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MM Stingray - SS String Suggestions

JanusZarate

JanusZarate

Low End Avenger
Feb 21, 2006
10,198
671
40
Boise, ID, USA
#1
I got a left-handed Stingray last Thursday... gorgeous bass, to say the least, and it sounds awesome!

However, I'm not particularly satisfied with the strings. These light gauge Super Slinkys are getting on my nerves... too sensitive to my heavier touch. The tone is great, but I'm tempted to replace them.

I currently have my other bass (a Schecter Stiletto Elite-4L with an EMG P + CS setup) strung with a 50-105 set of D'Addario ProSteels, and I love the tone and feel. I've also tried it with XLs, and it still sounds great.

However, the tonal character of a P is way different than the MM humbucker, so I'm wondering if installing my favorite strings (ProSteels) might make the tone TOO bright.

Anyone have any experience using ProSteels on a Stingray for fingerstyle and pickstyle rock, particularly the 50-105 gauge?

I'd like to avoid going back to Slinkys or Rotosounds (although I did like their Swing Bass 66 strings, I preferred the tone of ProSteels on my Schecter. Plus, Rotos are ROUGH). I would like to keep an aggressive tone, which the Slinkys have been giving me. It's just not quite what I'm looking for, although I wonder if the gauge has a lot to do with that.

If you have used Rotosounds or thicker Slinkys (or even the SS Slinkys), feel free to chime in regardless! I'm curious.
 
#5
I put a set of Dean Markley Blue Steels mediums (50-128) on my SR5 a few months ago and was floored by the growly snarly tone they produced. The G string really came alive and I was so pleased except for one thing. The Blue Steel B string did not compare to the Slinky 130 B string that the bass came with.

The Blue Steel B is not bad but just not as tight and focueed as the Slinky.
 
#7
MysticBoo said:
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking of doing.

Looks like the nut is pretty tightly cut to fit these Slinkys. Am I going to need to file it a little wider to fit the ProSteels, or do you think the increased gauge will work fine?
Click to expand...

The nut will need to be re-sized because they cut them to fit the factory gauge, .045 - .100

Filing a nut is one of those jobs that looks so easy but is also easy to ruin, one too many strokes with the file is all it takes and your nut is scrap. :)
 
#8
Ostinato said:
The nut will need to be re-sized because they cut them to fit the factory gauge, .045 - .100

Filing a nut is one of those jobs that looks so easy but is also easy to ruin, one too many strokes with the file is all it takes and your nut is scrap. :)
Click to expand...

A little late, methinks. :p

I've already done the filing to accommodate 45-105 and 50-110 gauges. Heck, I even went back to nickelwound Slinkys. :D
 
#10
Ostinato said:
I want to do mine too

Where did you get the files from? I tried Stu Mac but they didn't have the sizes I wanted :confused:
Click to expand...

I, uh... improvised. :ninja:

I really didn't have to do much - it seemed to fit the strings just fine except for the E string (which I used one of my dad's files from his tool kits).

I was really gentle, and it turned out fine.

I really wouldn't recommend improvising, though... I was taking a risk with what I was doing. :hmm:

I actually decided not to stick to the higher gauges, and I'm currently using .45 - .100 gauges again. :D
 

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