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Just ordered a set of 9050ML

Ricky Rioli

Ricky Rioli

Sep 29, 2020
4,077
1
10,506
UK
#1
My SB-1 ..... I really want to have flats on it ..... but neither 49-109 LaBellas nor 45-105 Chromes have dislodged the Roto Bass 50-110 as the bass's preferred choice. The Chromes did come very close.

The next batter sent out by Team Flats is the Fender 9050ML, 50-65-85-100. If they also don't quite surpass the Roto Bass, fine. But if I don't try, I'll never know.

All three of these sets have needed the truss rod maxed, so what the actual total tension of these 9050ML is quite important.

Making up a 50-65-85-100 set, Daddario Chromes would be 210 lbs, but Roto Bass would be only 185 lbs. I guess the Fenders will be somewhere between these two.

Lower than 195 lbs and I'm fine, higher than 195 lbs and they're no good to me.

What do we reckon? Have I just chucked away my money? Or am I going to get away with this? :nailbiting:
 
#2
Well, your post is kind of confusing, but I'll give it a try...
I'm assuming assuming that by referring to "Roto Bass 50-110", you're referring to Roto's RS66LE rounds. If you are? According to Rotosound, the tension for those strings is 196.68 lbs. If so, and you say your truss rod is maxed out now? I don't think you really want a set of Roto's 50-110 RS77LE Flats. Their total tension? Again, according to Rotosound - 253.01 lbs. Even their 45-105 RS77LD's weigh in at 214.41 lbs. Unless you go for their 40-100 SM66's (155.38 lbs.), Roto Flats will exceed your tension limit. Personally? Unless you just can't live without 50-110 gauge strings (which, in flats, will be very low range/thumpy), I'd go with the Fender 9050L's. Which I have on 3 of my basses, and which are fairly flexible; about medium tension for "normal" gauge flats; and, are also plenty "thumpy", but have lots of low-mid, mids - and fairly good highs - as well. But, since you've already ordered the 9050MLs? Other than the 50 gauge G string, not a lot of difference, really... So, I imagine they'll meet your tension limits. I'd certainly play them on any of my bass' that could wear them, so I don't think you've thrown your money away. Fact is, heavy gauge flats usually mean high - sometimes very high - tension; much higher than your tension weight limit... And honestly? They're also very stiff. Unless you like playing bridge cable-stiff strings, they'll make you want those strings gone - ASAP...:cool:
 
#3
GIBrat51 said:
I'm assuming assuming that by referring to "Roto Bass 50-110"
Click to expand...
Roto Bass is the name of Rotosound's line of cheap nickel plated rounds. The 50-110 set is called RB50. The total tension for them is 197 lbs.

I've been going back and forth between them and a custom 45-65-85-105 set of Chromes. Their total tension is 196 lbs.

La Bella don't publish the total tension of their 49-69-89-109 set of Deep Talkin Flats, but the neck of my SB-1 thinks that its the same as the other two sets.

So: Roto Bass 50-110 rounds, Chromes 45-105 flats, and La Bella 49-109 flats, all have total tension about 195 lbs.

~~~~~

The Fender 9050ML set is 50-65-85-100.

Were you to put a custom set of Chromes together of 50-65-85-100 the total tension would be 210 lbs

Were you to put a custom set of Roto Bass together of 50-65-85-100 the total tension would be 184 lbs

~~~~~

I already know that the tension of La Bella DTFs is about the same as Roto Bass. If I'm in luck, the same will be true of the Fender flats I've just ordered.

But if the Fender flats' tension is more like the Chromes, the truss rod of my SB-1 won't be able to accommodate them.

~~~~~

Is that less confusing?
 
#4
Be careful. Twenty years ago I went through a bridge cable phase and broke the truss rod on my custom fanned fret P-style bass. The replacement didn't workout, so it is back in the shop again all these years later to try to get a proper truss rod for it.
 
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#5
First things first: these green silks are very pretty. And look so right on this Pharoah Gold bass.

And they sound fantastic — clarity and depth of tone across all four strings, straight out the pack.

Unfortunately, I put my cash on black, and the total tension landed on red. In the spirit of experimentation, I've just downtuned to D standard, and the action is only now where I like it.

When I had the set tuned at E standard, it was still very playable, despite the much higher action — these are very definitely not stiff strings. Very comfortable. If anything, I was still wanting the 100 E to be stiffer.

A set of Chromes at these 50-65-85-100 gauges would be 210 lbs, and I'm guessing this 9050ML set is somewhere up there.

Too bad :(
 
#6
By the way, Chromes in the 9050L gauges of 45-60-80-100 would be 181 lbs, about the same as 45-105 rounds like GHS Boomers, Swing Bass etc.

Given how the ML set sounded at Eb and D standard, I'm sure I would like the sound of the L set very much. But I think they would be a bit soft for my weird tastes.

So that's the conclusion of my little experiment with 9050ML — imagining that lots of people would love the 9050L set, finding it a pleasure for both ears and fingers.
 
#9
Phaidrus said:
I suppose the 9050ML are much less than 210lbs
Click to expand...
• My bass had a set of Roto Bass 50-70-90-110. Total tension:
53¼ + 54¼ + 48¼ + 42¼ = 198 lbs

• I replaced them with a set of 9050ML 50-65-85-100. The neck was pulled forward.

• I downtuned from EADG to DGCF. The neck relaxed but was still just as playable

• I replaced the 9050ML with the Roto Bass 50-70-90-110 set. The neck didn't move.

Clearly the tension of the 9050ML set is higher than 198 lbs, by a meaningful degree.

20230404_220658-01.jpeg


Screenshot_20230404-220942_Chrome.jpg
 
#11
Ricky Rioli said:
• My bass had a set of Roto Bass 50-70-90-110. Total tension:
53¼ + 54¼ + 48¼ + 42¼ = 198 lbs

• I replaced them with a set of 9050ML 50-65-85-100. The neck was pulled forward.

• I downtuned from EADG to DGCF. The neck relaxed but was still just as playable

• I replaced the 9050ML with the Roto Bass 50-70-90-110 set. The neck didn't move.

Clearly the tension of the 9050ML set is higher than 198 lbs, by a meaningful degree.

View attachment 5021488

View attachment 5021489
Click to expand...

Hmmm... interesting. In my case it's a 2008 Am.Std. Pbass with graphite reinforced neck.

Oh, just remembered: upon installing the 9050M after the 760FS I did get fret buzz and had to adjust to playing with a lighter touch so it's OK now.
 
#12
The Fenders will lose that brightness in a couple of months and you'll be left with a ton of mids and a floppy E string. I don't know if I am weird but 45-65-85-105 would be perfect for these. I think the excessive midrange makes them more suitable for Jazz basses. On a P bass they are overkill, especially with ceramic pickups. Ask me how I know :)
YMMV of course
 
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#13
andare said:
The Fenders will lose that brightness in a couple of months and you'll be left with a ton of mids and a floppy E string. I don't know if I am weird but 45-65-85-105 would be perfect for these. I think the excessive midrange makes them more suitable for Jazz basses. On a P bass they are overkill, especially with ceramic pickups. Ask me how I know :)
YMMV of course
Click to expand...
I hear you brother. Had/have similar concerns playing a Pbass (with PV63 pup) and looking for a deep full tone for dub. Mine are about four months old with average playing time, so still new-ish. Yet if I roll off the highs and high mids and add a bit of compression I do get a good dubby tone out of them through a Markbass rig. Through an Ampeg rig would be even better, I suppose.

Here's Mr Price laying down a solid groove with well worn 9050M on his Pbass.

 
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