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What kind of strings do you use?

Preferred String Type

  • Roundwounds

    Votes: 5,505 69.2%

  • Flatwounds

    Votes: 1,868 23.5%

  • Nylons

    Votes: 142 1.8%

  • Compression, 1/2, groundwound (either or)

    Votes: 258 3.2%

  • Other

    Votes: 178 2.2%
  • Total voters
    7,951
#2,961
RavenousPoe said:
I just have to gush about trying GHS Pressurewounds in 44-106 gauge for the first (second?) time. I got a new (to me) bass just a couple of weeks ago, and I immediately noticed how great the strings felt and sounded. After a lot of digging and verifying the strings' iconic black silk, I purchased a brand new set just to make sure that I was right. I re-strung my P Bass with them a couple of days ago and they are exactly the same! The reduced finger noise is no joke, they have excellent clarity, and still sound like rounds!

From now on, I'll be buying sets of Pressurewounds for all of my basses!
Click to expand...

So... I did buy a set of 45-105 NYXL's for my newest bass since the Pressurewounds were already pre-aged when I got them. I already purchased another set of Pressurewounds for my P Bass with the GZR pickup since I got a lot of treble response from it. It sounded awesome and super balanced!

Now, I have an EMG PX (Thank you, TB Classifieds!) en route to replace it since the GZR started to fail. Since this pickup won't have as much treble, I'm going to try throwing Bass Boomers at it!

The Pressurewounds did great on both basses, but since I now play with some distortion, I felt that I needed a bit more top end to complete the sound.

So, my current setup is:

1. ESP M-1004 with NYXL 45-105
2. Fender Player Series 1, GZR Pickup, with Pressurewound 44-106. About to have a PX with Boomer 45-105's.
3. Sterling Sub Ray4 (heavily modded with EMG MM & BTC Pre) with Boomer 45-105's
4. Sterling Sub Ray4 (Heavily modded with EMG Ceramic Active Pickup, volume & tone only) with Boomer 45-130's in BEAD.

Last two basses are hardly ever played, since I started with #4 and used it as my first mod platform, and my wife got me #3 so I could A/B the mods and have backups if need be.
 
#2,962
RavenousPoe said:
Now, I have an EMG PX (Thank you, TB Classifieds!) en route to replace it since the GZR started to fail. Since this pickup won't have as much treble, I'm going to try throwing Bass Boomers at it!

The Pressurewounds did great on both basses, but since I now play with some distortion, I felt that I needed a bit more top end to complete the sound...
Click to expand...
GHS Pressurewound vs. Boomers...

Here's an interesting experience I've had with these two... I had a set of PW on my Yamaha TRBX505 for awhile, then switched to the Boomers without telling the sound tech at my church. During the initial soundcheck with the Boomers, this sound tech commented, "How come your bass sounds darker than usual?" According to the GHS brightness scale, the Boomers are supposed to be "brighter" than the PW, but that's not how they were perceived by this one sound tech.

If you want to try something with a crisper and clearer top end, you might want to try the GHS Bassics. They're different from the Boomers in the sense only the final cover is nickel-plated steel with all stainless steel inner layers, resulting in a very different tonal character from the Boomers.

Just my experience...
 
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#2,963
michael_t said:
GHS Pressurewound vs. Boomers...

Here's an interesting experience I've had with these two... I had a set of PW on my Yamaha TRBX505 for awhile, then switched to the Boomers without telling the sound tech at my church. During the initial soundcheck with the Boomers, this sound tech commented, "How come your bass sounds darker than usual?" According to the GHS brightness scale, the Boomers are supposed to be "brighter" than the PW, but that's not how they were perceived by this one sound tech.

If you want to try something with a crisper and clearer top end, you might want to try the GHS Bassics. They're different from the Boomers in the sense only the final cover is nickel-plated steel with all stainless steel inner layers, resulting in a very different tonal character from the Boomers.

Just my experience...
Click to expand...
Very cool and good to know! Next time I go to restring my ESP, I'll try Bassics!
 
#2,964
bryan bailey said:
Strings that is, I love pure nickel round wounds, and nickel plated round wounds. Whats yours?


EDIT BY JASONBRAATZ:

Post what kinds of string you use, what bass you use them on, and your thoughts on the sound.
Click to expand...
After 22 years from when this thread poll started, I am surprised by the overwhelming preference of round wound strings. So many posts over the years of bassist installing flats on their PB, comparably almost no posts about getting rid of the flats opting for rounds on their PB.

I’d like to know why the volume of posts that deal with finding the best flats far out number the one’s searching info on rounds. Strange….
 
#2,965
I regret that I never tried flats on my 1998 StingRay 5 H.

My impression after many years of gigging it with a wide variety of roundwounds is that it seems to take up a lot of sonic space in a band mix where the guitarists thought they had to crank their volume up to compensate (or is that just what guitarists do?).

I think flatwounds on a StingRay would let it slot better in the mix (but I could be wrong).
 
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#2,966
John D Harris said:
I regret that I never tried flats on my 1998 StingRay 5 H.

