Strings ID help, please

[Deleted member 271037]

I use Rotos all the time (both 66s and 77s). I used to play a Rick with Roto 66s as my main instrument until the Rick developed all the Rick "specials": tail lift, twisted neck, binding coming loose from the body...

Anywaay.... The bass tone in that video doesn't sound like Rotos to me at all. You don't get those "bouncy" dynamics and that kinda "rubbery" tone with Rotos (at least not with MY playing style). MAYBE with a very old set of 66s and some compression. I would be very surprised if they're 77s though. The E+A-strings never really mellow out and become "bouncy" like that with the 77s. The dynamics are much stiffer with Roto 77s, especially on the E-string.

I guess anything is possible with the right playing technique and lots of processing so they MIGHT still be Rotos of course.... There seems to be a lot of compression going on. But if I had to guess I would probably move towards old school flats with more bouncy dynamics like maybe Optima Chromes, or maybe even LaBellas. The bass tone in the video doesn't sound quite as thumpy as LaBellas but played with a pick, that close to the bridge, plus some processing... maybe. At least I think I would personally get closer to the bass tone in the video using Optimas or even LaBellas than with Rotos.

Great bass tone btw!

 

[Deleted member 271037]

I looked a bit closer at the video (cool band, although the vocals were horribly out of tune at times...).

The ball ends are actually visible for short glimpses, if you watch it carefully. They're definitely brass ball ends. If they're Rotos they must be quite old. Rotosound have been using red/white/blue bass ends for at least 6-7 years now. Back when they used brass ball ends they also had silks at the ball ends.

I guess they MIGHT be an older set of Rotos with the silk hidden inside the bridge but I doubt it (see my post above).

Are we even sure the silk is red? It only looks red in parts of the video. Could be the stage lighting.

 

[Phaidrus]

I looked a bit closer at the video (cool band, although the vocals were horribly out of tune at times...).

The ball ends are actually visible for short glimpses, if you watch it carefully. They're definitely brass ball ends. If they're Rotos they must be quite old. Rotosound have been using red/white/blue bass ends for at least 6-7 years now. Back when they used brass ball ends they also had silks at the ball ends.

I guess they MIGHT be an older set of Rotos with the silk hidden inside the bridge but I doubt it (see my post above).

Are we even sure the silk is red? It only looks red in parts of the video. Could be the stage lighting.

Yes, it could be stage lighting or old Rotos, as you say. And then, who knows what's in the signal chain. Be that as it may, he has a thick saturated tone that suits the band (and I'm after this tone). By the way, the first video above is the first time I see him play with a pick, he's usually finger style. I believe the out of tune vocals of the ladies is part of the (psychedelic raw 'n' earthy type of) charm. Like in the studio track below.

 

[HHudson]

Hi @Phaidrus ,

Personally I suspect Roto77s, mainly because of the attack [especially the songs using a pick in the second vid you posted] ...... ball ends & ball end silks have changed with with Rotos, in SV there may still be a lot of old stock around or in his/her string stash. I don't own a Ric, but used Roto77s exclusively for about 18 years on a Bongo 5 HH and that tone (and in their other YT vids) is well within their range especially the growly low mids, which whoever that bassist is, gets. I doubt they are going straight into the amp, and except for that attack, you can get Boomers to sound a bit like that as well (with generous EQing/processing) so who knows. That bassist/Ric is on most of their Vids, so I suspect they are one of the described "3 core" members. While they may keep their personal identities a secret, you might have luck asking on their facebook page (e.g. "Hej, I was really blown away with the tone of that Ric, what strings are you using to get that tone? Tack så mycket!")

Keep in mind Roto RS77LDs 45-105 have a 214.41 lbs (255.54 lbs V string) tension, so be conscious of which necks you choose to put them on.... a Squier Jazz Neck or probably a Ric would not be my choice.
Tension comparison chart for Rotosound guitar and bass strings

The PU placement on Rics (ca. slightly south of the 24th & 36th frets) seems to me to emphasize growl when mixed favoring the neck PU - to my ears at least, that is probably also playing a role here.

-Henry

 

[nerkoids]

Those are flats. Despite being very upper-mid range forward (clearly based on the bassist's playing position and both pups on) it still has a lot of wood in the tone, and I'm not hearing a lot of roundwound 'flab'. It clearly also sounds slammed with a limiter, so the bassist obviously has everything dimed and playing with a hard pick to really dig into the Rick.

It would also not surprise me if these are chicken-greased up flats, so to speak, to get rid of that zing. As for what type of flats they may be is a mystery. The Roto 77s I used to have had baby blue silks. They could be optima Chromes under the stage lights, but I doubt it. Those silks are decidedly red.

 

[Phaidrus]

Those are flats. Despite being very upper-mid range forward (clearly based on the bassist's playing position and both pups on) it still has a lot of wood in the tone, and I'm not hearing a lot of roundwound 'flab'. It clearly also sounds slammed with a limiter, so the bassist obviously has everything dimed and playing with a hard pick to really dig into the Rick.

