Strings for 6-string acoustic Alien bass!?

[slombovia]

OK, I ordered a Warwick Rockbass Alien 6-string acoustic bass guitar (fretted).

Problems/parameters:

I HATE roundwounds with piezos - too noisy - and too bad because the Acousticores sound amazing.

I love the Thomastik flats for my fretless electric 6. Might not be clear and articulate enough for this.

I may drop the low B and add a high F. I will be composing on this and playing chords and melody.

I also wanted it slappable. And I don't want strings with no acoustic volume.

I'm probably stuck with plain steel 18-20 for the high F.

Rotosounds Jazz Monel 77 would be nice and smooth and I understand work better than most flats for chords and slapping.

What about GHS Brite Flats?

Maybe GHS Pressurewounds.

Perhaps D'Addario Chromes.

Any thoughts guys? Most flats are too 'thuddy' for this application. I've researched this much over the years but this is a tough order to fill.

MANY THANKS!

Tom Halversen

 

[bassist4dalord]

My first thought is D'Addario Half Rounds. I've never played them, so take my advice with a grain of salt. The description just made me think Half Rounds. I've heard that Roto flats are really high tension, which is why I stayed away for my acoustic. I've got D'Addario Tapewounds on my Ibanez AEB5E and I love it.

 

[Jon Moody]

I have a 6-string Alien Acoustic (albeit fretless). Had it since late October.

I'm currently using an old set of Contact Core Super Steels on the bass; the noise issues are minimal, but I attribute that more to the age of the strings.

Pressurewounds and Brite Flats would both work really well, and I have a lot of gigging experience with both. You can easily slap on both, although the PWs have more of that typical, modern slap sound and the BFs sound more like the 70s slap tone. It just depends on what sound you like/want. The PWs are going to sound like a well-loved set of rounds off the bat (without the inherent scratchiness) and then mellow into a nice hybrid of rounds/flats. The Brite Flats start off a bit darker, and keep that flavor more, but open up to a more deeper fundamental, while still retaining some clarity and brightness.

As with any set of strings that aren't the acoustic bronze ones (which I don't care for either), you will lose a little bit of acoustic volume. I found on my Alien fretless it was minimal; closer to 5-10% at most. It's a loud bass to begin with, so you will still be okay in that department.

When are you getting it? I can feasibly throw a set of our strings on it and make some demos for you, if you would like.

 

[slombovia]

That's very cool of you to offer!

I probably get the bass this Friday. I will mull over the helpful comments you made and check out Dave Pomeroy's videos (not much on Brite Flats though) and see if I can decide which way I'm leaning.

I'll be in touch.

 

[slombovia]

Any other thoughts?

(PM sent, Jon.)

 

[Jon Moody]

Any other thoughts?

(PM sent, Jon.)

Got it; just replied. No problem bringing in the Alien to the office and trying out some Pressurewounds. I figure that since I still have Super Steels on it at the moment, I'll get some demos of that as well, so you have a comparison.

I'll check too and see about grabbing a steel F string, if you'd like to hear what that would sound like (stringing it E-F instead of B-C).

 

[slombovia]

Sounds great. Thanks a lot!

 

[Jon Moody]

Okay, here are the sound demos for you on my Alien 6 fretless. There's obviously going to be SOME difference between this and your fretted one, but you should get a general idea. I tried to get some basic feels recorded, as well as touch on all of the strings.

Personally, I think the bass itself really doesn't allow the B string to speak well (and I think you can hear that in the demos). Between the saddle and the piezos used, the B strings that sound massive and huge on my fretted basses sound thin and unusable on the Alien.

My favorite (and it's currently strung this way) is the E-F tuning, as it seems to allow everything to speak well with clarity and focus. I'm going to keep it like this for a couple of upcoming studio gigs and see what I come up with.

Please let me know if you have any questions, or if there's anything else I can do/demo for you.


Pressurewounds
Gauges .018, .028, 044, .058, .080, .102 (the ML7200 set with C and F)


Pressurewounds - Strung B-C


Pressurewounds - Strung E-F

Contact Core Super Steels
Gauges are unknown (it was an old set I had, that was custom made)


Contact Core Super Steels - Strung B-C


Contact Core Super Steels - Strung E-F

 

[slombovia]

What do I say to the above except that is VERY cool of you to do and THANK YOU very much. I'll keep you posted.

Oh, BTW, if you do decide to give the low B another shot, take a small piece of foil and use it as a (albeit very thin) shim under the saddle just under the B. I once used a sticky piece of copper shielding the same way with success.

 

[slombovia]

Pressurewounds win for me. Just a little bit meatier. A little less string noise. A little richness in lower mids the steels didn't have. That's what comes to mind so far.

