What strings for Fender Modern Player Telecaster Bass?

[bcfranco]

Hey guys,
I want to replace my strings for my bass, and I want some that make it sound like a late 60's bass.
Which strings should I buy?
I was thinking that maybe d'addario, thomastik or labella will do the job, but I want second opinion on this, as I am not an expert.
Thank you very much.

PS: this is the bass I'm referring to:

 

[lz4005]

Hey guys,
I want to replace my strings for my bass, and I want some that make it sound like a late 60's bass.

Late 60's bass includes everything from Carole Kay playing on flats with a foam mute and pick to John Entwistle using rotos into a distorted Hiwatt guitar amp.
You're going to have to be more specific.

 

[michael_t]

60's sound out of a "modern player"? That's what I call a contradiction in terms.

 

[bcfranco]

Late 60's bass includes everything from Carole Kay playing on flats with a foam mute and pick to John Entwistle using rotos into a distorted Hiwatt guitar amp.
You're going to have to be more specific.

I use an Orange Terror Bass 500 with Ampeg 410 HE.

 

[bcfranco]

60's sound out of a "modern player"? That's what I call a contradiction in terms.

Well Fender built these basses to "copy" some of the first basses they made I guess

 

[lz4005]

Well Fender built these basses to "copy" some of the first basses they made I guess

Um... no.
It's a copy of a 70's Tele bass with an added bridge pickup.

You still haven't said what you're trying to sound like.

 

[bcfranco]

Um... no.
It's a copy of a 70's Tele bass with an added bridge pickup.

You still haven't said what you're trying to sound like.

I like the sound I have now, but my strings are too old (I have stock strings that came with the bass). So I'm asking for suggestions actually that can improve my sound

 

[b/o 402]

The late '60s had a broad spectrum of sounds. What sounds do you want to emulate?

 

[lz4005]

The late '60s had a broad spectrum of sounds. What sounds do you want to emulate?

He apparently has no idea.

 

[lz4005]

I like the sound I have now, but my strings are too old (I have stock strings that came with the bass). So I'm asking for suggestions actually that can improve my sound

Let's try this one last time: What don't you like about how it sounds currently? What exactly do you want to improve on?

 

[mpdd]

cheap and easy to get - dunlop nickels - after they lose their zing they sound dark and thumpy for a long long time before finally dying completely

 

[1stnamebassist]

Let's try this one last time: What don't you like about how it sounds currently? What exactly do you want to improve on?

Here let me help. What kind of music do you normally play? Rock, country, jazz etc...

 

[JGbassman]

I have diaddario chromes on my '55 replica. They have a great tone for flats, but still have a brighter sound I like.

If you like flats, these are pretty cheap compared to other flats, and with their brightness might help those muddy sounding humbuckers (if they truly are replicas of the originals)

 

[CaseyJ]

I thought there was only flatwound strings in the 60's. Wouldn't it have been easy enough to suggest some good flatwounds for the OP? He says he wants a 60's bass sound. I figure it would be easy for the experts on here to give a nice direction of guidance. There wasn't that many options for bass gear back then. lz4005, brother you need to work on your people skills. While I know you are extremely knowledgeable, people don't want the associated attitude that comes with your answers. Do you even hear how you sound? Stuff like: Um no, Lets try this one last time, or He apparently has no idea. You don't have to be Mr huggylove, but come on, this kid is looking to you for answers.

 

[lz4005]

I thought there was only flatwound strings in the 60's.

Rotosound Swingbass 66 strings were introduced, wait for it, in 1966.

Danelectro had rounds on their basses several years before that.

Wouldn't it have been easy enough to suggest some good flatwounds for the OP? He says he wants a 60's bass sound. I figure it would be easy for the experts on here to give a nice direction of guidance. There wasn't that many options for bass gear back then. lz4005, brother you need to work on your people skills. While I know you are extremely knowledgeable, people don't want the associated attitude that comes with your answers. Do you even hear how you sound? Stuff like: Um no, Lets try this one last time, or He apparently has no idea. You don't have to be Mr huggylove, but come on, this kid is looking to you for answers.

In a word, no.

50's was flats. 70's was rounds. 60's was the transition period between the two.

That's why in my first reply I asked OP to be more specific so he could get some relevant answers. Otherwise threads like this are always just people recommending their own favorite strings, not knowing if they're at all appropriate to the goals of the person who asked the question.

Instead of answering anything about what he was wanting to sound like, if he wanted flats or rounds, what kind of music he plays, or anything at all that might help us help him he replied with what amp and cab he has.

Giving irrelevant answers when you're asking for free advice is disrespectful.

Then he says he likes his sound now with factory (round wound by the way, so flats are bad advice) strings but also wants it to be better in some magical way.

OP doesn't know what he wants. He can't be helped until he can answer those questions. So he gets the answers he gets.

I know exactly how I sound. And I sound that way on purpose. Did you think my answers weren't intentional?

 

[1stnamebassist]

Ok rereading your post because of the heads up from CaseyJ above I would say either Fender 9050cl flats or Labella deep talking flats should give you what your looking for. D'addario chromes would work well and maybe give you a bit more definition or clarity because of slightly better definition in the high end. Labella's will give you a nice motown sound. Fender's are inexpensive so you may want to consider that route if money is an issue. One thing to consider with flats, especially the Fenders IMHO, is they need at least a month to break in and settle down to sound good. I've found Fenders to be a bit offensive the first few weeks you have them. Give them time before passing judgement.

 

[lz4005]

Ok rereading your post because of the heads up from CaseyJ above I would say either Fender 9050cl flats or Labella deep talking flats should give you what your looking for.

OP likes the sound of the factory rounds that are on the bass and hasn't said what he's looking for other than "60's" and "improved".

 

[1stnamebassist]

I know. I would think just changing the strings to pretty much anything would be an improvement. Me personally when i think late 60's I tend to think flats. Still a pretty common sight on basses at that time. Then mentioning Labella, d'addario and TI's made me think flats even though all those makers have rounds. I agree that I'm not too sure OP knows what sound he wants, but any of those flats should sound decent on his bass. As would the Roto stainless rounds come to think of it.

OP likes the sound of the factory rounds that are on the bass and hasn't said what he's looking for other than "60's" and "improved".

 

[lz4005]

I know. I would think just changing the strings to pretty much anything would be an improvement. Me personally when i think late 60's I tend to think flats. Still a pretty common sight on basses at that time. Then mentioning Labella, d'addario and TI's made me think flats even though all those makers have rounds. I agree that I'm not too sure OP knows what sound he wants, but any of those flats should sound decent on his bass. As would the Roto stainless rounds come to think of it.

That's exactly where I'm at with it. All sorts of strings could sound good on that bass, and better than the factory ones. But without knowing what OP's tone goals are any suggestions are completely about what other people think sounds good, not what he wants.

Until OP can describe what he wants the strings to sound and/or feel like there's no helping him.

 

[CalBuzz51]

LaBella DTB Lights are what I would put on it.