Roto or D'Addario - Which is Smoother

[Dust2Dust]

I've been using DR Sunbeams on my jazz V and they are killing my fretting fingers. It's like walking barefoot on a gravel driveway.
I tune E-C so I have to buy strings for 6-stringers and use the high 5 strings, and this limits my choices.
The choice I have is either D'Addario XL Nickel Wound 32-45-65-80-100
Or
Rotosound 66 Stainless Steel
35-45-65-80-105

My first concern is smoothness. If both are equal, then which one is duller/deader/dies the quickest/etc

 

[michael_t]

I've been using DR Sunbeams on my jazz V and they are killing my fretting fingers. It's like walking barefoot on a gravel driveway.
I tune E-C so I have to buy strings for 6-stringers and use the high 5 strings, and this limits my choices.
The choice I have is either D'Addario XL Nickel Wound 32-45-65-80-100
Or
Rotosound 66 Stainless Steel
35-45-65-80-105

My first concern is smoothness. If both are equal, then which one is duller/deader/dies the quickest/etc

DR Sunbeams killing your fretting fingers?? Wow, that's a first one! As far as roundwound goes, the Sunbeams are one of the smoothest and the most flexible.

D'A and Roto are both stiffer in feel and rougher in texture.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

that's a first one!

I want someone to recommend the steel Swing Bass, just to see which simile is found to describe their feel

 

[Dust2Dust]

Wow, ok, thanks. I just got a classic vibe P bass yesterday and the stock strings feel fantastic compared to the Sunbeams.
I didn't notice the strings bothering me until I did a proper setup. I only recently learned what intonation was all about. Before that I had the saddles all lined up in a straight line and the saddles raised as high as they would go. I'm going to count it as coincidence though. I don't see how that can make a noticeable difference to my fingers, let alone a negative difference.

 

[ctmullins]

Looks like you’re fairly new here - welcome!

You may not be aware that you can order nearly any combination of strings you could want, from string specialists such as Bass and Guitar Strings, Amps and More from Fret Nation. Shoot them a message and describe what you’re looking for, and they can hook you up. No need to feel locked into six-string sets.

I will also agree with @michael_t : In the roundwound universe, DR tends to be the smoothest feeling, definitely smoother than Rotosound and D’Addario. But to answer your question, the D’Addario XL will feel smoother than the Rotosound 66, not because of the brand, but because a nickel-plated string like the XL is generally smoother than a stainless string like the 66. The trade-off is that nickel-plated strings are also generally less bright sounding than stainless.

Have you considered a compression-wound string, like the GHS Progressive? Edit: I mean Pressurewounds!

 

[michael_t]

Have you considered a compression-wound string, like the GHS Progressive?

You mean GHS Pressurewounds?

Progressives are Alloy 52 roundwound and currently unavailable as they've been going through a makeover, which has been severely delayed due to the pandemic.

 

[Dust2Dust]

I want someone to recommend the steel Swing Bass, just to see which simile is found to describe their feel

I was looking for that same info in the recent thread about "What strings do you use, and why?", but I haven't seen anybody post about it in there.

 

[Dust2Dust]

Looks like you’re fairly new here - welcome!

You may not be aware that you can order nearly any combination of strings you could want, from string specialists such as Bass and Guitar Strings, Amps and More from Fret Nation. Shoot them a message and describe what you’re looking for, and they can hook you up. No need to feel locked into six-string sets.

I will also agree with @michael_t : In the roundwound universe, DR tends to be the smoothest feeling, definitely smoother than Rotosound and D’Addario. But to answer your question, the D’Addario XL will feel smoother than the Rotosound 66, not because of the brand, but because a nickel-plated string like the XL is generally smoother than a stainless string like the 66. The trade-off is that nickel-plated strings are also generally less bright sounding than stainless.

Have you considered a compression-wound string, like the GHS Progressive?

Thanks, I bookmarked that website. I think I'm going to hold off on it just yet tho. Too many red flags with everyone telling me that DRs are the smoothest of the group I've mentioned. I'm thinking that the problem is me, and ordering special strings might not solve anything.

I've got 6 Squier's and 2 Ibanez, all with stock strings except this one j bass, and that's the one that's hurting my fingers.

 

[Aloe]

stainless are generally rougher to fingers than nickels. ymmv, as some folks find nickels to be more irritating due to personal body chemistry

on the other hand, getting used to rough strings might take only several months. when your fingers develop calluses (and they will if you'll play rough strings regularly), you won't notice that anymore.

maybe try some Dunlop Super Brights, they have 6-string sets

 

[Dust2Dust]

stainless are generally rougher to fingers than nickels. ymmv, as some folks find nickels to be more irritating due to personal body chemistry

on the other hand, getting used to rough strings might take only several months. when your fingers develop calluses (and they will if you'll play rough strings regularly), you won't notice that anymore.

maybe try some Dunlop Super Brights, they have 6-string sets

I've got the calluses. I had to stop setting my compressor's attack because the punch was getting too hard from the calluses on my fretting fingers.

