Kinda dead roundwounds, anyone like 'em?

[Dr. Cheese]

Yes. I don't like brand new rounds or really old dead rounds. In between.... perfect!

I agree.

 

[pbass2]

Absolutely. I consider them a separate sound - I use new rounds (if needed), flats mostly, but also like old worn-in rounds for stuff in the middle ground. I love flats for soul and funk for example, but sometimes some nicely ravaged old rounds are just the ticket.

 

[pbass2]

My favorite dead sounding roundwound string is Fender 7250 ,especially on Pbass.

I still like good old dead Roto 66s. Maybe because that's what I grew up with!

 

[Kirk Bryant]

Yup, 20 some basses, 20 sets of dead roundwound strings. If they get difficult to tune or one breaks, I change the set. Otherwise they stay generally. Occasionally I'll try a new type, brand or gauge. That's the only exception to the rule. About 20 yrs ago I knew a couple of guys at Dean Markley and accumulated several dozen sets. My friends quit but the string stockpile lasted me for over ten years. I actually still have a couple of sets left. Winning!

 

[Thumpin6string]

No.

 

[Wisebass]

Does anyone like this phase before they go belly up?

I like them brand new for about a day or two... (slapping the s**t out ouf them is fun )

Then they will get the metal treatment for about a week (just the right amout of clank and wire)

After that they sound still really good ("broken in" with tons of growl, great singing sound on fretless, but also on my Jazz)

a few months later when they die, I 'll get new ones

when I don' t have the money I 'll play the blues. (Any string works with blues )

may the rounds be with you

Wise(b)ass

 

[CaseyVancouver]

Ha ha ! Are you kidding me ?

I love old dead roundwounds. The strings on my '81 pre special have been on FOREVER!

Since '93 and sound perfect. Look at the package, the date is '93. This bass is silent with no hum, the strings are perfect for studio recording with all harmonics, 24 years later

 

[Oleg BassPlayer]

I use mainly nickel strings, and I love a little bit worn roundwounds, too. Brand new ones are too creaky and scratchy for me and give too much noise. Let alone steels.

As they get more worn-out some problems begin, though. I remember having hard times recording some demo on an old string set: even though the bass was tuned and action was okay, I couldn't get rid of a feeling that my A string on 5th fret was sounding out of tune. The problem was gone when I changed the strings for the next session.

 

[JiJ]

I have a Jag (started life as a squier VM humbucker model, ripped out the pre and swapped the neck) with a baseball bat neck and old school thick rosewood fretboard with some old rounds that I found at the bottom of a cupboard, and it just sounds right.

 

[mesaplayer83]

Yes, I like them after the initial brightness has worn off a bit. Then I use them for a couple months.

Same here

 

[jd56hawk]

What are roundwounds?

 

[40Hz]

I still like good old dead Roto 66s. Maybe because that's what I grew up with!

Pretty much me too. I’ve got no use for zing. And I cannot stand clank in any way, shape, or form.

I’ve had a set of Rotosound Swing Bass strings on one bass or another of mine since 1973 or thereabouts. I find 66s almost unusable for the first couple of hours they’re on the bass. But two or three days later they’ll settle down nicely and give me a sound I really like. And they stay that way for at least a year or so before I feel the need to replace them. Sometimes I’ll go even longer.

 

[basscapes]

I can't go down the rabbit hole on this one- gotta have a fresh set of Rotosounds on my bass.

You know, the "Chris Squire meets Geddy Lee meets John Entwistle at a bar" kinda sound...

But, as I say, if you like the sound, then you like the sound (and I KNOW that someone out there hates the gear I use too!)

 

[brianrost]

You know, the zing is gone, but they aren't quite lifeless. Does anyone like this phase before they go belly up?

I actually prefer this to freshly installed rounds. About a week of playing and I'm happy for about six months of steady playing.

 

[Linnin]

I hate them. They lose the round wound brightness while retaining all the noise. No thank you.

^^^Agree^^^

 

[Frank77]

I do. At the rate I play I usually leave my strings on for at least 6 months before changing them, and if I have something "important" coming up (like a recording sesh) I'll make sure I put on the new set at least 1 month prior if they're about due.

 

[Gasman]

I love them, especially on my Stingray. Whenever I put new strings on any bass, I don’t play it out until I’ve gotten some of the “shine” off them

 

[Bill ONeal]

I don't mean dead as a doornail, but just a bit dead. You know, the zing is gone, but they aren't quite lifeless. They are a bit subdued, but not completely crap yet.

Does anyone like this phase before they go belly up?

Absolutely! Years ago in the 70s-80s I did a lot of tv work and the producers loved that old dead flat sound. To make them even deader I’d use a sponge down at the bridge of my P bass. I know when you listen to them isolated they don’t sound great, but for some reason the sound lies beautifully in the mix. Lately the old vintage sound is coming back and glad to see the younger players getting interested in it. If you’re interested check out a few YouTube Jamerson covers I did using very dead LaBella flats on my 79 P.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

I recently bought a '62 P-Bass that hasn't had a string change since the late 70's. They appear to be Rotosound rounds, whatever they were called back then.

 

[Crazy_Jake]

I have dead half-rounds on my Ibanez Musician PJ. Been there since the mid-nineties. With 3 band active eq., palm muting, pick or pluck, a variety of tones are accessible.

My strings have only been on a year or so - I dont like new strings and find with the proper EQ you can get the sound you want from old strings. I tend to change my strings when they feel slow and old