Which strings next?

[Drop1]

I tried Dr fat beams a little while back and have wound up really liking them.

In fact, I liked them so much, I paused by bi-monthly trial of new strings.

But my latest set of fat beams are now dead and GC doesn't have any right now, so I'm on the hunt later today while I await new fats.

I have some pure blues in a box with maybe 10 minutes of play time I may try, but I think putting them on will be a little jarring after playing steel for months now. When I tried the pb about a month ago, they sounded super thick and blurry on this bass. Not pretty at all. No articulation. Nothing like I remembered. Kinds made me sad. I used to love them.

My Gc hasn't been carrying Boomers lately for some reason.

My choices today are,
Ernie ball
D'a (Both cheap and expensive)
Dr low riders

I like bright.
I like lower tension.
I like strings with lean, tight low mids.

Which would best fit the description out of those choices?

 

[michael_t]

My choices today are,
Ernie ball
D'a (Both cheap and expensive)
Dr low riders

I like bright.
I like lower tension.
I like strings with lean, tight low mids.

Which would best fit the description out of those choices?

Try the stainless steel Lo-Riders, but in a lighter set than the Fat Beams. If you normally use FB 45-105, try the LR 40-100.

 

[Drop1]

I threw the pure blues back on for a while and wanted to post my thoughts while fresh.

The pb do sound "prettier" to my ears. They have a smoothness to them both in bass and treble. They have a weird dip somewhere in the mids though. This is especially noticeable on lower strings.
They sound more hollow than fat beams , but also a bit more subdued. They aren't so dark they sound like they are in the next room, but they don't sound close either.

There is a dip with the pure blues somewhere between 200 and 500hz This is odd because they still sound a bit hollow and boxy.

I dont hate them. They just lack a certain amount of aggressions the hi beams and fat beams have. This doesn't bother me in the mids and highs, but the bass is a bit too "clean" for my taste. Very sign wave feeling. I find i prefer dr's steels sharper sound in the lows.

I feel the same way on the computer. The pure blues sound far away on the monitors and I think they'd get lost pretty easily in a fuller mix. I tried pushing a more forward sound from them, but I couldn't get them to sit anywhere near as forward as the fat beams Even dead fat beams.

There are things I like about them over the fat beams. The fat beams have a springy sound in the mids mostly on the A string. A "boing" that can be annoying at times and the pure blues tames that quite a bit.

Edit. The pure blues have that "boing", it's just on the d string instead of the A.

 

[BassKees]

I'm pretty excited about the D'Addario NYXL's. A friend told me they are very much like the fat beams, and they last very long.

 

[Drop1]

I'm pretty excited about the D'Addario NYXL's. A friend told me they are very much like the fat beams, and they last very long.

I have some. I tried them a few years back, but I took them off quickly . I may toss them on if I can figure out which ones they are. I have like 50 sets of strings coiled up in a box. The xl's have colored balls right? If so, that should make it them easy to find.

 

[michael_t]

The xl's have colored balls right? If so, that should make it them easy to find.

If you have both XL's and NYXL's, it will be hard the tell them apart as the ball end colors on them are the same.

 

[Phaidrus]

If you have both XL's and NYXL's, it will be hard the tell them apart as the ball end colors on them are the same.

I faintly remember the NYXL have a somewhat smoother or more shiny surface or something. It's been a while. They are good strings but sounded kinda thin on a Pbass.

 

[Drop1]

I faintly remember the NYXL have a somewhat smoother or more shiny surface or something. It's been a while. They are good strings but sounded kinda thin on a Pbass.

I think that's what I'm remembering as well. A bit thin sounding. I think that's why i didn't stick with them.

 

[Drop1]

If you have both XL's and NYXL's, it will be hard the tell them apart as the ball end colors on them are the same.

I thought the colors on the nyxls was slightly different in some way. Maybe not. I only have the nyxl anyway.

 

[Killing Floor]

TI Jazz Rounds

 

[Phaidrus]

I think that's what I'm remembering as well. A bit thin sounding. I think that's why i didn't stick with them.

Same here. Perhaps they are better suited to Jbass type of basses. For a Pbass, the normal D'Ad XL sound better although still thinner than other brands.

 

[Phaidrus]

My choices today are,
Ernie ball
D'a (Both cheap and expensive)
Dr low riders

I like bright.
I like lower tension.
I like strings with lean, tight low mids.

Which would best fit the description out of those choices?

Perhaps D'Ad Pro Steels. Low (even very low) tension, bright, tight lows. Sort of fret eating monstas, so don't press too much against the frets.

 

[gidbass]

If you like DR strings maybe try DR's Dragon Skin+ strings. I have no experience with them yet but I have a set of the quantum nickel multiscale arriving for my Spector Dimension.

https://www.drstrings.com/dragon-skin-plus-quantum-nickel-bass-strings

Good Luck!

 

[michael_t]

I have some pure blues in a box with maybe 10 minutes of play time I may try, but I think putting them on will be a little jarring after playing steel for months now. When I tried the pb about a month ago, they sounded super thick and blurry on this bass. Not pretty at all. No articulation. Nothing like I remembered. Kinds made me sad. I used to love them.

If you like DR strings maybe try DR's Dragon Skin+ strings...

The new "Quantum Nickel Dragon Skin" are basically coated Pure Blues.

 

[gidbass]

The new "Quantum Nickel Dragon Skin" are basically coated Pure Blues.

Hmm...maybe i should have gone with the steel then...but never tried Pure Blues so i guess this is my chance to...

 

[MattZilla]

I like bright.
I like lower tension.
I like strings with lean, tight low mids.

Maybe some light gauge Roto Swing rounds, but probably TI Jazz Rounds

 

[Drop1]

Maybe some light gauge Roto Swing rounds, but probably TI Jazz Rounds

I can't use rotos. They feel brutal on my fingers. At least the ones I've tried did. Very very rough.

 

[Rickybass4001]

I use the Nickel Rotosound SwingBass (they don’t tear up your fingers or frets like the Stainless swingbass) on my fretted basses and DR Sunbeams on my Fretless.

 

[Levent]

Ernie ball

Cobalt is pretty fun, balanced tension feeling on my fingers and great punch / clarity.

 

[Yahboy]

Maybe some light gauge Roto Swing rounds, but probably TI Jazz Rounds

Ti jazz round fit request 2 and 3 , but no top end bright.....