davec
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- May 4, 2006
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- Owner; Cody Electric Basses ( Now Closed) sales @ Sweetwater
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Who is your favorite string manufacturer?
- Thread starter HMZ
- Start date
To be completely fair, Ken Smith and Fender are not manufacturers. Smith are made by GHS, Fender by D'Addario. Elixers are also made by D'Addario, but Elixer does their own coating.
And I voted DR. There really are only 2 types of bass strings. DR, and everything else
True but I wasn't going to get nit-picky. Maybe I should have said "brand"...
I'm really surprised how many of you love the DR strings! I've never tried a set but maybe I'll give 'em a go.
Rotosound. Used them as main strings since the mid 70's. Untill just last yr when I switched to dr neons. Wether or not the dr neons will satisfy for more then 30 yrs like the rotosound swing66 did, cant say. Lol.
I've been using three sets of strings.
1-T I-Flats-on a Jazz Bass.
2-Ken Smith-Compressors- 1962-P-Bass.
3-DR-Sunbeams-1955 reissue P-Bass.
I believe each bass will tell you what strings it needs.
Circle K Strings!
They are super flexible, minimum number of wraps, the taper is short and fat to avoid inharmonic tone, they sell tension balanced sets, tension-balanced drop-tune sets and soon fifths sets, they have sets for every semitone of detuning, they publish the unit masses and a chromatic tension chart, they publish technical diagrams of their strings, they sell singles in .008 to .022 plain and .025 to .254 wound, they sell strings for 36"/37" and 39"/40" ...
They are super flexible, minimum number of wraps, the taper is short and fat to avoid inharmonic tone, they sell tension balanced sets, tension-balanced drop-tune sets and soon fifths sets, they have sets for every semitone of detuning, they publish the unit masses and a chromatic tension chart, they publish technical diagrams of their strings, they sell singles in .008 to .022 plain and .025 to .254 wound, they sell strings for 36"/37" and 39"/40" ...
I really like MTD strings, steel and nickel but also use DR Black Beauties. They both have a sweet sounding top end without being to clanky and a smooth low end. I also use Rotosounds from my fretless and sometimes GHS. But mostly its MTD stainless steel roundwounds, the custom gauge.
Dean Markley Blue Steels are the only way to go!
I used to use Roto Swing Bass '66s but, due to some awful customer service, I went looking for something else. I ended up finding Blue Steels, and I like them even more than the Rotos! I even bought a set for my 6-string guitar! Serioulsy, I plug them every chance I get =D
I used to use Roto Swing Bass '66s but, due to some awful customer service, I went looking for something else. I ended up finding Blue Steels, and I like them even more than the Rotos! I even bought a set for my 6-string guitar! Serioulsy, I plug them every chance I get =D
Been using rotos (swing 66) for the last few years. Recently tried SIT power wound nickels w/ good results. I also like the Ernie Ball grp III flats on my p-bass
I also like the Ernie Ball grp III flats on my p-bass
I got a killer deal on Warwick reds so I have been using them for a while, but my free set of Elixirs is hard to beat. I'm not a string snob and I'll use just about anything, but the one kind of strings I do not like are Ernie Ball Regular Slinky's. I have a set on my five-string MIM J (45 - 130) and they are not for me.
I've come to a conclusion that I like different strings for different instruments.
for example, I've been using d'addario's on my electric guitars for over a decade. I see no need to ever try another string. I use boomers on my P and DR on my JV. Roto's for flats
though I did just get a set of DR's phospher bronze for my ac guitar and they suck REALLY bad! I mean I can't wait to rip them off, bright, tinny, plastic sounding. . . soon as I find a good acoustic string I'll be pretty set!
for example, I've been using d'addario's on my electric guitars for over a decade. I see no need to ever try another string. I use boomers on my P and DR on my JV. Roto's for flats
though I did just get a set of DR's phospher bronze for my ac guitar and they suck REALLY bad! I mean I can't wait to rip them off, bright, tinny, plastic sounding. . . soon as I find a good acoustic string I'll be pretty set!
I'm glad no one likes the Ken Smith strings but me... I can just buy them all!
Just a note: I've been paying the same price for Smiths since '98 or so (and they are CHEAP!). They are amazing strings (TCRM-5 set is my drug of choice). They sound great, last forever, make the basses I put them on better, and are just the best damn strings you can buy. I do want to try others, but keep going back to Smiths.
Silver medal goes to Rotosounds. If I never needed a tapercore, they'd be the bees knees. But they are kinda rough to break in.
I also want to try the TI Jazz Flats. Expensive, yes, but also seem to be magical. And though they cost almost as much as a lightly used Aguilar OBP-3, if you already have the preamp, you may as well spend that money on strings, right?
Just a note: I've been paying the same price for Smiths since '98 or so (and they are CHEAP!). They are amazing strings (TCRM-5 set is my drug of choice). They sound great, last forever, make the basses I put them on better, and are just the best damn strings you can buy. I do want to try others, but keep going back to Smiths.
Silver medal goes to Rotosounds. If I never needed a tapercore, they'd be the bees knees. But they are kinda rough to break in.
I also want to try the TI Jazz Flats. Expensive, yes, but also seem to be magical. And though they cost almost as much as a lightly used Aguilar OBP-3, if you already have the preamp, you may as well spend that money on strings, right?
Not always easy to find, but the R Cocco strings are really great. I also like the original Sadowsky black labels.
I've recently become a DR convert, and have Fat Beams on my G&L SB-2, Extra Life on my Fender P, and nickel Lo-Riders on my G&L JB. They're all excellent, though the Extra Life (Peacock Blue instead of the usual Black Beauties) sound more like flats than I expected. The Fat Beams are stellar on the SB-2. Now that Fender has changed its Super Bass nickel plated steel rounds, which were previously my favorite rounds, I'll probably stick with DR. The nickel Lo-Riders seem pretty close to the old Fenders.
So far, my favorite flats for old school tone are GHS Precision flats. I also like D'Addario Chromes for P-basses.
So far, my favorite flats for old school tone are GHS Precision flats. I also like D'Addario Chromes for P-basses.
....yet they won't work on a through body strung bass
Heh! Correct, they are on the way though apparently. String through body is unnecessary and just complicates the whole string issue. It's just a tradition for no good reason. It's about time manufacturers move on.
Labella, especially the flats but their service is spotty. Fodera RW are as good as the labella RW...... and then Smith...
I have a deal with Curt Mangan so I have been using them for about 8 years. Over the summer, Bruce Hall (REO Speedwagon) suggested that I try Dean Markley. I bought a set and liked them quite a bit. I have also used DR's in the past.
I don't know who really manufactures them, but Curt Mangans are excellent and reasonably priced.
