Please school me on strings

[GTHintz]

There's been a lot of great info shared already. All I'm going to ad is when getting strings I would start out with looking up what the similarities are between bands you're into and find the common theme. I started out with Rotosound stainless strings because it's what my favorite players use and it helped me develop a starting point to shape my sound. Maybe seeing what the guys you like are using will help you fast track the learning curve. Also you can think about what the strings on there now are doing and think about what would be nice in your next string. Stiffer, less stiff, thicker sounding, more mids, more highs, less maybe. You'll figure it out. Let us know how the string search goes!

 

[ComeHomeShane]

I'm surprised no one has brought up the element of using different types of strings for different types of music, diff. Eras, and different styles of playing.

I don't think I'm qualified to make an exhaustive list, and technically any string can be used for any style. BUT, you'll find that rounds and flats are typically used for different styles.

 

[Sponson Thrisby]

I'm also a relative newb regarding strings.
FWIW, I recently changed strings on my new FGN Jazz. They had been the factory original D'Addario EPS165's. I liked the sound but I figured after 6 months, they're getting a little dull and it might be time to try something new. I had a set of D'Addario XT's, and put them on. After 2 weeks I still don't care for the sound of them (kind of old piano tone, if that makes sense). So I've ordered a couple sets of EPS165's to go back.

 

[Samatza]

I'm also a relative newb regarding strings.
FWIW, I recently changed strings on my new FGN Jazz. They had been the factory original D'Addario EPS165's. I liked the sound but I figured after 6 months, they're getting a little dull and it might be time to try something new. I had a set of D'Addario XT's, and put them on. After 2 weeks I still don't care for the sound of them (kind of old piano tone, if that makes sense). So I've ordered a couple sets of EPS165's to go back.

Yeah, two different string types there. The XT is a nickel string, the ProSteels are stainless steel. I've used both but also prefer the ProSteels between the two.

I went through a period years ago where I would try different strings every time just to see if they got closer to the sound in my head. Over the years I found that I have preferred strings for different basses and when I find what I like on a particular instrument I just tend to stick with it.

One exception is my P Bass which sports either Chrome flatwounds or Fender pure vintage nickel strings depending on what I'm doing with it. Don't be afraid to try different strings, you'll eventually settle on something that really speaks to you.

 

[redwood]

I think the OP should give us an idea of what type of music (Motown, Funk, Jazz, Metal, etc.), and maybe a particular bassist or two whos tone he would like to try to emulate. That would narrow down the discussion greatly.

 

[Sponson Thrisby]

Yeah, two different string types there. The XT is a nickel string, the ProSteels are stainless steel. I've used both but also prefer the ProSteels between the two.

I went through a period years ago where I would try different strings every time just to see if they got closer to the sound in my head. Over the years I found that I have preferred strings for different basses and when I find what I like on a particular instrument I just tend to stick with it.

One exception is my P Bass which sports either Chrome flatwounds or Fender pure vintage nickel strings depending on what I'm doing with it. Don't be afraid to try different strings, you'll eventually settle on something that really speaks to you.

Yeah, I've realized that stainless is my thing and not nickel. Still lots of options, but at least I've narrowed it down a bit.

 

[Ric5]

Hi all,

I've been switching back and forth on guitar and bass as opportunities come up. I know plenty about guitar strings but bass strings are a mystery to me.

I have a Jazz bass. I've never changed the strings. I don't even know what strings are on it.

I just bought an Ibanez sr1345b 5 string. It's in the mail. I looked up the strings that come on it.

D'Addario® EXL165 + .130 045/.065/.085/.105/.130

It's seems that besides guages, there are lengths to consider. There also seems to be variations in the guages included in sets. Also differences in materials, windings, cores, etc.

Can you give me some ideas as to what is important to know and why someone might chose one type of string over another?

Thanks

D'Addario are the best ... try super lights, try pro steels ... see what you like

 

[BobDeRosa]

Ignore comments like "(this brand of strings) are the best." "Best" is completely subjective, and is determined by the fingers and ears of the individual player.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

To each his own, I don't like being STUNG at all. As for strings, See the first phrase in my reply. I can only suggest listen to all of the above, and try a few until you find one that you like. I currently run roundwound on my Bass, but if I ever, big IF BTW, change them, I might try some flats or coated strings.

Dang swell of you to point out my typo…Feel better?

