Please recommend old roundwound strings for 60s type P-Bass?

[Ralferator]

I love P Basses and am going to get a Classic Vibe 60s P Bass soon again. I'd love to put Flatwounds on it but I also do love the sound of old Roundwounds.

What are your experiences for great roundwound strings that sound awesome when they are old on an 60s type Precision bass?

 

[michael_t]

What are your experiences for great roundwound strings that sound awesome when they are old on an 60s type Precision bass?

"Old" as in how old?

Here are a couple of them I've liked in the past on my P bass for their "well broken-in" tone...

GHS Balanced Nickels (pure nickel roundwound on a round core).
DR Nickel Lo-Riders (nickel-plated steel roundwound on a hex core).

 

[blr2]

Historically, the first roundwound bass strings were Rotosound RS66 that first appear in 1966. I don't know how close today's RS66s are in terms of sound and construction, but if you're looking for a historical reference, that's your best bet. Besides, RS66 sound killer on a P.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Rotosound swing bass. Most guys used these or flats back in the day. However, most of the “ dull tone “ of the 60s comes from the big a&$ tube amps from back then

 

[FRoss6788]

Rotosound swing bass. Most guys used these or flats back in the day. However, most of the “ dull tone “ of the 60s comes from the big a&$ tube amps from back then

Weren't Squire and Entwistle playing through tube amps?

Not dull tone at all...

I don't think tubes had anything to do with it. Simple knob turning and wanting the tone they were getting.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

Here’s one more vote for stainless steel Rotosound Swing Bass 66 roundwounds. IMHO SB66’s on a P-Bass is such a signature sound.

Please bear in mind that they’ll sound quite bright when they’re brand new, but put a bunch of playing time on them, and their bright top end fade away.

 

[pbass2]

Nickel Lo-Riders FTW. They break in fast and can be really warm and "thumpy" on a Pbass. I alternate between 2 P's in a classic country band--one w flats and one with these--and nobody bats an eye.

 

[logdrum]

Weren't Squire and Entwistle playing through tube amps?

That's why he put "dull" in quotes. In context he probably meant warm and what the OP is trying to articulate. Dull is when EDM or hip-hop producers just low pass every thing to the max

 

[mikewalker]

Load that P-bass with Thomastik JAZZ ROUNDS.
They start out mellow, and will progress accordingly... plus they are THE BEST FEELING ROUNDWOUNDS EVER MADE!

 

[Grinderman]

Historically, the first roundwound bass strings were Rotosound RS66 that first appear in 1966. I don't know how close today's RS66s are in terms of sound and construction, but if you're looking for a historical reference, that's your best bet. Besides, RS66 sound killer on a P.

Kind of.

Orchestral and Jazz Strings was founded by James and Ron Howe in '58. In '62 they produced the first roundwound bass guitar strings called "Swing Bass" strings. Around 1964 Entwistle started using Swing Bass rounds but he wasn't completely satisfied with them.

Entwistle thought they could be improved and by '66 The Who was becoming a big deal so he contacted James Howe that year to propose a collaboration of a sort to further refine Swing Bass rounds. This was close to when the company, Orchestral and Jazz Strings, was rechristened Rotosound. The result of Entiwistle and Howe's project is what we know as Rotosound Swing Bass 66 (referring to 1966).

To summarize Swing Bass rounds by Orchestral and Jazz Strings came out in '62. Rotosound Swing Bass 66 rounds--what we know and can still buy today--came out in '66.

I have no idea what year, or if ever, Swing Bass rounds, pre-66, were available in the North American market.

Perhaps Rotosound RB Roto Bass nickel rounds are the same series as or based on the original Swing Bass strings, I don't know.

 

[johnnynitro]

Yup. Old Rotos I have been doing this for many years ! The older the better.

 

[bcbassman]

Don't use Rotosound 66 strings on your vintage anything! They will eat your frets! Round wound strings were made by Fender and other companies. Maybe not as bright as Rotos but much friendlier to your frets.
I recommend GHS Bass Boomers for round wound strings that age well and sound great on everything.
Lots of other choices other that Rotosound 66 strings. Ask Rickenbacker why they stopped their warranty if you used any strings other than their own brand. Rotosounds killed more Rickenbacker basses that any Who concert antics.

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

I discovered way back that Rotos are almost two different strings in one.
There is the bright sound that people buy them for and the less bright, more balanced sound that they reach after days to weeks of use.
There are some players that never knew about the years of use still in them after the bite fades.

 

[FRoss6788]

Don't use Rotosound 66 strings on your vintage anything! They will eat your frets! Round wound strings were made by Fender and other companies. Maybe not as bright as Rotos but much friendlier to your frets.
I recommend GHS Bass Boomers for round wound strings that age well and sound great on everything.
Lots of other choices other that Rotosound 66 strings. Ask Rickenbacker why they stopped their warranty if you used any strings other than their own brand. Rotosounds killed more Rickenbacker basses that any Who concert antics.

Well, to be fair, Rics frets also sucked at that time and were too soft.
Lots of folks use Rotos and don't have any serious problems.
You're just parroting old myths.

 

[Pop C]

Blasphemy!! LOL! For rounds, the TIs are expensive but hard to beat IMO.

 

[digmeout]

These seem to age well for me.

 

[blr2]

Don't use Rotosound 66 strings on your vintage anything! They will eat your frets!

Well, the OP was asking about strings to put on his Squier CV, that is still to be purchased. Hardly a vintage, considering it may not have been manufactured yet.
Concerning vintage, I never had a pre-CBS Fenders and other instruments from the 50's to early 60's, but all my 70's, 80's and later instruments have been perfectly happy with Rotosound SS strings.

 

[michael_t]

These seem to age well for me.View attachment 5299659

Where can we find them? I mean those specific ones in that package?

 

[BigBadBen67]

My go-to rounds are the Fodera nickel mediums. They are about $30 a set but they sound incredible. I've had a set on a P bass for well over six months now; a bass that I play a lot. They just sound keep sounding better and better over time. They are handmade compression wound strings so they have a reputation for lasting a long time.

 

[blr2]

Where can we find them? I mean those specific ones in that package?

These haven't been in production in well over a decade, probably more. Even if you manage to find a set, they'll be dead.