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OLP MM String Recommendations

John LaTorre

John LaTorre

Jun 2, 2016
52
45
#1
Hi! I just bought a used OLP full-scale bass guitar, but the strings on it are probably older than God. I did a search for string recommendations but they were pretty old. So I'm asking people with this instrument if they can recommend any particular set of strings for this bass. I prefer the half-round or flat-wound style, since my playing with the bass so far has told me that finger-squeak could be a problem.
 
#2
John LaTorre said:
I prefer the half-round or flat-wound style, since my playing with the bass so far has told me that finger-squeak could be a problem.
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A couple of suggestions...

Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats. Being flats, they're smooth with very little finger noise, but bright enough to sound almost like a roundwound.

GHS Pressurewounds (my favorite). They're what GHS calls "rollerwound", meaning the outer round wire is slightly flattened into an oval shape, resulting in a smoother surface texture and reduced finger noise. Their tonal character is more roundwound than flatwound.
 
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#6
Thanks all for your suggestions. It occurred to me that I should have mentioned something else. It was suggested to me that if I wanted the fretboard length of a short-scale bass, I could merely tune the strings a whole note down and put a capo on the second fret. But that got me thinking that, if I did this, the lower string tension might muddy the sound somewhat. When acoustic guitarists want to keep a guitar with a "drop D" tuning, where they lower the bottom E string to D, they often put a thicker string there to keep the tension the same as it would be. Is this something bass guitarists worry about? If I do the "shorter scale emulation," should I opt for thicker, higher tension strings?

I know it seems like I'm overthinking this, but as a luthier, I've seen how string gauges have to be matched to a guitar's scale length.
 
#7
michael_t said:
By the way, are you wanting flats or half-rounds just for the smooth feel? Or, are you actually looking for a flatwound TONE for your bass as well?
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It's not so much "tone" as "reduce finger-squeak." But I do like the feel of the flats on the acoustic bass I have.

trothwell said:
I don't know about the OLP line, but early Music Man basses originally came with GHS Brite Flats. I'd probably try those. (And I happen to like them on Fender basses, but I've never owned a Music Man.)
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The OLP is supposed to be built under license from the Music Man people as a clone with a lower price point, I'm given to understand. But there are probably a zillion people on this forum who could give a better answer to that.
 
#8
John LaTorre said:
If I do the "shorter scale emulation," should I opt for thicker, higher tension strings?
Click to expand...

I use the GHS Pressurewound M7200 (44-62-84-106) on my Fender Jazz tuned down to DGCF. Their natural stiffness and slightly higher tension keep them from going all floppy even when down-tuned a whole step. Meanwhile, I use the PW L7200 (40-54-76-96) for EADG.

PW 40-96 tuned to EADG = 147.2 lbs. in total tension.
PW 44-106 tuned to DGCF = 148.5 lbs. in total tension.
 
#9
John LaTorre said:
It's not so much "tone" as "reduce finger-squeak." But I do like the feel of the flats on the acoustic bass I have.
Click to expand...

I switched from rounds to flats years ago looking for a smoother feel, only to discover they weren't providing the tone I needed.

The I discovered the Pressurewounds. Plenty of the roundwound tone I need but with a much smoother feel than rounds with much quieter slides. No more finger screeches!
 
#10
All Ernie Ball strings are designed to compliment a MM pickup, whether NPS rounds, SS rounds, Stainless Flats, Cobalt Rounds, Cobalt Flats. The stainless flats are probably the most underrated flats out there.
 
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#11
michael_t said:
A couple of suggestions...

Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats. Being flats, they're smooth with very little finger noise, but bright enough to sound almost like a roundwound.

GHS Pressurewounds (my favorite). They're what GHS calls "rollerwound", meaning the outer round wire is slightly flattened into an oval shape, resulting in a smoother surface texture and reduced finger noise. Their tonal character is more roundwound than flatwound.
Click to expand...

+25 to the bold text.
 
#12
John LaTorre said:
Hi! I just bought a used OLP full-scale bass guitar, but the strings on it are probably older than God. I did a search for string recommendations but they were pretty old. So I'm asking people with this instrument if they can recommend any particular set of strings for this bass. I prefer the half-round or flat-wound style, since my playing with the bass so far has told me that finger-squeak could be a problem.
Click to expand...
Ernie Ball Group III (i.e. 45-100) flats are my favorite for StingRay basses.