I forgot about Dunlop. I was using them when I was still using the low B and as I recall, they weren't bad.

 

[ctmullins]

Compressor? Hmm. Do you find yourself playing aggressively, attacking the strings to try and get the sound you want? If so, are your compressor settings perhaps working against you? Have you tried bypassing all pedals as a baseline?

 

[Lee Moses]

Wow, ok, thanks. I just got a classic vibe P bass yesterday and the stock strings feel fantastic compared to the Sunbeams.

Was it strung with flats? Because IME, there is not a roundwound made that is significantly smoother than Sunbeams. The Dunlop Super Brights are a little more flexible, but not as smooth.

 

[Dust2Dust]

Compressor? Hmm. Do you find yourself playing aggressively, attacking the strings to try and get the sound you want? If so, are your compressor settings perhaps working against you? Have you tried bypassing all pedals as a baseline?

Actually, I don't play aggressive on purpose. When I'm playing and it sounds good, I start to play more enthusiastically, which could translate into "aggressive". I used the compressor in the beginning to get a mild bump/punch, but over time I didn't need that anymore (as stated before). I still use the compressor because when I use a pre (sansamp), there is underlying fuzz that I don't like, and the compressor seems to polish that out.

Actually, there are 2 different sounds that I like. The intro for the song Hero by Warrior Soul is a perfect example of one sound. When I'm going for that sound I use the sansamp and leave it a little dirty.

Warrior Soul - Hero - YouTube

The other sound I like is a totally muffled kind of sound, as if someone put a layer of carpet over the speaker(s).
That sound keeps eluding me. Too bright, too much sustain, etc... and that's when I'm using the compressor to polish out fuzz and stuff that's created by the sansamp. In this case I'm simply using the sansamp to get some substance involved in the notes, or at least that's my thinking behind it.

My new P bass is perfect for the Warrior Soul sound, so I was hoping to get the other sound from the J, but I don't think it will happen.

It was during all this experimenting that I realized the Sunbeams on the J are killing my fingers.

 

[Dust2Dust]

Was it strung with flats? Because IME, there is not a roundwound made that is significantly smoother than Sunbeams. The Dunlop Super Brights are a little more flexible, but not as smooth.

No, but I was thinking of switching to flats, but my only choices are either Gold or Black strings (LaBella).
My bass is natural finish so I might go with the gold strings, if that's what I end up having to do.

 

[Dust2Dust]

If I can't get that sound I'm looking for with the J then I'll switch to trying to get it with my Jaguar with a humbucker.

That still leaves me looking for smoother strings on the J. Pressing down on those Sunbeams sucks.

 

[Fernando Costa]

I tune one of my 5 string basses like you, I use a D'Addario EXL220 plus a 32 that I buy separately. Nickel strings sound smoother and are less aggressive to my fingers.

 

[Dust2Dust]

I tune one of my 5 string basses like you, I use a D'Addario EXL220 plus a 32 that I buy separately. Nickel strings sound smoother and are less aggressive to my fingers.

Wow, those are extra light!

When I was tuning with a low B, I used a 120 instead of 125 and the thing was flopping around way too much and I've been avoiding light strings since then. I play a little fast, not a speed-demon-lead-guitarist-style fast, but faster than that B string could keep up with. Are other strings the same way? Or do they calm down as the strings get thinner?

 

[SteveCS]

didn't notice the strings bothering me until I did a proper setup. I only recently learned what intonation was all about. Before that I had the saddles all lined up in a straight line and the saddles raised as high as they would go. I'm going to count it as coincidence though. I don't see how that can make a noticeable difference to my fingers, let alone a negative difference.

Of course it makes a difference. A massive difference. 1mm at the saddle can turn easy, smooth and fast into an unplayable cheese grater. With a proper setup no strings should cause any of the problems you describe. Sort that before wasting more $$ on strings.

 

[Swipter]

Of your choices I have both. Roto 66 have more tension and are tougher. Exl170 are smoother and tension is non existent to me. I actually have to change my tech with the 170s, which isn't a bad thing.

 

[Fernando Costa]

Wow, those are extra light!

When I was tuning with a low B, I used a 120 instead of 125 and the thing was flopping around way too much and I've been avoiding light strings since then. I play a little fast, not a speed-demon-lead-guitarist-style fast, but faster than that B string could keep up with. Are other strings the same way? Or do they calm down as the strings get thinner?

I use these strings on a fretless bass, I don't play anything too fast. If you need more tension because you play things very fast you can use EXL170 or EXL165, and the single string 35. Either way it's a matter of suitability or taste. I don't really like the tone of steel strings.