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String Conundrum

J

Jesse Pinkman

Aug 11, 2013
6
0
British Columbia, Canada.
#1
Well, I'm new here. I actually signed up just to ask this question, but I'm sure I'll be participating much more in the future ;) Anyways, I'll get on with it...

I've been using the Rotosound 'Rotobass' Nickel strings for a while now. I use the heaviest gauge available (110 - 90 - 70 - 50). The other day I was trying out a bass that was strung with stainless steels and preferred the tone much more than what I'm using now. The guy in the music shop told me that stainless steel tends to keep its tone for considerably longer, whereas nickel seems to die quicker, and isn't as bright to begin with anyways. I decided to research some stainless strings, because I'm really into the clanky sizzle that Geddy got on those earlier Rush albums.

Here's the thing though... I understand that the Rotosound Swing 66 are one of the most popular SS strings on the market, but I've read so many horror stories of people getting 'dead out of the box' Roto's, and have even read some stories of the outer wrap unwinding after tuning them up for the first time, so I think I'll avoid trying the Swing 66 for now. After doing research over the last few days, I've noticed a lot of people saying that DR makes the best SS strings (and so they should be for the price :p)

So after reading about DR's, I've pretty much narrowed it down to two choices. Hi Beams, and Lo Riders. I was pleased to see that they make both varieties in my favourite gauge (110 - 90 - 70 - 50) Apparently the main differences are:

Hi Beams: Less tension. Round core. Brighter 'clanky/snappy' sound.
Lo Riders: Regular tension like other strings, because of the hex core. Not as bright as Hi Beams, but still bright.

I was leaning towards the Hi Beams at first, until I noticed people saying that they have less tension and feel noticeably looser. Uh oh... that could be a problem for me, because I like a tight string that I can really dig into. That's why I use the 110s. Here's what I'm getting at, is it really THAT big of a difference? If I were to buy the Hi Beams in the highest gauge they make, the 110s, would they really feel all that different to the hex core strings that I'm using now which are also 110? Or would the tension difference be minor?

Thanks in advance :)
 
#2
A 110 set of loriders is gonna be super tight. 110 hibeams would be more managable. You might wanna try standard 45-105 loriders and see how you like the tension. But whatever you do, here's where you buy them:Invalid Link Removed
Jason the owner is Slapinfunk here on talkbass. Helluva nice guy with more knowledge of strings than anyone. PM him and tell him you're new to talkbass. He'll have a nice little surprise for your first order.
 
#3
I'm throwing one more into your mix - Fat Beams. Hi-Beams with a bit more bottom umph! Currently, have Hi-Beams on my 5er and Rotos on my Ricky (Lo-Riders at home but not strung on a bass yet - dang). I agree with the consensus - the Rotos have more tension than the HIs. Check Fat Beams specs, I believe they had a bit more tension than the HIs. Going back to the Fats soon.
 
#7
You made the right decision my friend! DRs are amazing, I would love a string endorsement from them some day, wouldn't have a problem using only their strings all the time.

I actually found the lo-riders (SS) to be pretty bright and comparable to the hi-beams. Aside from the stiffness on the lo-riders, they both feel pretty similar to me. You can't go wrong with either string, but I'd try a regular gauge first...these strings will put hair on your nuts, on my Ibanez SRX3EX they are freakin scary lol.
 
#8
I've used Hi Beams since I first found them (when DR was new) and I've thought of them as a huge part of my sound. To be honest, I've never found them to be floppy at all. Since the fat beams have been mentioned here, I might try them next.

I think Geddy's attack is a HUGE part of his tone. He KILLS the strings. I also thought that he used Swingbass 66LDs back in the day? Heck, I thought everyone did. I can't swear to it though.
 
#9
I switched from Elixir to DR Hi-Beams and am satisfied with the tone quite a bit. One thing that I went through when I switched was a shock from stiffness differences. I normally used Elixir (rounds w/ hex core) 40-100 but to get a similar feel, maybe a little stiffer, I'm using DR 55-110. I went through all the gauge sized try to find something that didn't flop with my heavy handed technique. Just remember that rounds bend more than hex.

Re the difference between Hi-Beams and Lo Riders from what I'm told the difference in tone is there but minor. If your used to 50-110 nickle round hex then I'd say start with a similar gauge lo rider. Something else to consider though is I think nickles have a hair less tension than steel. At least that's what I found when I tried DR nickles.
 
#14
and to the OP, personally i'd go with the hibeams 50-110. i've been using hibeams for 5 years and they are pretty much THE string for me. they'll obviously be stiffer due to the heavier gauge but more managable due to the round core, making them more flexible.
 
#19
As far as I know, Geddy has used Roto 66s for years. They're great strings, I've been using them for over 5 years and I've never had a set that was dead out of the box (although my Roto Nickels went dead crazy fast). I absolutely love the clank and growl they provide. I've used to use the RotoBass simply because they're cheaper, but the extra $2 or $3 is worth it for the miles of difference in sound between them.

Never used DR strings, so I can neither talk them up nor knock them down. Blue Steels are pretty good, and last much longer than Rotos.

Geddy also plays very hard, he certainly doesn't "tread lightly", lol.




Btw, I think Pinkman is gonna end up in a plastic barrel with Hank.
 
#20
Jesse Pinkman said:
Here's what I'm getting at...
Click to expand...

Finally! :p

Jesse Pinkman said:
...is it really THAT big of a difference?
Click to expand...

Hard to tell exactly what you mean by "THAT big", but if I can guess what's in your mind, I would say that the difference is relatively subtle, but noticeable - particularly for any experienced player.

It gets mentioned enough around here to be a cliche, but in this case, it really does behoove you to try out both Hi-Beams & Lo-Riders, and see how they feel to you, as nobody else can obtain that visceral sense of "feel" for you, better than you yourself. :eyebrow:

A heavy-gauge .110 "E" string would be heavier than I would like to play, but then again, I don't hit very hard and I'm not you.

MM
 

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