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It's a fantastic string that covers a lot of territory. Think of them as a baseline; want something brighter, go with the EB Cobalt Flats (45-100). Want something darker then you go with TB's favorite caviar brand, TI.

The lighter than traditional flat's gauge of 45-100 helps retain the brightness and ease of play that allows for a wide range of tones/uses.

Best of luck!
 
#13
The PWs are not going to eliminate finger squeak. It will reduced it nicely, but without technique, it will still be there. These are nice strings though. I use them over RWs and get good life out of them. If I need a full RW tone, I have Boomers on my pbass. PWs are not thumpy by any means, but works well with foam under the strings at the bridge for that thump. Very versatile if you don't mind foam.

I use Cobalts, TI flats, and Fender 9050L flats. I like all three but those are quite different. The Cobalts are the brightest flats I've ever had. While those are not RW tone, it can reasonably pass for it if needed.

I switched out to TI flats because I don't get decent life out of Cobalts. These don't have the highs of Cobalts but since they are very mid and high-mid centric, it can be fooling at times. Very nice strings but pricey. Some say these are too floppy, but that's more of an embellishment. Floppy is what happens to strings when one dives the tremolo. TIs are nothing like that.

I have the 9050L on my EBMM Sterling. Those are middle of the road flat wounds in between traditional like LaBelle and Cobalts. Flexibility-wise, these are the least flexible in feel of the three, but not bad at all. TIs are the most flexible feeling with the Cobalts being not that far behind.

I played Rotosound FWs for a couple of years back in the 80s and those were stiff, stiff, stiff per my recollection. These three FWs are nothing like that.

People say that Daddario makes the 9050L strings for Fender, and these are really Chromes. I don't have enough experience with Chromes to say whether those are Chromes, close to Chromes, or not. The 9050L are the smoothest of the three FWs. I don't experience finger squeak with any of the three, but our technique would make it a subjective comparison.

So with that said, this is only my experience heavily influenced by my tastes. YMMV.

If I was in your shoes, I would look at PWs if you are looking for RW sound without the bite of the highs. I use to say that PWs are RWs without the RW zing (I golf with Ping Zing irons). You'll get reduced finger squeak that should be easy to adjust and not have any.

For flats, I would go with 9050L or Cobalts depending on how much highs you want. The 9050L should be the cheapest, price-wise. So there's that.

I would not spend the money on TIs unless the OLP is your #1. The TIs are on my #1 bass which is in my avatar. Although I've been playing the EBMM Sterling for the past 4 weeks.

I back up church choirs every weekend, with rehearsals one or two days out of the week. Consistently, week in and week out. I feel that I have a wider latitude in strings than if I was playing in a cover band.
 
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#15
Again, thanks for the replies and advice to this newbie at the bass. I'm most interested in string longevity and cost at this point, since I'm playing only for myself or my jam group and am not looking for a particular shape or tone. So I'm open to all suggestions. A friend of mine says he has a set of DR Hi Beams that he'll give me for free, so I think I'll take him up on his offer.
 
#17
I think I'd go with the Fender 9050L flats. For one, they're about as middle of the road, tone-wise, as flats get. They'll get the job done, and you'll have a starting point to use if you decide you want darker - or brighter. For another; they are also pretty much in the middle, stiffness/tension-wise. Again, a good starting point.
As for the strings themselves? They break in fairly quickly (for flats); what little stickiness they may have is easily removed if you clean them - or just play them while you're breaking them in; and, if you keep them clean, they will last a good long while. The set I have on a Danelectro DC59 Pro has been on that bass for about 5 years now, and before that? They were on my '78 Precision Bass for at least 5 years. They might not be as long-lived as some people's TI Jazz Flats, but they'll last a good long while... And, yes; the 9050 flats are made by D'Addario - as are Fender's rounds, and tapes. As are the strings of other companies, too numerous to mention... However, like those other companies, Fender has them made to their specifications; and, no, IME they do not sound like D'Addario Chromes. Which I have on my G&L ASAT Bass. And which, when they die, just might get replaced with a set of 9050Ls...:whistle:
 
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