Slinky sound, longer life?

[DoctorZee]

After a bit of experimentation through the years (though not at all exhaustive), I’ve settled on Hybrid Slinkys with my P Bass. It’s the tone I want. But… they die so quickly. Is there another set on the market that sounds close to Slinkys, but stays fresh longer?

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I going to try these on my passive p bass

 

[4StringDave]

I've never tried them, but what about their coated Slinkies?

 

[Hutch801]

I going to try these on my passive p bass
View attachment 4917029

I have had good luck with these, I think they are brighter than slinkys but they last longer.

 

[68Goldfish]

To me, DR sunbeams have a sound very similar to EB slinkies but with a much longer life span.

 

[GTHintz]

I tried Ernie ball strings and never was impressed anytime I tried. You might like ghs boomers or dean markley signature series which both have a similar construction. I like dean markley blue steel and have no problem recommending them. They are stainless though. I try not to be biased against anyone but I found that any type of slinky string dies too fast. Like within hours fast. Some say it's body chemistry but regardless I've tried many others that are just overall better and will give you a dependable tone for much longer.

 

[Dincrest]

While I personally favor D'Addarios, another contender in the Ernie Ball strings price category is SIT. Bass Strings Archives - S.I.T. Strings Those are quality strings at competitive prices. I've used the PowerWounds, PowerSteels, PowerFlats, and Silencers. Great strings, but not readily available everywhere. I just happen to prefer D'Addarios. SIT's Foundations are very similar to Dunlop SuperBrights, which are known for slinkiness.

Speaking of Dunlop SuperBrights... A lot of people here on TalkBass love them, but I don't. I tried SB Steels earlier this year and they went corpse dumpster dead on me in about a month. You know... GHS Boomers may break in quickly and lose their brightness in a matter of days, at least they keep that nice broken-in tone for a few months. The Dunlops sounded great for a short while and then dropped off a cliff like Wile E. Coyote.

Speaking of GHS Boomers, if you want a slinky string, those are not for you. Those strings use a thicker hex core so a 40-100 set will feel like other brands' 45-105 sets.

Another slinky string with good longevity is DR Hi-Beams. Even after a year, those things still sound great. They cost more, but many would say their longevity makes them worth it.

 

[Killing Floor]

DR Hi-Beams

+1

 

[WestyBassBob]

+1

+2 on the DR HighBeams.

 

[J Wilson]

In years past, EB would let a request for quote out to the various string makers, and they'd go with the best deal, so they could be inconsistent, depending on your ears. If this is the current state of affairs, I have no clue. Look around at all the brands that don't have their own winding shop/equipment, there's lots are buying them from a third party, and some certainly demand a higher spec and QC than others.

I prefer buying strings from the folks that made them, so I'm a long time GHS and D'Ad guy, depending what I'm after.

I've played long enough to utterly prove the adage, 'Take really good care of your strings, and they'll die anyway'.
In that time, I've tried everything from those uber expensive Austrian confections all the way to those drugstore strings, and they all go away faster than I'd like. My go-to's are nickel roundwounds, so I get GHS Bassics, Balanced Nickels, the occasional Boomer, or D'Ad XL's or the Fender nickels. These are usually among the cheaper strings which allows me to change them more often than buying 'better' (more expensive) strings that go South just as fast. That's the only real way I've found to keep reasonably fresh strings. I've rubbed them down after a night, boiled them, soaked them in any number of preservatives, you name it . . . . and it didn't make a damn bit of difference. Coated strings, cryogenically treated strings, all that does as much good as if I rubbed them down with a garlic clove and olive oil ( . . . . might actually work . . . . ).

Strings that Go Dead 2 Fast are an unfortunate fact of life. It's not just sweaty hands, the winds move around or deform, how old were they when you bought them, how were they packed, did they endure a salt water ocean voyage from the Far East or the EU, on and on. They just go.

 

[micguy]

All strings get duller over time - quickly at first, then much more slowly. The key to “long lasting” strings is to buy strings that are brighter sounding than you like to start with - after a short annoying period, you will settle into a long, relatively stable period.

If Slinky’s “die too fast”, you probably need stainless strings. Yes, they will be too bright for a bit. Turn down the treble in your rig and play them in for a while.

