Question about vintage strings from the '60s...

[JPJ]

For anyone who was actually playing 50+ years ago, or is knowledge about vintage bass strings...

Video of Led Zeppelin at the Bath Festival has just recently surfaced. Apart from the footage being absolutely amazing, at one point, you get a close-up glimpse of the bridge area of JPJ's bass. The string silks appear to have a light-ish blue/gray color to them (closest I can compare to that would be a universal landmark would be Ice Blue Metallic).

JPJ has always talked about using roundwounds, but I've always felt that he was using flatwounds in the early days (in iso bass tracks, it even appears as if part of the line may be with rounds, and another part punched in with flats).

Needless to say...does anyone know what bass strings may have been available in the '60s or 1970 that had this color of silk at the ball end (regardless of rounds or flats)?

 

[iiipopes]

Those may be Rotosound NPS. In the late 70's a friend of mine bought some Rotos for his bass, and they had light greyish or silvery blue silks. I definitely remember the color.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Those may be Rotosound NPS. In the late 70's a friend of mine bought some Rotos for his bass, and they had light greyish or silvery blue silks. I definitely remember the color.

According to this post,

I wrote to Rotosound. Jason How (James's heir) himself replied. He says Swing Bass nickels were first offered in 1996.

Apparently, Mr How simply gave a precise answer to a precise question, i.e. when the Swing Bass 66 nickels were introduced. The company did have nickel-plated steel bass strings out before that, but under different labels: the Funkmaster 303 starting in 1985 or so; the Roto Bass from 1993 ( The fascinating story of Great Britain's Rotosound Music Strings ). How-ever, I think the former had the "Superwound" (aka "Piano String Design") system of adjustable-length exposed core, ergo no silk, at the ball-end; the latter, at least recently, were the budget line also by virtue of having no silks at all. There may have been yet other Rotosound NPS products back in the day, I've no idea.

 

[JPJ]

Thanks guys...really appreciate the commentary. So...possibly another string mfr, but confirmed not from Rotosound? Am I reading things correctly?

 

[Vinny_G]

I could be wrong, but it seems to me that there was no NPS in the 60s.

 

[damos]

Hello
there was no nickel string at that time the rotosound 66 had to be made of steel
these were the first roundwounds I think
Thanks

 

[Pilgrim]

I bought my 1963 P in 1967. I had the neck replaced about 1972 and I know the flatwound strings on it today were the same strings I had on it when the neck was replaced. (And they still sound good.)

I think those strings on it were there when I bought it in 1967. I don't recall changing the strings when the neck was replaced. I'm not sure of the brand, but there's a good chance they are Pyramids. They have slightly dark blue silks at the tuners. Lighting could make blue silks look lighter than they actually are.