My strings sound metallic.

You know Les personally?

My blue steels (same gauge as les uses) are usually insanely bright and twangy until i break them in for a couple weeks.

 

Metal strings on metal frets sounding 'too metallic'?

Horrors!

"Fetch the needlenose pliers and wood oil...STAT!"



Plenty of string brands out there, from cheap to dear...Different types for different needs. A search in this forum will net you a lot of advice, good and bad.

No such thing as 'beginner' strings, the euphemism you might want is 'budget'.

Try rolling off some of the instrument's treble output to get rid of unwanted high end overtones. This may aid in your quest for a smoother sound, but beware the dreaded mudtone.

 

Yeah, just break them in. You are a beginner so it will take longer, but you'll get there.

 

If they are roundwound strings, which very likely they are, they are going to sound that way. They will have less of a "metallic" tone as you play on them more. But, if you are wanting to play most styles of modern bass that is what is used.

Also, that characteristic of the sound is much less noticeable if you are playing with other instruments at the same time.

 

If your after a fingered bass sound rather than a ckicky one - either practice more till you can play without it sounding metallic or...this may sound crazy...some people melt some butter in the microwave and rub it on their strings then leave it to dry up - if your getting a REALLY clanky sound, try doing this, then leave it for a day, do it again, then play the following day

 

First let me say most folks prefer the "metalic" sound as you put it. I (and others) generally refer to that as the "piano" sound, because it sounds like the low notes on a piano.

For the smooth/deep sound you hear on much popular music, flatwounds are generally the way to go. Rotosound, LaBella and Fender are the most common vendors of the "standard" flat-wounds. I'm a big fan of flats; I hate rounds.

There are also ground-wounds which are somewhere in between, and "tape-wounds" (rounds wrapped with tape) that sound "woody".

 

Send some of that new string zing over my way.

 

So this is where '...Plays like buttah' comes from.

 

Or in my case, "Plays like 'I Can't Believe It's Not Buttah'"

 

Well, it's 'Da dah dah DAH...fit for a king!', then.

 

Was thinking the same thing - hahaha!!!



- georgestrings

 

yes the metalic sound is the sound most players prefer, if you would buy a higher quality roundwound string it will probably stay metalic for a longer time.. but if you don't like it there is always flatwounds..