Has anyone tried the Steve Harris flat wound strings? I'm more fluent using my fingers, but trying to use a pick as well. Thinking about putting these strings on my Mendel model precision bass. Thanks!
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Steve Harris strings
- Thread starter HeyBartenderman
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- pick or fingers
I haven't but they are on the Pbass on this video. Mr Friedland discusses the Rotosound Steve Harris strings at 4:30. Some pick playing at 2:44.
The Steve Harris set is very stiff and high tension at over 250 lbs.! You might want to start with something a little more manageable, ie 45-105.
I had a set of these strings in my stash for years, but never put them on a bass. I wasn't really worried about the high tension or the stiffness. I like stiff strings - especially on a bass that I play with a pick. The high tension - and it is very high - of the Steve Harris flats didn't bother me, either. It would take a lot more tension than that to bother the aluminum T-beam neck on my '78 Kramer 450B. The reason I never used them? The silk colors... He's a life-long fan of the West Ham United FA football club, and the silks are in West Ham's colors. As a life-long fan of another FA club - West Bromwich Albion - I cannot bring myself to have a rival club's colors on my bass. So, when a friend expressed an interest in the SH77s, he got a free set, and the Kramer wears a set of Optima 4099RL Chrome flats...
A source of the highest credibility says "a big neck equals big tone", beginning at 5:07.
I learned this from my Fender American Pro J (as I never get tired of telling you, sorry). Fixed it with an Allparts PMO.
As he said, it would be advisable to have a thick neck (profile) if you intend to try these strings.
Thanks @Phaidrus!
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Ah. Good to know. I have a Nate Mendel P Bass, which has a slightly smaller neck than normal P basses
Go with Rotosound flats in a lighter gauge, the only difference with the Steve Harris set is the heavier gauge
Roto 77 50-110 (SH) = 253.01 lbs.
Roto 77 45-105 = 214.41 lbs.
Roto 77 40-100 = 178.57 lbs.
It's like the LaBella "Original" set, probably more tension than most people want nowadays for standard tuning, but a dream for someone wanting flats in D standard, or maybe even C standard.
I've used the La Bella 1954s 52-110.
I had a sponge rubber mute with them for a while.
Took it out and was surprised how brite they could be. The same strings Bobby Watson used on MJ's Rock with You.
I had a sponge rubber mute with them for a while.
Took it out and was surprised how brite they could be. The same strings Bobby Watson used on MJ's Rock with You.
I don't know if this is true of all brands of flats, but certainly with LaBellas, I think a lot of people don't realize that the lighter gauges are the thumpy ones and the heavy gauges have quite a lot of brightness and sustain.I've used the La Bella 1954s 52-110.
I had a sponge rubber mute with them for a while.
Took it out and was surprised how brite they could be. The same strings Bobby Watson used on MJ's Rock with You.
I use those strings on a Stingray. In C-Standard.
The Roto 77 50-110 tuned down to DGCF are 200.44 lbs. in total tension, which is still healthy but at least a little more manageable.
I have no info on their tension in C-standard, but probably doable.
I have used them and as noted above, they are very stiff, high tension strings, but I like my strings, especially my flats that way. The closest comparison would be the La Bella Jameson flats in terms of how they play and feel. The biggest difference between the Harris and Jamerson strings is that the Jamerson's are thumpier and darker (more old school R&B) while the Harris's brighter and have more attack (more of a rock string - different winding material). They are both great options if you're up for them.
I wish more demos were done like Ed did here. Very few go through so many extremely different sounds.
