The perfect strings...have you found yours?

[ScotRFM]

Elixir Stainless Steels. I used the Elixir Nickels for years and years, but recently did a bunch of comparisons (and wasted way too much money) to see if I'd been missing anything. I play-tested Ernie Balls, Rotosounds, D'Addarios, and others in various configurations and came back to Elixirs, just making the change to the steels for a little more bite/crack. I'll kill an uncoated set of strings pretty quickly, within a week, and the Elixirs will last me for several months without really losing anything. A little more cost up front, but by the time I have to change them, they're actually less costly overall. My perfect strings, really.

 

[fishdreams]

For rounds i put a set of Foderas on a new bass after a few years of experimenting with different strings and it felt like coming home.

For flats i am obsessed with the the black labella tapewounds right now.

 

[thmsjordan]

These are my fav for Precision Bass

 

[joel406]

D'Addarios. NYXL on my Mike Lull MV5 and my 2017 Fender American Pro V. Xt on my 2019 American pro V. Half rounds if I feel like it.

 

[beaglesandbass]

Perfect? I don’t know about that. But I love GHS Pressurewounds and D’addario half rounds.

 

[bobbybass85]

I’ve tried a ton of strings, and honestly my perfect string are the standard Dunlop Stainless Steel strings. I use them on my 4s and my 5, love and studio. Great life, great feel, great value. They keep a lot of their brilliance even as the new string zing wears away. Once they settle in, they sound great for a long time.

 

[backin82]

I hate the sound of new round-wound strings, and once broken in they all sound kinda similar to me. Certainly nothing I can't manage with some slight EQ. Only pair I decidedly didn't like was a set of nickel would strings. They just never seemed to have any life, so I eventually went back to something else that I can't remember. I also keep my strings on until they sound completely lifeless or they break, which usually ends up being around 3 years?

Strings mostly = meh. Whatever physically fits on my DJ5.

 

[KevinDBassist]

Yes I have , there are three actually depending on the individual p bass and the sound I seek .
Labella 760m , Rotosound Swingbass77 45-105 , and Rotosound Swingbass66 45-105 . Love all three !

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Yes indeed and each bass has their own favorite strings.

Some sets just sound and feel better than others, try the same strings on another bass and they could be a complete letdown.

And personally I do my own experimenting, someone else's idea of perfect strings might be the complete opposite of what I find important.

Good luck and keep searching,
Dirk

 

[Valvehead]

DR Low Riders on all my basses but the fretless. The latter has nickels.
I am alergic to the sound of flatwounds so roundwounds always.

 

[David Vector]

The last few years I sort of settled into DR Sunbeams. I think I initially tried them because I had been on a TI Jazz Flats kick for a little bit and was used to the smooth feel, and wanted something that was brighter but not as rough/grabby as steels can feel on the fingers. 40-95 on some basses, 45-105 on one of them.

 

[The Nameless]

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.

Yes,but they stopped making them years ago!


View attachment 4103405

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.

 

[Matt_Raymond]

D’Addario Nickels for me! Super Long for my Lakland 5, and Longs for everything else. 45-100.

I do however put La Bella Flats on my Hofner, and I’m thinking about putting a set of those flats on my Jack Casady I just got.

 

[eriky4003]

Since they haven't been mentioned yet, I'll throw my hat in the ring with Marcus Miller Dunlop Super Brights on 3 of my 5 basses. DR LoRiders on a Yamaha 4 and non-commital on my fifth bass.

 

[Drifter8230]

I've never had any string epiphanies but long ago I would use Rotosound round wounds and Ken Smiths because they were the best strings in stock at the store. Also, I don't think TB was around yet to inform me. Using the internet to buy strings wasn't even something I comprehended at the time 20 years ago.

Now I use Dean Markley Medium Light Blue Steel .45 -128's and I have zero complaints, except they are hard to find. I also have a set of Ernie Ball Slinky Cobalts .45 -120 I want to try next. I used flatwounds a looong time ago for my fretless but I don't remember the brand and I sold that bass.

There are so many different types but I enjoy the DM medium lights because I can bend them easily and I really like their characteristics. I have gotten along with pretty much every set of strings I've used. But I wouldn't put flats on my fretted basses.

 

[gmarcus]

For a long time it was TI Jazz flats. Then I joined a rock band and needed to play some with a pick and shifted for Chromes for more bite. I'd say they are my favorites all around. Except for one weird bass that I have that does not sound good with them and it loves Labella low tension flats

 

[AdamR]

D'adaario Flexsteels. It's a shame they discontinued them.

 

[bassist4dalord]

I don’t know yet. I’ve got TI Jazz Flats on my Squier VM Fretless Jazz. They’ve been on there for almost two years, with roughly two months spent trying others (one month each for D’Addario Tapes and ProSteels).

I’ve tried several other types of strings and haven’t found anything I like more than the TIJFs. I enjoy Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats and D’Addario Tapes quite a bit. Give me some more time and I’ll let you know.

 

[deckstirparnell]

GHS Bass Boomers, med. or med. light depending on the bass. Been using them since they came out. First 2 sets came out of GHS R & D dept. GHS Pressurewounds for fretless.

 

[gt96g]

Ernie ball cobalt flats, 45-105.