String Conundrum

[Stan_da_man]

I have EB Group IV Flatwounds on my P bass, 40-60-70-95.

I have Pyramid Pure Nickels on my J bass, 40-60-80-100.

I have just acquired a new P bass. I would like to put either NPS or SS strings on, most likely DR.

If I go for one of DRs roundcore strings, which gauge would get me closest in feel? Tension/stiffness. Thank you.

 

[michael_t]

I have EB Group IV Flatwounds on my P bass, 40-60-70-95.

I have Pyramid Pure Nickels on my J bass, 40-60-80-100.

I have just acquired a new P bass. I would like to put either NPS or SS strings on, most likely DR.

If I go for one of DRs roundcore strings, which gauge would get me closest in feel? Tension/stiffness. Thank you.

45-105.

I remember trying the Sunbeams 45-105 (round core) and the Nickel Lo-Riders 40-100 (hex core) back-to-back, and they felt fairly similar in terms of stiffness/flexibility.

 

[Yahboy]

I have EB Group IV Flatwounds on my P bass, 40-60-70-95.

I have Pyramid Pure Nickels on my J bass, 40-60-80-100.

I have just acquired a new P bass. I would like to put either NPS or SS strings on, most likely DR.

If I go for one of DRs roundcore strings, which gauge would get me closest in feel? Tension/stiffness. Thank you.

Dunlop SBN 45-100 .

 

[Stan_da_man]

Dunlop SBN 45-100 .

They don't make Super Brights in 45-100 gauge.

 

[Stan_da_man]

Using 40-95 Chromes as my template, I did some comparisons below:

Chromes

40 - 37.800 lbs
60 - 48.100 lbs
75 - 40.300 lbs
95 - 36.200 lbs

XLs

45 - 42.500 lbs
65 - 48.400 lbs
80 - 40.100 lbs
100 - 34.700 lbs

NYXL

45 - 40.300 lbs
65 - 47.600 lbs
80 - 38.400 lbs
100 - 34.300 lbs

Roto Bass

40 - 39.50 lbs
60 - 38.68 lbs
80 - 43.80 lbs
100 - 33.40 lbs

Round Core Boomers

45 – 42.6 lbs
65 – 46.0 lbs
80 – 43.2 lbs
100 – 38.2 lbs

Bassics

44 – 39.9 lbs
63 – 42.0 lbs
80 – 42.0 lbs
102 – 38.1 lbs

 

[PrimitiveMan]

DR Pure Blues are the stiffest round core they offer. I'd go 45-105

 

[mdogs]

My basses with flats for the most part have either Cobalts 45 to 100 or Group 2.5 45-105. Long story on the Group 2.5, I will most likely change these to Group 2.0 next time around. My basses with rounds have either DR Pure Blues 45-100 or DR Lo Rider nickel 45-100. The outlier tension wise to me are the Group 2.5, definitely considerably higher tension than the others. I find the difference in the PB's and the LR's to be pretty negligible.

 

[Lo-E]

Sunbeams 45-105 feel somewhat similar to EB Group IV to me, with the EB flats being a little stiffer. Pure Blues in the same gauge might feel a little closer. The Pure Blues will also have much stronger mids.

 

[winston]

I had a set of Group IV Flats on my Ibanez that I recently switched for 45-105 RoundCore GHS Boomers.
Boomers definitely feel stiffer and needed a couple of truss rod tightenings. I find DR 40-100 Fat Beams (SS) and Pure Blues (nickel) to be comparable-ish feel wise to Group IV Flats.

 

[Yahboy]

They don't make Super Brights in 45-100 gauge.

Sorry, I means 45-105.

If you love Ti flat or LTF4a-like stiffness, get the SBN 40-100.

Anyway, SBN 45-100 been exists on early days......

 

[W_R]

I can’t help with the flats references, but I am using a few sets of DR rounds. I see folks mention the Lo Riders (hex core) as stiffer than the round core sets. String-vs-string, I would agree somewhat… but… once the instrument setup is adjusted, I personally think the difference in perceived stiffness fades away and other quality differences stand out, i.e. hex vs round core probably would not lead me up to a next larger string gauge.

I was long-term tinkering small adjustments to gauge within sets (larger B and E, thinner A and D, etc) for more balanced tension and had a sort of custom sets thing happening, but have been noticing more in terms of timbre and it led me back to stock DR string sets with more attention to instrument setup. Exception: frequent Drop D/etc could merit a larger low string.

Note - I wonder if DR tunes more than just the gauges in their manufacturing process within the sets, a factory tour would be interesting.

The closest to your Pyramids might be DR Lo Riders Nickel (hex core) in 40-100 gauge. I have Lo Riders, Pure Blues and Fat Beams and use the same gauges per tuning: 40-100 for E standard, 45-105 for E flat, 50-110 for DGCF.

 

[hasbeen]

45-105.

I remember trying the Sunbeams 45-105 (round core) and the Nickel Lo-Riders 40-100 (hex core) back-to-back, and they felt fairly similar in terms of stiffness/flexibility.

I agree. Many....many......MANY moons ago, I played Boomers. I played 40-95. When I went to a round core string, I went "up" a gauge as you stated. To my ear, the more flexible string and larger diameter, gave me a bigger, fatter, tone. Well......it was a theory anyways.

 

[W_R]

Regarding the overall context, what is the P bass that you acquired, with what pickups, and what is the goal for how you want it to sound?