I’ve been used rounds exclusively for almost 45 years, mostly on Fender basses. From reading the posts on the subject of string preference a lot of comments can not be discounted. Such as the tactile feel of the strings, the. squawk or zing you get when sliding your fretting fingers sliding on the strings for instance. Personally, I can deal with that much better than a thunk. They don’t put flat wounds on pianos either.

So as you you point out, you need to try them to see which ones you like, which is great advice with one problem. It you started today and every 4 week try a new set of strings, 5 years from now you would be still trying out stings, and starting at $24 a set and up, might become a very expensive search.Which is why I suggested to give some thought as to what type of music he’s going to play first, then solicit opinions of others with similar tastes to narrow the field might be a pretty good idea.

 

[BtaylorTheRogue]

I personally like coated strings. I'm running DR Neons (don't trust any reviewer who hasn't tried neons within the past, say, 5 years), but I ran elixirs for about 10 years before that. On my main player bass, I am running Dingwall Stainless, because the DR Neons don't fit.

Which means, if anyone from DR is reading this, that my entire stable of basses will gradually convert back from DR to Elixir. All because DR won't put an extra 1/2 inch of winding length on their neon B strings.

I will say that elixir stainless steels were my FIRST stainless steels, and they tore. my. fingers. up.

This was also in part because my first gig was after 2 months of no playing due to the pandemic, so I can't entirely blame elixir/stainless. However, the DR-Hi Beams I tried (for shorter lengths in a sitting) and the Dingwall stainless haven't bothered my hands at all.

 

[makanudo]

Inversely, I've played bass for 15+ years and I just inherited guitars from my guitar player.

Of his stable, the guitar with .10s feels much better than .9s and I've used "regular" gauge Nickel/steel wound strings .45 to .125/.130 for most of my time playing bass.
Unless you plan on tunning to drop F# or things like that I'd say you won't need to think much about gauges and just go with whats available and feels best to you.

D'Addarios are always a safe bet and cheap enough to try em out and throw em out if they don't work. Once you find a good feeling set on D'Addarios you could try looking at other offerings and know the gauge/tension you like.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

Great info, thanks,

What about sets that have a different mix of guages, like (.45-.100) vs (. 45-.105)?

I get that the lower strings are lighter/heavier but I'm not sure I get why someone would choose one over the other.

This is where personal preference takes over. I love larger than average flats that in reviews people cry and whine about tension. These people prefer wet spaghetti noodles. And in the end nobody is "right" or "wrong". 45 to 105 flats are pretty "standard" so try those and make a decision. I'd recommend roundwounds if you're a slapper because it will be accentuated. My 2 cents. Good luck!

 

[smtp4me]

Hi all,

I've been switching back and forth on guitar and bass as opportunities come up. I know plenty about guitar strings but bass strings are a mystery to me.

I have a Jazz bass. I've never changed the strings. I don't even know what strings are on it.

I just bought an Ibanez sr1345b 5 string. It's in the mail. I looked up the strings that come on it.

D'Addario® EXL165 + .130 045/.065/.085/.105/.130

It's seems that besides guages, there are lengths to consider. There also seems to be variations in the guages included in sets. Also differences in materials, windings, cores, etc.

Can you give me some ideas as to what is important to know and why someone might chose one type of string over another?

Thanks

You will probably find that some (many?) things are similar between guitar and bass strings.

Based on my knowledge and experience:

• Gauge - Heavier gauge (thicker) strings can be perceived to have more low and less high overtones, than lighter strings. Similar to guitar, heavier gauges can feel harder to play, and lighter can feel easier
• Materials - There are different metals/alloys used, such as stainless steel, nickel, copper, even gold. The type of metal used does affect tone, and feel on the fingers. For example, it is generally known that stainless steel is brighter than nickel, and nickel feels less "sticky" than stainless. As above, this is very similar to guitar
• There are coated and non-coated strings. Non-coated tends to be more bright. The only advantage to coated strings that I am aware of, is longer life, but the trade off is a loss of brightness
• String Core - Unless I am forgetting something, strings usually have either a hexagonal core, or a round core. Round cores tend to feel more flexible than hexagonal. I am not aware of a difference in tone between cores - only a difference in feel
• Outer wraps - The outer-most wrap is usually either round (i.e. round wounds), flat (i.e. flat wounds) or a hybrid (called half rounds or pressure rounds). With half rounds, the outer side that your fingers touch is flat, and the under side (touching the inner wraps or core) is round. On a scale of brightest to "dullest", you have: round wounds (brightest), half rounds, then flat wounds ("dullest")
• Length - This depends mostly on the scale length of the bass. For example 34 and 35 inch would typically require "long" scale strings. Unfortunately the length still varies across manufacturers even for categories such as long scale

Hopefully that is everything you need to know (perhaps more than you wanted to know).