If you keep buying strings that are “just right” fresh out of the pack , you will continue to be disappointed by short string life. Get yourself brighter strings.

 

[Isaac_James]

I've played long enough to utterly prove the adage, 'Take really good care of your strings, and they'll die anyway'.
In that time, I've tried everything from those uber expensive Austrian confections all the way to those drugstore strings, and they all go away faster than I'd like. My go-to's are nickel roundwounds, so I get GHS Bassics, Balanced Nickels, the occasional Boomer, or D'Ad XL's or the Fender nickels. These are usually among the cheaper strings which allows me to change them more often than buying 'better' (more expensive) strings that go South just as fast. That's the only real way I've found to keep reasonably fresh strings. I've rubbed them down after a night, boiled them, soaked them in any number of preservatives, you name it . . . . and it didn't make a damn bit of difference. Coated strings, cryogenically treated strings, all that does as much good as if I rubbed them down with a garlic clove and olive oil ( . . . . might actually work . . . . ).

I recall telling one of my bass teachers that I had tried boiling my strings to extend their life and he replied, "oh, did you also add some olive oil and rosemary?"

 

[J Wilson]

I wonder if THIS would work?

 

[tindrum]

In years past, EB would let a request for quote out to the various string makers, and they'd go with the best deal, so they could be inconsistent, depending on your ears. If this is the current state of affairs, I have no clue. Look around at all the brands that don't have their own winding shop/equipment, there's lots are buying them from a third party, and some certainly demand a higher spec and QC than others.

I prefer buying strings from the folks that made them, so I'm a long time GHS and D'Ad guy, depending what I'm after.

I've played long enough to utterly prove the adage, 'Take really good care of your strings, and they'll die anyway'.
In that time, I've tried everything from those uber expensive Austrian confections all the way to those drugstore strings, and they all go away faster than I'd like. My go-to's are nickel roundwounds, so I get GHS Bassics, Balanced Nickels, the occasional Boomer, or D'Ad XL's or the Fender nickels. These are usually among the cheaper strings which allows me to change them more often than buying 'better' (more expensive) strings that go South just as fast. That's the only real way I've found to keep reasonably fresh strings. I've rubbed them down after a night, boiled them, soaked them in any number of preservatives, you name it . . . . and it didn't make a damn bit of difference. Coated strings, cryogenically treated strings, all that does as much good as if I rubbed them down with a garlic clove and olive oil ( . . . . might actually work . . . . ).

Strings that Go Dead 2 Fast are an unfortunate fact of life. It's not just sweaty hands, the winds move around or deform, how old were they when you bought them, how were they packed, did they endure a salt water ocean voyage from the Far East or the EU, on and on. They just go.

Ernie Ball has made there own strings, for both bass and guitar, in their own factory in Coachella, California for MANY years. Not sure where you heard they sublet production to a 3rd party.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

In years past, EB would let a request for quote out to the various string makers, and they'd go with the best deal, so they could be inconsistent, depending on your ears. If this is the current state of affairs, I have no clue. Look around at all the brands that don't have their own winding shop/equipment, there's lots are buying them from a third party, and some certainly demand a higher spec and QC than others.

I prefer buying strings from the folks that made them, so I'm a long time GHS and D'Ad guy, depending what I'm after.

I've played long enough to utterly prove the adage, 'Take really good care of your strings, and they'll die anyway'.
In that time, I've tried everything from those uber expensive Austrian confections all the way to those drugstore strings, and they all go away faster than I'd like. My go-to's are nickel roundwounds, so I get GHS Bassics, Balanced Nickels, the occasional Boomer, or D'Ad XL's or the Fender nickels. These are usually among the cheaper strings which allows me to change them more often than buying 'better' (more expensive) strings that go South just as fast. That's the only real way I've found to keep reasonably fresh strings. I've rubbed them down after a night, boiled them, soaked them in any number of preservatives, you name it . . . . and it didn't make a damn bit of difference. Coated strings, cryogenically treated strings, all that does as much good as if I rubbed them down with a garlic clove and olive oil ( . . . . might actually work . . . . ).

