So can you guys identify strings by ball endsand windings?

[Bard2dbone]

Hey guys -
I've got two Lakland five strings that I'd like to be able to change the strings on. I'd prefer to keep the same kinds they currently have.

Except I can't. I don't know what kinds these are.

The fretted one has roundwounds with both gold wraps and gold ball ends. The fretted has the nicest flats I've ever played with roughly the same tension as the fretted one's rounds. They have the multicolored ball ends. But I don't remember the wrap colors.

 

[michael_t]

Hey guys -
I've got two Lakland five strings that I'd like to be able to change the strings on. I'd prefer to keep the same kinds they currently have.

Except I can't. I don't know what kinds these are.

The fretted one has roundwounds with both gold wraps and gold ball ends. The fretted has the nicest flats I've ever played with roughly the same tension as the fretted one's rounds. They have the multicolored ball ends. But I don't remember the wrap colors.

We need some pics for subtle visual clues.

One at the headstock and one at the bridge including the ball ends for each of the two basses. Thanks.

By the way, the ones with the colored ball ends - what specific colors are they?

 

[michael_t]

The fretted one has roundwounds with both gold wraps and gold ball ends. The fretted has the nicest flats I've ever played with roughly the same tension as the fretted one's rounds.

So, the two basses are both fretted - one with rounds and one with flats. The rounds have the gold silk at both ends with brass ball ends? Or, do the flats have the gold silk?

Very confusing the way you described them. This is why we need pics!

 

[Bard2dbone]

So, the two basses are both fretted - one with rounds and one with flats. The rounds have the gold silk at both ends with brass ball ends? Or, do the flats have the gold silk?

Very confusing the way you described them. This is why we need pics!

I wrote "fretless" on the one with flats. But autocorrect decided I surely MUST have meant fretted.

 

[michael_t]

I wrote "fretless" on the one with flats. But autocorrect decided I surely MUST have meant fretted.

Fretted vs. fretless... I really doesn't matter as we're just talking about the strings on them, not the basses.

Just to make sure I'm understanding you correctly...

The rounds are the ones with gold silk at both ends with brass ball ends, and the flats are the ones with color-coded ball ends but you can't remember the color of the silk.

You still haven't answered my question as to what specific colors of the ball ends those flats have.

 

[Bard2dbone]

The flats have a royal blue-ish wrap, with maybe a little purple in it. The ball ends go purple, gold, red, black, green. Although, to people with better color vision than me, there is apparently an argument to be made for the purple being 'dark lavender', the red being 'deep burnt orange', and the green being 'turquoise'.

And I looked at the ones on the fretted one in different light. The wraps remain pretty darned yellow, bordering on gold. But under different light, the ball ends are just kind of plain steel. Or some similarly bland silver-ish metal.

 

[tindrum]

Your fretless has D’Addario Chromes on it. I’m not sure about the strings with the golden wraps….are they tapered st the bridge by chance?

 

[michael_t]

The flats have a royal blue-ish wrap, with maybe a little purple in it. The ball ends go purple, gold, red, black, green...

Those are D'Addario Chromes Flats for sure.

And I looked at the ones on the fretted one in different light. The wraps remain pretty darned yellow, bordering on gold. But under different light, the ball ends are just kind of plain steel. Or some similarly bland silver-ish metal.

Those sound like possibly an old version of Dean Markley Blue Steels.

 

[Timmah]

Good call on the flats- those sound like you’re describing Chromes.

As for the roundwounds: If the ball ends have silks, they’re probably MTD stainless strings. If there’s no silk at the ball end and the low strings are tapered, they might be Dean Markley SR2000 steels.

 

[michael_t]

As for the roundwounds: If the ball ends have silks, they’re probably MTD stainless strings. If there’s no silk at the ball end and the low strings are tapered, they might be Dean Markley SR2000 steels.

I thought of the MTD Stainless as well. They used to be made by Dean Markley.

 

[Bard2dbone]

Both sets have wraps at the ball ends, as well as at the tuner ends.

 

[Heavy Blue]

The flats have a royal blue-ish wrap, with maybe a little purple in it. The ball ends go purple, gold, red, black, green. Although, to people with better color vision than me, there is apparently an argument to be made for the purple being 'dark lavender', the red being 'deep burnt orange', and the green being 'turquoise'.

And I looked at the ones on the fretted one in different light. The wraps remain pretty darned yellow, bordering on gold. But under different light, the ball ends are just kind of plain steel. Or some similarly bland silver-ish metal.

Another vote for the flats being Chromes.

Absolutely zero idea what the rounds are.