NYXL's on Ibanez BTB1825

[vindibona1]

In 2017 I purchased an Ibanez BTB675M and recently sold it. I had tried NYXL's on it and found I liked Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys on it. I missed the BTB and probably shouldn't have sold it, but found a near mint BTB1825 for about how much I sold the 675 for. I'm not sure what strings I put on it, perhaps Ernie Ball Cobalt (RW's), but I had difficulty hearing the tonal centers and didn't like the feel either. Most strings sets that I was buying two years ago are up 30%. Ernie Ball Cobalt flats which were $36 two years ago are now $59! But the NYXL 5 string set was (I think) $33!. So why not?

I guess the difference between the two basses is mostly the pickups; Aguilars vs Barts. I would assume the preamp is similar, though the 1825 has an "EQ off" which I would presume would switch into a "passive" mode? Anyway... I just threw a set of NYXL's on the 1825 and is sounds marvelous. I was planning on taking either my Sandberg or Fender P5 to next Friday's gig, but I'm now rethinking that.

I guess I'm a bit surprised that I didn't much care for the NYXL's on my 675, but think I will really like them on the 1825. What are your thoughts on these strings? Which basses do you put them on?

 

[Geri O]

I've gone back and forth with the NYXLs.

They are expensive! But they seem to keep their feel and presence longer than usual with most roundwound strings, So it balances out.

The last time around with the NYXLs, I played them for a few months. Then I decided that I wasn't too crazy about the tone characteristics of the B and E strings. I prefer the tone of those strings with the Pro Steels. To be fair, I prefer the medium-gauge sets of strings where the B is .135 and the E is .105. I don't know how the regular gauges (.130. and .100) sound.

So I've settled on the Pro Steels as my go to strings. I always come back to Pro Steels and I've decided that I'm not changing from them.

I have a couple of friends that have gone with NYXLs and really like them. And it's my understanding that the Mike Lull basses are supplied with NYXLs as OEM. They used to be Pro Steels.

So there's that....

 

[vindibona1]

I've gone back and forth with the NYXLs.

They are expensive! But they seem to keep their feel and presence longer than usual with most roundwound strings, So it balances out.

The last time around with the NYXLs, I played them for a few months. Then I decided that I wasn't too crazy about the tone characteristics of the B and E strings. I prefer the tone of those strings with the Pro Steels. To be fair, I prefer the medium-gauge sets of strings where the B is .135 and the E is .105. I don't know how the regular gauges (.130. and .100) sound.

So I've settled on the Pro Steels as my go to strings. I always come back to Pro Steels and I've decided that I'm not changing from them.

I have a couple of friends that have gone with NYXLs and really like them. And it's my understanding that the Mike Lull basses are supplied with NYXLs as OEM. They used to be Pro Steels.

So there's that....

I get you. But $33-$35 for a 5 string set of premium strings is not expensive by comparison. I guess I can get EB Slinkys for $20-25, a real bargain and the ones I liked better on my 675. Perhaps I'll feel differently in a month or two when the NYXL's break in on this bass. And BTW.... For those not happy with the standard .130 low B a tapered B is available through D'Addario. I have a couple of them on hand that I use from time to time.