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I hate the stock strings that come on imported basses.
I hate most rounds. Their sound, especially. Not crazy about their feel. Although I did enjoy the suprisingly deep tone of D'Addario Flex Steels, the top end sizzle was getting on my nerves.
But in the flatwound world, I must say the only strings I wasn't fond of on my violin bass were D'Addario Chromes. But on my nephew's Ibanez P-bass, they're sweet. I use a combination of D'Addario Chromes (the thicker 5 strings from a 7-string Jazz guitar pack) guitar strings with a single .080 for the top string on my baritone parts guitar (tune it all down to Open G)
Go figure. It took me a long time to love the Monel 77s that are currently on my violin bass. I really liked the Optima flats (not the RB ones) on my nightmare orange bass, but they absolutely were horrible when I put them on my Sweet Georgia Brown P-bass. They were so bad, they broke.
I had bought a set of Brite Flats for the nightmare orange bass, and the G string snapped. Great sound to them, though.
I hate most rounds. Their sound, especially. Not crazy about their feel. Although I did enjoy the suprisingly deep tone of D'Addario Flex Steels, the top end sizzle was getting on my nerves.
But in the flatwound world, I must say the only strings I wasn't fond of on my violin bass were D'Addario Chromes. But on my nephew's Ibanez P-bass, they're sweet. I use a combination of D'Addario Chromes (the thicker 5 strings from a 7-string Jazz guitar pack) guitar strings with a single .080 for the top string on my baritone parts guitar (tune it all down to Open G)
Go figure. It took me a long time to love the Monel 77s that are currently on my violin bass. I really liked the Optima flats (not the RB ones) on my nightmare orange bass, but they absolutely were horrible when I put them on my Sweet Georgia Brown P-bass. They were so bad, they broke.
I had bought a set of Brite Flats for the nightmare orange bass, and the G string snapped. Great sound to them, though.
I'll hit one of the common ones first, Blue Steels. Pretty much every Markley string I've tried recently has been awful, I'm probably done with them as a whole.
The oddball for me, EB cobalt rounds. They seem to oxidize really quickly from the core, love the feel and sound for the first bit. Then they start to degrade and I might as well change them. Never had any issues with any other rounds, but the cobalts I can't make last more than a month or two. I have the same issue with the flats but it takes 12x longer for this process to happen.
The oddball for me, EB cobalt rounds. They seem to oxidize really quickly from the core, love the feel and sound for the first bit. Then they start to degrade and I might as well change them. Never had any issues with any other rounds, but the cobalts I can't make last more than a month or two. I have the same issue with the flats but it takes 12x longer for this process to happen.
"hate" and "hate".... any string any brand any gauge that breaks in the middle of a tune, live. I agree that strings are too petty things to turn into some "hate" campaign, but as I have come to the conclusion that
a) right gauge and roundwounds.
b) alloy
c) length
are FAR MORE important than any brand logo on the package, so I think any major brand will do! I DO avoid Elixirs, EMP and any coated string regardless of brand. I PREFER and LIKE to use Stainless Steel strings due to my nickel allergy. I do dislike - somewhat - Rotosound where the red silk protrudes over the zero fret/nut or the bridge. I really don't know what these guy's have been smoking. I don't care that much for any tapered, or open core strings either. I somewhat dislikes - but can get away with them - some Ernie Ball variants, because I think they sounds the best when brand new. Although after 2-3 days they sound deader (!?) and lost everything compared to competitive brands. They loose zzzing too fast. I don't mind D'addario, DR, Newtone, Cleartone (only coated ones I can take, and even then with objection), Thomastik, LaBella etc at all. Oh, I've tried som SS GHS that where horrid, they were like coarse sandpaper on my finger pads. Maybe GHS then. But... hate... no.
a) right gauge and roundwounds.
b) alloy
c) length
are FAR MORE important than any brand logo on the package, so I think any major brand will do! I DO avoid Elixirs, EMP and any coated string regardless of brand. I PREFER and LIKE to use Stainless Steel strings due to my nickel allergy. I do dislike - somewhat - Rotosound where the red silk protrudes over the zero fret/nut or the bridge. I really don't know what these guy's have been smoking. I don't care that much for any tapered, or open core strings either. I somewhat dislikes - but can get away with them - some Ernie Ball variants, because I think they sounds the best when brand new. Although after 2-3 days they sound deader (!?) and lost everything compared to competitive brands. They loose zzzing too fast. I don't mind D'addario, DR, Newtone, Cleartone (only coated ones I can take, and even then with objection), Thomastik, LaBella etc at all. Oh, I've tried som SS GHS that where horrid, they were like coarse sandpaper on my finger pads. Maybe GHS then. But... hate... no.
In 17 years of frequenting and working in music stores, I have yet to see a set of Mapes in person, and the lone customer to ever even speak the name was an 84-yo man who hadn't restrung his Martin since he bought it in the '50s.
I kinda hate most bass strings, but I really hate Elixirs. Really, really hate them. Also Chromes.
The counterfiet strings i ended up with after buying what was described as Elixir strings on-line. I bought them as spares so didn't actually open them to use until about 6 months or more after i bought them. Thats when I realised they were fake. Couldn't get a refund from the seller because of the length of time that had elapsed since I bought them. I was really surprised at Elixir whom i contacted about it first off. They just said contact the seller and didn't even ask me for details on the seller so they could follow up their brand infringement etc.