 

[BarfanyShart]

Try some flats on that Jazz! Something different that is a very bass-specific thing might be fun. GHS Precision Flats, LaBella Low Tension, Labella Deep Talkin (FX, FL, FS, FM and FMOriginal - from light to heavy), and D'Addario Chromes are all good affordable choices - and you could always buy TI Jazz Flats, if you wanted to spend $100.

 

[mrperkolator]

very good info here. Just a bit I'd like to add/emphasize.

I'll emphasize "best" is very dependent on your fingers/ears. due to a slight ringing in my ears, and calluses from work, I dont like rounds. They seem a bit too bright, and I have terrible finger noise due to the previously mentioned calluses (and probably not enough practice....) So your best will depend on your style and your ears.

My add... Tapewounds are usually skinny roundwounds with nylon tape wrapped around them. LaBellas are anyway. They sound somewhere between the thumpy smooth flatwounds, and bright zing of rounds. On a Ibanez I had, Labella Black tapewounds were magic. Most tapes emulate Labella's selection to a degree, much like basses tend to emulate fender. But not all. Different manufacturers have different recipes for tapes, so they may be a bit different. I've only had experience with LaBella. Tapes are smooth, so less finger noise for me.

 

[MonetBass]

Maybe start here: STRINGS FAQ + RULES: READ THIS FIRST BEFORE POSTING!!!

 

[Ash Jazz]

Thank you everybody,

I'm going to compile all this info and publish it in a book!

Some asked for music style or favorite bass players. To be honest I take on projects as they become available, then try my best to become what that band needs. I've been in bands that range from flower power to grunge. I love blues and jazz too. The jazz language is still a bit over my head, I get the theory but not the syntax, but I would like to change that. Lately I've been listening to New Grass, like Sarah Jrosz, not ready ready to invest in a double bass yet though.

I was raised on classic rock so I tend to carry that with me wherever I go. JPJ is my favorite but I like all the usual suspects like Bruce, Entwistle, McCartney, anybody who played with Steely Dan, etc. James Jameson is awesome, love the Motown stuff.

I tend to gravitate to a darker, rounder tone. I am not a slapper but sometimes I like to go with a scooped tone and get aggressive with it. I want to learn how to do that slapping thing but I think the classic tone is my bread and butter.

 

[Mr Cheese]

A few comparison videos for ya ^^^

 

[bigjames]

Great info, thanks,

What about sets that have a different mix of guages, like (.45-.100) vs (. 45-.105)?

I get that the lower strings are lighter/heavier but I'm not sure I get why someone would choose one over the other.

There is a lot of subjectivity in terms of gauge preference, but here is my 2 cents: a 40, 60, 80, 100 set will have lower tension (easier to press), but a slightly thinner sound (especially on the G string). A 45, 65, 85, 105 set will have more tension, but a thicker sound (especially on the G string). It really is very much personal preference and some sets may not have the thinner / thicker sound I described, that is just my experience. You may have to adjust the string height at the bridge and if you go too much different than stock gauge, you may have to file the nut.

 

[TDSmith]

Don't forget the funk. Not funk-style music, string funk. AKA, gunk. Finger oils, corrosion byproducts, and garden variety dirt are probably the most common kinds of string funk. There have been players who recommend never changing your strings, or even eating fried chicken at practice sessions to get gunk INTO the windings. Others change their strings every session, or go through the hassle of boiling them or using an ultrasonic cleaner to keep the gunk OUT of their strings. It's all about what you're going after.

I'm just guessing here, but my engineering sense tells me that the gunk does a good job of damping the higher harmonic content in the vibration. If you're playing Regge or some Motown styles where a dull thump is your goal then get yourself a bucket of chicken and start working on your bass lines. Win-win. If you're interested in that piano-like zing, then wash the oils off your hands before you play and change your strings regularly.

YMMV.