• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Strings identification on new bass

LowzFreq

LowzFreq

Jul 18, 2024
32
165
#1
Hello everyone,
I'm calling on the string experts to identify this set of 5 strings mounted on a new bass sold by a fairly well-known German store. The bass in question is a Spector Euro5LX (so a 35 scale) and I know that in the factory they fit D'Addario strings (with the colored balls) but here the new bass was sent to me with strings with gold balls. I like the sound they produce and the salesman couldn't tell me the brand or draw of these strings. They look very light, almost white, and the B seems to be 130.
What do you think it is?
Thanks for your help!
img_3644-jpg.7157534
IMG_3645.jpg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3644.jpg
    IMG_3644.jpg
    379.6 KB · Views: 46
#3
LowzFreq said:
Hello everyone,
I'm calling on the string experts to identify this set of 5 strings mounted on a new bass sold by a fairly well-known German store. The bass in question is a Spector Euro5LX (so a 35 scale) and I know that in the factory they fit D'Addario strings (with the colored balls) but here the new bass was sent to me with strings with gold balls. I like the sound they produce and the salesman couldn't tell me the brand or draw of these strings. They look very light, almost white, and the B seems to be 130.
What do you think it is?
Thanks for your help!
img_3644-jpg.7157534
View attachment 7157535
Click to expand...
All we can tell is they're nickel rounds.

One thing you can do is to measure the length of the E string from the ball end to the taper at the tuner end, which is just past the nut. We might be able to ID the brand based on the winding length. Thanks.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MrAB4003 and LowzFreq
#4
Thank you for your answers and for helping me.
I don't know if I understood the measurement correctly, so I measured the E string from the ball to where it narrows after the nut, that's 94cm and from the thinner area after the nut to the tuner before winding there's 9cm.
 
#5
LowzFreq said:
Thank you for your answers and for helping me.
I don't know if I understood the measurement correctly, so I measured the E string from the ball to where it narrows after the nut, that's 94cm and from the thinner area after the nut to the tuner before winding there's 9cm.
Click to expand...
94 cm = 37". That's a fairly common winding length for "long scale" by major manufacturers, so it's hard to ID the specific brand.

I'm guessing maybe the Ernie Ball Slinkys, which is one of the most popular strings along with D'Addario XL Nickels, at least here in North America.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LowzFreq
#8
LowzFreq said:
Hello everyone,
I'm calling on the string experts to identify this set of 5 strings mounted on a new bass sold by a fairly well-known German store. The bass in question is a Spector Euro5LX (so a 35 scale) and I know that in the factory they fit D'Addario strings (with the colored balls) but here the new bass was sent to me with strings with gold balls. I like the sound they produce and the salesman couldn't tell me the brand or draw of these strings. They look very light, almost white, and the B seems to be 130.
What do you think it is?
Thanks for your help!
img_3644-jpg.7157534
View attachment 7157535
Click to expand...
Although the D'Addario strings that you buy in a music store do have colored ball ends? The D'Addarios that are shipped to the many companies that put them on new basses, almost always have plain, brass ball ends. But... is Spector one of those many companies? I have no idea; a lot of companies (like Rickenbacker) won't say...🤔
 
  • Like
Reactions: LowzFreq
#9
In principle, Spector Euros leave the factory with D'Addario XL Nickels, which have colored balls. I'm from France, and I've already bought D'Addario guitar strings with colored balls, but I've never bought this brand in bass strings. I've already bought DR Hi-Beam in 45-125 and these strings themselves are quite dark gray, as if they were already worn. That's why I'm asking, because the look of these strings on this new Euro doesn't resemble the DRs, but I think they sound good. These basses are practically impossible to find in our stores, so I had to buy it online from a German site which, after asking by email, doesn't even know if these strings are original or not.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
 
#11
Google says they come with Spector strings, and that makes sense. Spector has a line up of string sets that are branded as Spector strings.

Just like Dingwall basses come with Dingwall branded strings and you can buy more sets of the same.

Who actually manufactures these strings? Well, they kind of keep that under their hats. Dingwall has been more open about talking strings. They have used GHS and other big manufacturers.

The bass manufacturers will order huge lots made to their specifications. That’ll include length, gauges, materials and core wires, silks and silk color if any, tapering of the larger strings at both bridge and nut.

They also get the special packaging printed for the sets they sell through retailers.

I was surprised that the B and E strings on your bass didn’t taper at the bridge.

I’ll bet if you dug into Spector threads or a Spector forum, the string manufacturer will be revealed.

It would be nice to know what you are starting with, but first thing I do is set up a new bass with my favorite strings. The stock strings rarely suit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LowzFreq and michael_t
#12
singlemalt said:
The bass manufacturers will order huge lots made to their specifications. That’ll include length, gauges, materials and core wires, silks and silk color if any, tapering of the larger strings at both bridge and nut...
Click to expand...
If they're Spector-branded strings made to their specifications, they don't fit on this bass as well as they should the way the full winding on B and E is barely long enough to clear the nut.
 
  • Like
Reactions: singlemalt and LowzFreq
#13
Thanks for your reply, on the official Spector website it says that the basses come with D'Addario XL Nickel, which have the colored balls (which can be seen on the bass photos on the official website). And by the way, you say to change them quickly, I agree with that, because I don't like factory-fitted D'Addario's, normally I install DR Hi-beam 45-125's straight away. Except that on this bass I've just received, I think these strings sound really good and that's why I'm curious about the brand, more out of curiosity, because I think I'll end up using DR HI-Beam strings.
 
#14
LowzFreq said:
normally I install DR Hi-beam 45-125's straight away. Except that on this bass I've just received, I think these strings sound really good and that's why I'm curious about the brand, more out of curiosity, because I think I'll end up using DR HI-Beam strings.
Click to expand...
If you're finding nickel rounds sound better on this bass, you can always try nickel-based strings by DR, such as Sunbeams (round core), Nickel Lo-Riders (hex core) or Pure Blues (round core). What's nice about DR strings, as I mentioned before, is they would fit better on the 35" scale bass because of the 37.75" (vs. 37") winding length.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LowzFreq and singlemalt
#17
GTHintz said:
Judging by the way the b barely clears the nut I think they are probably labella Rx nickels. I say this because I know they taper a little bit shorter than some of the others as well as the ball ends look very much like the RX steels.
Click to expand...
If they were La Bella, wouldn't they have color-coded ball ends...unless they're more than a few years old?
 
  • Like
Reactions: LowzFreq and GTHintz
#18
michael_t said:
If they were La Bella, wouldn't they have color-coded ball ends...unless they're more than a few years old?
Click to expand...
True. I do recall seeing different colors but I also remember buying RX with all brass. I'm thinking that these strings have to be labella, sit, or maybe DR. Those are the only ones I can think of that have slightly shorter tapers like that. Also all brass ball ends narrow it down. I know a lot of these guys are using plastic ends lately.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LowzFreq
#20
Thanks guys for taking the time to answer my question.
I've just installed some DR HI-beam 45-125s to compare and finally I think it's this new bass that sounds great, it vibrates throughout the body, much more than the previous one I sent back. I thought it was the strings, which I didn't know, but no, it's the bass that's much livelier.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back