My first earful of Roto 66

[LetItGrowTone]

Contrary to what I was expecting, I don't hear excessive highs or exaggerated growl. What I hear is very clear mids, and I don't hear *trashy* highs. Big plus. Maybe I'm just getting used to rounds, or going deaf. Oh, lows are clear too.

Unfortunately, the reputation for surface roughness IS true. If I keep these the fingertips will have to toughen, no doubt.

The NPS rounds I'm comparing them to on the same P bass (E,D vs A,G) are unfortunately 3 months old, and they're muffled in comparison, and I don't have any other stainless rounds, so I guess I should buy something like SS Lo-Riders today to complete a fair test.

The only other *new* rounds I have (other than pure nickel outer) are NPS on a J bass. The Rotos might have them beat too (with regard to this specific character in the mids). But pure nickel rounds are another thing.

Do I hear an echo of famous records of yesteryear? Yes, but from the other strings too, as it's a P bass, but the 66s are clearer.

 

[trothwell]

I've tried lots of strings over the years, but I am increasingly really liking Rotosounds (of several varieties). Speaking specifically of the 66 set, I agree, they sound very clear. Especially, low notes still sound clear, whereas on many other string sets, you get down to the lowest notes on the E string and it can sound a little muddy. Maybe no big deal in the mix, but I like the Rotosound 66 are still clear on those notes.

Also agreed, to me, they don't sound super zingy or uncontrollable on the high end. There is certainly some extra high / mid-high tonality when brand new, which I take it some players relish, but that fades away within a few hours of playing, leaving a great sounding broken-in tone that lasts for a good long while.

Similarly, their flatwound set sounds clear on the lower notes too; many other flatwound sets sound muffled on the E string, but the 77's really don't.

If you like 66s, you might also try their (relatively) new Ultramag set, made of the highly-regarded Alloy 52 metal wraps. I think, a little less abrasive than the 66s, but similar sound. Also some sonic similarities to the fabled GHS Progressives, which were also made with Alloy 52.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

@trothwell, I've long admired the sound samples you've posted, for extreme beauty.

Thanks for the confirmation.

To try to complete the test fairly I've already ordered SS Lo-Riders in the same gauges, 40-95 for now.

EDIT: I haven't been a SS person, I didn't think, but I like clarity a lot.

 

[GTHintz]

@trothwell, I've long admired the sound samples you've posted, for extreme beauty.

Thanks for the confirmation.

To try to complete the test fairly I've already ordered SS Lo-Riders in the same gauges, 40-95 for now.

EDIT: I haven't been a SS person, I didn't think, but I like clarity a lot.

If you like rotos you'll probably like loriders too. They are similar but have a little more clarity than rotos. Still growly though especially down low. I would call them a little more refined version of swing bass strings and smoother on the fingers. When I tried hibeams I should have gotten more loriders but I had to try everything. I'm still trying new strings.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Yeah, the Roto 66s aren't about the zingy highs but the unique, aggressive mids. They lose the zing pretty fast but they still have the powerful mids. They are very different to any other strings. I often see people recommending DR Hi-Beams or other steel roundwounds as an alternative but even though they're great strings they don't sound like the Rotos. The mids are completely different, "cleaner" somehow. The Rotos are DIRTY! I love them!

I also think the Roto's reputation for being rough on the fingers and frets is highly exaggerated. If your fingers can handle playing bass on a regular basis you really should have no problems with Rotos. You may not LIKE them of course but that's a completely different matter.

Just avoid the short scale Roto 66s. They are horrible! The E-string is so floppy it can't even hold a steady enough pitch to tune them properly. BooOOOiiiing!

 

[eriky4003]

I'm with GTHinz that Lo Riders sound quite a bit like Roto's 66s. A bit more refined.
Another string that I believe sounds like the Roto 66s is the Marcus Miller Dunlop Super Brights. They have a bit more grind in the upper-mids than Roto's which have it more in the low-mids.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

The following is not necessarily bad:
We know that we shouldn't post string reviews too quickly, and this is a good example as the Rotos have rounded quite a bit in only three days. They're now side-by-side with SS Lo-Riders (E,D vs A,G) which sound approximately the same as the *straight out of the pack* Rotos did, but I'd better give it some time, right?

This rounding is - so far - not bad sounding at all and I might like it. In fact, I will be consulting Planet Caravan.

The roughness I'm already used to. It won't be an issue. The SS Lo-Riders are smoother, but also greyish (as opposed to highly polished looking) and also have a texture.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

the Rotos have rounded quite a bit in only three days

I had a set of 66s on a BB424 for a month, and they sounded different each week!

They also managed to exacerbate a dead spot on the G string significantly, but I don't think that's the strings' fault. It was more convenient to pin the blame on them tho

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Now, all four strings starting fresh this time, I have SS Lo-Riders on E, D and Rotos on A, G on a Squier CV '51.
I intend to leave the other four on the P bass too.

I'll let you know what happens after some time.

 

[JRA]

although i might say that TI jazz rounds are my current favorite/preferred string set, roto 66s have been my all-time, go-to, reliable favorites. that i'm used to them probably influences my thinking. TBH: any set of rounds is better than the alternative!

