What kind of strings do you use?

[GTHintz]

Blue Steels may be the one string I've never tried over the years. They must be pretty bright?

Just got a set and they are bright in their own way. I'd describe them as flexible and they do have some individual flavor for sure. I like the articulate and focused punch. I can dig and get sounds I like as well as lightly pluck and they respond well to your input which is more than some others I've tried.

 

[gigetto]

rotobass 105 i've on two basses are quite hard and hight tension for me but they can long last for a good time I hope.

 

[GwenOnBass]

Just installed GHS Brite Flats on my StingRay, making the instrument as close to when I bought it new in 1979.

 

[Robert Mossack]

Being fairly new to bass, I just changed the strings on my J-Bass with the same thing I'm used to on my guitars, Ernie Ball lights (The Green pack). I might experiment some in the future, but these seem to do it for me.

 

[Mickeyb48]

DR HI BEAMS and Nickle Lo Riders

 

[bassist4dalord]

My Schecter Raiden Special-4 is currently wearing D’Addario XLs in BEAD tuning. The set is the EXL165-5 set. That bass sounded the best when I had ProSteels on it so they’ll be next.

My Ibanez AEB5E acoustic has La Bella White Nylon tapes. They’ll be on there for a while. I don’t play it much.

I just need to admit that my favorite strings for electric bass are the D’Addario ProSteels. I’m saving for a Schecter Stiletto Stealth 5 right now. When I order it I’ll be ordering a set of ProSteels for it right away.

 

[panzerfaust]

Cobalt flatwound ernie ball 2813

 

[Aussie Player]

I use SIT Medium Nickel strings across the board for modern basses and Labella Deep Talking black Nylons for vintage Gibsons.

 

[michael_t]

Time for another update in my never-ending tone quest...

Back to basics = back to Bassics. Time to explore and re-discover the versatility of the nickel-plated steel roundwound.

GHS Bassics 40-58-80-102-130 on my Yamaha.

GHS Pressurewound 40-96 on my P (unchanged).
GHS Pressurewound 44-106 on my J, tuned to DGCF (unchanged).

As of tonight, my Yamaha is back with GHS Pressurewound 40-96 and GHS Progressive 130B.

GHS Pressurewound 40-96 on my P (unchanged).
GHS Pressurewound 44-106 on my J, tuned to DGCF (unchanged).

 

[LoveThatBass]

On my new G&L SB-2 I am loving Ken Smith Compressors. Lot of tone like D'Addario EXL's it came with but feels smoother and less Finger String noise. What's not to like for only $19 on Amazon

I use TI Jazz Flats on my Fender American Jazz and D'Addario Nylon wraps on my Fender P bass

 

[Rich McCoy]

I own a Yamaha SBV-500 and it plays great with GHS Precision rounds .45 - .95.
So smooth in the mix.

I also have a de-fretted Fender P-Bass neck on a Fender Squire Series Jazz body. It gets Fender flats .55 - .105

 

[LoveThatBass]

I finally found a string I really like on my G&L SB-2. Elixer nickel plated nanocoated strings. It is a string that is a must for use with a top loading bridge as if you try and use it n Tru the body there will be no easy way to ground it and you will experience noise. It has most of the good round wound tone with little finger nose

 

[michael_t]

Elixer nickel plated nanocoated strings. It is a string that is a must for use with a top loading bridge as if you try and use it n Tru the body there will be no easy way to ground it and you will experience noise. It has most of the good round wound tone with little finger nose

This explains why Elixir has insisted on keeping their "long scale" as 36.5" in winding length (ball end to taper) while most other companies have moved to 37"-37.25" for their "long scale". They're actually trying to discourage people from using them for thru-body by keeping them too short for it.

As for "good roundwound tone with little finger noise", I use GHS Pressurewounds for that. No grounding issue top-loaded or thru-body.

 

[LoveThatBass]

This explains why Elixir has insisted on keeping their "long scale" as 36.5" in winding length (ball end to taper) while most other companies have moved to 37"-37.25" for their "long scale". They're actually trying to discourage people from using them for thru-body by keeping them too short for it.

As for "good roundwound tone with little finger noise", I use GHS Pressurewounds for that. No grounding issue top-loaded or thru-body.

Yes I have GHS Pressure wounds on a Gretsch Hollowbody electric bass. I tried them on my G&L SB-2. Pickups seem to be string selective.

 

[WillyW]

Pyramid Gold flats on anything fretted.

EB Extra Slinky roundworms on anything fretless.

 

[bassist4dalord]

My SBMM Ray5 wears DR Pure Blues 45-125 and will for the foreseeable future. I have two unopened sets waiting for when needed. These are my favorite roundwound strings.

My Ibanez AEB5E acoustic still has La Bella White Nylon Tapes. I don’t love them but I’m not sure what else to try on that bass. We’ll see.

My Schecter Raiden Special-4 is wearing D’Addario XLs tuned BEAD. Not sure what to try next.

 

[Cracker7]

Only one bass now, Fender American Pro II with a Curtis Novak PB-90 and LaBella LTFs. So good.

 

[gigetto]

Light gauge

 

[bobyoung53]

Bunch-o-basses and have gradually been putting Rotosound Swing bass RS66 on all of them. I used them for many years until I started getting bum strings during the early 90's and just bought some for the first time again maybe 6 months ago and they are excellent now, I've had them on some basses now for 6 months and they're still bright and very even. Nothing sounds like those strings and I've tried a whole lot of them.

 

[Bobby Reasons]

D'addario XL's.

About these strings do they not make heavy gauge strings I like the sound of these.