What are these strings?

[minimalist freedom]

Cleaning out the tool box. Found these. The strings with no silks came stock on New Jackson JS2. No idea what they are. The red silks maybe GHS? Also found some strings of a Ray 34 I'll assume they are EB slinky's. Thanks in advance.

 

[michael_t]

The red silks maybe GHS?

In order for GHS Boomers to have red silk at BOTH ENDS, they would have to be several years old... Are they?

 

[GTHintz]

So the 2 best guesses are either boomers or could be Rotosound. I think they are boomers because I think Rotosound have brass ball ends that will be darker. However if they are old I'd say it could be either. Hard to tell in the pics. If they appear like nickel plating it'll be boomers. Of it's all steel then most likely rotos.

 

[ThomasTronics]

They are old rotosound Swing strings. After 10 years of playing those I recognize the winding at the ball end.

 

[GTHintz]

I'm pretty sure it's rotos too. When I first started playing bass I used rotos and they looked like that. They just dropped the ball end silks a few years ago. The old package with the lion on it is what will have silk on both ends.

 

[michael_t]

They are old rotosound Swing strings. After 10 years of playing those I recognize the winding at the ball end.

I'm pretty sure it's rotos too. When I first started playing bass I used rotos and they looked like that.

Can you confirm old Rotos at any point came with silver/chrome ball ends? Every pic of them I've seen showed brass ball ends.

I ask because I know for a fact some GHS sets have come with chrome ball ends.

 

[minimalist freedom]

Can you confirm old Rotos at any point came with silver/chrome ball ends? Every pic of them I've seen showed brass ball ends.

View attachment 4453547

I ask because I know for a fact some GHS sets have come with chrome ball ends.

That's what I thought, GHS.

 

[minimalist freedom]

In order for GHS Boomers to have red silk at BOTH ENDS, they would have to be several years old... Are they?

No

 

[iiipopes]

At the top of the strings where the leaders are, it is difficult to tell from the pictures: do the strings gradually taper from the speaking length into the leaders, or is there a little "stair-step" in the taper. GHS tapers smoothly; Roto has a stair-step.

That said, the dark grey hue leans me towards Roto stainless rather than GHS Boomers, which being nickel plated, are a little brighter, even when worn.

 

[minimalist freedom]

At the top of the strings where the leaders are, it is difficult to tell from the pictures: do the strings gradually taper from the speaking length into the leaders, or is there a little "stair-step" in the taper. GHS tapers smoothly; Roto has a stair-step.

That said, the dark grey hue leans me towards Roto stainless rather than GHS Boomers, which being nickel plated, are a little brighter, even when worn.

Gradual