My impression after many years of gigging it with a wide variety of roundwounds is that it seems to take up a lot of sonic space in a band mix where the guitarists thought they had to crank their volume up to compensate (or is that just what guitarists do?).

I think flatwounds on a StingRay would let it slot better in the mix (but I could be wrong).
Click to expand...

I have 2 Stingrays- an 86 EB and a pre-EB (haven’t taken off the neck to find the exact date but I think it’s a 77 from the serial). They’re both strung with TI Jazz Flats and it’s the best thing I ever did for my tone. The flats accentuate everything I love about the Ray sound (full, warm low end and punchy yet sweet midrange) and remove everything I don’t (clank and zing). I’ll never use another string on them.
 
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#2,969
John D Harris said:
Has anyone played both the Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats and the Dunlop Flatwounds (DBFS45125)? I'd like to hear your thoughts on how they compare. I've been working on creating presets on my Two Notes Opus and I'm a bit concerned that the diminished tone might have a negative impact on my presets (adjusting to compensate for lackluster string tone). I'm still waiting to see if I can get by with the CF's while they are on my bass; the Dunlops are waiting in the wings. I'm a bit paranoid that the CF's may break if I try to put them back on once I take them off (I've heard of people having breaking issues with them).
Click to expand...
On an old P bass, I Preferred the Dunlops. It felt like i was hearing the bass more. The Cobalt’s character is more recognisable irrespective of the instrument they’re on.
The Dunlops are tonally BALANCED with an airy top end. The low strings sound-out as evenly as the higher strings, so while rolling the tone back on them does capture some Motown character, they don’t have the thump associated with the higher tension La Bellas.
Comparatively, i found the cobalt’s had a more pronounced top and pokier high midrange. This voicing sounds more aggressive and in your face- with more of a recognisable voice, compared to the more open and even Dunlops?? Reminds me a little of Rotosound roundwounds- they have a similar throaty, agro character.
I hope this load of waffle and feelings is in some way informative 🤦‍♂️
 
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#2,970
eddiditfirst said:
On an old P bass, I Preferred the Dunlops. It felt like i was hearing the bass more. The Cobalt’s character is more recognisable irrespective of the instrument they’re on.
The Dunlops are tonally BALANCED with an airy top end. The low strings sound-out as evenly as the higher strings, so while rolling the tone back on them does capture some Motown character, they don’t have the thump associated with the higher tension La Bellas.
Comparatively, i found the cobalt’s had a more pronounced top and pokier high midrange. This voicing sounds more aggressive and in your face- with more of a recognisable voice, compared to the more open and even Dunlops?? Reminds me a little of Rotosound roundwounds- they have a similar throaty, agro character.
I hope this load of waffle and feelings is in some way informative 🤦‍♂️
Click to expand...
Yes, thank you very much!

Yeah, I had a set of Rotosound RS775LD Jazz 77 Monel Flatwounds before the Cobalts - which I think were a bad set as the 'D' and 'G' strings were very dead and the other strings of that set were very tubby sounding with a weird brightness.

Sounds like I need to go ahead and put the Dunlop's on and give them a whirl - your description sounds exactly like what I'm looking for.

I do wish my Cort B5 Element had a passive tone control.

I may look into replacing the Treble control on it to work as a VTC in passive mode (or in both modes - if I have the VTC, I don't need the active treble because I never use it to boost anyway, plus I 'never'* use it in active mode since I got the Two Notes Opus).

* I shouldn't use that word.
 
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#2,971
eddiditfirst said:
On an old P bass, I Preferred the Dunlops. It felt like i was hearing the bass more. The Cobalt's character is more recognisable irrespective of the instrument they're on.
The Dunlops are tonally BALANCED with an airy top end. The low strings sound-out as evenly as the higher strings, so while rolling the tone back on them does capture some Motown character, they don't have the thump associated with the higher tension La Bellas.
Click to expand...

I think you've helped me really figure out what the deal is with Dunlop flats. They're excellent strings, but I before I read your post I would've described them as lacking a distinctive sound. TI's sound like TI's, La Bella's sound like La Bella's... What do Dunlops sound like? Well, whatever the bass sounds like.
 
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#2,975
Just threw some cobalt flats on my Stingray. Before this, I've tried Fender and LaBella. Third time's a charm, and I believe these are now my default strings. Absolutely love them.

Pic just because.

IMG_6895.jpg
 
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#2,977
humbuckaroo said:
Just threw some cobalt flats on my Stingray. Before this, I've tried Fender and LaBella. Third time's a charm, and I believe these are now my default strings. Absolutely love them.

Pic just because.

View attachment 7215997
Click to expand...
I see you didn't follow the special installation instructions that came with the strings. Hopefully they won't give you any issues later on like some people have complained. ;)
 
#2,979
michael_t said:
I see you didn't follow the special installation instructions that came with the strings. Hopefully they won't give you any issues later on like some people have complained. ;)
Click to expand...

Ernie Ball didn't even follow those instructions. Below is a pic of the headstock with the original strings.

For what it's worth I've put four to five hours on these strings already and they're great. Keeping tune like nobody's business.

491958984_10108403730728631_7398685588560364665_n.jpg
 

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