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66 is all I use. They don't seem to have any issues as I have em on 12 basses and I change em on my stage basses regularly, no prob. My favorite string hands down. I will say they don't seen a bit weaker than before, ever since the new colored balls and lack of bridge side silks
Pbassmanca
In the pocket n' thumpy. So woody, so greasy...
Pbassmanca
In the pocket n' thumpy. So woody, so greasy...
I've got a set of stainless Rotosound Swing 66 (.045 , .065 , .085 , .105 ) , on my Yamaha BB424x , that sound killer on that bass.
I have Roto 77 flatwounds on most of my basses and really like them. For the couple of basses that I string with rounds, it's always Roto 66. Haven't noticed any problems with them... Have tried other brands but keep coming back to Roto.
I've been using swing bass for a few years and they are anything but lifeless. They do go off when they get grungey (some people like that) but a 24hr soak in ethyl alcohol cures that. Three sets in rotation last me a year (~800hrs) of use.
Never had any QA issues.
Never had any QA issues.
I have been wanting to try the Cobalts, but every time I start to they always seem so much more expensive than other strings that I know I will like. I like boosted high mids, being a P5 guy. So hope to try those out soon.
The crap about eating frets is hogwash. Don't buy into it. Love rotosounds have used em on my basses since I was a kid. Currently using them on my Warwick fretless that is epoxy coated gives me the mid aggression I like and super mwah. If you haven't tried em go get some. I am a huge fan of the swing bass 66 strings. I had one set delivered with a dead b string and I emailed rotosound in the UK same story as someone else said they sent me a set in aboUT 2 days via usps
I used Swing Bass 66's for years and then, yeah, they lost their mojo. I went over to flats for quite a while, and still like them for many purposes, but I really would like to get back to a round I like. I might have to give them another shot.
I'm one more who used them for a long time, and then they just seemed to not be the same. Five or six years ago, the local Slam Ash store was selling them my-T-cheap and it just didn't seem like the Rotos I remembered. I wondered that maybe since they were shipped by container across the pond from Old Blighty, maybe the salt air . . . . who knows.
I guess I'll have to give those R66s another try. I used them on my Rick 4001 exclusively from late '70s through the mid '90s. Yes they were tough on the frets of that vintage, but I didn't care, they sounded like nothing else to me. Then I started playing the Stingray and went through a decade or so of really banging on EB strings. When I got my Am GL Jazz a year or so ago, I quickly threw on a set of R66s. Within days I hated them. Not even gigged them, just played at home less than a few hours. I don't know if my ear changed, or they were just a bad match for that bass, or the recipe had changed, but they were horrible. I swapped them over to the Rick, same disappointment.
Since I wasted money on their double ball end strings once, a lot of money too, and their ********* red silk wrap STILL protruded over the zero fret well into the speaking length of the string, as well as at the bridge side, I've decided not even to try them out on regular bass either. No matter how good they sound, and how long they last. They don't care, and they never learn. They just keep their regular silk and wind them on top of any string length. If they only got rid of that one, they would fit more basses out there. They have been very coy when asked about this, either through their fb side, and contact form of their website. Never got any reply of that they think that most of their customers prefer the red silk wrap, or even the bizarre rationale behind it. To their mitigating circumstance, it should be said that they are not alone on this. A couple of other manufacturers uses these red silk end wrapping, which frankly beats me. I've frankly not seen any headless bass made (ever) that can take any Rotosound, or any other string with red silk wrap well behind the zero fret and bridge.
I've heard of numerous users that tried them on their headstocked basses too, so it's not about headless strings only.
I for one, don't think they deserve another second chance. The competition out there is fierce, and I am totally satisifed with other brands anyway. Back in 60s 70s there was too few string makers around, and they almost had monopoly on strings. They were the first to start with roundwounds and thicker gauge inner core too, and rested on their laurels a bit too long.
I've heard of numerous users that tried them on their headstocked basses too, so it's not about headless strings only.
I for one, don't think they deserve another second chance. The competition out there is fierce, and I am totally satisifed with other brands anyway. Back in 60s 70s there was too few string makers around, and they almost had monopoly on strings. They were the first to start with roundwounds and thicker gauge inner core too, and rested on their laurels a bit too long.
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I was a bigtime Entwistle fan and in the 80's even then the RS were inconsistent. I don't know why people slam a couple brands I use constantly and never have an issue with them-- Ernie Ball Medium Slinky's and Hartke Medium XL's. Go ahead and laugh guys but they've always been bright and pretty inexpensive. I really like the Ernie Balls when travelling because you can find them almost anywhere.
Buy your Rotosounds. The time it takes debating the issue you could be using them for real. If they crap out-- how much are they? Besides I never keep a set of strings on my bass for a long length of time anyway.
Buy your Rotosounds. The time it takes debating the issue you could be using them for real. If they crap out-- how much are they? Besides I never keep a set of strings on my bass for a long length of time anyway.
I have been using Swingbass 66's (5 string) on my 2 main jazz basses for the last 8 years with no problems,
I don't change them much these days, I used to change them every 2nd gig, but now every 6 months,
they seem to dull off by then, suddenly become lifeless.
For last weekends gig, my local didn't have my Rotosounds in stock, so I used some D'Dario XL's, not as bright, but some nice punch.
I don't change them much these days, I used to change them every 2nd gig, but now every 6 months,
they seem to dull off by then, suddenly become lifeless.
For last weekends gig, my local didn't have my Rotosounds in stock, so I used some D'Dario XL's, not as bright, but some nice punch.
There was definitely an issue in the late-'90s. Even a diehard Rotosound zealot like Billy Sheehan dropped them due to QC issues (he switched to Charlie Stringer's Snarling Dogs for a while). Supposedly things are better now.
Can't speak to the rounds but I put a set of RS77LD on my PJ bass and they sound and feel great to me. More note definition in a live mix than my jazz bass with rounds.
There have been times that I have moved away from the RS66s due to either availability or cost. Once because I had a gig coming up and I was fresh off of a "dead string in a new pack" experience. In a pinch I'll go with EB Slinkys, which is what I did at that time. They were fine, just missing something to my ear. Recently used D'addario Pro Steels. I used to love Pro Steels on my Ibanez BTB 6 string, but they don't sound anywhere near as good on my P5. Just something about the RS66s tone and attack that makes me overlook any perceived negative aspects about them. Your mileage may vary. 
