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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
#1,647
As a loyal DR user for years, I just put some D'addario Prosteels on and love them. My open E has never sounded better on my Ric. I was originally using Sunbeams, but wanted a bit more tension and clank, so I switched to SS Lo-Riders a few years back. I haven't had much luck with them lately, especially the E string, which doesn't ring out well at all. I thought there was something wrong with my Ric, but it wound up being a dead string. I'm starting to think my last set was the same way as well.

I love the sound of Rotosounds, but wanted something just a little gentler on frets. I guess I'll put off my purchase of Rotosound nickels for now and see how these last with my fairly neutral hands.
 
#1,648
DTB.FLAT_.0760M-351x356.jpg


The Best String for me
 
#1,650
Big Taters said:
RotoSound Tru Bass 88 - Boom, chicka boom!
Click to expand...

I admire you. I always thought I should like Tru Bass, and I tried them on and off for about 25 years on so many basses. Always hated them. A few months ago on a visit to London I very briefly tried a fretless semi with them and it sounded pretty fantastic.

Whatever you do, don't unwrap them. They're the bloody roughest roundwounds underneath you will ever come across!

All my basses have always had roundwound strings on them, and after quite a few years I settled on Guild Lights (or extra lights ... it was a while ago). Fender put a stop to that so now it's D'Addario EXL220s. I love 'em. 40-60-75-95.

Recently had to restring my Longhorn, and the only short scale strings that seem to be available here are Fender 5250xl strings (40-60-75-95 :-)). I was dubious as hell ... but put them on and they're fantastic. Dano players take note (or not, YMMV).

I also had a set of La Bella flats on my Hagstrom Viking for a week recently, which was pretty much the first time I've had flats on a bass for more than 10 minutes, and it sounded very sweet.

I could see the attraction, but it's got (cut-down, can't find any medium scale strings) EXL220s on it now, and I'm happy. (Medium scale string in Thailand? Are you mad?)

Whatever, I guess I'm a roundwound guy. With a plectrum. And lots of heel on the bridge.
 
#1,653
I've tried Rotosounds, DRs, D'addario, EB, Musicians Gear, GHS Boomers etc. Had a friend who kept bugging me to try Dunlops. Dunlops? I was like aren't they cheap azz strings? Well let me tell you something. They have a Brand New String out called Super Bright. They come in SS and Nickel. I tried a set of their Super Bright Stainless Steels on my Brubaker KXB-5 Custom and Played at two events with them. I'm here to tell you I found my new string. I'm a Slapper and when I finished playing with one guy who plays for Smokie Robinson, Pattied LaBelle, Maysia, etc he said I'm going to call you slapping-stein!!! The next week my band played a gig. I had my Brubaker KXB-5 Custom, Puma 500 Bass Head and Eden 2x12 cab. Man I was killin the whole gig. My tone, slap and finger style were BANGING. The band kept looking at me the whole night just smiling at me. Tone is very subjective for us bass players, but if you're in the mood to try a different string and you're a slapper spend the dough one time to check out a set of the Dunlop Super Bright SS joints. They also make them in Nickel for those who feel SS is too rough. I looked at the packaging and it says right on the box, formulated or made for Slapper. This is true. These are a Slappers delight. Dunlop Super Brights are going on all my axes.
 
#1,656
Depending on what type of music the tone demands, I bounce between rounds, half-rounds and flats. At the end of the day I really love half-rounds on my old fretted PBass and Jazz Bass Fretless. On my Tobias and MTD 6 string basses (believe it or not) I prefer Rotosound RS776 Jazz Bass flats. Of course your amp can make all the difference in the world. I run my basses through an Eden WT550 & D210XST cabinet which really changes the tone game, so your mileage may vary. Cheers!
LDFAmusic.com
 
#1,658
Out of the 17 basses I currently have, 4 are unplayable for one reason or another. Of the other 13:
- T-Bird has the factory Gibson strings;
- Rick 4003 has Rickenbacker Light Rounds (40-95);
- Rick 4001 has EB Hybrid Slinky nickel rounds (50-105);
-Rogue VB-100 has Rotosound Tapewound 88s (60-115);
- Starfire violin bass has the Rogue's old strings on it (for now).
The rest all have EB Regular Slinky nickel rounds (50-105).:)
 
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