String Recomendations - Piano like tone from P bass

[Element Zero]

Can someone give an example of a “piano-like” bass tone?

New Stainless steel strings. D’Addario ProSteels are a prime example.

 

[C Stone]

Can someone give an example of a “piano-like” bass tone?

Well this is the first song that came to mind…

 

[darwin-bass]

piano,, i guess you mean taut, so thinnest gauge you can find.

Um, thickest gauge you can find. The thicker the gauge, the higher the tension to tune to pitch and the richer the harmonics.

 

[darwin-bass]

Pianos play really low notes but the don't have much energy at the low frequencies. So you want lots of harmonics (35" scale helps) and lots of brightness (stainless rounds). Apply some low pass filtering to get rid of the clanky highs and maybe some high pass filtering to remove so me of the lows.

 

[Matt O]

Rounds + reverb or chorus.

Reverb works best, imo. Chorus will get you there too, but it’ll sound a bit 80s.

 

[waynobass]

Can someone give an example of a “piano-like” bass tone?

I immediately think of "Baba O'Riley" by The Who. But I don't know what the OP has in mind.

 

[C Stone]

Dean Markley Blue Steels + reverb and/or chorus.

 

[Bob_Ross]

that piano like whirring sound that some strings offer.

I wanna hear more about this "whirring" sound you're looking for. I've never heard that word associated with "piano-like tone" on electric bass, and I've never heard a piano nor a bass that "whirred". What exactly are you looking for?

Well this is the first song that came to mind…

Except, much of that sound is a piano.

 

[Altitude]

GHS Round Core Boomers and DR Pure Blues sound piano string like to me.

I like Pure Blues a lot. There are brighter strings if that’s what the OP wants but I find their tone to be really musical.

 

[blastoff]

probably get a nice setup so you have minimal fret buzz and consider raising the action a hair. and nice new strings

 

[Jim C]

I wanna hear more about this "whirring" sound you're looking for. I've never heard that word associated with "piano-like tone" on electric bass, and I've never heard a piano nor a bass that "whirred". What exactly are you looking for?



Except, much of that sound is a piano.

Last time I went this route was a P bass, Rotosound strings (I think), SVT, Berg HT322 cabinet.
The upper harmonics of the open E string can have a very clear piano like quality both in the fundamnetal but especially overtones.
Sometimes the string will also have a slight whirring sound as well.

 

[C Stone]

Except, much of that sound is a piano.

This might help you hear it more clearly Bob.

 

[rolfplamperton]

Hi Beams.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I’m guess I’m going to be the odd man out and say that “piano like tone” and “p bass” don’t seem like the best pair. The most piano like tone I ever got was from a Modulus Quantum with EMGs and rounds. The tone was clean, clear, even, and had excellent sustain and projection. P basses, in my opinion, tend to have a bit more hair to their tone, sustain like any normal bass, suffer from the normal dead spots, and sound like a normal bass. YMMV.

 

[Bob_Ross]

This might help you hear it more clearly Bob.

Yeah, but that doesn't sound at all like a piano to me though! Sounds like a bass with roundwounds played with a pick through a chorus pedal.
Any idea whether Ross was using a Steinberger or an Ovation on this track?

 

[J-Bass RMR]

Can someone give an example of a “piano-like” bass tone?

Nope.
Mandela effect....

Ovation

Magnum, supposedly

While that "sounds" piano-like, It's not what I think of as the "P Piano tone".

But I REALLY am having a hard time thinking of a specific example right now.
I'm sure it will come to me - right around 3:00am...

 

[C Stone]

Yeah, but that doesn't sound at all like a piano to me though! Sounds like a bass with roundwounds played with a pick through a chorus pedal.
Any idea whether Ross was using a Steinberger or an Ovation on this track?

It definitely sounds like a piano-ish tone to
my ears, I agree with ya though, steel round wounds, a pick and some chorus gets me pretty damn close when we cover it.

On the Escape album the record was said to be recorded with an Ovation Magnum IV.

 

[funkifiedsoul]

Though strings are a part of it, (and as other have suggested, Rotos & Highbeams are good choices), keep in mind that it's the bass itself, particularly a high quality bass that will produce a "piano-like tone", not all basses will do it well.

 

[Yahboy]

40-100 Lo Rider SS round.

 

[Ethix4]

For the last 5 years I've been happily using Sunbeams but have a new project that would benefit from that piano like whirring sound that some strings offer.
Not looking for clanky bright and I am a fingerstyle player for the most part. I do like the felxibility of a round core.
Roto's, High Beams,??

I was looking for something similar. I use DR pure blues, they have some brightness to it originally but they mellow out really nicely and have a great sustaining, clear note. The bass I use them on with nordstrands I call my piano bass!