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What makes DR Fat Beams different from DR Hi-Beams?

#41
lowendgenerator said:
Well, I don't get any discount on strings, I endorse THEM. They don't even know I exist outside of the complaint I brought to their attention. Maybe I don't understand how endorsements work, and I should take that little snip out of my headline.
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Then you're not an "endorsing artist" in any way shape or form, and you can safely take that tagline out.

To be an endorsing artist, you MUST be compensated in some way by the company you prop, which is why endorsing artists must identify themselves here at TB, because by definition, they're slanted in their opinions... they're "paid to be".

In most cases, endorsing artists actually even have a signed contract that spans a specific period of time, and compensation can mean anything from literally being on their payroll to discounted or even free products, or both. They're literally employees.

Just telling people you like a certain brand makes you an advocate or a fan, but NOT at all an "endorsing artist."
 
#45
lowendgenerator said:
We can argue that point, but why bother? I obviously have a different definition of "endorsing artist" and a naive one at that. I'll just remove it from my headline. :D
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Not a problem. Thing is, if that term were read as simply descriptive, you're right of course. Problem is, it's most typically (as in 99.9% of the time) read as a "title" due to the vast majority of the people using it that way, which is why it matters here at TB. :)
 
#46
In case anyone is contemplating doing the same, took some well-worn Hi-Beams off my Fender Jazz and put on a .045-.105 set of Fat Beams.
I think most people would find that the Fat Beams have:

A bit more tension, good for me as I tune all strings a half step down.
More punchy low mids
A bit "rougher" feel, not as slick
(Reminds me more of the famous Rotosound Swing66's)

Local well-respected guitar tech said he ran across a couple of bad sets of Hi-Beams that would not intonate properly - but that all Fat Beam sets he's installed have been very consistent.

Even though I really like the Hi-Beams I'm making the switch!
Hope this helps someone.
 
#47
KevtheRev said:
In case anyone is contemplating doing the same, took some well-worn Hi-Beams off my Fender Jazz and put on a .045-.105 set of Fat Beams.
I think most people would find that the Fat Beams have:

A bit more tension, good for me as I tune all strings a half step down.
More punchy low mids
A bit "rougher" feel, not as slick
(Reminds me more of the famous Rotosound Swing66's)

Local well-respected guitar tech said he ran across a couple of bad sets of Hi-Beams that would not intonate properly - but that all Fat Beam sets he's installed have been very consistent.

Even though I really like the Hi-Beams I'm making the switch!
Hope this helps someone.
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I've never tried a set of DR strings. This weekend I'm heading up to my buddy's house in Raleigh to do some more recording, and I've really been thinking of trying something different. When it comes to my roundwound strings, I've usually steered toward nickel plated, but I've wanted to give stainless a go again. One of my turn-offs about stainless is that they tend to feel rougher than nickel plated, one of the brands coming to my mind is Rotosound's Swing 66 stainless. You said that the Fat Beams have a slightly rougher feel than the Hi Beams, and that they remind you of Roto 66's. Would you say they're as rough as 66's? I understand that how a string feels is really a subjective matter and that a string I perceive as very rough feeling won't feel as rough to the next guy, but I remember thinking that 66's felt rough under my fingers.
 
#51
Okay, so I threw a set of .45-.105 Hi Beams on to my MIM Jazz... all I can say is wow. Just about every SS string I've tried up to this point felt rough and "grabby" under my fingers, but these feel far less rough to me. I figured as much given the packaging has a quote from Marcus saying they "don't eat your frets". Big bottom with a righteous bright top. The mids sound a bit scooped, but so far it's nothing that I haven't been able to solve by EQing some mids into the mix. Thanks to this thread for turning me on to trying out DR strings! I recommend them.
 
#52
Hey Bassman316, sorry it took so long - been on travel. Glad you like the Hi-Beams, they are sweet. In case still wondering about the FatBeams, not as rough as the Swing66s but more so than the Hi-Beams. I like a little grip to my strings so they are right up my alley. Give 'em a shot after you get used to the Hi-Beams. I'd like to know what you think.
 
