What's your philosophy on strings? Same strings on all/most basses or different strings on all/most basses?

[Jammy Jellyfish]

What's your philosophy on strings? Do you use the same strings on all/most of your basses, or do you use different strings on all/most of your basses? And why?

By "strings" I mean the same product, such as D'Addario Chromes -- although it doesn't necessarily have to be the same gauge -- not type of strings.

I'm just curious to see how the polls pan out. It seems to me, from reading the strings forum over the years, people either put the same strings on all of their basses (often TIJF) or have multiple copies of the same basses so that each can wear different strings.

Also because I'm tired of the same old conversations about flats and TIJF, although I will say topics have been varying lately.

 

[ahbass2500]

I voted different, but not sure I really fit that description. I use...
TI Jazz Flats on 4 basses
La Bella Flats on 4 basses
La Bella Super Polished (MTD version) on 2 basses
EB Cobalt Rounds on 2 basses
EB Cobalt Flats on 1 bass

Philosophy is....
I pick a string that works with the bass and what I want to do with the bass.
I prefer the feel of flats.
When I have similar basses, I typically use a different set on each.
Sometimes I want the tone of rounds and ignore my feel preference to get it.

 

[JC BASS 91]

That's hard for me to answer.

It just depends, really. I used to love SIT Nickle Powerwounds and used them on everything. Then I tried to put them on my Fender Am Pro II Jazz V and could not get the B string intonation set at all. That led me to try D'Addario NYXL strings and fell in love with those. However, I now kind of pick and choose, almost at random, which I use on a given bass, but I'd say the D'Addario NYXLs are on more basses that I have than the SITs are. I use D'Addario XL on all my short scale basses, though. I have LaBella Deep Talkin Flats on my American Precision bass, but have D'Addario Chromes on my Ric 4001.

I've tried many other brands over the last 30+ years and these are the ones I like. I have a stash of the SIT Nickel Powerwounds and the D'Addario NYXLs in my closet. I will just reach in and grab one at random for a new bass and if they work on that bass, great...that's what lives on it forever. LOL If not, I try the others. So far, I haven't had to try the other.

 

[michael_t]

Here's my current setup for my eight basses...

GHS Super Steels, 40-58-80-102-126 (Ibanez SR505N)
SIT Power Wound Nickels, 40-60-80-100-125 (exposed core) (Yamaha TRBX505)
GHS Pressurewound, 40-54-76-96 (American Special Jazz)
GHS Pressurewound, 44-62-84-106 (DGCF) (American Special LE Sandblasted Jazz)
Fender 9050L Flatwound, 45-60-80-100 (Highway One Jazz)
SIT Power Steels 40-55-75-95 (Am Std Precision)
Ernie Ball Group IV (40-95) Stainless Steel Flats (Squier CV 60's Precision)
Ken Smith Compressors, 40-58-80-102 (Ibanez SR650E)

 

[el murdoque]

When I get a new bass, I experiment a little bit until I find the strings that work best on it. I use flats.

Some of my basses have multiple string sets.
My P bass has old Chromes for E standard and heavy gauge Fender 9050s for D standard tuning.
One of my six strings has LaBella DTF or TI flats, for a stiff feel or a wet noodle feel.
My faux Rick has Maxima strings for E standard and also Fenders for D standard.

 

[Jhalb]

3 P basses, 1 Music Man Classic 5 and 1 Bill Moll 6 string fretless. All have Elixir.

 

[BassicJazzy]

I like different strings for different sounds on my basses, with exception of on my 2 fretless. On those I want chrome flats for the tension and consistent feel, and to achieve a low set-up on a flat board.

 

[Nebadon2000]

I go for same strings BUT then again I only have one Bass at a time

 

[woodyng2]

“Mama’s home philosophy makes everyone a freak but me”
I don’t think i have a philosophy about it, but I tend to like certain string brands for rw, flats, or tapes. And I mix them around on my basses just to see how the combination works. My main Rickenbacker bass came with roto66, then wore Labella copper white tapes for 7 years, and a couple of years ago I switched to TI jazz flats. It seems that bass sounds great (but different) with any strings I throw on it.
I have a gl jb2 that has had ghs pw strings, then I switched to Labela low tension flats. Both sounds are fantastic, but it makes for a very Jekyl and Hyde difference. It’s fun just to see what different string types bring out in an instrument.

 

[ItsmeSantiago]

If I played, let's say, in a metal band I would want consistency throughout all of my basses and that would include strings. Personally, I think a P with rounds and a P with flats is the best combo for gigging in multiple bands.

 

[iqi616]

Different strings to suit the individual instrument.

Kimbara J-bass: Pro Steels to complement (i.e. balance out) the thick-sounding SD Quarter Pounds.

Aria LEB: Super Slinkies for slap tone.

Squier Sonic Precision: The manufacturer original nickels. They suit the CS62 so I'll probably replace them with similar.

Warwick Streamer fretless: Pro Steels at the moment because I had an old set I pulled off the Aria (similar non-Fender headstock) and I couldn't wait to get rid of the dead flats it came with! I'll probably try DR Sunbeams next simply because Tony Franklin likes them.

 

[MCS4]

I default to GHS Bass Boomers for most basses, particularly if I am likely to gig them in my usual situations (typically original rock/metal).

However, I usually also have at least one bass with flats, and I am generally open to experimenting with other strings to see if there is something better suited to that specific bass, particularly since I semi-often change strings anyway to suit different tunings, so I would say on average I end up with something like half my basses using Boomers and half wearing flats or some other string.

 

[konaaayukeeenee]

I like very light gauge strings on 6-string basses but prefer something a bit heavier on 4/5-strings.

 

[logdrum]

DR High Beams or Pure Blues on most basses. Will go back to High Beams and FAt Beams next string change
Magma Flats on one bass. E-C bass gets La Bella Tapes, Hybrid Bass+Guitar is GHS Flats

 

[Cleezmo]

I voted 50/50 because 3 of my 6 electrics all have the same brand/set/gauges, and the other three have different strings.

• Reverend Mercalli 5, G&L JB, G&L M-2000 - all have .45s DR FatBeams
• Modulus Q5 - Currently has DR Pure Blues, but I go back and forth between those and Sunbeams
• G&L L-2500 Fretless - EB Cobalt Flats
• Peavey Dyna-Bass - DR Legend Flats

 

[JazznFunk]

DR Sunbeams or Pure Blues on almost everything, but the gauge might differ from bass to bass, since no 2 basses feel exactly the same. I have old (as in 10 years or more old) GHS Precision Flats and Sadowsky Blue Label flats on a couple of basses.

 

[Five or Six]

I use either GHS or D'addario's. Depending on which bass dictates which strings I use. They have never failed me. I like what they produce, no need to change.

 

[Slade N]

I look for strings to suit the bass and my intended sound, have the same strings on basses that are similar, different strings on basses that different enough to warrant different strings

 

[PennyroyalWe]

Gotta find the strings that make the bass sound the best to your ears. Might be the same ones, but my experience has been that it’s almost always going to vary a little from bass to bass.

 

[REV]

The bass picks the strings but I have to listen to what it's saying