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Nickel-like Stainless strings?

J.Wolf

J.Wolf

Supporting Member
Commercial User
Apr 29, 2003
9,074
9,790
Asheville, NC
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Contributor- Bass Musician Magazine | Marketing Manager- Trickfish Amplification
#1
I really like the warmth and smooth texture of nickel strings, but Stainelss steel just seem to last about 3-4x as long as nickel for me and my acid hands. Anybody reccomend a stainless string that sounds and feels reminiscent of D'addario XL's? This would be for an Fbass BN6.

thanks-
 
#2
Everyone seems to rave about the last of Superalloys and they do sound XL like. I just put a set on so I am not sure about the last factor. Or just buy yourself XLs a 2-pack at a time. They run about 1/2 the price of boutique strings.

Dave
 
#3
Hey Jake,
that's very interesting... I was just right now looking for similar information!

But for me it's more like trying to find a Steel string that sound clean, punchy with low growl, but with the Nickel top end..... :eyebrow:

:D

There's some rumor about the new Dunlop's Steels....

I may try them...

M
 
#4
May I ask a fellow BN6 owner some string questions?

I have recently purchased an FBass BN6 (ash body, maple neck, Macassar fretboard), and I LOVE its tone and playability. The strings it shipped with are apparently a custom set manufactured by La Bella, but to F Bass specs (.28, .43, 63,.85,.102,.128).

Again, I love how this combination sounds and plays, but I do have two complaints.

First, when I play up the neck, I get a weird overtones that make it sound like the bass is out of tune. It is almost as if there is a chorus effect on or something.

Did / do you experience this same thing on your BN6? If so, will changing the strings help?

I have a friend (on Talkbass) with a BN6, who says that the problem with playing up the neck went away for him when he replaced the strings. George Furlanetto says the problem is caused by the neck pickup being a little close to the string, which leads me to my other complaint.

Second, I sometimes like to dig in and play very close to the bridge, which I cannot do with these strings because the winding stops and the cores are the only part that meets the bridge. When I get to close to the bridge, I pretty much cut my fingers.

I am thinking that if I replaced my strings with strings that are wound all the way to the ends, then the string will sit higher on the bridge and be further away from the pickups, curing the intonation thing, and I'll be able to play with my hand all the way to the bridge when I want to.

Does my theory jive with your experience? Or am I in left field?
 
#5
to be honest, I've never cared for the stock labella supersteps. they sound good, but the feel is too wierd for me. I have never had the issue you're describing, but I would definitely try to lower the neck pickup and throw some familiar strings on there to see if it fixes the problem. It sounds like it could easily be because of the neck pickup being too high.


You will most likely need a setup if you replace the labellas with non-tapered strings. I had to raise my saddles considerably I remember. Good luck!

I have never tried the TI superalloys, maybe thats a good way to go. Then again, for the cost of a 6 string set, I could almost get 3 sets of XL's. I might still give them a whirl.

Any other sets of steel strings that are warm and smooth, and have a slick texture?
 

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