 

[iiipopes]

Years ago, I was in a blues band that played in the area. We had a festival gig. A player from another band asked me what flats I had on my bass. I told him they were not flats, but Roto 66. He was amazed I got a deep tone with no raspy top end.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Years ago, I was in a blues band that played in the area. We had a festival gig. A player from another band asked me what flats I had on my bass. I told him they were not flats, but Roto 66. He was amazed I got a deep tone with no raspy top end.

Since you said that first I'll tell you what I was thinking:
I still love some flats but before they break in. I don't like the flavor of the rounding off of the attack and muffling of the ones I tried in the past after they break in, the cruelest heartbreak La Bella DTF. But I was listening to the rounding of this Roto E string breaking in, thinking that it really doesn't sound bad at all, and I could like it (in the same way that I like a traditional-style single 15" speaker).

Then I thought, wouldn't it be ironic - as the answer to "flats that sound like rounds" is often Cobalts - if the answer to the question "rounds that sound like flats" could be Roto 66, given their reputation!

I won't be changing them every other day so it's this broken-in tone that I'll be evaluating. Surprised.

 

[iiipopes]

Since you said that first I'll tell you what I was thinking:
I still love some flats but before they break in. I don't like the flavor of the rounding off of the attack and muffling of the ones I tried in the past after they break in, the cruelest heartbreak La Bella DTF. But I was listening to the rounding of this Roto E string breaking in, thinking that it really doesn't sound bad at all, and I could like it (in the same way that I like a traditional-style single 15" speaker).

Then I thought, wouldn't it be ironic - as the answer to "flats that sound like rounds" is often Cobalts - if the answer to the question "rounds that sound like flats" could be Roto 66, given their reputation!

I won't be changing them every other day so it's this broken-in tone that I'll be evaluating. Surprised.

I'm not saying that Swingbass could ever be called rounds that sound like flats. But with the proper articulation, especially incorporating elements of classical double bass pizzacato technique of drawing the meat of the tone out of strings, you can temper the articulation of just about any string.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

wouldn't it be ironic - as the answer to "flats that sound like rounds" is often Cobalts - if the answer to the question "rounds that sound like flats" could be Roto 66, given their reputation!

26 year old Roto 66s

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Thanks for the link to a great thread!

 

[Leif Dering]

I really like the Rotosound 66's. I used them when I played funk and did a lot more slapping than I do now, they sounded great on my MIM Jazz.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Conclusion: Broken-in Roto 66s have won their place on my P bass.

I had been disappointed to be unable to hear any difference between Roto 66 and SS Lo-Riders, but @trothwell's clips of GHS Super Steels vs GHS Balanced Nickels, here, gave me a clue I needed: it's easier to hear mid-growl when tone on the instrument is down, even all the way. Now that I know what to listen for, yes, I hear it easily. And this is great because I almost always play with the tone down anyway.

...Roto 66s aren't about the zingy highs but the unique, aggressive mids. They lose the zing pretty fast but they still have the powerful mids.

As they break in, I find that their high rolloff is very natural, just like turning down a tone/treble knob. And now I know that they keep those distinctive mids (so far) even as the highs roll off, and that really works for me.

The Rotos are DIRTY! I love them!

I hear it now. It's in the direction of "rhino farting in a trash can" -Dusty Hill (though I read he later switched to GHS Super Steels, which I might try on my Squier CV '51 someday).

I also think the Roto's reputation for being rough on the fingers and frets is highly exaggerated.

Yes, I'm used to it already.

Thanks everybody.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

..."rhino farting in a trash can" -Dusty Hill (though I read he later switched to GHS Super Steels, which I might try on my Squier CV '51 someday).

Did that, starting in March.
Two new sets mounted E,D vs A,G on one bass and A,G vs E,D on another.
For me, with regard to the above specific property, Roto 66 won by a very small margin. Confirmed this (more blind) after a few weeks too.

I hate to mention just one note, but the Roto 66 E string 5th fret alone could have won the contest.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

IMHO Rotosound Swing Bass 66's are still my favorite stainless steel roundwounds set. They're absolutely fantastic IMO. I haven't found another brand of stainless steel roundwounds that sound as good to my ears. I had been using D'Addario Pro Steels on my P-Bass for quite a few years, and I liked their consistency and lifespan, but I started feeling that they sounded slightly mids-scooped.

I guess it was a little over two years ago, I was part of a Rotosound Swing Bass 66 thread. That inspired me to revisit Swing Bass 66's, after being away from them for so many years. I'm very glad that I did.

I played Swing Bass 66's exclusively from the late 70's into the mid 80's. I switched to NPS roundwounds because I needed a warmer, fatter sounding roundwound set, to better suit the styles that I had started playing.

I first tried D'Addario XLs, and I stuck with them for quite a few years. Then I tried GHS Bass Boomers, and I played them exclusively for many years. I bought an EBMM bass, and after a bit of trial and error, I used Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkys on it. I used these three different brands on my different basses until about 2008, when I changed my sound to an even fatter, more midrange heavy sound with rolled off highs.

GHS Bass Boomers and GHS Pressurewounds are my go-to sets, but I plan on keeping stainless steel roundwounds on my P-Bass, because it's such an iconic sound IMO.

My 2 year old plus set of Rotosound SB66's are still going strong, and still sounding great. I have a set of GHS Super Steels to try out next.

 

[motoman]

They get smother feel in a short time. I just put a set on and noticed how rough they felt. Shortly after they feel like any other string