String recommendations for Danelectro Longhorn Bass?

[bitterminnows]

Hello everyone,

I’ve just acquired a closet queen 90s MIK Longhorn Bass (very happy with it!), and I was thinking of perhaps changing out the strings on it to brighten up the tone a bit—I’ve no idea how old the ones on it currently are, they could be the originals for all I know!

I was thinking rounds, ideally, as that’s what it’s got currently, but I may also consider flats.

I was looking at some short scale strings online and was wondering about these:

• Rotosound Swing Bass 66 (short scale version)

• Ernie Ball Super Slinky Short Scale .40-.100

• La Bella 760-FD

Any thoughts on these choices? Other recommendations?

For reference with regard to the strings I like and the sounds I like getting, my other bass, a Peavey Foundation, has a set of round core DR PB-40 strings on it—my most used tone is in the Rick/P-Bass clank sort of ball park.

 

[Pier_]

I've used the D'Addario EXL170S, great set of strings on that bass, and they intonate perfectly.

The Rotosounds gave me problems with the E string, that even with the saddle all the way back, was too sharp, and at the 12th fret sounded F.

 

[GIBrat51]

Hello everyone,

I’ve just acquired a closet queen 90s MIK Longhorn Bass (very happy with it!), and I was thinking of perhaps changing out the strings on it to brighten up the tone a bit—I’ve no idea how old the ones on it currently are, they could be the originals for all I know!

I was thinking rounds, ideally, as that’s what it’s got currently, but I may also consider flats.

I was looking at some short scale strings online and was wondering about these:

• Rotosound Swing Bass 66 (short scale version)

• Ernie Ball Super Slinky Short Scale .40-.100

• La Bella 760-FD

Any thoughts on these choices? Other recommendations?

For reference with regard to the strings I like and the sounds I like getting, my other bass, a Peavey Foundation, has a set of round core DR PB-40 strings on it—my most used tone is in the Rick/P-Bass clank sort of ball park.

I have the La Bella 760FX DTF's on my Longhorn. Slightly lighter G string/slightly heavier E string than the FD's; which for me, works a little better with a pick. Plus, I can get long scale FX's, too - which I have on one of my Dano DC59 Pros. However...
I've had other strings on my Longhorn, and none of them sounded "bad". But, I wanted a vintage-y "Dano sound" from the Longhorn and one of my 2 DC59s, so I put the 760FX's on them. But, IME? Danelectros are pretty much "String Chameleons" - they can sound radically different from one string type/gauge to another. My other DC59 has Fender 9050L's on it; sounds like a totally different bass...
So... my recommendation? Experiment; as long as the string leaders will go thru the tuner holes, you'll find something you'll like...

 

[dannylectro]

I've used the D'Addario EXL170S, great set of strings on that bass, and they intonate perfectly.

The Rotosounds gave me problems with the E string, that even with the saddle all the way back, was too sharp, and at the 12th fret sounded F.

This is the answer. I use these on my Jerry Jones Longhorn after many other experiments.

 

[bitterminnows]

Hello again friends! I appreciated all the suggestions, I ended up going with the D’Addarios. I just put them on, the bass is pending a little setup tweaking before I really test them out so I’ll post an update soon!