Strings that have completely changed your bass?

[darkstorm]

Strings that have completely changed my basses tone have been allmost immediately taken off and put in the trash can. If theyre not as good sounding as the rotosound swing66 strings I started with back in the 70's theyre not staying on more then a few minutes. Or as long as it takes to go get right strings again.


Hum, maybe rotosound swing66 as what set the std for proper bass string tone for me? Lol.

 

[Geroi Asfalta]

I started on rotos, but going back and forth between E-G and D#-F# would normally kill them in two or three days. I don't like GHS or Ernie Ball. Ernie ball is ok, came on my first bass, but always died a bit fast for me.....GHS is worse (for me), dead in a day. I finally came across DR and never looked back. I can go 3 months between changing strings....and they keep their awful clanky zing for over a month.

 

[The Lemon]

I started on rotos, but going back and forth between E-G and D#-F# would normally kill them in two or three days. I don't like GHS or Ernie Ball. Ernie ball is ok, came on my first bass, but always died a bit fast for me.....GHS is worse (for me), dead in a day. I finally came across DR and never looked back. I can go 3 months between changing strings....and they keep their awful clanky zing for over a month.

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of the Ernie Ball Bass strings, which is why I was surprised to find that I absolutely love their guitar strings.

Back on topic: I have an MIM Jazz, and it always seemed to be missing something that I couldn't put my finger on... Then last summer I was finally going to try some flats. I put a set of Chromes on it, and I haven't looked back since. Not only did they bring out the personality of that bass, put they've changed my perspective on what bass should sound and feel like. I'll keep rounds on at least one instrument in case I need to do something more aggressive, but for the most part I'm a flats guy now.

 

[darkstorm]

I started on rotos, but going back and forth between E-G and D#-F# would normally kill them in two or three days. I don't like GHS or Ernie Ball. Ernie ball is ok, came on my first bass, but always died a bit fast for me.....GHS is worse (for me), dead in a day. I finally came across DR and never looked back. I can go 3 months between changing strings....and they keep their awful clanky zing for over a month.

Dr neons and to an extent, Dr sunbeams are the only string I like every bit as well as the rotos. Little bit diff tone in small sense. But still great. Thats what Ive been using the past yr. First time Ive gone anywhere near that long without rotos on. Did put swing66 on a few days ago for string change time.

Kinda sounds like having two basses, one for each tuning might be good for you. Lol. Or doubleneck with one for each tuning.

 

[doctormoose87]

Mine are D'addrio Pro Steels 35-95.

Being as I have a nickel allergy these are the only strings I've found that I can play for extended periods of time and not have the allergy appear on my hands. I've also had to change the frets on my atk to Jescar Evo Gold frets rather than nickel.

Anything to keep playing bass!

 

[2400]

D'addario tapewounds. Changed my life. I play heavy music with them, so they're not just for Beatles covers. Love 'em.

 

[son_of_mogh]

GHS Boomers .115 - .050 - I need the high tension and the boom really shakes the house apart and brings most amps I've played to slight clipping/overdrive.

 

[Gintaras]

Happened to 3 of my basses.
DR Lorider Stainless on my Grendel 4 string. (the big difference thou was the Joe Barden Pups)
GHS Precision Flats on my Gretsch Electromatic
TI Acousticore's on Fender Kingman

 

[Tom Howland]

TIJF344's- the string that blew my mind. feel, tone, balance.

DR Sunbeams- My favorite nickel string ever.

GHS Pressure wounds- They last forever and are very even.

Ken Smith Compressors- My P-Bass string of chiose. thump, smooth top end, very grease tone.

La Bella "Beatle Bass" nylon strings- great string for short scale basses.

 

[punkinfantry]

VM jazz, DR sunbeams, i about needed a new pair of pants

 

[BeanzCorp]

Got DR Lo-Riders the other day and the tone is my favourite ever, but they slow down my hands SO much, are there any strings with the same tone but not with all the friction?

 

[locisbrelm]

I'm getting my ass kicked by a set of Rotosound Swing Bass 66 at the moment.

 

[woodsideh]

VM jazz, DR sunbeams, i about needed a new pair of pants

LMAO... DR Sunbeams handsdown.

 

[steamthief]

I'm getting my ass kicked by a set of Rotosound Swing Bass 66 at the moment.

I've wavered on trying a set on my Euro 4LX - what did you try prior to the Rotos?

FWIW, Roto 66 on my Fender P/J has transformed it to a growl machine.

 

[BeanzCorp]

LMAO... DR Sunbeams handsdown.

Are these good for slap players or are they too slack? might get a pair but don't want to waste good money.

