Help identify these strings?

[aon8]

I imported a 1989-1990 (J serial) MIJ Fender Precision from Japan. While I'm going to put flats on it eventually, the roundwounds that are on it feel surprisingly nice to play. Can't comment on the tone much, as the bass has some electrical issues. But, say someone asked me which general-purpose strings to buy, based on the feel of these - I'd probably say these over any other roundwounds I've tried.

The strings have no silks, and the approximate gauges are 0.045, 0.060, 0.080, 0.100. I measured these myself with a caliper and converted from mm to imperial, so they might be off by a bit.

The most characteristic sign they have is this chamfered / tapered / conical silver-coloured end bead, that I don't think I have seen on any other strings.

Any idea what these might be? I think they are nickel wound rather than SS. Don't know about the core - maybe I could do some destructive investigation once I put the flats on...

Sorry for the disgustingly dirty bridge, haven't got around to cleaning it up yet

 

[michael_t]

I've seen those uniquely-shaped ball ends with slanted edges in one of the past threads. But I can't remember which thread or what brand they were. Sorry...

@HaphAsSard, any insight?

 

[HaphAsSard]

I imported a 1989-1990 (J serial) MIJ Fender Precision from Japan. While I'm going to put flats on it eventually, the roundwounds that are on it feel surprisingly nice to play. Can't comment on the tone much, as the bass has some electrical issues. But, say someone asked me which general-purpose strings to buy, based on the feel of these - I'd probably say these over any other roundwounds I've tried.

The strings have no silks, and the approximate gauges are 0.045, 0.060, 0.080, 0.100. I measured these myself with a caliper and converted from mm to imperial, so they might be off by a bit.

The most characteristic sign they have is this chamfered / tapered / conical silver-coloured end bead, that I don't think I have seen on any other strings.

Any idea what these might be? I think they are nickel wound rather than SS. Don't know about the core - maybe I could do some destructive investigation once I put the flats on...

Sorry for the disgustingly dirty bridge, haven't got around to cleaning it up yet

I've seen those uniquely-shaped ball ends with slanted edges in one of the past threads. But I can't remember which thread or what brand they were. Sorry...

@HaphAsSard, any insight?

This below may or may not be the thread you had in mind. Doesn't come with a definitive identification, unfortunately, and I'm afraid I can't provide one myself:

Thread 'What strings are those?'

Jun 8, 2021

Can you give me your guess on these strings? The bass sounds amazing, and I suspect they have a role in it. Thank you! Note the octagonal shaped end-pin. Just bare string on the other end.

• Fabio_MIJ

 

[michael_t]

This below may or may not be the thread you had in mind. Doesn't come with a definitive identification, unfortunately, and I'm afraid I can't provide one myself:

Thread 'What strings are those?'

Jun 8, 2021

Can you give me your guess on these strings? The bass sounds amazing, and I suspect they have a role in it. Thank you! Note the octagonal shaped end-pin. Just bare string on the other end.

• Fabio_MIJ

Yes, that's the thread I was thinking of. The same odd-shaped silver ball ends! I guess we still don't know what brand they are, do we?

 

[aon8]

Thanks!

In my searches, I've so far found out that the Chinese brand Ziko, but also just many cheap Chinese unbranded bass strings from Ebay / Aliexpress seem to often have this kind of ball end. Alice (from China as well) looks different - so does Aria Pro II, which are made in P.R.C.

But I somewhat struggle to believe that they're just about the cheapest strings available

@Fabio_MIJ in the other thread didn't mention where his bass came from, but it looks like it could be a MIJ JB-62 with matching headstock...

 

[Isaac_James]

Those are the most... well, ball-shaped ball ends I've ever seen. Never encountered them before in real life but I'm certainly curious now!

 

[bass_mann1]

I imported a 1989-1990 (J serial) MIJ Fender Precision from Japan. While I'm going to put flats on it eventually, the roundwounds that are on it feel surprisingly nice to play. Can't comment on the tone much, as the bass has some electrical issues. But, say someone asked me which general-purpose strings to buy, based on the feel of these - I'd probably say these over any other roundwounds I've tried.

The strings have no silks, and the approximate gauges are 0.045, 0.060, 0.080, 0.100. I measured these myself with a caliper and converted from mm to imperial, so they might be off by a bit.

The most characteristic sign they have is this chamfered / tapered / conical silver-coloured end bead, that I don't think I have seen on any other strings.

Any idea what these might be? I think they are nickel wound rather than SS. Don't know about the core - maybe I could do some destructive investigation once I put the flats on...

Sorry for the disgustingly dirty bridge, haven't got around to cleaning it up yet

They look like version of thomastik-infeld strings

 

[aon8]

They look like version of thomastik-infeld strings

Pretty sure all Thomastik-Infeld strings have silks at least in the headstock end?