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mixing strings?

rylie

rylie

Sep 25, 2017
464
589
somewhere stable
#1
Any experiences at TB with mixing strings? Maybe it's a crazy idea. I've never mixed strings. Just asking the question.
For example:
E flats
A flats
D ground/round wound
G ground/round wound
or, alternating:
E flats
A ground/round wound
D flats
G ground/round wound
TB players experience with this, or similar?
 
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#2
I’ve tried it, with my Music Man with weak G syndrome, flats on top rounds on bottom. It was a neat experiment. There’s a story about T Bone Wolk using flats on the bottom and rounds on the top for Hall & Oates. I think your experience will vary a lot based on your styles and needs.

I got the idea personally from jazz upright players. Steel on the bottom, guts on top is a popular thing in those circles. That’s what I currently have on my upright.
 
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#3
I tried a Rotosound 77 flat G on top of a set of (old) elixir roundwounds on my J bass.

Reason was that the round G sounded very twangy and out of place on the jazz lines I was practicing and the twang couldn’t be rolled off with the tone knob without killing the tone of the other strings.

Worked pretty well, but I soon changed to a full set of 77s which is better for the material I am playing currently.
 
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#5
rylie said:
Any experiences at TB with mixing strings?
Click to expand...

The only mix-and-matching I've done is with the low B string on my 5-string...

GHS Pressurewound (Alloy 52 rollerwound) 40-96 for E-G.
GHS Progressive (Alloy 52 roundwound) 130 for B.

The exposed core feature on the Progressive has helped add clarity and definition to the low B for better tonal balance with the rest.
 
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#6
I've tried it. I tired quickly of the inconsistent tone and feel. The only mixing I still do is on my Rickenbacker 4002 (yes, "2," not "1" or "3"): I use GHS Progressives (yes, I still have a stash of NOS singles until GHS re-introduces them as sets) in 60-80-105 for the DAE strings, and use a Pressurewound 44 for the G string instead of a 45 Progressive so it is not so bright. This works because the Pressurewounds are the same wrap wire, just run through the compression die to settle the windings to the same core.

I agree with the above: if you use Pressurewounds as a set, then a Progressive B string might work very well indeed to keep articulation and clarity.
 
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#7
try it out! do some science! and then let us know how it went. I think it's a cool idea as playing different notes in different positions, your right hand position, etc. can all change the tone and timbre, having the option to play an open vs fretted note with a different string is intriguing.

if my fender flats ever break I'll have to mix since they no longer make those in a 5 string set anymore, and they're awesome.
 
#8
iiipopes said:
I use GHS Progressives (yes, I still have a stash of NOS singles until GHS re-introduces them as sets) in 60-80-105 for the DAE strings, and use a Pressurewound 44 for the G string instead of a 45 Progressive so it is not so bright.
Click to expand...

Progressive 2.0 will employ the "balanced construction" concept by GHS, meaning all four strings (E-G) will have two wraps instead of the traditional single-wrap G. This could mean you may no longer have to use the PW 44G to tame the twang. ;)
 
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#10
I've had a few occasions where I used a B string from a "brighter" string family, as B strings are generally a little duller than the rest of the set, and that has worked OK for me. I'll often buy 6 strings for a 5 string bass - I'll use a brighter B to start with, and halfway through the set's life, when the other strings are a bit duller, the B that "matches" the set gets put on the bass.

The double bass guys routinely mix and match individual strings to get a set that they like.

In short, not a crazy idea at all. The one thing I will let you in on is, if/when you do experimentation on this, you will end up with a pile of odd single strings that have no use to you at all - just part of how this naturally unfolds. So long as you accept that, you'll be fine
 
#11
michael_t said:
Progressive 2.0 will employ the "balanced construction" concept by GHS, meaning all four strings (E-G) will have two wraps instead of the traditional single-wrap G.
Click to expand...

I bought a load of Progressive 4 string sets, and ended up using Kalium B strings to use those sets up - I switched to 5 string instruments, and the Progressive B's were no longer available, so to use up the sets of Progressives, I had to do something. That combo works very well.

I do look forward to Progressive 2.0's, but they have been VERY long coming. I kinda assumed they were a dead project by now. Do yo know something we don't about timing?
 
#15
If it sounds great, why not? I've never seen anyone do this with strings for magnetic pickups though. Double bass, sure, very common. Even for acoustic guitar. The Thomastisk Plectrum sets are a mix of flats and rounds. But with double bass and acoustic guitars there's just the tension and acoustic tone to worry about. With magnetic pickups there's also the matter of the magnetic properties of the strings. It might be hard to find something with a balanced tone AND a balanced output. But then again, I guess part of the reason for doing this is that you DON'T want a balanced tone and the pickup height can be adjusted to compensate for varying output across the strings. At least with split coils, like on a P-bass. J-bass or soapbar pickups would probably be a bit more tricky.

Personally I wouldn't bother. Bass strings are expensive and there's a good chance it won't be a success. At least not without spending a LOT of money on experimenting with different strings. But please report back if you find a nice mix.:thumbsup:
 
#17
There's a luthier who I think does this, I've seen a few of his basses in the classifieds. Same string brand, but on his five strings the lowest three strings are different than the higher two somehow. Let me see if I can find it.

EDIT: Cliff Bordwell uses Dunlop flats on the low strings (E, A, and below) and TI flats on the high strings (D, G, and above).
 
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#20
Rayjay said:
I’ve tried it, with my Music Man with weak G syndrome, flats on top rounds on bottom. It was a neat experiment. There’s a story about T Bone Wolk using flats on the bottom and rounds on the top for Hall & Oates. I think your experience will vary a lot based on your styles and needs.

I got the idea personally from jazz upright players. Steel on the bottom, guts on top is a popular thing in those circles. That’s what I currently have on my upright.
Click to expand...

+1, Ditto, Like he said
 

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