#53
KevtheRev said:
Hey Bassman316, sorry it took so long - been on travel. Glad you like the Hi-Beams, they are sweet. In case still wondering about the FatBeams, not as rough as the Swing66s but more so than the Hi-Beams. I like a little grip to my strings so they are right up my alley. Give 'em a shot after you get used to the Hi-Beams. I'd like to know what you think.
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Well that makes two of us- I just got back in yesterday. Jammed and recorded with the Hi-Beams pretty much all weekend. I must say I've noticed a little bit more grip compared to the nickel plated rounds my six-string wears, but it's subtle. Feels good. The tension feels perfect to me- not too tight, but not flopping all over the place. Not to mention they sound excellent. I'll definitely have to give the Fat Beams a shot after a while, but for now I'm really digging on these Hi-Beams.
 
#54
king_biscuit said:
Ed Friedland did demos of a bunch of different DR strings, including Fat Beams and Hi Beams. Check it out:

Invalid Link Removed
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Thought I'd dredge this back up as I've been thinking about DR strings. The clips and synopsis didn't seem as though the Sunbeams (nickel wrap over a round core) had a very round sound. I would have thought differently and, their site makes them sound like a warmiosh nickel string.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

What do you guys think about the coated vs. Sunbeams vs. nickel low riders for a string that is not overly stiff and has a warmish sound with some lower mid growl?
 
#55
RapierSix said:
And as wrapping speed pertains to tone and sandwiches, if you wrap a sandwich fastly it gets pressed down and compacted, if you wrap a sandwich slowly it applies less force and gives time to expand...
So if it is wrapped faster and with more tension, the strings will be tighter, and as we all should know trebley sound waves travel faster and in short humps/waves, so a tighter wind will take more advantage of the smaller waves.
Bass like waves travel slower and wider, thus a slower winding at less tension will take advantage of such waves.
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Are you sure about this?Perhaps you are right but I wouldn't think the speed of a lower freq. wave is any faster than the higher harmonic in the harmonic series of a given freq. or vibration as they are all standing waves.They don't propogate anywhere that is.
If indeed wrap tension influences harmonic content then I have learned something because I was thinking it was just the size of the core that determined top end,ie,brightness for a given vibration.
A thinner core bends easier hence can "make" the higher order freq. in the series.Ie, it is not as stiff.This is why stiffer strings like flats don't have the top end.
This is just my surmise.I am no physicist.Thanks.
 
#56
Jim C said:
What do you guys think about the coated vs. Sunbeams vs. nickel low riders for a string that is not overly stiff and has a warmish sound with some lower mid growl?
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My only personal experience here is with the nickel Lo-Riders. They have as much tension IMO as the SS Lo-Riders.

FWIW, I have the SS set on a 35" scale Spector, tuned 1/2 step below standard, and the nickel set on a 35" scale Peavey tuned standard. The SS has slightly less tension due to the tuning. But, when I've had the Spector in standard tuning, the tension feels just like the nickels do on my Cirrus.

If you dislike stiff tension, I would go for the Sunbeams or coated over the nickel Lo-Riders. However, for the tone you are describing, the Lo-Riders are exactly what you want ("warmish...with some lower mid growl"). If you can look past the higher tension (its not like they are LaBella Jamerson flats or anything), go for the nickel Lo-Riders...they sound great. I love the tension personally, but I know that not everyone does.
 
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#60
Tony G said:
Here's an idea: how about trying to add positively to the conversation? :scowl:
You also seem to have forgotten to include my smilie face and the end of that quote. That was strategically placed there to show that the question I posed was kind of "tongue in cheek".

My question is valid and I posed it to the tb public just like thousands of other people pose questions about virtually all other gear, strings, etc. I was looking for a response from actual people that use both of these DR strings sets, to see what differences they perceive if any. As mentioned, I use DR Hi-Beams and Fat Beams all the time. They are my go-to string sets. Your post in this thread is not appreciated by me. It seems my "ignore" list will grow once more this evening.
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Wow, its gettin hot in here! 'Can't we all get along?'

I love the Dr hi beams... It seems like marketing to me... MM = Marcus Miller?
 

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