Longevity of Tone, your thoughts and preference(s)

[iTzPrime]

I know I'm focusing on nickel plated roundwounds, but I've also long admi


I've wondered the same thing about compression winding not allowing as much crud to get in between the winds, killing the string's brightness too.

Thus far for me, Alloy 52 as the outer winding wrap seems to make a difference. My hands typically don't get sweaty while I'm playing, but I've read a person's individual skin ph plays a role in a string's lifespan.

skin ph is really important. i pretty much never sweat, but nickels turn dead so fast (maybe there is a chemical reaction). when i buy a nickel set i can play it for about a week until they sound completly dead (like a flat but without the nice mids).
Stainless last me about 2 months.

 

[petrus61]

I'm sure somebody will correct me if I'm wrong but aren't all DR strings compressed somewhat? I've also read that Fodera uses smaller outer windings so maybe this, like DR and Pressurewounds, allows less crud to get in the windings resulting in longer string life. And you may be on to something with the Alloy 52 comment. The only Alloy 52 strings I've used was a set of GHS Brite Flats, which I hated, but they definitely had a stronger output than standard nickel steel strings.

Sort of. They don't actually have the outer wrap physically compressed by machine before winding, but I think use a smaller diameter outer wrap to begin with so they are able to get more wraps around the core. They feel quite a bit different than actual compression wounds.

 

[Ric5]

 

[inanimate_carb]

I've used D'Addario XL for over 20 years. Remarkably consistent, always feel the same, fit perfectly on all my basses, and I've only encountered one manufacturing defect over hundreds of sets and they took care of that. They last a long time for me, but due to personal body chemistry that might not be the case for everyone.

 

[BassLover668]

Round:Labella's RX's and DR HI BEAMS.
Flat: Labella's , sounds good forever.

 

[40Hz]

I suspect the key factor is the consistency of the winding process. The more uniform the tension and precise the wind, the better the string will sound and perform. I'm sure the metallurgy - and climate conditions when they're being wound - plays into that, since different metals have different physical properties. And all metals react to temperature changes and fluctuations.

Strings whose windings keep that winding consistency, and resist loosening and minute deformations due to being played, tend to sound the way they're engineered to sound longer.

Or so I'm guessing.

 

[JRA]

I'd really like to hear folks' thoughts on longetivity of tone.....

i have mostly used steel roundwounds, but: the TI jazz rounds seem to be very good at keeping playable tones longer. and while they are 3-4 times more expensive, they 'last' 3-4 times longer, IMO.

 

[iTzPrime]

i have mostly used steel roundwounds, but: the TI jazz rounds seem to be very good at keeping playable tones longer. and while they are 3-4 times more expensive, they 'last' 3-4 times longer, IMO.

ti jazz rounds. My love hate relationship . They are the best sounding rounds , are the only nickel based rounds that last for me. but i just cant get around the small gauge

 

[JRA]

i just cant get around the small gauge

and i get that --- they're not for everyone on that basis alone. i play light guage strings so they're not off-putting to me on that account. who knows: maybe TI will offer heavier guages at some point!

 

[Old Blastard]

There so many strings to try, so many different nuances that I get lost trying to figure out what do next.

 

[iTzPrime]

and i get that --- they're not for everyone on that basis alone. i play light guage strings so they're not off-putting to me on that account. who knows: maybe TI will offer heavier guages at some point!

I hope they do. however i fear that the balance isn't as good as it is now.

 

[michael_t]

There so many strings to try, so many different nuances that I get lost trying to figure out what do next.

Welcome to the club!

Led Zeppelin wrote a song about us - Dazed and Confused.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

ti jazz rounds. My love hate relationship . They are the best sounding rounds , are the only nickel based rounds that last for me. but i just cant get around the small gauge

i have mostly used steel roundwounds, but: the TI jazz rounds seem to be very good at keeping playable tones longer. and while they are 3-4 times more expensive, they 'last' 3-4 times longer, IMO.

The Superalloys are incredible too, probably the best roundwounds I've ever tried. The only thing I couldn't adjust to is they're a lighter tension than I'm used to. Unfortunately I pluck fairly hard, which is something I've worked on for years to get greater articulation, and there's no going back to a light touch for me. Especially when I play a gig. I need my strings to have high tension because I really dig in.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

There so many strings to try, so many different nuances that I get lost trying to figure out what do next.

I agree! There's so many brands out there to try. I love Bass Strings Online; They have a lot of brands I've never been able to find locally, and great prices. I've really became a junkie. Plus, Jason gives excellent advice.

 

[JRA]

There's so many brands out there to try.

agreed.

 

[Grumry]

For years, I've read that this specific brand, or that specific brand of strings outlasts all the other brands in retaining a bright tone, or a fresh string sound, or simply keeps their tone the longest.

At one time, I was a big fan of brand new set roundwound's "zing", and during those many years, I never experienced any noticeable difference between of brand from the other. I'm referring to nickel plated roundwounds, as those are what I personally prefer, and roughly a month to 6 week's use was what I could get.

Then, I bought a set of Infeld Superalloys. They don't come fresh out of the package super bright, per se, but they kept their tone, for me, for better than a year. Which WAS incredible. Did their sound change at all during that time? Yes, but their overall sound remained very good IMO.

I had much the same results with Fodera Nickel Roundwounds. Their tone changed some over time, but it remained very good.

So these two brands for me, really stood out. So what is it the Infeld and Fodera do during the string making process differently? Or are their materials of higher quality?

I've always tried to be mindful on regularly wiping down my strings, washing my hands before playing, etc, and still I never noticed any brand being superior in that regard, -besides Fodera or Infeld, that is.

Bear in mind, I haven't tried every brand. I've meant for many years to buy a set of DR's, which I've read many positive comments about regarding their long life.

Now, over probably the past 10 years, my tastes on tone has gone to a rounder, less bright tone. And I've found GHS Pressurewounds to be my ultimate set of strings. I'm also a longtime happy user of GHS Bass Boomers, which for me keep a useable tone as long as most of the other brands, if not longer, now that I don't prefer a super bright sounding string.

Could the reason for my success with Superalloys (and now Pressurewounds) be because their outer wrap is Alloy 52?

I doubt that one string company has a "Secret" or greater knowledge than the other established companies. This stuff isn't rocket science.

I'd really like to hear folks' thoughts on longetivity of tone when it comes to nickel plated roundwound bass strings.

I always just get whatever Ernie Balls are in whatever size I need. They're available everywhere and they're usually cheap. I also don't play live, or anywhere other than my bedroom.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

Welcome to the club!

Led Zeppelin wrote a song about us - Dazed and Confused.

Count me in, too!

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

I always just get whatever Ernie Balls are in whatever size I need. They're available everywhere and they're usually cheap. I also don't play live, or anywhere other than my bedroom.

EB Slinkys are great strings. I've always had good luck with them.

 

[rmars]

Strings are a tough thing to recommend. So many variances in what makes a string work for one guy and not for someone else. Most of ole' standards never worked for me; Ernie Ball and Boomer die really quick, I hate the feel of XL's, etc, etc. I hate to think of how much money I've spent trying strings.

I played DR Nickel Lo Riders for nearly 20 years but 7 years ago when I started gigging heavy I realized they would be fairly dead after a couple weeks of rehearsals and shows. In the midwest summer, doing outdoor shows on the banks of the Mississippi they would maybe only last one show. I tried a bunch of other stuff and ended up just doing the denatured alcohol bath and rotating sets of the DR's.

After a while I realized that the tension of the rotated sets would rise and the strings didn't play as well as new, outta the box sets but I was playing a lot and it saved me money. I'd buy 4 sets and just rotate thru the bath and on the bass until they started breaking (about 6-10months) and then I'd buy new sets and start all over again.

A little over a year and a half ago I got turned on the the Dunlop Super Bright Nickels. Not saying they are perfect but I really like them on my main J Bass. If you dig the Fodera's, which IIRC are fairly low tension, then you will probably like the Dunlops. Again IIRC they aren't as polished feeling as the Fodera's but I like the way they feel under my fingers and they aren't as buzzy as some strings (in my hands everything is buzzy). Plus the price is great so I don't feel bad throwing them out or if I accidentally spill some of those nasty, sticky honey/cherry flavor bourbon shots that the guitarist is always ordering mid set.

I tried some of the new Elixrs on my P Bass before I sold it and have to say that as much as I hated the early versions they new ones are pretty decent. I wish they had the Dunlops tension, which is perfect to me, but they sound really good and the coating didn't irritate me. Those may be my strings of choice for this summer if I pick up a lot of outdoor gigs.

 

[rafitoprtx]

Coated strings are usually good at retaining bright tone for a long time, although they're a little bit muted right out of the box. Not a huge fan of the coatings but they've gotten a lot better in the last few years than they used to be. But I've found that I can pretty much kill any set of strings within 3 gigs no matter who makes them, with the only exceptions being TI Jazz Flats due (I think) to the silk between the windings, and coated strings. Haven't tried the Foderas or TI Rounds, though, and at those prices, I'm not going to Besides, I'm all about the Dunlop Super Bright Nickels now. Even when they're totally dead, you can still get some good zing out of them, as well as a very good approximation of flats if you play them lightly, and I dig that. Price is pretty right, too. Probably the only rounds I've played that I like their dead sound as much as their live sound.

I love the Dunlop Super Bright Nickels and they last long. DR sunbeams are in second place due to price and aviability.