I hate any string set that comes in pairs. I usually only get 4 string or 5 string sets.
Hate Cobalt rounds, love Cobalt flats.
Favorite all around string - whatever Valenti uses with the tapered B string.
Favorite all around string - whatever Valenti uses with the tapered B string.
What's funny is that I've been getting piano bass strings from Mapes for over 30 years. They are the standard "go to" for piano strings, bass and treble wire.
However, I never knew they offered bass guitar strings until recently. And while I was making a piano string order around Christmas, I mentioned my experience to the Mapes fellow I've been ordering from for years. He didn't skip a beat when he gave me the name of the person "over there in guitar strings" to check with. I never pursued it any further.
^^^ this ^^^ My sentiments exactly.
Honestly, I haven't tried "other brands" for a few years now. I'm pretty sold on GHS Boomers and have been for over 30 years. Familiarity breeds... contentment.
I expect pretty much everyone will disagree with me on this, but I really kind of like the stock Fender mediums that came on a new Am Std P Bass I picked up a month or so ago. I was planning to change the strings right after I bought it, but I delayed a bit and would up buying another set of the Fenders to see if this was a fluke or not. Haven't had to change them yet, so I'm still curious.
these...local shop stopped stocking Sunbeams (and even told me they were out of production...LIES!!!) and suggested these. They lasted exactly one week
I had GHS Precision Flats on my departed Squier VM Mustang. I thought they were OK, dark and warm, but they certainly weren't my ideal tone; I like a "bright flat" sound and feel. To that end, I really like EB Cobalts, but unfortunately they're not made in short scale.
The old Fender flats were awesome. I used them on my basses for years. Then a few years ago Fender changed and started having its strings made by d'Addario with a Fender label on them (so I heard anyway) and now they don't impress me at all.
Michael Schreiber
Commercial User
I would hate it, if I had to hate my Rotos 66.
I am surprised, some had to make bad experience with them.
To me it doesn't feel like they'd be losing their brilliance.
But I do play mostly with a pick, maybe that creates enough >>zing<<, even on used strings.
That said, I would also hate to ever having to change my Rotos.
Have them on since over 2 years, still like them very much.
Hope they'll grow up, becoming true vintage strings, that'd be cool! ^^
But shh, that's a secret among us, right
I am surprised, some had to make bad experience with them.
To me it doesn't feel like they'd be losing their brilliance.
But I do play mostly with a pick, maybe that creates enough >>zing<<, even on used strings.
That said, I would also hate to ever having to change my Rotos.
Have them on since over 2 years, still like them very much.
Hope they'll grow up, becoming true vintage strings, that'd be cool! ^^
But shh, that's a secret among us, right
I happen to love D'Addarrio Pro Steels and DR Low Riders and Fat Beams. I also really like Hybrid Slinkies as of recently.
But I bought a pack of DR High Beams once, good God do they die fast. For me anyway. I've come to realize I dont like round core strings. I only play stainless steel but I have an appreciation for flats too. I also think GHS Boomers go way too fast as do Rotos. They are both good strings for a week then they just go dead on me. Can't stand that. That is why I like Pro Streels and Low Riders so much, they keep their zing and zest for so long. I just don't like strings that die or "break in" within a week after you put them on. Nickels.....yucka! Most of them I've tired anyway. Some of the EB Slinkies are OK though.
But I bought a pack of DR High Beams once, good God do they die fast. For me anyway. I've come to realize I dont like round core strings. I only play stainless steel but I have an appreciation for flats too. I also think GHS Boomers go way too fast as do Rotos. They are both good strings for a week then they just go dead on me. Can't stand that. That is why I like Pro Streels and Low Riders so much, they keep their zing and zest for so long. I just don't like strings that die or "break in" within a week after you put them on. Nickels.....yucka! Most of them I've tired anyway. Some of the EB Slinkies are OK though.
1. Roto's 66 Stainless Steel, meh old enemy... Dead in 2 hours, have absolutely zero lows and low-mid (tested on Jazz MIM, Jazz MIA and P-style Sandberg VM4).
2. Thick (i mean THICK) flats with high tension a-la La Bella - it's driving me mad to feel that I haven't got enough strenght in my hands to make Jamerson happy xD
3. Elixir's - just huge expensive "meeeh"
I'm quite surprised by the fact that a lot of bass guru's ala Joe Dart, Geddy Lee and zillion of other great artists play Roto's 66 - that leads us to the obvious fact:
we don't hate strings but the fact that we can't get any decent sound of it.
P.s.: ...and all roundwounds are not what i'm into but i'm having trouble articulating that without using a term for a sexuality in a negative way.
(edited by a moderator)
2. Thick (i mean THICK) flats with high tension a-la La Bella - it's driving me mad to feel that I haven't got enough strenght in my hands to make Jamerson happy xD
3. Elixir's - just huge expensive "meeeh"
I'm quite surprised by the fact that a lot of bass guru's ala Joe Dart, Geddy Lee and zillion of other great artists play Roto's 66 - that leads us to the obvious fact:
we don't hate strings but the fact that we can't get any decent sound of it.
P.s.: ...and all roundwounds are not what i'm into but i'm having trouble articulating that without using a term for a sexuality in a negative way.
(edited by a moderator)
Last edited by a moderator:
