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Warmest roundwound strings

B

BoomingBass

Apr 11, 2010
181
4
#1
So I've been using roto flats and I really like them but I don't truly love them. I thought maybe I need a tad bit of brightness with the warmness I love so much. I tried some D'addario Half Rounds (my first D'addarios) and I hated them. I'm not really sure why but I did. I've heard nickel is warmer than steel. There are three that I might be interested in. Fender pure nickels, DR Sunbeams, and Rotosound 66 swing bass nickels.

Feel free to recommend anything, even flats if you think thats what I need.

Thanks in advance

Edit: I also play almost exclusively fretless
and my genres are prog metal and alt metal with some smooth jazz mixed in (I like mellow tones)
1 more thing, I use effects sometimes (chorus, phasing, and distortion)
 
#2
GHS Pressurewounds are a "squashed roundwound", I guess. They sound and feel like a cross between rounds and flats. Ken Smith and a few other companies make or sell them too.

The GHS strings weren't really for me - They sounded TOO much like flats. They might be exactly what you're looking for.
 
#3
Sunbeams are my favorite roundwound because they are nickel and warmer sounding. They were also the strings that kept their tone the longest.

I've since switched to flats but for a roundwound Sunbeams are my all time fave.
 
#4
I agree DR Sunbeams are a mellower roundwound. Also, GHS used to make something called "Bright Flats". Don't know if they still do.

You need to start experimenting. At juststrings.com all the strings they carry are listed by manufacturer (as well as by instrument and so on). It's pretty easy to compare what is available out there.
 
#5
Well, what you're looking for might be a little different than the warmness I'm after (for some good old reggae) but her two options I tried with good results.

-Mildly old thick gauge strings in good condtion (no fretware and no corrosion, but at least a few month old month). Both d'Addario and Fender tested with same results.

-The tapered Black beauties heavy gauge. (This worked for me only at my Aria string through body. On both of my Ibanezes, I guess the taperd part was too long, making the tone unstable.)
 
#9
BoomingBass said:
DR Sunbeams are starting to sound really good. I haven't heard anything about Fender pure nickels yet? and to recap and the tone I want: deep, warm, singing, and mellow are some words to describe it.
Click to expand...

For that tone I would HIGHLY recommend TI Jazz Rounds, however, they are extremely low tension and lots of people don't care for that. If you don't think you would care for low tension then the very next best thing IMO is the DR Sunbeam for the tone you describe.
 
#10
I use the fender pure nickels you're talking about. I love them. A bit mellower even than standard nickel plated steel strings. I can get a lot of really usable sounds out of them (granted that's also due to the well built versatility of my Lakland Jazz but i digress). I'd recommend them highly. Also, they last a surprisingly long time. I have especially sweaty hands and most strings die really quick on my basses, so I'm pleasantly surprised these last, on average, a month or more.
 
#11
calebplaysbass said:
I use the fender pure nickels you're talking about. I love them. A bit mellower even than standard nickel plated steel strings. I can get a lot of really usable sounds out of them (granted that's also due to the well built versatility of my Lakland Jazz but i digress). I'd recommend them highly. Also, they last a surprisingly long time. I have especially sweaty hands and most strings die really quick on my basses, so I'm pleasantly surprised these last, on average, a month or more.
Click to expand...

+1

The Fender pure nickels are mellower than any other nickel string I have tried, by far. And I've tried just about all of them.
 

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