I have been using DR DDTs medium gauge on my Yamaha 5 stringers with active electronics and use old school GHS Bass Boomers med. light gauge on my 4 string passive Spector. Considering using dragonskins on it next.
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The perfect strings...have you found yours?
- Thread starter jd56hawk
- Start date
I've been a huge fan of D'Addario strings for a long time. My favs are the NYXL's. I did try the XT Nickle's and was slightly disappointed. They live up to the promise of long life and staying in tune. However, they sounded a little less bright. I still have the XT's on my Fodera but will go back to the NYXL's when the time comes.
Since I'm pretty new to the bass world, all I could figure out yet is that I really dislike flats.
Oddly 'nuff, I tend to completely roll off the tone on my precision - besides using a mute - since i don't care for a trebly sound either.
I guess it's time to try some GHS Boomers; on video reviews they sound like crap, muffle and all, maybe that's the tone I'm looking for...
Oddly 'nuff, I tend to completely roll off the tone on my precision - besides using a mute - since i don't care for a trebly sound either.
I guess it's time to try some GHS Boomers; on video reviews they sound like crap, muffle and all, maybe that's the tone I'm looking for...
"But I still haven't found
What I'm looking for..."
But I've kind of liked a set of NPS Roundcore ML4 (out of production from Dean Markley) once they were a bit worn. I only bought two sets at a closeout.
I do like the TI Flats I have that have made the rounds (pun intended) on two or three basses. Scored them for under $55 on some occasion I can't exactly remember.
Couldn't get attached to Optima Maximas (a.k.a. RB Flatwound today), nor Sadowsky Blue Label Flats, nor La Bella Gold Flats.
GHS Precision, Ernie Ball (non-Cobalt) and Fender flats.... Meh.
What I'm looking for..."
But I've kind of liked a set of NPS Roundcore ML4 (out of production from Dean Markley) once they were a bit worn. I only bought two sets at a closeout.
I do like the TI Flats I have that have made the rounds (pun intended) on two or three basses. Scored them for under $55 on some occasion I can't exactly remember.
Couldn't get attached to Optima Maximas (a.k.a. RB Flatwound today), nor Sadowsky Blue Label Flats, nor La Bella Gold Flats.
GHS Precision, Ernie Ball (non-Cobalt) and Fender flats.... Meh.
Not really. I kind of thought I had with DR Pure Blues, but then I got rid of one bass and replaced it with a similar, but slightly different bass and the Pure Blues didn't sound as lively on the new bass. I'm OK with most strings and I suspect that most of them sound the same when playing live (with possible exception to flats vs round wound), but so far I've found that each of my basses (my few current ones, and several no-longer-owned ones) seems to prefer different strings. I've had basses that sounded great with one type of string, while a similar bass was kind of meh with the same strings. I'm currently using TI Flats on one, DR Sunbeams on one, D'Addario nickel rounds on one, and DR Dragon Skin in 40 - 100 on a custom built, one of a kind bass I have. I've had other basses which worked well with DR Pure Blues strings, and one which was dull and dark until I tried some Rotosound 99 PSD strings on it. I do have certain brands/models I try first on each bass I get, and then work from there if I'm not happy with the tone or feel, but overall I think I'm open to just about any string as long as it works with a specific bass.
I haven't found my "perfect" string but this is what I am going with until one comes along:
Rounds: GHS Contact Core Super Steels, 45 - 105 and generally a .129 or .130 low B if they're going on a five string. Nice and snappy, good fundamental, medium tension, fairly long lasting. Can't use them on basses with through-body stringing, so for those the non-contact core Super Steels.
Flats: GHS Precision Flats - I've tried lots of other flats and I keep coming back to these guys. I like 'em dead, dead, dead. I have a set of flats (Lakland Joe Osborne Flats, which were actually made by GHS for Lakland) that have been on the same P-bass for 20 years now and they just keep getting better. I'll keep them on until they start unraveling, they fail to stay in tune or I die, whichever comes first.
Half rounds: GHS Brite Flats - on certain instruments these really sing. Kind of an exact halfway point between rounds and flats.
I'm not a fan of nickel strings for the most part, but I just tried a set of GHS Balanced Nickels (rounds) on one of my P-basses and they are outstanding. Very solid fundamental, strong output and fairly high tension if you like that sort of thing.
I do like DR Lo Riders (not nickel) on Fender basses, but the last couple of sets of those that I bought didn't seem as good as I remembered.
I like DR Sunbeams on fretless basses, but that's a rarity these days.
Rounds: GHS Contact Core Super Steels, 45 - 105 and generally a .129 or .130 low B if they're going on a five string. Nice and snappy, good fundamental, medium tension, fairly long lasting. Can't use them on basses with through-body stringing, so for those the non-contact core Super Steels.
Flats: GHS Precision Flats - I've tried lots of other flats and I keep coming back to these guys. I like 'em dead, dead, dead. I have a set of flats (Lakland Joe Osborne Flats, which were actually made by GHS for Lakland) that have been on the same P-bass for 20 years now and they just keep getting better. I'll keep them on until they start unraveling, they fail to stay in tune or I die, whichever comes first.
Half rounds: GHS Brite Flats - on certain instruments these really sing. Kind of an exact halfway point between rounds and flats.
I'm not a fan of nickel strings for the most part, but I just tried a set of GHS Balanced Nickels (rounds) on one of my P-basses and they are outstanding. Very solid fundamental, strong output and fairly high tension if you like that sort of thing.
I do like DR Lo Riders (not nickel) on Fender basses, but the last couple of sets of those that I bought didn't seem as good as I remembered.
I like DR Sunbeams on fretless basses, but that's a rarity these days.
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I've tried many different strings though I keep returning to GHS Bass Boomers. Labella tapewounds for my Rob Allen.
The "1954" super heavy gauge might cause problems with a weaker truss rod. (They were definitely too much for my '72 Tele neck with a max'd out rod.)
The regular sets should be OK on a well-built modern neck.
I put them on my SX Jazz Bass because it had roundwounds on it and all my others have flatwounds. I didn’t realize how much I would like the strings! My SX really didn’t play all that well with the roundwounds, and I thought it was because it was a lower level guitar. Now it plays lots better! I like how much smoother the strings feel especially the E and A strings.
My favorite is Fender Nylons. On my bass you can get a pretty good representation of a double bass sound, with the right amp. They're definitely finger played strings, they don't take well to the pick, but I've got other basses set up with flat wounds on them if the need arises. I play through a GK MB210 with a GK 115 underneath and I can make it boomy or bright, so for me, they work great on almost anything but slap.
Dunlop Super Bright NW. I buy the six string set use the 30/45/65/85. These strings have totally spoiled me. Love the tone and feel. A pleasure to play.
I have found Elixir last the longest as far as tone, sustain and brightness. Have to pay a little more, but I think they are worth it.....Chamo
I settled on DR Hi Beams close to 20 years ago and never looked back.
