TI Flats have lived on my P-Bass from day-1. To this day, I still haven't owned a bass that I like more.
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Which strings do you use/like/prefer on your P Bass?
- Thread starter vindibona1
- Start date
I have 6 p-basses. Currently wearing:
LaBella Low Tension flats (2)
D’Addario Chromes (.045-.100)
Fender 9050L flats
TI flats
DR Sunbeams (.045-.100)
LaBella Low Tension flats (2)
D’Addario Chromes (.045-.100)
Fender 9050L flats
TI flats
DR Sunbeams (.045-.100)
I like DR Fat Beams for my P bass. They give you a nice controlled boomy bottom and give more definition in the highs without sounding too bright.
The highs are bright but not too bright.
The highs are bright but not too bright.
For FLATS:
DR Legends sounded and felt good to me.
GHS Stainless Precisions made me happy for feel and sound, right out of the package.
TI flats are interesting, though I've never owned them (nickel allergy).
Labella LTFs were not bad, though not as "low tension" as I was hoping for (not like TI, that's for sure!). They did sound good, but I think the DRs were cheaper and I liked them as much.
For ROUNDS:
Ken Smith Tapercore Burners, my favorite strings for any other bass I play. They work great for P, too. They mellow nicely, but remain clear for a LONG time.
D'Addario ProSteels are nice, too. More zing, if you like that.
DR Legends sounded and felt good to me.
GHS Stainless Precisions made me happy for feel and sound, right out of the package.
TI flats are interesting, though I've never owned them (nickel allergy).
Labella LTFs were not bad, though not as "low tension" as I was hoping for (not like TI, that's for sure!). They did sound good, but I think the DRs were cheaper and I liked them as much.
For ROUNDS:
Ken Smith Tapercore Burners, my favorite strings for any other bass I play. They work great for P, too. They mellow nicely, but remain clear for a LONG time.
D'Addario ProSteels are nice, too. More zing, if you like that.
For me, having a P-bass with flats and another with rounds is necessary if I want to consider "P-bass" covered, tonally.
GHS Precisions Flats on one (subbing for LaBella DTFs is also acceptable) and DR Lo-Riders on the other.
GHS Precisions Flats on one (subbing for LaBella DTFs is also acceptable) and DR Lo-Riders on the other.
I have no idea about the string heights on this or any other bass I own. Never measured them because I never needed to. They all have comfortably low action. I set them by feel. The Precision came from the factory set up very well. I didn't need to touch the string height settings, and haven't over the past year I've owned the bass. I'm only now looking to see if there is any room to adjust the action lower on the outer 2 strings - and it looks like I could get them a tad lower if I needed to. I will say that this bass is quite stable as well, I haven't needed to adjust the truss rod either. I'm real happy with it. My usual basses are Rickenbacker's, but this Precision sounds, feels and plays very, very well.
I have 3 p basses (all 4 strings though) and my favorites are the Fender 9050L flats.
They cut in the mix like nothing else, no zingy sounds because of my bad technique and they fit well with the rock, blues and disco I play most of the time.
Another precision bass is strung with Ernie Ball cobalt flats, it’s more of a modern sound and very jack of all trades but lacks of character IMO. I use this bass when I have to play many various styles on the same gig. Bass notes from the E string don’t get my guts shaking if I may say.
And my other p bass has some Fender nickel rounds. Pickups are Fender pure vintage 63 and this is my official rock bass. Growls a lot, the mids are over any snare drum and I also use it for disco music when I want to make sure people will dance thanks to its punchy and aggressive character.
They cut in the mix like nothing else, no zingy sounds because of my bad technique and they fit well with the rock, blues and disco I play most of the time.
Another precision bass is strung with Ernie Ball cobalt flats, it’s more of a modern sound and very jack of all trades but lacks of character IMO. I use this bass when I have to play many various styles on the same gig. Bass notes from the E string don’t get my guts shaking if I may say.
And my other p bass has some Fender nickel rounds. Pickups are Fender pure vintage 63 and this is my official rock bass. Growls a lot, the mids are over any snare drum and I also use it for disco music when I want to make sure people will dance thanks to its punchy and aggressive character.
‘Round wounds. DR Lo Riders in particular. I quit using flats back in the 70s when I started recording more than gigging.
That said, I’m tempted to try a set of TLs on my Warwick Corvette 5 string. I don’t use it much these days and I understand those strings last for 30-40 years..LOL!!! It will be a legacy for my great great great grandson…
My P is made in Japan with a vintage-style pickup, and right now it's got some D'Addario EXL165's on that I'm very happy with. But honestly, every string I've tried so far has sounded great on this bass: rounds, flats, nickels... Only string type I haven't used much on it is stainless steels. I'm just too paranoid about my frets getting chewed up.
I've had rotosounds on mine since I got it in 87. Never cared for the dull thud of flats, since the p to my ear is not a super bright instrument.
I don't really play it anymore, but I wouldn't even know what else to try at this point.
I don't really play it anymore, but I wouldn't even know what else to try at this point.
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The bass will tell you what strings to use. I have some P basses with LaBella LTF's, some with Chromes and some with Ti's. I always start out with the LaBellas but the bass will let me know if these are the right ones or not.
Always have to have La Bella DTFs on a P in the closet somewhere, but the main player (a '66) has Fender 9050ML flats. I have TI flats on another (a 75th Commemorative) and cobalt flats on the Highway One.
On my four string P, I've got LaBella 760FLs.
On my five string G&L L-1000, I've got the B from the LaBella LTF set and then the 760FLs for the remaining strings.
On another fiver, I've got GHS Precision Flats, but the custom set for E through G.
I've got the same bass you have and I'm going to put the GHS PFs on it, and I've got another pbass I'm going to mod to BEAD tuning and will also use the GHS.
To my ear, the LaBellas get better in time, deep warm thump, especially with the tone down. The texture is very smooth and silky.
The Precision Flats' texture is not as smooth and I feel more low mids coming across than deep lows. I really enjoy these too.
On my five string G&L L-1000, I've got the B from the LaBella LTF set and then the 760FLs for the remaining strings.
On another fiver, I've got GHS Precision Flats, but the custom set for E through G.
I've got the same bass you have and I'm going to put the GHS PFs on it, and I've got another pbass I'm going to mod to BEAD tuning and will also use the GHS.
To my ear, the LaBellas get better in time, deep warm thump, especially with the tone down. The texture is very smooth and silky.
The Precision Flats' texture is not as smooth and I feel more low mids coming across than deep lows. I really enjoy these too.
