After many years, my strings of choice are Fender Nickels 45 - 105 and La Bella RX Steels 45 - 105. I really love both of those sets; nickel for most, steel for a brighter sound.
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Smoothest (best sounding) roundwounds
- Thread starter Tonecaster
- Start date
What exactly is your bass? As far as mids, that term is used loosely a lot....semi parametric EQ solves a lot of issues but can be tricky to dial in....lots of players want a 'plug and play' setup but the studio is a different thing where you can spend time dialing things in vs live where you are dealing with overall room acoustics and sound person needs to get it right quickly...jmho!
When comparing strings I like to install mixed sets - E, D of one set vs. A, G of the other - on one bass (then the remaining four strings could be installed on another bass). I can feel more confident in my decision then.
I take notes for future reference too.
I take notes for future reference too.
Hi David,
Fairly commonplace Fender P's. Varying pickups, but within a fairly tight 60's tone. Don't record anymore (that was a lifetime ago), but, yes, the acoustics of any given room have an impact. I try to get a sound I like and then adjust as the room is needed.
that said, I do strive for PNP.
;-)
ATB,
Ed
Ever since my Moollons arrived with DR Pure Blues I have since been using them on all my basses that have rounds on them. Extremely pleased with tension, tone and string life. Enjoy!
Don't play aggressively unless you want to sound like Geddy Lee
I'm a big fan of Pressurewounds but only for some basses. I like them on my fretless basses in particular, where I think they feel and sound great—that's where you want that nice midrange bloom. I have them on my Yamaha BB734a because I find it a bit bright for a P and the Pressurewounds tame that nicely without being as dead-sounding as flats.
However, I dislike them on other basses. I immediately did not like them on my Ray—made it sound not like a Ray. I put them on a fretted jazz bass and didn't really like them, changed the pickups on the bass and still didn't like them, and finally put stainless steel rounds on that bass and now it sounds like the growly jazz bass I was looking for.
So, I think the key is to find the right match between bass and strings, and just because you like one kind of string on one bass doesn't mean it's the right string for a different bass. Gotta experiment to find the right match.
They’re a bit crispy with an above average amount of string noise when shifting positions, don’t you think?
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I haven't seem them mentioned yet, but Ken Smith Compressors would fall into this category. A buddy of mine had them on a bass and when I tried it I was curious what they were as they felt really smooth.
If you want readily available, you can't really go wrong with D'Addario Nickel XL's or Ernie Ball Slinky's.
If you want readily available, you can't really go wrong with D'Addario Nickel XL's or Ernie Ball Slinky's.
Interesting that hasn't been my experience with TI rounds (dead E). I adore those strings. I recently tried Hellborg Rounds and Flats on my two P basses just to try something different. They both flattered those basses very nicely and I intend on leaving them on (P bass with Lollars has the Hellborg flats, P bass with PV63s has the Hellborg rounds). Initially, I tried the Hellborg rounds on my Jazz bass as it seemed like a no-brainer but they did not suit that bass at all. I was concerned I had wasted a good amount of money because I couldn't get them to jibe with that bass (Passive Jazz with Lollars). Anyway, I swapped back to the TI rounds on the jazz which always sounded great on that bass, and decided not to mess with success.
I do not play aggressively. I think TIs especially the rounds are ill-suited for that. If you like to dig in these are not that string.
I do not play aggressively. I think TIs especially the rounds are ill-suited for that. If you like to dig in these are not that string.
You have several basses with flats. That's covered. Half Rounds, pressurewounds, pure nickel windings - those are all somewhere between rounds and flats. You say you're putting rounds on a bass for songs that need to sound like rounds. Don't go halfway - get actual rounds. Nickelplated steel wound (stainless rounds might be too much for you). You have a tone control, if they're too bright at some points, turn that down a tad. Starting with strings that "aren't quite rounds", if you want to sound like actual rounds, you'll struggle to get there. A little too bright is fixable with a tone control and/or technique. Too dull is just....dull.
String noise on rounds is mostly a function of technique - you're gonna have to learn a bit about how to play them for the best effect. Sorry, but that's how it works.
String noise on rounds is mostly a function of technique - you're gonna have to learn a bit about how to play them for the best effect. Sorry, but that's how it works.
Very personal choice, so you (OP) really need to try various option to truly get where you want to go for strings.
For the past several years I have swtiched between DR Sunbeams and Pure Blues and have been very happy. I've used TI's in the past, and while they are good (great even) strings, they are kind of silly expensive for something that does wear out. Plus there is the tension issue with TI's. I adjusted to them pretty easily as I'm used to playing TI AccousticCores on 2 fretless basses I use, but it is a technique change.
Good luck OP, lots to work through here. The good news is that most string options will work just fine ... the challenge is getting a brand/set that truly speaks to you (and works for the gigs you're playing.
For the past several years I have swtiched between DR Sunbeams and Pure Blues and have been very happy. I've used TI's in the past, and while they are good (great even) strings, they are kind of silly expensive for something that does wear out. Plus there is the tension issue with TI's. I adjusted to them pretty easily as I'm used to playing TI AccousticCores on 2 fretless basses I use, but it is a technique change.
Good luck OP, lots to work through here. The good news is that most string options will work just fine ... the challenge is getting a brand/set that truly speaks to you (and works for the gigs you're playing.
While I prefer the TI rounds because they just sound 'right' to me right out of the packaging (which has never happened with any other round in my experience, they all seem to need some break in time) I can easily second Dr Sunbeams. I haven't had any experience with Pure Blues, but the Sunbeams were just a great all rounder.. no pun intended.
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D
Ah, are we talking about smoothness is FEEL? My reply was about smoothness in TONE.
Sorry if I got this all wrong...??
