What kind of strings do you use?

[jasonbraatz]

i'm going to do some renaming and sticky this thread for great justice.

how about everyone post what strings you use, what bass you use them on, and how they sound (or, your impressions of the string, what you do/don't like about them - any information you'd find helpful)


i think it'd be a good way for newbies to get an idea of what other people are using for possible string options.

 

[5stringDNA]

Well now that we are being asked for all this new information, Ineed to update .
I use a Spector NS2000 Q5 with D'Addario half-rounds (groudnwounds). I can get stiff chunky slap and tap tone, a nice deep full THUMP, and some ear-piercing highs out of the upper-regsiter, especially on pops. They feel really nice too.

I used D'Addario ribbon-wound flats on my fretless Austin 5 before I sold it. They are very high tension strings and get a great hard thump as well as sing a little.

 

[bryan bailey]

Well in that case

In My TBC I use fender super bass medium light strings. (nickel plated roundwound)

For My squier I currently use Fender pure nickels, but I am soon to put some flats on it, perhaps even defret it.

And with the nickel plated, my TBC sounds completely amazing, especially for its $400 purchase price, it easily sounds like a much more expensive bass.

 

[Ben Mishler]

Ernie Ball Rounds on my MIM P. I like them because the help bring out the midrange growl in my P-Bass. Espically with my DiMarzio pups, but that is a different forum.

 

[Moving Pictures]

I posted earlier that I use TI Flats on my Fender Jazz and on my Squire P-Special. What I like about them is that they give me even tone across the strings and sit well in the mix. It takes some time to get used to the lower tension but it is worth it. You can play unbelievably fast with the lower tension as well. They get better with age - so far. I have had them on my Jazz for 6 months and they just sound awesome. Deep and boomy. Not quite the same growl on a Jazz as you would get with rounds but it is noticable nonetheless. When we taped one of our rehearsals my bass just sat nice in the middle of the mix, much better than when I played with Fender 7250's (also nice strings).

Dan

 

[John K.]

Well, to add to my other post, I am currently using some Ernie Ball flats on my jazz (guage 50-105, I love high tension) and Ernie Ball rounds on my P (50-105, regular slinkies). As soon as I get another P bass, I'm fitting some LaBella flats on that sucker. Mmm... tone...

 

[supermetroid]

I'm currently using La Bella Deep Talkin' Bass (flatwounds, for those not in the know) on my 'Ray and GHS Brite Flats on my P-Bass Special. I dig their warm thumpin' tone. Also, I tend to favor flats because of the heavy vibrato and aggressive plucking style I often use. The flats wear the frets more slowly. When I do use roundwounds, I prefer the original Rotosound Swing Bass. As a sidenote, I'd like to try nylon tapewound sometime.

 

[Aaron Saunders]

Hmmm...I use Ernie Rounds at the moment, but they're the only strings I've ever used since I put them on in October (2 year old stock strings before that). I really like the brightness I get from the rounds, but I want a *thumpy* sound, and apparently for that flat is the way to go. However, I don't really need...or want a thumpy sound on the G string. I'd much prefer to keep the bright snap of a round wound. Thus, I figure I can mix and match...possibly some Ernie Flats E-A-D and Ernie Round G. However, this probably wouldn't give me a proportional tone...so I might even end up getting a groundwound or a halfwound G as a compromise between an even tone and brightness.

 

[Fliptrique]

DR lo riders on my custom built jazz (active mec`s).

i`ve used warwick strings when i begian playing bass, they sucked like hell. then i had d`adario (don`t remeber what type - those with earth on the package) they sucked too. then were ernie balls nickels and dean markley sr2000 - balls were ok, the deans were great, but i needed something more stiff and growly.

of course, i`ve heard basses on wich d`adario sounded great - it differs greatly from bass to bass.

 

[Jontom]

Labella SuperSteps .45-.105 on my Warwick Corvette Standard.
DR Hibeams(same gauge) on My Warmoth J.
Rotosound(same gauge) on my P.
Ken Smith(same gauge) on my Aria ProII.
Thomastik/Infeld Spirocores (med) on my Robelli 3/4 DB.
GHS boomers(same gauge) on my Dean Rhapsody 8.
The SuperSteps and Spirocores are my favorites. They give me the sound I hear in my head. If my bridges would handle the LaBellas', I'd use them on all my electrics!

 

[bass87]

Rotosound Jazz flats on my Fender Jazz. They sound very good, nice and growly, and last forever!

 

[tranceaphone]

GHS Bass Boomers, medium gauge. They don't growl; they don't twang. They just play smoothly, and sound nice and bright. They're not too tough on my hands, either. I love 'em!

[Edited to add that they're attached to a 2002 MIM Standard J-bass]

 

[John K.]

Update on that last post of mine, I just put some Fender 9050 flats on my jazz, and holy moley! Growl at the bridge, thump at the neck, sweet tone everywhere! I love em!

 

[notduane]

Heavily modded yammer rbx260f and bbn4f -- T/I flats & rounds resp.

Rob Allen(s) -- T/I Acousticores and Roto tapes. I'm about to
give up on the Rotos though. "Finest Quality" ?!? My left ***

I just ordered some Status Hot Wire tapes...we'll see

 

[supermetroid]

Originally posted by notduane
I'm about to give up on the Rotos though. "Finest Quality" ?!? My left ***

Agreed. That's one of the reasons I switched to flats. Rotos were my old fave until recently. I got two bad sets in a row and decided I ought to try something different. Wonder what's going on across the pond...

 

[bryan bailey]

MWHUAAHAHAHA!!!! I started this thread hahahah, that makes me feel special

And Fender super bass strings are really cool

 

[Lackey]

Year old D'Addario XL Environmental 50-105s on the Jazz. Not the snappiest strings out there,, but they dang well last! I've had EB slinkies (liked) GHS Boomers (HATED!) and Dean Markley Blue Steels (HATED!) on it in the past. Ernie ball's had good snap, good flex and were cheap. The GHS' had uneven tone from string to string, plus I broke them within 2 months. Blue steels had a stiff rough feel, plus they had a dull tone with high end "spackle" (?).

5 month old MTD 50-130(5?)s on the Kingston5. OK, but I'm not sure I like the taper/exposed B string. It has plenty of depth and clarity on an open B, however it sounds dull and un-intonated when you fret it, particularly higher up the neck. It also feels a bit floppy compared to the other strings, fast fingerstyle knocks it into the frets. I think I'm going to try some DR LoRiders next time around.

 

[Jacob Bartfield]

I've been using Thomastik Jazz Flats on my Warwick fretted Fortress One. WOW! They are just awsome.

I use nothing but flatwounds. I stopped using rounds a couple of years ago.

 

[DriveThruEmoKid]

Im not to familiar with strings, and am not sure on what type to get. I own a Mexican P-Bass, and i need new strings. Im looking for a nice tone, bright sound, not a flat dull sound. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[xhibit]

i like stainless steel roundwounded super soustain on my gibson thunderbird!!