Strings for Country music?

[JimiLL]

Ive started playing some country, but my spector euro with Sunbeams on it has a little too much zing. EMG 40DC pickups.

What do you guys use?

 

[jasper383]

Lots and lots of country goes well with flats.

La Bella 760FL, Fender 9050CL, TI Jazz Flats, GHS Precision Flats. Can't go wrong.

If you want to stick with a less zingy roundwound (Sunbeams are a little zingy for me, too), I suggest GHS Boomers or the Fender or Rotosound pure nickel rounds. Not as bright as the Sunbeams.

 

[matante]

Ive started playing some country, but my spector euro with Sunbeams on it has a little too much zing. EMG 40DC pickups.

What do you guys use?

It's true that flatwounds are popular among country bassists, but Sunbeams should work, especially if you continue using them after their 'dead'. If your tone doesn't sound country enough to you it's probably more to do with those EMGs.

 

[hotbass57]

I have Roto nickels on my fretless. They are pretty bright. Love Sunbeams great tone. I agree the EMG 's are modern sounding. Flats are a good choice. Talk to Jason at bassstrings online. Tell him what you're looking for. I had EMG's in my pbass and sealed them out for dimarzio's.

 

[hotbass57]

Swapped them out I meant.

 

[mdogs]

I use my tone controls...

 

[Marial]

I'm a big fan of 'dead' Sunbeams myself. The set on my workhorse Jazz are probably eight or nine months old now and they're pretty much perfect for what I do in my alt-country band. They're good and warm, not too thumpy but thumpy enough, with just a hint of the clarity they have when brand new.

I found the TIs to be too rubbery and Chromes to be too stiff. A well worn-in set of Sunbeams splits the difference nicely, though I do miss the smooth feel of flats.

 

[paganjack]

I think flats or sunbeams are good choices. You want warm and round for sure.

If you're new to flats, check out some of the threads on those. I bet TI jazz flats or chromes would work well. I like labellas personally but they are not for everyone. They are crazy stiff for one thing but sound like no other.

 

[u84six]

Be careful what you ask. The "you can't link any strings to a single genre" police might hijack your thread.

 

[Tankdave]

I think flats or sunbeams are good choices. You want warm and round for sure.

If you're new to flats, check out some of the threads on those. I bet TI jazz flats or chromes would work well. I like labellas personally but they are not for everyone. They are crazy stiff for one thing but sound like no other.

Labella 760FL strings are not much stiffer than TI jazz flats.

 

[soulman969]

Strings for country? Sure a fiddle is great and little pedal steel is always nice too.

Seriously if you want something just a little punchier than flats you might look at some GHS Pressure Wounds. One of the best all around strings around for any style of music as far as I'm concerned and I have used them for anything from country to blues and funk.

You'll lose that round wound zing but not all of the punch and feel you get from rounds and they're not as dark and thumpy as flats unless you want to eq for that. Very tonally expressive strings on the right bass.

 

[Pilgrim]

To me, the answer is usually Labella 760 FL flats.

 

[Ric5]

Strings for Country music?

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5 strings work better than 4 for country.

 

[Barisaxman]

I generally prefer DR Low Riders, and I play primarily country. There really is no one answer to this question.

 

[darkstorm]

Sunbeams have too much zing? Have you tried readjusting pups and eq? Sunbeams have less zing then any nickel roundwound string Ive tried.

 

[matante]

Be careful what you ask. The "you can't link any strings to a single genre" police might hijack your thread.

I generally prefer DR Low Riders, and I play primarily country. There really is no one answer to this question.

 

[lmfreeman9]

Lots and lots of country goes well with flats.

La Bella 760FL, Fender 9050CL, TI Jazz Flats, GHS Precision Flats. Can't go wrong.

If you want to stick with a less zingy roundwound (Sunbeams are a little zingy for me, too), I suggest GHS Boomers or the Fender or Rotosound pure nickel rounds. Not as bright as the Sunbeams.

Agreed: Need some THUMP to offset that TWANG. I also I agree that rounds with the tone rolled all the way back works.

 

[experimental bassist]

I found the good ole' TI Jazz flats worked wonders back in my Country/Roots band days, especially in an instrument heavy band taking up a lot of sonic real estate.

I will say though, if someone is playing modern Country they would be well served with a modern, roundwound sound, and either a 5 string or a BEAD strung 4 banger.

I'm in a smaller Blues/Rock band now, ala Joe Bonamassa/Walter Trout, and for that I'm loving my D'addario XL rounds.

 

[Calebmundy]

What kind of country are you playing?

 

[Coolhandjjl]

What type of country? One of my basses is strung with GHS Precision Flats. Great percussive attack, old school vibe. You can even get close to Tic-Tac when needed, especially with a piece of foam under the strings near the bridge.