Help identifying some mysterious round wounds?

[GTHintz]

the Fodera Stainless Steels you are referring to here are the previous LaBellas or the new DR?

It was a couple years ago when I had them on my bass. So definitely was the in house version before DR. I think the new string is the same it's just now being made down the road at the DR facility. I don't expect there to be much different. I bet they even use the same machine from the fodera facility.

 

[Soundworks]

It was a couple years ago when I had them on my bass. So definitely was the in house version before DR. I think the new string is the same it's just now being made down the road at the DR facility. I don't expect there to be much different. I bet they even use the same machine from the fodera facility.

Thanks guys for setting the record straight on the Fodera strings!

I bought a bass from one of the Fodera partners years ago and at that time he sent it to me with "prototype" strings on it... he said they were being co-developed with La Bella... so I just assumed La Bella had a hand in Fodera string production, but maybe it was more like the NYC community vibe since it was clearly not toll manufacturing.

I guess I will have to try the DR Fodera's after all then because those steel strings in particular have a special place in my tonal landscape.

 

[Soundworks]

I got my last two sets of Bassics from Strings By Mail. They usually have stock of them on hand for immediate shipping.

2017 listing here on TB

I will give the Bassics a whirl for sure...

I was chitchatting with my wife about these things (of which she cares little...) and she just asked me the obvious question. "Did you ask the guy you bought the bass from what strings were on it?"

Uh. Right. It was a while back and, for some reason, I thought I got it from a shop, but I found the 2017 listing here on TB! In fact, the listing shows the bass with black beauties but lists that it's currently wearing D'Addario Nickels! But this makes no sense given the string gauges... BAH! Will reach out to the seller now although I can't imagine he will remember after all these years...

 

[Soundworks]

In the course of 6 years does anyone think maybe these D’Addarios could stretch out to be 44-63-83-104? The previous owner never purchased Bassics…. If I changed the strings and can’t remember doing so, it would have been to Fodera’s but the ball end of the other Fodera’s I have are not beveled in the same way these are…

 

[HaphAsSard]

In the course of 6 years does anyone think maybe these D’Addarios could stretch out to be 44-63-83-104? The previous owner never purchased Bassics…. If I changed the strings and can’t remember doing so, it would have been to Fodera’s but the ball end of the other Fodera’s I have are not beveled in the same way these are…

View attachment 5453295

The gauge-not-exactly-as-advertised thing is possible but, unless they come with the bass stock, D'Addarios have had colour-coded ball ends (brass-red-black-green from E to G) for two decades at least.

 

[michael_t]

In the course of 6 years does anyone think maybe these D’Addarios could stretch out to be 44-63-83-104? The previous owner never purchased Bassics….

They're definitely NOT D'Addario as they would have color-coded ball ends.

Ask the previous owner if he remembers purchasing Ernie Ball Slinkys, which would match all the specs, except for the gauges.

 

[michael_t]

In terms of inconsistency in gauges, this thread might interest you...

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/real-gauge-of-bass-strings-real-gauge-vs-advertised-gauge.1110988/

 

[Soundworks]

I learned from Jason at FretNation that some D'Addarios come without colored ball ends -- generally those sold OEM to guitar manufacturers.

 

[michael_t]

I learned from Jason at FretNation that some D'Addarios come without colored ball ends -- generally those sold OEM to guitar manufacturers.

Yes, if you were to buy them as singles, they always come with generic brass ball ends; color-coded ball ends are more for the packaged sets.

The same goes to Fender-branded strings (also made by D'Addario). Packaged sets are color-coded (gold-red-silver-green), but not the ones used as factory strings on Fender basses.