The perfect strings...have you found yours?

[west al]

D'Addario ETB92S Nylons strung on the Epi EB-0.

 

[zon5string]

I loved GHS Infinity Steels. Wish they still made them.

 

[BrainOfJA]

I’m a big fan of Ken Smith Burners, 45-105. Decent price, great sound and seem to last forever. I keep trying others but find myself going back to them again and again

Almost forgot, Curt Manganese strings aren’t too shabby either.

 

[GwenOnBass]

These were my favorites since about 1979. However, since theses are no longer available, had to find alternative Roundcore strings.View attachment 4103772

I'd be playing these still, were they available

 

[therumour]

Pretty much any type of flatwound. I have 3 basses, with 3 different types of flats on them. So, in this order...

GHS Precision flats (10 years old)
Fender 9050M (3 months old)
Chromes (12 years old)

That's actually the order of my preference of those three. However, TI Flats are my favorite.

Any tips on string-thru flats other than La Bellas?

 

[Real Soon]

Whew, I think tonight might have told me I have. Well, specific strings for a specific bass.

I took my 1960 Precision out to an open mic jam at Atlanta's Northside Tavern tonight (it's the bass in my profile photo, though I keep the pickup cover off now). The bass has the Curtis Novak PB-V pickup, and a few days ago I fitted it with some GHS Pressurewounds in the light gauge pack.

Two drummers, a congo-specialist percussionist, a guitarist, and a fellow bassist all told me the bass's tone was exceptionally good and suited to the mix.

And the light gauge, well suited to a bass whose neck deserves some gentle handling, means these strings are low in tension, but flexible without being rubber bands. And they're highly responsive to technique, as is the Novak pickup... so I've got a pretty damn wide dynamic range on hand with strings that are comfortable enough to play for hours and hours on a once-in-a-lifetime find of a bass.


I've also got light Pressurewounds on my Mustang PJ, but the short scale takes more getting used to, so it was a little while before I decided I like them. And I definitely like them.

 

[KevinDBassist]

For my Stingray it is the Ernie ball Cobalt flats or the Ernie Ball Super Slinkies that sound best . On my Fender P bass it’s Labella Deep Talkin 760 FL flats .

 

[armybass]

LaBella 760FL on a P Bass
TIJF on other Basses
DR Pure Blues for rounds
Obligato Solos for Uprights

 

[stratovani]

DR Legends on my P-Bass - the smoothest, thumpiest strings on planet Earth.
GHS Brite Flats on my J-Bass - the jury is still out on these.

 

[coyote1]

The factory installed strings on my Portamento 6 are perfect for that bass. Think they are D’Addario Chrome flats.

My Tobias KillerB 6 has great strings, but I don’t know what they are.

I put GHS roundwounds on my Peavey Grind, and they work great. Same are on the Robelli SWD, and sound great.

The Takamine TB10 came with Chrome flats. They sound good, but are not the sound I want for that instrument. So I installed 1/4 Prelude orchestral flats. They are helicores, but not marketed as such. They are much closer to the sound I want, but are perhaps too far in the ‘thud’ direction. I’m going to play them for some months, and see how it goes. But they are a not too costly proof of concept, that concept being to utilize upright strings and cut them if necessary. So if I decide I want something a bit more lively, I might next go for helicore hybrids or something similar.

 

[DonH]

I just put La Bella Deep Talkin' 760FS (Flats) on my Ray24CA and I will stick with them. Nice deep notes and no fret buzz on low action.

 

[friend33]

There are different strings on each of my basses, and they all sound good. But I just picked up a Road Worn P, and the GHS Precision flats the previous owner put on there sound outstanding. Deep and round but never dull, some nice clarity too, like looking at light through a glass of whiskey.

(This one does have custom-wound pickups on it, so it’s not just the strings, but they are a superb match. He also treated them with eucerin before installing about 6 months ago, so they’re at “that” point...)

Count me as a fan!