I think a string that's strong in the mids is good for piezos because of how the piezos pick up the highs and lows more than magnetic pups.

 

[Jon Moody]

Pressurewounds win for me. Just a little bit meatier. A little less string noise. A little richness in lower mids the steels didn't have. That's what comes to mind so far.
.

I would agree. I like the Pressurewounds a lot, as they really offer a lot of great options; good tone, less string noise, nice feel.

Thanks for that tip with the B string; I still have it, so at some point will give it another go. But for right now, I think I'll stick with the E-F and see how I like it.

 

[slombovia]

I'll let you know how string tests turn out but the bass is here and after a truss rod loosening, nut lowering, and bridge pin adjustment, it is very enjoyable. Sounds good acoustically and plugged in and is fun to play though the action could never be as low as my electrics.

 

[Jon Moody]

I'll let you know how string tests turn out but the bass is here and after a truss rod loosening, nut lowering, and bridge pin adjustment, it is very enjoyable. Sounds good acoustically and plugged in and is fun to play though the action could never be as low as my electrics.

Yeah, please do. It is a fun instrument to play. I'm not that hindered by the higher action of it; grew up playing upright, so I'm used to it.

 

[slombovia]

Hey, how are those plain steel working out for the high F? I'm concerned about evenness of volume and tone. I have found some small (around 20) round wound (would be very small and thus fairly quiet) high F strings I am thinking about. For now, just enjoying what the Warwick bronze offer.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Jon Moody]

Hey, how are those plain steel working out for the high F? I'm concerned about evenness of volume and tone. I have found some small (around 20) round wound (would be very small and thus fairly quiet) high F strings I am thinking about. For now, just enjoying what the Warwick bronze offer.

Thanks,
Tom

I actually find the plain steel high F works out really well. Tonally, it sounds very even to me, as well as the people I've played that bass with. Did a recording session with it over the weekend, and the soundman didn't hear any noticeable difference between the F and the rest.

The only thing I would probably do is get a .020 the next time around; I grabbed a .018 for this one, and in terms of feel/tension, it's a little loose. Nothing major, but enough.

 

[John Le Guyader]

So I got my Alien Rockbass Dekuxe fretless 6-string last week and did a rehearsal with the stock bronze strings for an acoustic Hot Tuna duo I am doing. Too noisy but very playable. I had ordered the bass last Nov. and had a set of Labelle black nylon tape wounds waiting. I finally got a b-stock version if the bass at $100 off on top of a 15% discount on the original order from Bass Alien. Great deal I think since the blemish making it a b-stock on the top of the body where the neck is set in is barely visible.

So I did a gig with the Labelle's on the bass and the sound is much better, but the G string is very hot on the piezo. Seemed that way too with the stock bronze strings. The preamp is a fishman prefix plus-t.

 

[Ammioz77]

So I got my Alien Rockbass Dekuxe fretless 6-string last week and did a rehearsal with the stock bronze strings for an acoustic Hot Tuna duo I am doing. Too noisy but very playable. I had ordered the bass last Nov. and had a set of Labelle black nylon tape wounds waiting. I finally got a b-stock version if the bass at $100 off on top of a 15% discount on the original order from Bass Alien. Great deal I think since the blemish making it a b-stock on the top of the body where the neck is set in is barely visible.

So I did a gig with the Labelle's on the bass and the sound is much better, but the G string is very hot on the piezo. Seemed that way too with the stock bronze strings. The preamp is a fishman prefix plus-t.

Hey! Could you post a sound file of that bass with your Labellas on it? I"m local, and about to pull the trigger on ordering one from our favorite music store in MD... but I want to hear a little more from that bass before I order it... Thanks!

 

[raventepes]

I don't have any recommendations on strings except to comment on the Pressurewounds and that the 4-string set i have on my Jazz bass is killer. Right now, I've been trying to find a retailer that stocks the RockBass Alien 6 to upgrade my current acoustic 4-string. I'm moving most of my basses to 6-strings, though keeping my Jazz, and picking up a Conklin GT7, and I have to wonder where are you guys finding the RockBass Alien 6's?

 

[Jon Moody]

I'm moving most of my basses to 6-strings, though keeping my Jazz, and picking up a Conklin GT7, and I have to wonder where are you guys finding the RockBass Alien 6's?

Sadly, I can't be of help. I've been a Warwick Endorsing Artist since 2010, so I ordered mine direct a week after they debuted at NAMM. However, it wasn't until October of that year that I got it.

 

[raventepes]

Fair enough! I'll be honest in that short of the Alien 6, the only Warwick I'd want isn't anything that would be production. As much as I love the Warwick tone, the only body style I like is the Fortress. I won't in an act of conscience get a Streamer due to my love of Spector, but if a 6-string Fortress were to come around, I'd be willing to get one, but until they release one...