It would also not surprise me if these are chicken-greased up flats, so to speak, to get rid of that zing. As for what type of flats they may be is a mystery. The Roto 77s I used to have had baby blue silks. They could be optima Chromes under the stage lights, but I doubt it. Those silks are decidedly red.

Thanks and thanks @HHudson!

So far I'm sort of getting this tone with a Pbass with old-ish Pyramid pure nickel rounds through a Markbass Compressore with its tube gain cranked all the way (then through a Little Mark Vintage head and a 410 cab). But I could perhaps get closer with a different setup. I also have a Pbass with Fender 9050M flats, which I haven't tried to this end yet (that one I use for dub), but it appears to me that the pure nickel rounds have a warmer/thicker grittier sound than the Fender flats. Could be wrong though.

 

[HHudson]

> The Roto 77s I used to have had baby blue silks.

Baby Blue, those will have been the Roto 66 *nickle* coated strings, nice strings (e.g. ), but very much rounds. Kinga uses them exclusively on her Jazz.

 

[HHudson]

Thanks and thanks @HHudson!

So far I'm sort of getting this tone with a Pbass with old-ish Pyramid pure nickel rounds through a Markbass Compressore with its tube gain cranked all the way (then through a Little Mark Vintage head and a 410 cab). But I could perhaps get closer with a different setup. I also have a Pbass with Fender 9050M flats, which I haven't tried to this end yet (that one I use for dub), but it appears to me that the pure nickel rounds have a warmer/thicker grittier sound than the Fender flats. Could be wrong though.

P-Bass necks & Roto77s are a *much* better match .... as long as it is not e.g. a P/J with a Jazz neck.
Pyramids are more old school to my ears, (had them on a P/J for quite a while and still have them on a Höfner). The 9050Ms will get your closer, but don't quite have the more aggressive bite of the Roto77s (especially when new.... I prefer the 77s *after* they break in, they still retain the more aggressive mids compared to the 9050s... during that 18 years I only had two sets on that Bongo... ).

-Henry

 

[trothwell]

> The Roto 77s I used to have had baby blue silks.

Baby Blue, those will have been be the Roto 66 *nickle* coated strings, nice strings (e.g. ), but very much rounds.

Some 77 sets do -- or at least used to -- have the light blue silks. E.g., the Steve Harris set used to be all blue, I think it's now alternating blue and red. I believe the medium and/or short scale 77s are (or used to be) blue as well.

 

[HHudson]

@trothwell

Oh yes, sorry you are right, I forgot (or repressed) the Steve Harris set, I believe you are right they had/have Blue silks .... lol, the 45-105s was and still is my 77 limit [my band does a couple of Harris' songs, not really my favs and don't own a bass which I would trust with Roto77 50-110 on the neck].

-Henry

 

[trothwell]

Oh yes, sorry you are right, I forgot (or repressed) the Steve Harris set, I believe you are right they had/have Blue silks .... lol, the 45-105s was and still is my 77 limit [my band does a couple of Harris' songs, not really my favs and don't own a bass which I would trust with 50-110 on the neck].

-Henry

Sure! I don't even use the 45-105 set any more myself. I wish they would make like a 35-95 set, but they don't even make all of the right gauges to assemble that out of singles. I think you could put together something reasonable that is lighter than their 40-100 set, but they're missing a few optimal choices.

 

[trothwell]

Sure! I don't even use the 45-105 set any more myself. I wish they would make like a 35-95 set, but they don't even make all of the right gauges to assemble that out of singles. I think you could put together something reasonable that is lighter than their 40-100 set, but they're missing a few optimal choices.

Well, could do a 40-60-75-95 set out of singles. That sounds worth a try to me.

 

[HHudson]

Well, could do a 40-60-75-95 set out of singles. That sounds worth a try to me.

Since Covid, it has gotten more difficult (and expensive) on this side of the pond to find stings in stock, especially single strings .

I have a Squier based parts P/J bass currently with a MX J-Neck on it. At some point I will put the P-Neck back on it and string it up with an unopened set of RS77LDs I still have in my string bag. I do like and miss them, they are unique. I don't mind the tension (with the low action they afford) on my fingers, but many of my bass necks do mind. It may have been due to the active circuit in the Bongo that allowed me to use them so long. We'll see.

-Henry

 

[Phaidrus]

> The Roto 77s I used to have had baby blue silks.

Baby Blue, those will have been the Roto 66 *nickle* coated strings, nice strings (e.g. ), but very much rounds. Kinga uses them exclusively on her Jazz.

