what a difference strings can make

[4SG]

Back when I was much younger, and still had my '73 Rick 4001, I stubbornly stuck to Roto-Sound....because that was what Chris Squire used!! Really dumb reasoning, and definitely not a reason to use a particular type of string! They were OK, and had the sound I wanted, but felt terrible. Fast forward about thirty years - now playing all Fender basses and, on a friend's suggestion I tried GHS Bass Boomers. The difference, to me, was like night and day and I stuck with them until about five years ago. I got a small GC gift cert. for Christmas and, totally on a hunch, tried a set of Ernie Ball Cobalts and now will play nothing else...except on my fretless! That gets GHS Pressure Wound strings, so that I don't chew up the fingerboard.

My point is that everyone's tastes are very different, and you may have to try out several types of strings until you find the set that's 'perfect' for you! After fifty-one years of playing bass, I am still exploring and learning! Yes, it's going to cost you to find your holy grail but, unless you know someone that can somehow allow you to try out a variety of strings, it's about the only way. Most music shops won't know what their instruments are strung with (with rare exceptions), and only your fingers, and ears, will tell you what you need to know.

Good luck!

Ha! I used Rotosounds forever for a similar reason, namely John Entwistle. Then again, I played a Precision exclusively and usually with a pick. It was only in recent years when I started playing without a pick that I began paying attention to strings. I recently put a set of D'Addario black nylon tapewounds on a Fender Jazz and they're fantastic. Maybe should have done some experimenting over the past 30 years...

 

[eots]

I put a set of Carvin flats on a Fernandes P bass after changing pickups to quarter pounder and absolutely loved that bass.
Tried the same flats on A Carvin LB70P and immediately took them off. Hated the flats on that bass.
Also loved the LaBella tapewounds on a Carvin lb75af (fretless)
I currently have four basses. Two with flats, two with rounds.

 

[bbh]

No but if I did, I'd be sorry for the waste of money and go get something usable.
I just tried the RX 5 string set w/ thinner B and E. I really like them on my p-bass. They are very toney w/ a lower top end. Exactly what I wanted out of that axe. If you need the modern jazz type sound, i really like the marcus miller strings by dunlop. They're great on my lapland dj-5 .130 b.

 

[Yahboy]

I have try some different flatwound on my Cheap Squier CV60P since 2012. And i find the best tone for myself is TiJF344.
Now i have 2 new bass in hand ~ Cort/Sandberg Arona 4 and Cort Artisan B5 Plus. I am happy with the tone from GHS Presseurewound ML7200 on Arona 4 . Dunlop nickel 40-120 on B5 , tone is ok but hate the string surface, still looking for others matching string set.