When you've been happy with Nickel Lo-Riders, what bass were they on?

[Ricky Rioli]

Browsing through old threads about Lo-Rider Nickels, there's plenty of description about what they're like — a bit stiff, lots of low mids etc — but not much context given for where they were when they really sang.

So it would be great to hear on which basses they worked for you — and perhaps which strings they did better than, on that bass.

I've a G&L SB-1 — so an MFD split pickup — on its way, which I'll definitely be stringing with nickel-plated steels, and I'm wondering if Lo-Riders Nickels should be the first strings I try on it.

 

[michael_t]

Funny you should mention Nickel Lo-Riders...

The last time I used the NLRs was in 2014, when I tried DR Sunbeams (45-105), NLRs (40-100) and D'A XL Nickels (45-107) back-to-back-to-back on my Fender Jazz and the NLRs came out on top as my favorite. The SBs were just too flexible and loose-feeling for my taste while the XL Nickels felt rough in surface texture and sounded unrefined with a rather unpleasant hi-mid clang. The NLRs 40-100 hit the sweet spot for me both in tone and playing feel.

Fast forward eight years... I just ordered a couple of sets of NLR 40-95 to try on my P bass this time around. As much as I've enjoyed playing GHS Pressurewounds as my #1 go-to since 2015, I've finally decided my P bass actually sits in the mix better with good ol' NPS rounds.

My order should be here next week, so I'll report back how they do...

 

[trothwell]

I have both kinds of basses -- Precision and Jazz! -- and tried both steel and nickel Lo Riders on each. I thought the nickels sounded better than the steels on the Jazz bass, and the steels sounded better than the nickels on the Precision bass. I'm not currently using any DR strings at all, but that's what I would do if I bought some again. I like DR strings, but I tend to prefer what I consider a more 1960s/1970s vintage tone, while DR to me sounds a bit more crisp and modern. Some day I'll probably have a dedicated "DR strings" bass...

 

[Barton Lee]

I put nickel Lo-Riders (45-105) on my 72 Fender P and they're the perfect string for that bass. I don't particularly enjoy playing this P bass as it's very heavy (10.8 lbs) with thinner maple neck, but it sounds so good, especially in the studio. NLRs seem to bring out the ballsiest, mid-heavy P bass sound, especially played with a pick.

Prior to the NLRs, this bass wore Roto 66s for over 30 years. I use TI Jazz flats and rounds on my five other basses, so the 72 P is my "DR strings bass".

 

[Ancientwhale]

I used to have them on the Warwick corvette I recently sold. That was my favorite bass/string combo I’ve ever tried. I only used those while I owned that bass. I have steel lo riders on my j and p at the moment but I haven’t bonded with them. I am planning on NLRs for my geddy J when I change strings and I’m going to try them on my MTD as well. Sunbeams on the MTD now….they’re ok but haven’t blown me away like those NLRs did on that Warwick.

 

[Mikey F]

I use nickel low riders on everything.
Jazz basses, P basses, Stingrays, Warwicks

 

[dave64o]

Honestly, I've loved them on every bass I've had them on. That includes all but one of my current basses - SR5HH, L-2500, Precision V, and a FrankenJazz 5 with an Audere 4-band preamp and Nordstrom NJ5S pickups

I can't remember all of the basses I've previously owned that I tried nickel Lo Riders on, but I know for sure I had them on my Lakland 55-02, Warwick FNA Jazzman 5, and MIM Jazz Deluxe 5.

They're my overall favorite strings.

 

[scott sinner]

I mainly use SS Lo-Riders, and mainly play Warwicks. But the Nickels accentuated the sound of the Thumb I have a bit better. It is just a matter of timbre. Neither were imbalanced frequency spectrum wise.

 

[Eric Swaim]

My Ken Smith B.T. 4 string

 

[CTW68]

My Pedulla's been wearing Hi-Beams for the last quarter-century. When I bought my SB-2, the Hi-Beams were overly bright and a bit grating on that bass. Nickle Lo-Riders came next and were a significant improvement. Less piercing, more low mids, but still a tiny bit harsh. Rolling off the highs on the amp helped.

The bass is wearing Balanced Nickles right now. Love the tone, but the BNs require a little more muscle to play. It may end up wearing Nickle Lo-Riders again at some point.

 

[TheLowDown33]

Those are my go-to nickel strings, I’ve used them on everything and never had an issue. Liked them especially on a vintage-modern bass like a Lakland 55-01 or a J style bass.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

When I bought my SB-2, the Hi-Beams were overly bright and a bit grating on that bass. Nickle Lo-Riders came next and were a significant improvement. Less piercing, more low mids, but still a tiny bit harsh.

Presumably that's with at least a bit of that very bright bridge pickup mixed in? How were they with the split pickup soloed?

 

[CTW68]

Presumably that's with at least a bit of that very bright bridge pickup mixed in? How were they with the split pickup soloed?

The split-coil on the SB-1/SB-2 is very bright. It sounds almost nothing like a traditional split-coil to my ears. G&L puts a traditional-sounding split-coil in the LB-100, so that's the one you want if you want a P. The bridge pu seems to add high-mids yet roll off the highs.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Browsing through old threads about Lo-Rider Nickels, there's plenty of description about what they're like — a bit stiff, lots of low mids etc — but not much context given for where they were when they really sang.

So it would be great to hear on which basses they worked for you — and perhaps which strings they did better than, on that bass.

I've a G&L SB-1 — so an MFD split pickup — on its way, which I'll definitely be stringing with nickel-plated steels, and I'm wondering if Lo-Riders Nickels should be the first strings I try on it.

Fender PB, JB, PBj, Warwick Corvette STD. They sound great on all of them. Good life out of them as well.

 

[Dragan]

It was 2013/2014. I had them on my '83 p bass with old di marzios. Lovely!

 

[Chrisk-K]

I had used Nickel Lo-Riders (40-100) on my go-to bass (2004 American Precision, butterscotch, maple, '62 P pickup) for more than 10 years and was happy about the feel and the tone. Nowadays I prefer low-tension strings, so the P has Dunlop Nickel Super Brights (40-100), which, to me, sound similar to the Lo-Riders but feel much looser.

 

[Slade N]

I have them on a Hamer Cruise 5, they are quite a bit softer/milder/not as zingy as SS LoRiders. I havent played enough yet in a live setting to determine if they work for me but like them so far

 

[J-Bass RMR]

'09 Squier classic vibe Jazz w/ pure vintage '64 pickups.
Thought I'd give them a try and they seem to be a good fit for that bass, and gives it a different voice than my other Jazz Basses.

 

[scuzzy]

Had them on most of the bases I own, and they work great on everything I've tried. If I need more bite I go SS Lo-riders. Amazing as well.

I also like Dunlop super brites on most I've tried.

 

[Nedmundo]

I thought Nickel Lo-Riders were fantastic on a G&L L-1500, which I sold years ago. For tone, they were probably the best strings I tried on that bass, because they helped produce some low mids, which it desperately needed IMO. I haven't used them since, because I have some finger issues and prefer more flexible strings.

On my G&L USA SB-2, DR Fat Beams are probably my favorites so far. (My SB-2 has a tone knob, so I can cut the new string zing.)