 

[Pilgrim]

I received a Rogue VB-100 "Beatle Bass" for Christmas a few years ago and the strings on it from the factory were the most nasty, tinny things I have ever heard. They were so incredibly bad sounding that I actually despaired of having a playable instrument...I wondered if there was any way to make it useful.

Then I bought a set of Labella Hofner Flats and installed them. The transformation was AMAZING. The sound was full, playability excellent, and I didn't even need to tweak the truss rod. It turned that Rogue from a bass I wouldn't play in a boiler factory to one I can play anywhere.

 

[MonetBass]

More DR Sunbeam love here. I was an exclusive EB Hybrid Slinkies user for many years. I've tried other nickel strings, including Sadowsky Blue Labels, but I kept going back the EBs. Until I recently tried the DR Sunbeams. Wow -- finally a full-spectrum sound and even tension. Think I've finally found my new string of choice!

 

[iiipopes]

OK. First, to clear things up:

FENDER 9050 FLATS ARE NOT, AND I REPEAT NOT, MANUFACTURED BY D'ADDARIO.

The D'addarios flats are chrome; the Fenders are steel.

That out of the way, I was a confirmed roundwound guy for 35+ years, including Roto Swingbass, GHS Boomers & Progressives, etc. I always thought flats were hollow, thunky, etc.

BUT...the new Fender 9050's are different. They have completely switched me from a roundwound guy. I always had trouble with twangy G strings. Not with the 9050's. I always had trouble with inconsistent intonation. Not with the 9050's. I always had trouble with consistency of tone, both up the neck and string-to-string. Not with the 9050's. Many strings are very expensive. Not with the 9050's.

The 9050CL set has it all: tone; growl; consistency, both up the neck and string-to-string; no twang; long life (my current set is 1 1/2 years old and still just as I put them on); feel; economics.

They sound like a cross between a subdued version of Rotosound Swingbass and an EB version of the Spirocores I have on my DB.

At least, try a set. But they are not made by D'addario. They are made by Fender.

 

[TimB 619]

OK. First, to clear things up:

FENDER 9050 FLATS ARE NOT, AND I REPEAT NOT, MANUFACTURED BY D'ADDARIO.

The D'addarios flats are chrome; the Fenders are steel.

That out of the way, I was a confirmed roundwound guy for 35+ years, including Roto Swingbass, GHS Boomers & Progressives, etc. I always thought flats were hollow, thunky, etc.

BUT...the new Fender 9050's are different. They have completely switched me from a roundwound guy. I always had trouble with twangy G strings. Not with the 9050's. I always had trouble with inconsistent intonation. Not with the 9050's. I always had trouble with consistency of tone, both up the neck and string-to-string. Not with the 9050's. Many strings are very expensive. Not with the 9050's.

The 9050CL set has it all: tone; growl; consistency, both up the neck and string-to-string; no twang; long life (my current set is 1 1/2 years old and still just as I put them on); feel; economics.

They sound like a cross between a subdued version of Rotosound Swingbass and an EB version of the Spirocores I have on my DB.

At least, try a set. But they are not made by D'addario. They are made by Fender.

Actually, Fender has partnered up with a US company, according to the fine folks at Fender. When I asked, they were not at liberty to say who it was.

Roger Hart (Hasbeen) even made the colored ball ends Fender colors!

I agree though, the flats are very nice strings.

 

[tylerwylie]

OK. First, to clear things up:

FENDER 9050 FLATS ARE NOT, AND I REPEAT NOT, MANUFACTURED BY D'ADDARIO.

The D'addarios flats are chrome; the Fenders are steel.

That out of the way, I was a confirmed roundwound guy for 35+ years, including Roto Swingbass, GHS Boomers & Progressives, etc. I always thought flats were hollow, thunky, etc.

BUT...the new Fender 9050's are different. They have completely switched me from a roundwound guy. I always had trouble with twangy G strings. Not with the 9050's. I always had trouble with inconsistent intonation. Not with the 9050's. I always had trouble with consistency of tone, both up the neck and string-to-string. Not with the 9050's. Many strings are very expensive. Not with the 9050's.

The 9050CL set has it all: tone; growl; consistency, both up the neck and string-to-string; no twang; long life (my current set is 1 1/2 years old and still just as I put them on); feel; economics.

They sound like a cross between a subdued version of Rotosound Swingbass and an EB version of the Spirocores I have on my DB.

At least, try a set. But they are not made by D'addario. They are made by Fender.

D'addario flats are called Chromes but they are in fact steel. You've been corrected on this in the past, yet I guess it's hard to resist the knee-jerking.

From the D'Addario website:
D'Addario Chromes Bass strings are wound with flattened stainless steel ribbon wire which is polished to an incredibly smooth surface. Delivering a distinctive damped, but tone-rich sound that only flatwounds can produce, D'Addario Chromes are the world's most popular flatwound strings.