Strings that Go Dead 2 Fast are an unfortunate fact of life. It's not just sweaty hands, the winds move around or deform, how old were they when you bought them, how were they packed, did they endure a salt water ocean voyage from the Far East or the EU, on and on. They just go.

Take really good care of your strings, and they'll die anyway'.

The best line of the day! IMO strings don’t come with a lifetime commitment. They are a fungible part of being a bassist. Your bass is your tone up for sale, and if you aren’t getting the tone from for stings, it’s time to change them.

I use either GHS Bass Boomers, or DR Lo Riders. Both of these can get plenty bright with the right EQ. Great life out of them, but when you get to 100 hours of hard play on a set, give yourself a treat and put on a new set of strings!

I look at it this way it’s a choice between a gourmet pizza with a couple of beers to wash it down, and sounding great.

 

[jdjk7]

After a bit of experimentation through the years (though not at all exhaustive), I’ve settled on Hybrid Slinkys with my P Bass. It’s the tone I want. But… they die so quickly. Is there another set on the market that sounds close to Slinkys, but stays fresh longer?

I don't know if they're quite like Slinkies, but I've been using Rotosound Ultramags. They've lasted me a pretty long time.

Another thing that's done me some good is having a switch on the bass that bypasses the volume and tone pots. I really like this idea for several reasons, but flicking that switch on really lets a lot of zing through. With it off, the strings are noticeably darker. You could probably do the same thing with a different value of pot or with no-load pots, but this is what I have experience with.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I wonder if THIS would work?

View attachment 4918082

Good stuff, we use that with the low country boil

 

[Riff Ranger]

In years past, EB would let a request for quote out to the various string makers, and they'd go with the best deal, so they could be inconsistent, depending on your ears. If this is the current state of affairs, I have no clue. Look around at all the brands that don't have their own winding shop/equipment, there's lots are buying them from a third party, and some certainly demand a higher spec and QC than others.

I prefer buying strings from the folks that made them, so I'm a long time GHS and D'Ad guy, depending what I'm after.

I've played long enough to utterly prove the adage, 'Take really good care of your strings, and they'll die anyway'.
In that time, I've tried everything from those uber expensive Austrian confections all the way to those drugstore strings, and they all go away faster than I'd like. My go-to's are nickel roundwounds, so I get GHS Bassics, Balanced Nickels, the occasional Boomer, or D'Ad XL's or the Fender nickels. These are usually among the cheaper strings which allows me to change them more often than buying 'better' (more expensive) strings that go South just as fast. That's the only real way I've found to keep reasonably fresh strings. I've rubbed them down after a night, boiled them, soaked them in any number of preservatives, you name it . . . . and it didn't make a damn bit of difference. Coated strings, cryogenically treated strings, all that does as much good as if I rubbed them down with a garlic clove and olive oil ( . . . . might actually work . . . . ).

Strings that Go Dead 2 Fast are an unfortunate fact of life. It's not just sweaty hands, the winds move around or deform, how old were they when you bought them, how were they packed, did they endure a salt water ocean voyage from the Far East or the EU, on and on. They just go.

Ernie Ball has made there own strings, for both bass and guitar, in their own factory in Coachella, California for MANY years. Not sure where you heard they sublet production to a 3rd party.

Yeah, last I checked Ernie Ball made their strings in Coachella and had for some time, but I didn’t start playing until 1993 and didn’t settle on Slinkies as my go-to strings until about 2000. It would not surprise me to learn that you’re both right if we go back far enough.

I really don’t understand the roiling hatred for Slinkies on TalkBass, but I suppose I don’t have to. Mine seem to sound good out of the sleeve, break in quickly and still sound good only less noisy, last for several months, and then very suddenly die; I can live with that. I can see why our OP would like them to last longer. I suspect favoring a pick and sharing the load between a few instruments extends the lives of my strings but those are only hunches.

 

[MynameisMe]

EB Slinkys last at least a year. I switch basses I play, often but they last for me.

 

[GlennRH]

I've only had good luck with EB Slinkys. I always got the "custom gauge" (45-65-85-105) nickel roundwounds. Each set lasted years. They never went dead.

The trick to preventing any strings from going dead: install them so that the outer winding never gets a chance to loosen around the core. Bend each string sharply with pliers to enter the string post before you cut off the ends.