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Roto swing bass strings killin my fingers

mike buzzetti

mike buzzetti

Apr 10, 2019
1,457
1,792
Paso Robles Ca.
#1
So I just put on some Rotosound swingbass strings on a Fanned fret Ibanez for a Dual gig this weekend , It was 4 sets fri. and sat. night's so long gig weekend . My fingers both plucking and fingering were KILLIN me by night 2 second set !!! man these things are rough ! , I ended up using a fiber pick for the rest of the night ( my singer had one ?? weird ) .

Anyhow anybody else noticed this with these strings ?? They seem to be mellowing out on the roughness scale.
 
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#6
Based on my readings on this forum, you picked the roughest round-wounds on the planet. Great sounding strings, maybe don't keep their tone long enough but probably the roughest out there. If you love the tone of Rotos 66, you can find similar sounds with (to my ears) Marcus Miller Dunlop Super Brights (still rough) or DR Lo-Riders. These two strings may not have quite the growl of Roto 66s but they're pretty good.
Too bad Dean Markley stopped making the bumble-bee coloured packaged Super Rounds which were their swing at Roto 66s. I'd love to try a set again.
 
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#7
eriky4003 said:
Based on my readings on this forum, you picked the roughest round-wounds on the planet. Great sounding strings, maybe don't keep their tone long enough but probably the roughest out there. If you love the tone of Rotos 66, you can find similar sounds with (to my ears) Marcus Miller Dunlop Super Brights (still rough) or DR Lo-Riders. These two strings may not have quite the growl of Roto 66s but they're pretty good.
Too bad Dean Markley stopped making the bumble-bee coloured packaged Super Rounds which were their swing at Roto 66s. I'd love to try a set again.
Click to expand...
Good INFO , ill look into them < I went with what I remember from way back when with the Roto's
 
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#8
They are more rough and grabby that NPS, for sure. But I only have a problem with them in sliding up to a note. More of an issue with higher gauge sets. 100s are just fine. Bigger than that and they need to be on a bass with really low action. I put up with the grabby because I love the tone on a few basses. Try lighter strings and you might not have to work so hard.

SIT Powersteels feel a little better, but don't the same bite and punch. Dean Markley seems to make the best feeling SS string I've played. They sound great, but nothing sounds like Rotos.
 
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#10
mike buzzetti said:
Anyhow anybody else noticed this with these strings ??
Click to expand...
i don't notice them as "rougher than other round wounds" (exception: TI jazz rounds), but i guess that's what calluses are for, huh? :D i'm kidding you a bit because i used to raise a blister now and then using them on my fretlesses, but after almost 50 years = i have adequate calluses + i don't play as hard as i used to (i figured out that there was no need: they're "electric" basses).

they've been a great string choice for me. i hope you can get used to them, too, if you like the way they sound! good luck! :thumbsup:
 
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#11
JRA said:
i don't notice them as "rougher than other round wounds" (exception: TI jazz rounds), but i guess that's what calluses are for, huh? :D i'm kidding you a bit because i used to raise a blister now and then using them on my fretlesses, but after almost 50 years = i have adequate calluses + i don't play as hard as i used to (i figured out that there was no need: they're "electric" basses).

they've been a great string choice for me. i hope you can get used to them, too, if you like the way they sound! good luck! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
they seem to have smoothed out a bit we'll see how it goes , I did play 8 hrs so that had something to do with my fingers hurting
 
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#13
eriky4003 said:
Based on my readings on this forum, you picked the roughest round-wounds on the planet. Great sounding strings, maybe don't keep their tone long enough but probably the roughest out there. If you love the tone of Rotos 66, you can find similar sounds with (to my ears) Marcus Miller Dunlop Super Brights (still rough) or DR Lo-Riders. These two strings may not have quite the growl of Roto 66s but they're pretty good.
Too bad Dean Markley stopped making the bumble-bee coloured packaged Super Rounds which were their swing at Roto 66s. I'd love to try a set again.
Click to expand...

Would happily play Dean Markley Super Rounds again, but swore off Roto 66 by 1982.
 
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#14
Great recording strings.

I wouldn’t waste them or my fingers by keeping them on any regularly played bass.

I buy packs of them in pairs. Use the first set to break-in my fingers and remember how to get the most out of the strings which takes about as much time as it takes to turn them into uselessly blurry thuff cables.
 
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#15
Ok so I want a heavier gauge string for a Ibanez fanned fret bass 36.5" scale SRMS805
what do you suggest ?? I play slap funk ,Motown and soul music

maybe these ??
D'Addario EPS170-5 5-String ProSteels Bass Guitar Strings, Light, 45-130, Long Scale

and
DR Strings Hi-Beam - Stainless Steel Round Core Medium 5 String 45-125
 
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#18
mike buzzetti said:
Ok so I want a heavier gauge string for a Ibanez fanned fret bass 36.5" scale SRMS805
what do you suggest ?? I play slap funk ,Motown and soul music

maybe these ??
D'Addario EPS170-5 5-String ProSteels Bass Guitar Strings, Light, 45-130, Long Scale

and
DR Strings Hi-Beam - Stainless Steel Round Core Medium 5 String 45-125
Click to expand...

D'Addario "long scale" = 36 7/8" from ball end to taper = too short for the 36.5" scale low B.

DR "long scale" = 37.75" from ball end to taper = should be long enough for the 36.5" scale low B.

DR Hi Beams = stainless steel roundwound on a round core = more flexible than D'Addario (hex core).

DR Lo-Riders = stainless steel roundwound on a hex core = stiffer in feel, similar to D'Addario (hex core).
 
#19
michael_t said:
D'Addario "long scale" = 36 7/8" from ball end to taper = too short for the 36.5" scale low B.

DR "long scale" = 37.75" from ball end to taper = should be long enough for the 36.5" scale low B.

DR Hi Beams = stainless steel roundwound on a round core = more flexible than D'Addario (hex core).

DR Lo-Riders = stainless steel roundwound on a hex core = stiffer in feel, similar to D'Addario (hex core).
Click to expand...
Good info, it is a 35.5 scale on the low B ! not 36.5 my bad !
I changed the Dadarios to super long scale
 

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