 

[JLee]

Really..... When did they started doing this? When they stopped making Slowwounds?
I did notice a difference around 2010.

My perfect string set is a set of D'Addario ProSteels. As close to a perfect string as I've used, and I've tried them a ton of strings. Consistent, string to string, pack to pack. They die evenly, none of that E strings dying before G strings. And the best value for pro level strings on the market. By the way, D'Adarrio did not stop making SloWound strings. Not exactly.



SloWounds were made by winding a string at tension, and controlling the speed at which the windings were applied. This process revolutionized D'addario's entire manufacturing procedure. So much so, they decided to make ALL their strings this way. Nickel Plated SloWounds became redundant, as they started making the XL series with the same process. Today, D'Addario XL Nickel Plated Steel series are, essentially, SloWounds.

 

[Jazz Ad]

Ernie Ball Hybrid 45-105 for 4 strings, just the tone I want to hear and the feel for my fingers
Kalium balanced sets for 5 strings, very comfy to play and absolutely killer lows
Works on all basses

Also pyramid gold short scale on my antiquity 60's bass

 

[gigetto]

Good results Labella Nylon Black 750L

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

View attachment 4103396

Elixir nano nickels

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I started on Ernie Ball Slinky, 'cause hey, cheap. Dreamed of the day I'd get fancier strings.

Having now tried a few other brands and types, I've been shockingly unthrilled by all of them. Starting to wonder whether I didn't find my perfect strings accidentally right out of the gate!

You know, cheap strings are cheap when you have to change them every week or two.

 

[The Nameless]

Really..... When did they started doing this? When they stopped making Slowwounds?
I did notice a difference around 2010.

I forget exactly when D'Addario decided to change their manufacturing process. At the time, they had a stainless set called Prisms. The greatest strings ever made. Bright, balanced, consistent and long lasting. My buddies and I used them for years and years. When SlowWounds appeared, we all tried em. They were nickel plated, something none of us liked a ton. But I liked the SlowWounds lots. Finally, a consistent nickel string. Nickel Plated strings did not last for me as steel did, and string life was a big deal to my broke self.

Well, about the same time SlowWounds were released, with all the hype surrounding the new, computer wound technique, D'Addario cancelled Prisms. My friends and I were upset. D'Addario replaced Prisms with the current ProSteels. Very very good strings. I still use em. But they were not Prisms. I think this was the mid to late 90s. But I'll have to research to be sure. The ProSteels were hyped as the SlowWounds were. Computer wound at Tension. Slowly. Then it kinda hit me. I did some digging, and sure enuff, D'Addario had decided that the SlowWound process had worked so well, they'd decided to use that process for all their strings. Bout that time, around the same time Prisms were changed, SlowWounds left the market, but the XL sets were now also computer wound slowly. Since the SlowWounds and XLs were both Nickel Plated Steel, I assumed the SlowWounds left cuz the XLs, now, were approximately the same string.

I've used D'Addario strings a long time. They are a VERY good company who improves their product, and rarely passes that expense on. They just want to make the best strings they can. Over the years, I've felt and heard slight changes in their strings. But I don't know all the specifics. I remember the SlowWound thing cuz it affected two sets I used regularly. I think it was before 2010, tho. If ya look up the date of when SlowWounds were taken off the market, that'll give a clue to the time I'm speaking of. Gotta work. I'll check on that date this afternoon.

 

[Peter Hess]

D’Addario is an excellent company. My goto’s were always rotosound but I decided to try another brand. I tried GHS meh, I never cared for Ernie ball so I bought a set of ProSteels. I may not have installed them properly and the G string broke. I contacted D’Addario and they sent me TWO sets plus two extra G strings!

When I got my new paranormal jazz bass I immediately changed the bridge and put a set on and they just rang out. I like a very trebly sound and these strings were all that. I’m gonna throw the other set on my alembic to see how they sound. If it’s anything like my jazz I might have a new goto string.

 

[Bob_Ross]

Yes

^^^This.