Interesting you're saying that. Before the Pyramid pure nickel rounds (45-105), I had a set of Roto RB45 (which some say are the same strings as the RS66LDN sans silks) on that Pbass. I liked them and the RB45 are not dissimilar to the Pyramid pure nickel rounds, only I find the Pyramid to have a bit more juice (mids and low mids, perhaps?).

 

[HHudson]

Interesting you're saying that. Before the Pyramid pure nickel rounds (45-105), I had a set of Roto RB45 (which some say are the same strings as the RS66LDN sans silks) on that Pbass. I liked them and the RB45 are not dissimilar to the Pyramid pure nickel rounds, only I find the Pyramid to have a bit more juice (mids and low mids, perhaps?).

@Phaidrus

I am apparently reading things with the wrong part of my body today and not always employing the grey stuff between my ears sufficiently.

You actually wrote "Pyramid pure nickel rounds"

I was talking (apparently out of the wrong side of my body) about Pyramid Gold flats being old school. I have never tried the PNRs, though they have been on my wish list for a long time.

I am enjoying the Roto66 nickle coated on my Jazz, and as an otherwise non slapper am having fun learning (and being frustrated not to do it as well as Kinga in other slappier YT vids).

Thanks for the [for me big] tip "I find the Pyramid [pure nickle] to have a bit more juice (mids and low mids, perhaps?)", they intrigue me even more now.

Re. the differences between the Roto RB45s & RS66LDN, the RBs are machine wound & the RS hand wound. The main difference I've read about here is not tone but the lifetime, the RBs supposedly being much shorter. I have never tried the RBs and have only had the RS on the Jazz for a couple of months for playing styles I do not usually play, bought mainly because of Kinga's tone (and the strings alone will not get me there, I.k.).

-Henry

 

[Phaidrus]

@Phaidrus

I am apparently reading things with the wrong part of my body today and not always employing the grey stuff between my ears sufficiently.

You actually wrote "Pyramid pure nickel rounds"

I was talking (apparently out of the wrong side of my body) about Pyramid Gold flats being old school. I have never tried the PNRs, though they have been on my wish list for a long time.

I am enjoying the Roto66 nickle coated on my Jazz, and as an otherwise non slapper am having fun learning (and being frustrated not to do it as well as Kinga in other slappier YT vids).

Thanks for the [for me big] tip "I find the Pyramid [pure nickle] to have a bit more juice (mids and low mids, perhaps?)", they intrigue me even more now.

-Henry

Keine Ursache

Yes, the Pyramid pure nickel rounds are very nice strings. They have the brilliance and crunchiness on top but also thick mids and low mids. Also soft to the touch and to the frets. Tension of the 45-105 set is normal (like D'Addario XLs or so). I get a saturated tone out of them with the setup mentioned above. Some people swear by them, especially as they (the strings, I mean) get old. Perhaps I'm one of them.

I ordered them here:
Pyramid 800 Superior Pure Nickel Rock 045/105, 36,20 €

But Thomann seems to be günstiger

https://www.thomann.de/de/pyramid_r...LCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6MiwibGFuZ3VhZ2UiOjF9&reload=1

 

[HHudson]

Keine Ursache

Yes, the Pyramid pure nickel rounds are very nice strings. They have the brilliance and crunchiness on top but also thick mids and low mids. Also soft to the touch and to the frets. Tension of the 45-105 set is normal (like D'Addario XLs or so). I get a saturated tone out of them with the setup mentioned above. Some people swear by them, especially as they (the strings, I mean) get old. Perhaps I'm one of them.

I ordered them here:
Pyramid 800 Superior Pure Nickel Rock 045/105, 36,20 €

But Thomann seems to be günstiger

https://www.thomann.de/de/pyramid_r...LCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6MiwibGFuZ3VhZ2UiOjF9&reload=1

Thanks +1, I'll pick up a set the next time I order something at one of those two sites.

> Some people swear by them, especially as they (the strings, I mean) get old

LOL, well either way that should work for me then .

> Keine Ursache

LOL, but caution, as Tucholsky said: "Ich spreche schon geflossen deutsch; nur manchesmal breche ich noch etwas Rad" [warning to non German speakers, with google translate that will make as little sense translated as it does in the original.... perhaps in English "I already speak fluid English, but betimes I knot my tongue in a tie"]

-Henry

 

[Phaidrus]

Thanks +1, I'll pick up a set the next time I order something at one of those two sites.

> Some people swear by them, especially as they (the strings, I mean) get old

LOL, well either way that should work for me then .

> Keine Ursache

LOL, but caution, as Tucholsky said: "Ich spreche schon geflossen deutsch; nur manchesmal breche ich noch etwas Rad" [warning to non German speakers, with google translate that will make as little sense translated as it does in the original.... perhaps in English "I already speak fluid English, but betimes I knot my tongue in a tie"]

-Henry

German is a tricky language

 

[nerkoids]

Similar bass tone, TI flats with a Rick:
of Montreal - For our Elegant Caste Bassline - YouTube