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The perfect strings...have you found yours?

#462
I have D’ADDARIO half rounds on my Tele p bass. I really like the range of tones I get with them. They are my first choice of strings to use.



chemical360 said:
My response may be slightly unpopular due to the amount of hatred I have read on these strings. But personally, I have found the D'Addario half rounds to be my preferred string. The full rounds sound very "stringy" and bright for my tastes. I like the flatter tones of the half's and then EQ through my head and bass to get the "growl" I like.

The guy that works on my basses called me and asked me to try them one time a while back. I have not used anything else since, although I do want to try the Ken Smith slick rounds one day.
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#463
Ive been on a string journey recently trying out strings for my PJ

So far ive only tried Fender and DR LOriders. The only thing i know for sure is that i prefer 40-100 on this bass. The 100 is better balanced with the rest of the strings and more thuddy like i like it as opposed to more boomy and indistinct 105 E string.
 
#464
chemical360 said:
My response may be slightly unpopular due to the amount of hatred I have read on these strings. But personally, I have found the D'Addario half rounds to be my preferred string. The full rounds sound very "stringy" and bright for my tastes. I like the flatter tones of the half's and then EQ through my head and bass to get the "growl" I like.

The guy that works on my basses called me and asked me to try them one time a while back. I have not used anything else since, although I do want to try the Ken Smith slick rounds one day.
Click to expand...

It's your preference, so I wouldn't worry about it. Besides, I'm sure there are plenty here with string choices that aren't popular. For me, I recently picked up some Fender 8250s for my MIA Jazz, as that's the strings I used when I had one in the past. Not a popular choice, as most people think Fender gooched them a little over a decade ago. I like them, they sound great to my ears, and got nothing but compliments on my tone during our previous rehearsal. Did Fender change them? I think so, but my memories of these strings are 15+ years out of date.
 
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#466
Lesfunk said:
I never thought I would ever switch away from my stainless steel DRs but I’ve discovered S.I.T foundations and I’m making the switch
Click to expand...

I've had the S.I.T. Foundations 45-125 nickels on my Musicman Stingray Special 5 HH for about a week now. They are easily the best sounding and feeling strings I've ever used. The note to note balance is amazing. For example, when I play an E on the 5th fret of the B string, it has the same coloration as the open E. I am not claiming they sound exactly the same. The B string E is deeper with less highs, where the open E has more upper harmonics, as expected. However, they have very similar harmonic content in the places where they overlap. (They sound 'in the same family'.) Overall the sound is modern, tight and balanced, with a nice controllable bite to it. The texture is something like NYXLs, but are not quite as polite sounding. They are a more refined Dunlop superbrite sound if that makes sense. To me they feel fantastic. Some may find them a little too loose feeling. I find them very responsive to my light-ish touch. If you like a taught string, you probably won't like these. They also set up exceptionally well with very low action on my Stingray.

I bought a set of custom lights, 40-120, after I got these, just to see if I would like those better. The medium-lights feel good to me that I suspect the custom lights are going to be too light. I will try to keep an open mind.

They also make these in stainless. I am more of a nickel guy. I like the more present mids, and I don't feel that I am missing highs, which I also like. I might try the stainless at some point, but I don't see a need to rush out for a set.

BTW, this demo got me to try them.

They are available in 4, 5, and 6 string sets, custom-light and medium-light guages, nickel and stainless. I would like to see a couple more gauges offered, like a 130 B as an option.

Finally, they are really reasonably priced. I am able to find a 5 string set on reverb for $25 including shipping CONUS.
 
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#467
My perfect strings would be long scale TI Jazz Flats with a SLIGHTLY higher gauge A-string.

Sadly it seems like balanced tension is an unknown concept at Thomastik-Infeld. At least for electric bass string. The long scale Jazz Flats are FAR from the most unbalanced set they've got! It's a shame really. They make AMAZING sounding strings but some of them are unplayable to me because the only available sets/gauges are so ridiculously unbalanced.

But the long scale TI Jazz Flats are probably still as close as I'll get to a perfect set of strings.
 
#472
I don’t even remember what I posted earlier in this thread, but here is where I am at today:
Flats - GHS Precision 3025
Rounds - EB Slinkies

I wish EB made medium scale strings to try on my violin bass. I assume I can cut down a long set, but haven’t tried it yet. I currently have all 5 of my basses wearing Precision Flats.
 
#473
When it comes to strings, you name it I've tried it. Big brands, budget brands, boutique brands, no-name brands, popular brands, obscure brands, flats, rounds, pressurewounds, hex-core, round core... My bass playing life has been string-pokemon- gotta try 'em all.

It's only with my last setup that I settled on good ol' D'Addario XL Balanced Tension roundwounds for my main bass. I've had so many strings on that bass, and those balanced tension XLs are what it likes the best.

Just like the wand chooses the wizard or the bass chooses the player, sometimes that string synergy between player and bass is kismet.
 
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#474
monkeyfinger said:
I've had the S.I.T. Foundations 45-125 nickels on my Musicman Stingray Special 5 HH for about a week now. They are easily the best sounding and feeling strings I've ever used. The note to note balance is amazing. For example, when I play an E on the 5th fret of the B string, it has the same coloration as the open E. I am not claiming they sound exactly the same. The B string E is deeper with less highs, where the open E has more upper harmonics, as expected. However, they have very similar harmonic content in the places where they overlap. (They sound 'in the same family'.) Overall the sound is modern, tight and balanced, with a nice controllable bite to it. The texture is something like NYXLs, but are not quite as polite sounding. They are a more refined Dunlop superbrite sound if that makes sense. To me they feel fantastic. Some may find them a little too loose feeling. I find them very responsive to my light-ish touch. If you like a taught string, you probably won't like these. They also set up exceptionally well with very low action on my Stingray.

I bought a set of custom lights, 40-120, after I got these, just to see if I would like those better. The medium-lights feel good to me that I suspect the custom lights are going to be too light. I will try to keep an open mind.

They also make these in stainless. I am more of a nickel guy. I like the more present mids, and I don't feel that I am missing highs, which I also like. I might try the stainless at some point, but I don't see a need to rush out for a set.

BTW, this demo got me to try them.

They are available in 4, 5, and 6 string sets, custom-light and medium-light guages, nickel and stainless. I would like to see a couple more gauges offered, like a 130 B as an option.

Finally, they are really reasonably priced. I am able to find a 5 string set on reverb for $25 including shipping CONUS.
Click to expand...
Follow up on the lights vs medium-lights:

I just changed back to the med-lights, 45-125. I definitely prefer these. I think the tension is just right for me, more snap, punch, better setup, and better feel, slightly deeper tone. I think the 40-120 is fine, especially if you really need the lower tension. The 45-125 set sits just right for me. These will be my strings for the foreseeable future.
 
#475
monkeyfinger said:
Follow up on the lights vs medium-lights:

I just changed back to the med-lights, 45-125. I definitely prefer these. I think the tension is just right for me, more snap, punch, better setup, and better feel, slightly deeper tone. I think the 40-120 is fine, especially if you really need the lower tension. The 45-125 set sits just right for me. These will be my strings for the foreseeable future.
Click to expand...
Daddario Chrome Flats for me. I've tried La Bellas and many others. Chrome flats are consistantly good. I use medium scale or short scale for all of my 30.5" scale basses
 
#478
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Been on my #1 Spector since 3-29-19, when the bass was built and set up with these strings in Woodstock. Changing them today. But still sound good.
Just got a new set to install.

Best strings I've tried on my Spectors.
 

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