheap pots. They could also just be from a bad batch; or, as a last resort, they're gunked up inside from not being used. There's no way to know how long they sat in a bin, waiting to be installed. Spinning them from 0 to 10, vigorously and a lot of times, might fix the problem. Or spraying them with contact cleaner and then spinning them. High price is sometimes not a guarantee of good quality, unfortunately. My '94 Broadkaster cost about as much as your Thunder Jet -or more - in 1994. And the pots in it are dime-sized pieces of... well, they aren't very good. They work a little better than yours seem to, but not by much...

 

[Coryander]

I ended up with the La Bella Deep Talkin Hofner Beatle Bass series. Much better than the stock steel round wound that came on it. Nothing like the smooth feel of a flat wound.

What length of the La Bella strings fit your Thunderjet? I already tried the long scale. They were too long, but medium scale appears to be too short.