Poll: How many different brands/styles of strings do you use?

[ThomasTronics]

I've learned to setup all my basses with DR hi-beams. Couple Jazzes, lakland 44-94 and a kubicki.
I have Hi beams on my thumb 5 NT and I'm going to try low-riders (hex core). As i feel the bass is asking for not l more string tension

 

[butterfingers1]

I’m settled on DR Pure Blues.

 

[G On Bass]

I'm all 5 string and I rotate through 3 different brands of flats, alternating them out as the mood takes me: TI, Chromes and Cobalts (none have tapered B's). Although TI's are the current flavor, my Chromes are nicely seasoned at around 8+ years old I think. As far as rounds I'm still goofing with those, and currently have basses with DR Pure Blues, Dunlop Marcus Millers and Markley Blue steels. I rotate those through as I prefer old rounds, not new ones.

 

[Cleezmo]

Mine is a mixed bag, but generally DRs on all but one of my electrics:

• DR Fatbeams on my 4-string G&Ls, a passive J and active M-2000. These are my favorite strings and usually the first one I try on a new bass.
• DR Sunbeams on a Modulus Q5. Wore stainless for a long time, but I finally tried Sunbeams and it was more the tone I had in my head for that bass
• DR Legend flats on a '90 Peavey Dyna-Bass that I run passive 99% of the time
• GHS Ground Wounds on a G&L L-2500 Fretless

The bass that I experimented the most on with strings is the L-2500 fretless - the stock D'Addarios, Sunbeams, Dunlop Flats, EB Cobalt Flats, then the Ground Wounds.

 

[Burwabit]

All different but there is a reason why each one is paired with it's bass.

Rounds
Sadowsky SS Blacks 45-130T (old type)
Sadowsky SS Blue 45-105
Duncan 45-125 Stainless (not Super Brights)
stock Gibson Thunderbird rounds (haven't changed yet)

Flats (ish)
TI Flats JF344 x 2
TI Flats JF322 43-106
LaBella Low Tension Flats 42-100
D'Addario Chromes 45-100
Ernie Ball Cobalt Flatwound 45-130
Pyramid Flats 640/1 40-55-75-105
LaBella Deep Talkin Bass Black Nylon Tapewounds
GHS Pressurewound
Evah Pirazzi Slap Synthetic

 

[tb-player]

Out of curiosity, did the builder say whether they experiment at all before sending it out? What I mean is did he try a few brands on it, decide which one sounded best, then sent to you? Or just slap whatever (his brand, I’d assume) and let you be the experimenter? I’d assume it’s the latter, but thought I’d ask.

All of his basses ship with his strings. I like his strings so I was asking if I should just put them on every brand of bass. He could have said “yes!” and sold more strings. I appreciated his honesty.

 

[And I]

i've tried to work different kinds of strings into the mix, but it's always DR Sunbeams, 40-120 or 45-125.

 

[Andy Marshman]

Since I discovered Chromes, I buy D'Addario for both flats and rounds (also used their tape wounds, which I don't play any more).

 

[mapleglo]

I use two or three different kinds of strings. Rotosounds are my string of choice, but I have LaBella strings on my short scale, and D'Addario strings on one of my Rickenbacker. A few of my basses still have the original manufacturer strings.

 

[James Flowers]

All my basses have DR Rounds except the newest which still has the factory strings on it.

 

[in tune]

I use only rounds, 99% GHS Boomers & Elixir..

 

[Tim Skaggs]

For flats I have EB Cobalt flats, TI Jazz flats, and D’Adderio Chromes.

For rounds I have a lot. I remember having Dunlop Super Brights, Rotosound Nickel Nickel, A’Adderio XL???,
& a few others I don’t recall.

On upright I have Innovation Super Silvers.
On EUB I have D’Adderio Helicore
On MicroBass I have LaBella Silverbacks.

 

[scott sinner]

It definitely depends on the bass for me. String type is one of those things that can slightly or dramatically tilt timbre in a direction. Though mostly DR Lo-Riders, but some Nickle some Steel. But then there are flats and then there are Phosphor Bronzes for the acoustic electric bass. All DRs though. I like DR.

 

[Lo-E]

I use a wide range of brands and types that are dictated by each bass and what I like to use it for.

The only things that I would say are consistent across the board for me are that I prefer nickel or nickel-plated rounds over SS and I tend to like low or medium/low tension.

 

[No Malarky]

The Rotosound line of various strings is my choice.

 

[MegaSwing]

I try them all. If I don’t like them, that’s where it ends. No one model of string works for everything, IME. It’s just another variable in a signal chain.

 

[marchone]

On 5 basses:

Rotosounds 66 rounds T Bass
La Bella 1954 P Bass
TI JF344 Flats on 2 basses J Bass and Sadowsky
La Bella Spector rounds

I prefer playing flats. They're easier on my fingers. As a '51 reissue, the Telecaster could be strung with any period string set and be proper. I came into mine when Rotos were the rage in the 60s/70s so still use them. The P bass choice speaks for itself. It's Classic Motown. I discovered TI Flats on TalkBass. I'm a fan now. Especially on Jazz basses. But they were great on my P Bass also.

I just got a Spector NS-2 with their proprietary La Bella strings. Very supple and they sound great. I'll leave them on for a while.

 

[_Tay_]

For rounds D'addario NYXLs

For flats Ernie Ball Cobalts

I like a brighter tone

 

[80jazz]

Rotos for J basses.
Warwick red label for P basses and others with distinct toned.
Not really a flats guy, but I plan to try Chromes on an '87 Jazz Special fretless.

I tend to let the bass choose the gauge. I use 35-90 at the lightest and 40-100 at the heaviest.

 

[drumvsbass]

I voted 1 brand but.... I use Thomastik for everything unless, I don't have a set of rounds, then I use D'addario.