Smooth and Bright DR Strings? (Compared to Slinkys, Boomers, Rotosounds and D'addarios)

I've been playing the stainless steel Lo-Riders 40-60-80-100-125 on my son's Ibanez SR1205E for the last month or so and I really like them. Not overly zingy but there is a clean crispness to their tone along with a punchy low-mid presence. They're also one of the smoothest SS rounds I've tried.

I'm usually not a stainless steel player at all, so the fact I've been enjoying them as much as I have says a lot.

 

Yes, they're stiffer than the DR's round-core siblings. That said, I don't find the 40-100 set uncomfortably stiff - just firm enough not to go all bouncy under my plucking fingers. If you want flexible strings, try the Hi Beams (SS rounds on a round core).

 

I believe Fat Beams would be worth a try. I do wipe down my strings after playing and find strings stay bright for a long time (3 months or longer).

 

Outside of DRs, I found the Marcus Miller Dunlop Super Brights are very similar to Rotosounds, but will retain there tone a lot longer.

 

Might consider Dean Markley Blue Steels. I find them to be nicely balanced in terms of lows, mids and highs. They are not lacking in in any of those areas and aren't overly pronounced in one or two. Note, there is a steel AND a nickle plated version.

DR Pure Blues, maybe? I think they sound good in my application.

I'm a little surprised that the GHS Boomers were found to be lacking in lows!

 

Sounds like sunbeams. My personal favorite.

 

I'd suggest Sunbeams or Pure Blues. Try both and see what you prefer.
I recently put a set of Rotosound 66 (stainless steel) on my Jazz bass, previous strings were DR Sunbeams. To me, tension isn't very different between these strings. I definitely consider Rotosounds 66 low tension strings as much as Sunbeams or Pure Blues. The sifference isn't very noticeable imho.

 

Here is a very good comparison video between three sets of DR strings (Hi-Beams, Sunbeams and Pure Blues) in several different styles.

 

I'm liking the DR Pure Blues lately on my 4 string jazz bass.

 

I have them on my P. Great sounding strings, and very smooth. Sunbeams are even smoother but voiced slightly different.