PSA: bass strings explained

[trying4firstbass]

Hi all,

Talkbass is great and I want to give back. I just found this recent blog post at Seymour Duncan that explains and provides standard sound bites using most techniques for each type of string:

Bass Strings: A Primer | Seymour Duncan Blog

The author is a self-disclosed GHS employee so uses GHS examples a lot. This is understandable as the string costs for the project would be $$. I have no affiliation. HTH.

 

[mmbongo]

The author is a self-disclosed GHS employee so uses GHS examples a lot. This is understandable as the string costs for the project would be $$. I have no affiliation. HTH.

Too bad that guy is not a TB member. I'd give him a piece of my mind!

 

[Jon Moody]

The author is a self-disclosed GHS employee so uses GHS examples a lot. This is understandable as the string costs for the project would be $$. I have no affiliation. HTH.

Believe it or not, but I have a good relationship with Eric at LaBella, who has given me strings for an upcoming project I'm working on. So, getting other brands wouldn't have been that hard. But when the SD folk originally approached me on this, the idea was that by using one brand of strings, because the formulas of string construction would remain more similar than doing GHS this, LaBella that, DR this, etc.. it would be easier to explain the tonal differences to a newbie (which was the intent), especially since GHS has a wider variety than many.

So that was the actual reason behind using one set of strings. I just chose GHS out of convenience (plus, I already had 90% of those audio files already done).

 

[trying4firstbass]

John, Thanks for you reply and your project. The project is very well done, obviously had a cost, and took a while to put together.

Neil

 

[BassinCT]

It is helpful to read about the differences and then verify by hearing the sound samples.

I was not expecting such a rich midrange from the brite flats- I liked them.

 

[Jon Moody]

It is helpful to read about the differences and then verify by hearing the sound samples.

I was not expecting such a rich midrange from the brite flats- I liked them.

Keep in mind that all of the strings demo'd were brand new (within 10-15min of putting them on), so you may be hearing a bit of that as well. As time has permitted, any sets of strings I've used for a while on gigs, I've tried to do audio demos as well, so someone can compare New Boomers with Old Boomers, to get an idea of how they'll react.

But yeah, Brite Flats have surprised me. Once you get past the initial tacky feeling they have (a byproduct of the grinding process), they're not too bad.