for yrs i used the GHS bass boomers until i started getting flat spots on my frets......then switched over to these and never looked back.
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What bass strings are you using and why?
- Thread starter Ilias0_7
- Start date
I've really only used Fenders, D'Addarios, and maybe one or two other nickel round-wounds through the years, but I don't remember ever having an especially bad experience with anything.
DR Sunbeams (45-105) have become my home-sweet-home. Love them new. Love them old and used up.
After cruising through threads like this one, I'm reminded that I need to scratch that itch and sample a few other things soon. Nylon tapewounds seem to be a truly different sort of string and I've heard raves through recent years for a few labels including LaBella and TI... and everything else!!!
Is it just me or does a new set of strings often bring a little short term GAS relief?
DR Sunbeams (45-105) have become my home-sweet-home. Love them new. Love them old and used up.
After cruising through threads like this one, I'm reminded that I need to scratch that itch and sample a few other things soon. Nylon tapewounds seem to be a truly different sort of string and I've heard raves through recent years for a few labels including LaBella and TI... and everything else!!!
Is it just me or does a new set of strings often bring a little short term GAS relief?
Yep that’s the pack I get right there also.
@op why? Good strings good price and available, and they make my favorite guitar strings.
I would try other bass strings, but I dont.
I run D'Addario NYXL on my StingRay 5.
Makes the growl come out for me, better than any other strings I've tried.
Makes the growl come out for me, better than any other strings I've tried.
D'Addarios. In my experience they've been a consistently good sounding and long lasting string that's a great value. Maybe not my favorite string ever for all occasions, but what you get for the money is pretty awesome. And to be perfectly up front about it; I played them exclusively before I was an "endorsing artist"
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I'm playing a short scale in CGDA tuning, with flatwounds. My low string is a Dunlop because it was the only .125 i could find short. The others are LaBella DTBs, because I like the feel of them better than any other string. The Dunlop is fine, and it blends well enough with the LaBellas.
Dad XL Chromes on fretted and LaBella flats on fretless. The Sabre rings nice with bright rounds.
I was gonna say Bass Strings.
I was gonna say Bass Strings.
wmhill
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- Aug 20, 2012
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LaBella RX stainless. A great tone that lasts, good feel, and priced well.
(Gauges depend on application).
(Gauges depend on application).
5 year old Sadowsky Blue Label flats on one bass and DR SS lo-riders on the other. I need one bass for a more mid forward vintage tone and one bass for wang and clang.
DR high beams. They real supple! They start out a little in-your-face, but they mellow nicely over time and sound good for months. The stretchy feel they have allows me to use larger strings that I would with some other brands, which pleases me.
All of that is in regards to my particular bass, which chose the strings as much as I did. I cycled through all the heavy hitters and these are the ones that stuck because they feel great and this bass loves them.
All of that is in regards to my particular bass, which chose the strings as much as I did. I cycled through all the heavy hitters and these are the ones that stuck because they feel great and this bass loves them.
My 5 string used to have D'Addario Chromes which I mostly liked, but I have to slap on one song and they don't do that well. Then GHS Pressurewounds, which are a nice compromise between round and flat, but the Pressurewound B was muffled and dead. Got a deal on a set of D'Addario XT coated roundwounds, but they were too bright on top. Currently I'm using the Pressurewound A, D, and G with the XT E and B, and they make a surprisingly good match.
My Jack Casady used to have Chromes, but it was too dark. Now it has Rotosound 66's and it's all clank and finger noise. Something different next time.
My Jack Casady used to have Chromes, but it was too dark. Now it has Rotosound 66's and it's all clank and finger noise. Something different next time.
For several years I used Rotosound Stainless on both the 4 and 6 string basses. I recently switch to LaBella Flats on the 4 string
In order that they are installed on my basses as I look at them, from right to left in my house:
1. Fender tapewounds: because they work really well with Fender pickups! In this case, on a Jazz. Snappy and punchy, but with the high-end edge taken off. I find these strings to be really versatile, and have used them on several other basses to great effect.
2. LaBella "Deep Talkin'" tapewounds (black): these are on a passive, fretless MusicMan. Possibly the longest pairing of strings+bass I own, I must have picked these up a decade ago and have had zero desire to change them. Smooth and articulate, and easy to play - I don't think they will ever leave this bass
3. Ernie Ball cobalt flatwounds: these are on my other fretless, another Fender Jazz. I've tried a number of other flats on this bass, and these provide the best sustain and mid-range character, which pairs very nicely with the Jazz pickups.
4. D'Addario chrome flatwounds: these are possibly the most surprising configuration, on a Modulus with a Bartolini preamp. That preamp is very strong in the high-end, so flats work well to tame it quite a bit. I've had this set of chromes on a few basses, and they really suit this bass better than any of my others. I bet a lot of people don't try flats with active basses, but they work really nicely, depending what you're after.
5. Rotosound "Funkmaster" roundwounds: on a good old P-Bass. Rotos in generally are really punchy, and this set is extremely light gauge which provides a lot of "give", in terms of how they feel and react. In my experience, the Precision pickup is ideal for strings with a lot of inherent dynamic range.
1. Fender tapewounds: because they work really well with Fender pickups! In this case, on a Jazz. Snappy and punchy, but with the high-end edge taken off. I find these strings to be really versatile, and have used them on several other basses to great effect.
2. LaBella "Deep Talkin'" tapewounds (black): these are on a passive, fretless MusicMan. Possibly the longest pairing of strings+bass I own, I must have picked these up a decade ago and have had zero desire to change them. Smooth and articulate, and easy to play - I don't think they will ever leave this bass
3. Ernie Ball cobalt flatwounds: these are on my other fretless, another Fender Jazz. I've tried a number of other flats on this bass, and these provide the best sustain and mid-range character, which pairs very nicely with the Jazz pickups.
4. D'Addario chrome flatwounds: these are possibly the most surprising configuration, on a Modulus with a Bartolini preamp. That preamp is very strong in the high-end, so flats work well to tame it quite a bit. I've had this set of chromes on a few basses, and they really suit this bass better than any of my others. I bet a lot of people don't try flats with active basses, but they work really nicely, depending what you're after.
5. Rotosound "Funkmaster" roundwounds: on a good old P-Bass. Rotos in generally are really punchy, and this set is extremely light gauge which provides a lot of "give", in terms of how they feel and react. In my experience, the Precision pickup is ideal for strings with a lot of inherent dynamic range.
Lately it is DR Hi Beams and Sun Beams for me. I like the low tension.
