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String recommendation
- Thread starter buldog5151bass
- Start date
I played Nickel Lo-Riders for a couple of years before I started messing with flatwounds (DR, Dunlop, TI, EB cobalts, Sadowsy blue and black, Fender, LaBella LTF), Pressurewounds and a few others mentioned in this thread. The answer for me ended up being a worn-out set of D'Addario XL Nickels. I think they're nearly 10 years old now and the E string might finally be giving up.
I had a similar experience with Sweetwater. I went there looking for Dunlop Super Bright Nickle Roundwounds and they weren't listed. I had to order them from Amazon. I will say Sweetwater puts a high premium on their customer service.
I know you say no flats... but hear me out
The Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats might be a good fit here. They're flats, and feel like flats, with reasonable tension/compliance... but they're the brightest flats I've ever tried, by quite some margin. They're the flats that if you buy while wanting a standard flatwould sound, would disappoint you. They're the flats for the people who don't want flats
With tone control open, they sound like rounds that have been used for a bit, with lots of zing available (I had them on a Stingray, and the slap tone was beautiful!), and if you want them to sound a bit more like what you'd expect from flats... turn down the tone control.
Will be trying the Pressure wounds first. I played the Lo Riders on this bass for over a decade, so we will see.
Pressurewounds are indeed the first thing that comes to mind. In my opinion the only one that really comes close to the "best of both worlds" thing.
EB Cobalt Flats would probably be my runner-up answer, close to tied.
I think DAddario and Labella tapes are also worth exploring (some of my favorite strings actually) but I think of them as having their own unique characteristics going on that rounds and flats really don't. Super special strings but in my imaginary string-map, they kinda have their own region rather than falling squarely in between flat and round (like Pressurewounds and Cobalt Flats probably do)
EB Cobalt Flats would probably be my runner-up answer, close to tied.
I think DAddario and Labella tapes are also worth exploring (some of my favorite strings actually) but I think of them as having their own unique characteristics going on that rounds and flats really don't. Super special strings but in my imaginary string-map, they kinda have their own region rather than falling squarely in between flat and round (like Pressurewounds and Cobalt Flats probably do)
Installed them yesterday. They actually seem brighter and closer to rounds than I expected, but so far I like. Will see when I gig them Saturday.
