I’ve actually been using DR DDT Light gauge for a while now. I use both standard and 1/2 down tuning and the stability is great. I had previously used Hi and Fat Beams, which I still love, but they got floppy tuned down.
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Let's Talk About The Best Strings For 5 String Basses Shall We!
- Thread starter faulknersj
- Start date
The construction of the bass is more important than the strings. If you can't get good tension on the B string, it's going to be floppy and have no sustain. Personally, I feel that you need a 35" scale bass to make a low B work. You also need a fair amount of mids and a good bridge pickup to add clarity.
Hex core strings on a 34" is almost a must. I don't have a preference in terms of material. I am more partial to DR Low Rider strings, but will do Hi Beams on my 35" Spector Euro 5.
I don't like regular D'Addario B strings. Very flat and lifeless.
I'm not really a fan of .135 gauge strings or higher. The extra wraps add stiffness but at the cost of attack. Really thick strings sound too thumpy for me. You might be able to mitigate that with a tapered end.
Hex core strings on a 34" is almost a must. I don't have a preference in terms of material. I am more partial to DR Low Rider strings, but will do Hi Beams on my 35" Spector Euro 5.
I don't like regular D'Addario B strings. Very flat and lifeless.
I'm not really a fan of .135 gauge strings or higher. The extra wraps add stiffness but at the cost of attack. Really thick strings sound too thumpy for me. You might be able to mitigate that with a tapered end.
I hate tapered strings. For whatever reason every time I've tried them I get weird overtones that just bother me. D'Addario NYXLs and squeeze the string near the ball end with a set of crimpers. Works on every bass I have, all of which are 5 strings.
I will be odd man out. I use GHS and D'addario's. Have ever since I toured. My road tech was a fanatic about GHS. Never failed me.
I just tried a set of D'Addario XS on my 6 string Spector and really like them so far. They stay in tune extremely well.
I use Nickel Elixirs on my Alembics and get a good year of regular gigging out of each set.
The only 5 strings that ever really stuck with me are my Warwick FNA Jazzman basses. I bought my first one about 20 years ago, the seller (former TBer who last I heard moved to New Zealand) said his tech suggested the DR Sunbeams due to their tension. I loved the sound and stuck with them. My go to for 4 string is DR Lo Riders, and for Jazz style basses I use Sunbeams or Dunlop Super Brights.
D’Addario Pro Steels.
Very consistent up and down the scale.
Even though my basses are 34”, the B string does nicely on 3 different basses. And the B string handles being dropped to low A well (Hipshot Xtender).
And I can’t remember getting a bad string right out of the pack. That happened a time or two over the years with the nickels and the NYXLs, which D’Addario made good promptly.
Very consistent up and down the scale.
Even though my basses are 34”, the B string does nicely on 3 different basses. And the B string handles being dropped to low A well (Hipshot Xtender).
And I can’t remember getting a bad string right out of the pack. That happened a time or two over the years with the nickels and the NYXLs, which D’Addario made good promptly.
I prefer an even feel to my strings. I need clarity so I slot the mix well with my 10-piece party band including horns. So I use a set of D'A 170BT 45-60-80-107 plus a 130 tuned up from B to C better coordinate with the keys. With my Ibby SRA305 that has a rather flat crown radius on the neck and EMG actives, response string-to-string is not an issue. My sound man appreciates me. While everybody else takes a really long time for sound check, with a DI box instead of a bass amplifier, and a hot-spot style monitor for vocals and keys, my sound check consists of our sound man finding where he needs to notch for any resonance or standing waves of the venue, and I'm done, usually no more than a couple of minutes.
I agree. Once, someone at the factory packed 40's instead of 45's in the sets of XL170BT's I ordered. I sent CS a pic measuring the strings with my micrometer and I had replacement 45's in a matter of days. D'A CS is really, really, really good.
Galli MSB45125 Magic Sound Bass, I don't think I'll ever allow any other strings on my basses.
Like them so much, I ordered 10 sets last week
I've tried DR BB, R.Cocco and Labella ss and all had a mediocre/disappointing low B, the Galli low B sounds exactly as clear as the other strings.
Like them so much, I ordered 10 sets last week
I've tried DR BB, R.Cocco and Labella ss and all had a mediocre/disappointing low B, the Galli low B sounds exactly as clear as the other strings.
Each of my basses are different and seem to have their own preference for types and gauges of strings, but generally I prefer these:
D'addario NYXLs, 45-130
DR Pure Blues, 45 - 125
DR Sunbeams, 45 - 125
I've also used the GHS Pressurewound strings and really liked them. I've also been curious about the Dunlop Superbrights.
D'addario NYXLs, 45-130
DR Pure Blues, 45 - 125
DR Sunbeams, 45 - 125
I've also used the GHS Pressurewound strings and really liked them. I've also been curious about the Dunlop Superbrights.
On a Fender bridge, doesn't the string have to still go through the hole the same way, regardless it being tapered or not at the ball-end?
I used different strings on different basses but here is one set and brand that is often overlooked.
The Fender 7250 5 is what factory basses are strung with. They sound very good and last very long. Oh, almost forgot to mention, they are relatively inexpensive @$25. The are on the stiffer side and they are bright. I mention this set because it so often over looked as a viable choice when in fact, they are very good strings.
7250 5 String Medium - 45 65 85 105 125
The only bass I use tapered strings on in a Sadowsky that is because that is what it was originally strung with. I don't think it makes a big difference in sound and not great if you string thru body.
The other recommendations- Ernie Ball, D'Addario XLs, Elixers, all good, all a little different, all more expensive.
The Fender 7250 5 is what factory basses are strung with. They sound very good and last very long. Oh, almost forgot to mention, they are relatively inexpensive @$25. The are on the stiffer side and they are bright. I mention this set because it so often over looked as a viable choice when in fact, they are very good strings.
7250 5 String Medium - 45 65 85 105 125
The only bass I use tapered strings on in a Sadowsky that is because that is what it was originally strung with. I don't think it makes a big difference in sound and not great if you string thru body.
The other recommendations- Ernie Ball, D'Addario XLs, Elixers, all good, all a little different, all more expensive.
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I have cobalt flats on my ray35 and love how slick, punchy, and fast they are. They slap pretty good too.
Hi I just picked up not one but 2 Epi 5 String Thunderbirds within a week (what are the odds???), both from early 2000s.
#1 (Made 10/2007, clean neck) has unknown aged strings on it, which have some red fabric at the neck/nut ends. So #1 will put DR Pure Blues in 45-130.
#2 (Made 09/2004, neck has aftermarket stickers) had unknown aged strings, so I replaced #2 with DR Fat Beams 45-130.
A work in progress, but I will let you all know if there is any tone difference.
Curious, I wonder if the red-ended-strings on #1 are factory original? Perhaps Rotosound?
#1 (Made 10/2007, clean neck) has unknown aged strings on it, which have some red fabric at the neck/nut ends. So #1 will put DR Pure Blues in 45-130.
#2 (Made 09/2004, neck has aftermarket stickers) had unknown aged strings, so I replaced #2 with DR Fat Beams 45-130.
A work in progress, but I will let you all know if there is any tone difference.
Curious, I wonder if the red-ended-strings on #1 are factory original? Perhaps Rotosound?
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My 5-string currently has NPS strings that I get bulk from juststrings.com. 45-105, with a .130 B string. They work for me, though the B string is a touch on the floppy side, even with the bass being 35" scale. I just got a set of NYXL 45-125 that I'm going to put on for this weekend's gigs.
