DR Black Beauties go on every bass I own. I’ve even gotten new (or new to me basses) and have switched out the strings before I even plug it in for the first time.
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Same Strings on all 4 basses?
- Thread starter magic8161
- Start date
Pretty much...currently Boomers for me. In fact, I have Boomers on my electric guitar also. I basically go back and forth between Boomers and P Flats.
I'm going to have to ask you to turn in your bass card. 
All joking aside, you do you. There's a lot of reasons for having different basses. There is simply inspiration from one instrument to the next even if they're the same make and model, or maybe you have main players and backups, or maybe you have a bunch of different basses with the same strings (a 4, a 5, a fretless, etc), or maybe different tunings....
Me personally I only have so much space to store instruments so I try to get the most practical variety out of my collection. Some have flats, some have rounds - but within that variety I tend to use the same brands and kinds of those strings.
All joking aside, you do you. There's a lot of reasons for having different basses. There is simply inspiration from one instrument to the next even if they're the same make and model, or maybe you have main players and backups, or maybe you have a bunch of different basses with the same strings (a 4, a 5, a fretless, etc), or maybe different tunings....
Me personally I only have so much space to store instruments so I try to get the most practical variety out of my collection. Some have flats, some have rounds - but within that variety I tend to use the same brands and kinds of those strings.
If the basses have different style pickups (P, mm, jj, active soap) I don't mind the same strings, gauges,and tunings. If they have the same style pickups, then I at least use different gauges and tunings, even if the string brand and type are the same.
I do however use nicklewound on everything, and 2 brands, d'addario exl and ernie ball slinky.
I do however use nicklewound on everything, and 2 brands, d'addario exl and ernie ball slinky.
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- Sep 9, 2007
- 5,309
- 4,977
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Eventide, GHS Strings, G&L Guitars, NS Design, Tsunami Cables
I have a "go to" set of strings that I'm incredibly familiar with that I'll use when getting a new bass to figure out the tone the bass has, and what I might want out of it. From there, I'll go brighter/darker depending on what I think the bass could use.
I think half my basses have steel and the other have a variety of nps, pure nickel, etc.. Only strings I don't usually use are flats because they're not what I want.
I think half my basses have steel and the other have a variety of nps, pure nickel, etc.. Only strings I don't usually use are flats because they're not what I want.
This is a good approach and I pretty much do the same...I have a "go to" set that I'm familiar with as a starting point, than go brighter, more/less mids, etc, based on the tone I'm after. Much of the time, if its a passive Fender type, the "go to" brand will likely stay anyway
All my electric basses have worn GHS Precision Flats 45-105, since the late 80s. I'm thinking I ought to try something with more midrange bite for my fretless P. Any suggestions?
(gotta be flats, I hate the feel of rounds)
(gotta be flats, I hate the feel of rounds)
As a rule no 2 of my basses will ever have the same set of strings. I use different basses for different tones. Right now, the main 4 I have in rotation have Dunlop MMs (PJ5), D'Addario Tapewounds (fretless), TI Jazz flats (PJ5) and the 4th (Dual Humbuckers) will have some kind of Nickels. The trick is finding which bass wants which kind of string...
i have two, favorite string-set choices that i generally use as 'go-to' sets. i have a third choice on a P-bass just because it was laying around unused. my favorites work on any of my axes so i don't look for different options...but i would if i didn't like the results with my 'go-tos'.
it would only be "weird" if you used flats!
I suppose in a perfect world I'd investigate what string is exactly perfect for each axe. On the other hand, life is short, I have other interests, so they all wear Boomers or XL's. At least they all feel similar and mostly sound similar as well.
You do you. If it makes you happy, no worries.
As for me... my gig basses are identical MIM P's normally with La Bella DTB rounds, except right now I have one strung up with D'Addario Nickel XL's just to see what all the fuss is about. I have Roto Swing 66's in various states of decay on much of the rest of my stable.
As for me... my gig basses are identical MIM P's normally with La Bella DTB rounds, except right now I have one strung up with D'Addario Nickel XL's just to see what all the fuss is about. I have Roto Swing 66's in various states of decay on much of the rest of my stable.
All of my basses are pretty similar, but they all have radically different strings, because that is what gives each one its particular sound.
I don't think it's weird at all. It just sounds like that string works for your needs.
I generally do not have the same kind of string on multiple basses, but that's because I am looking for a distinct sound from each instrument to which the differing tonal range of certain strings are a contributing factor. That said, I would not at all be opposed to using the same type of string on multiple axes if they provided sound I wanted on each instrument.
Pressure wounds are great strings. I used them on a few bases (the others have balanced nickels)
Nothing wrong with having multiple basses: need one for different tunings.
1. Standard tuning
2. Drop D tuning
3. down a 1/2 step.
4. Any other alternate tuning.
Just out of curiosity, and maybe you’ve answered this before, but under normal circumstances what types of musical situations do you spend most of your time in?
For me, I have basically two scenes I am a part of: church (modern worship that is sort of a Coldplay style) and my cover band (which also ends up being a rocky sort of Coldplay style). In other words, my circle is pretty small so I can probably get away with less variety.
I have some variation on the several basses I own. When I get a new bass I do try to find the string set that I think makes it work best. When in doubt I go for Rotosound 66's for Jazz. LaBella flats for P. Ti flats or LaBella Low Tension for fretless. But that is just a starting point. I don't care if the same strings are on multiple basses. Have not tried the PW, sounds like that will happen.
- Sep 9, 2007
- 5,309
- 4,977
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Eventide, GHS Strings, G&L Guitars, NS Design, Tsunami Cables
Totally depends, but the regulars are:
- Solo Electric Bass, sometimes with drums
- Blues Band (subbing, or jams)
- 90s Alternative Cover Band
- Musical Theatre, which can be ANYTHING from traditional URB arco/pizz stuff to straight-ahead rock, doubling on fretted/fretless, etc..
- Unity Church, which has a varied selection of music. I wouldn't consider any of their stuff secular-sounding, or even Christian-sounding. It's more New Age, and World.
- Studio Sessions, usually country, folk or rock
For a while all my basses (except the Godin LR Baggs) had DR Hi Beams. Love the grit. Now I am experimenting. I put DR Flats on my main bass and I have a recently acquired F Jazz with D'Addario ECB81 Chromes. So now I am kind've all over the place. Since I am only playing in my studio right now it doesn't matter. It will be interesting how I feel live in 2021.
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There are two different approaches to achieving "tonal variety/versatility"...
- Use "radically different strings" on "pretty similar basses". (what you describe above)
- Use the same (or similar) strings on "radically different basses". (for example, a P bass, a J bass and an active 5-string HH)
