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What strings for me?

J.Wolf

J.Wolf

Supporting Member
Commercial User
Apr 29, 2003
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Asheville, NC
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Contributor- Bass Musician Magazine | Marketing Manager- Trickfish Amplification
#1
I'm wondering if some of you with more string knowledge than I could steer me in the right direction. I'm looking for a new set for my 6, a 34" chambered bass that is very punchy and responsive. I've tried a couple of different sets on it, and I think I know roughly what I'm after:

Nickel plated (or very smooth feeling SS), Medium gauge but still pliable/not too stiff feeling, with a less pronounced treble or high end.


Ring any bells? Thanks!
 
#3
I'm trying GHS Med/lights on my chambered 5.
Don't know if they make a 6 set.
I like them so far, more pliable than my Med gauge GHS.
Good definition and high end is smooth.
The bass has 1 Mag and 1 Piezo PU with
basic Vol. Blend and tone pots.
 
#5
thanks for the replies so far guys.

Michael, I've tried all the DR sets (except the pure blues) and although I like the sunbeams best for this type of thing, they really havent been the ideal string for me in terms of feel or tone.

Lenny, which GHS set are you talking about? does "smooth" mean less exaggerated?

Showking: I've wondered about the dunlops. I've heard that theyre in fact not "super bright". Is this true? I would give them a shot if the high end is not overly bright or clanky. I'm assuming we're talking about the nickels
 
#8
Jon Moody said:
While we don't have a lot of packaged 6 string bass sets, you can order C string singles for nearly all of our sets.
Click to expand...

Hi Jon, what would make the most sense for these goals? Pressurewound? Round core boomers? thanks
 
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#9
Gorn said:
If you want very smooth and pliable with less pronounced high end and can deal with lower tension than you're used to, TI jazz rounds are fantastic.
Click to expand...

I would love to try these out. Theyre just so darn spendy, its quite a gamble, but maybe worth a shot, since I know theyre known for their warmth and pliability. Also since I dont need any zing, string changes would be much less frequent. thx
 
#10
J.Wolf said:
Hi Jon, what would make the most sense for these goals? Pressurewound? Round core boomers? thanks
Click to expand...

Either would actually work (and I've used them both on my 6 string as well). The RC Boomers are going to have a more tactile feel to them, with a softer high end (as in, not brittle or sharp) and a smoother low-mid. I usually call them a "single malt Bass Boomer," if you appreciate the reference. :)

Pressurewounds would be great too, although it bears mentioning that they're one of our stiffer sets, so you might want to do a Med-Light set of these (with a single C and B string) to compensate for that. Otherwise, they're very slick to the touch and have a lot of nuance and character without being overly bright.
 
#12
J.Wolf said:
Michael, I've tried all the DR sets (except the pure blues) and although I like the sunbeams best for this type of thing, they really havent been the ideal string for me in terms of feel or tone.
Click to expand...

Fair enough...

My current favorite non-flats are actually GHS Pressurewounds, which are very smooth-feeling with well-tamed top end. The only reason I didn't mention it is they tend to be stiffer-feeling than you might like if you're looking for something "pliable".
 
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#15
J.Wolf said:
I would love to try these out. Theyre just so darn spendy, its quite a gamble, but maybe worth a shot, since I know theyre known for their warmth and pliability. Also since I dont need any zing, string changes would be much less frequent. thx
Click to expand...
They're definitely not cheap, but you might love them. They're the only strings for me.

And if they're not for you, you could make back most of your money by selling them in the classifieds.
 
#16
Gorn said:
They're definitely not cheap, but you might love them. They're the only strings for me.

And if they're not for you, you could make back most of your money by selling them in the classifieds.
Click to expand...

true that. Gently/barely used TI's seem to hold pretty great value. thx man!
 
#17
I have never been one to be very concerned over tension, so this may be an "off" suggestion. But everything else on your list screams D'Addario XL Nickels to me. I have tried every kind of string out there and keep coming back.
 
#19
two fingers said:
I have never been one to be very concerned over tension, so this may be an "off" suggestion. But everything else on your list screams D'Addario XL Nickels to me. I have tried every kind of string out there and keep coming back.
Click to expand...

funny, I used to use XL's exclusively on my F bass BN6. they worked far and away better than anything else on that bass, for some reason. Since I sold it (and have had about 7-8 instruments since) I've not found another one that meshed nearly as well with XL's. That said, I havent tried them on this bass, and they are super affordable, and locally available as a 6 string set.

overall though I think i'm looking for something with an even more muted high end. This bass has a very active upper mid/treble. I tried low tension flats and they were a little too "thunk-y", so perhaps I'm shooting for something smack in between trad rounds and trad flats, in terms up high end response.
 
#20
Gorn said:
They're great, though I just noticed you're talking about a 6 string bass. Definitely not gonna be cheap, but if you end up loving them they last forever.

The only thing remotely similar is DR sunbeams.
Click to expand...

yeah I think the TI rounds are about $67 (plus tax+sh) from Bass strings online. The last TI's I priced were the flats, so these actually seem pretty reasonable, relatively speaking :)
 

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