Why DR strings are amazing

[Ezmar]

If your frets were noticeably "worn" after only a few hours of play with some stainless steel strings, I would actually question if maybe there is something wrong with your frets.

I've used several sets of rotos stainless steel on 3 different basses, with at least 1 year of exclusive roto use per bass, and never noticed any visible fret wear. A Fender Jaguar and two different Ibanez (an SRT and one of the later EDBs made of wood).

Same here. I've yet to see eviedence of fret wear on any instrument, and I've used Rotosounds exclusively for years. I'm inclined to believe Marcus Miller's testimony about Hi Beams, "they don't eat your frets". In fact, I bet most strings don't eat your frets. I've never heard people talk about how a string ate their frets, it's always "Rotos are too rough for my hands. Plus they eat frets."

 

[Marial]

I was a dyed in the wool Sunbeam user until I tried Sadowsky flats. That said, if I go back to rounds at any point I'll go with the Sunbeams again. Best rounds I've ever played.

 

[Jaco Taco]

Same here. I've yet to see eviedence of fret wear on any instrument, and I've used Rotosounds exclusively for years. I'm inclined to believe Marcus Miller's testimony about Hi Beams, "they don't eat your frets". In fact, I bet most strings don't eat your frets. I've never heard people talk about how a string ate their frets, it's always "Rotos are too rough for my hands. Plus they eat frets."

Stainless steel roundwounds WILL eat your frets, but it generally takes 10 years or more before they need refretting.

 

[jettrail]

I've not experienced any problems with DR strings slipping. I follow the guidance printed on the packaging regarding pinching them at an angle before cutting & fitting them.

From a purely cosmetic perspective, I dislike the look of silk wrap on strings passing over headstocks.

DR strings certainly don't lack midrange IMO. Lots of character & clarity, and incredibly well balanced across all strings.

'93 Fender Urge, 32" neck. Unfortunately I did not see the print on the inside of the packaging, and failed to crimp the E string, and it unraveled as I winded it...nice. oh well back to the ol' reliable Roto Sound Swing Bass Strings, never an issue, and they sound great. For what it's worth, the DR Highbeams on the A, D, and G, strings sound great. Maybe I'll try the DR's again, I doubt it though, I don't like pissin' away $21.00...

 

[mmbongo]

'93 Fender Urge, 32" neck. Unfortunately I did not see the print on the inside of the packaging, and failed to crimp the E string, and it unraveled as I winded it...nice. oh well back to the ol' reliable Roto Sound Swing Bass Strings, never an issue, and they sound great. For what it's worth, the DR Highbeams on the A, D, and G, strings sound great. Maybe I'll try the DR's again, I doubt it though, I don't like pissin' away $21.00...

Contact DR for a replacement, or you can buy singles at www.bassstringsonline.com

But, if the outer wrap is going around the post, I would not recommend using them.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I use DR Fat Beams on almost all of my fretted basses and Sunbeams on all of my fretlesses. They sound exactly like I want my basses to sound, they feel great and they last a long, long time.

 

[Gonzo64]

I have High Beams on 2 jazz basses and 1 precision, Black Beauties on a VMJ fretless, and MM Fat Beams on a Schecter 5-string. Just got a Schecter Stiletto 4-string, and I have High Beam Flatwounds on the way to replace the stock strings. I've never gotten a bad string, and I'm delighted with all but the Black Beauties. They're probably the perfect string for the fretless, but they feel funny to me. Kind of like rubber bands....These will be my first flats, and I'm eager to try them out. I've never bought anything but DRs since I bought my first set two years ago. Incidentally, that first set still sounds great, and they get daily use.

Absolutely LOVE the DR Legend Flatwounds on a Schecter Stiletto. Having played them for hours daily, they've held up beautifully, and have a great feel and sound. For reference, they're much less bright than High Beams, kind of a vintage sound. With active electronics, I can get many different tones at will.

 

[FourBanger]

Stainless steel strings can wear frets. My experience was with a guitar. My LP Special needed a refret after about seven years of stainless steel string use. I had it refret with stainless steel frets to slow wear further but sold it before any would've developed.

If it comes up for you, invest in the stainless frets if you want to use stainless roundwounds on your bass.

 

[Brad Johnson]

IME stainless steel frets aren't needed to avoid wear with SS strings. More likely how the bass is being played is a bigger culprit.

I do a lot of bending but don't have to use much force to do it. Result? Practically no long term fret wear.

 

[JimmyM]

All I know is I wear frets down a lot slower since I switched to nickels.

 

[Toptube]

Stainless steel roundwounds WILL eat your frets, but it generally takes 10 years or more before they need refretting.

exactly. This is getting a bit off topic but, if you like the tone you get with some stainless strings (insert favorite type here) then use them! Even if it takes just five years to wear the frets enough to need replacing, that's a good amount of time!

The impression I get is that people don't think you should ever have to get any frets changed. and if you do, then there must be a problem/that bass/those strings suck. Well you do, eventually, have to get frets replaced. A refret or partial refret every 5 - 10 years is not out of line.

Stainless frets should increase the time between needing frets replaced, but they may also change your tone. From what I've read, it safe to say that they probably will add some clank to your bass and make your tone a bit brighter. A lot of people probably don't want that. Especially people going for a fatter, warmer sound.

and again, if you have notable wear on your frets after using a set of stainless strings for a couple of months, let alone a few hours, there is something wrong with those frets.

 

[Gorn]

I bought a used MIM jazz bass which came with a new set of strings of my choice. On a whim I picked hi-beams. Damn fine strings. I like roto 66's, but these are better.

 

[Brad Johnson]

SS frets can definitely change your sound.

 

[chadds]

Well pooh. That's what happens when you get nickel strings.
Put some Hi Beams on next time.

All nickel strings die out and some people like that dead sound, or not. I have a set of Sadowsky's on my Jazz that died pretty much instantly, but I like and expected that worn in nickel sound.

Don't write them off because of that!

I've had Rotos die in a day and regularly get six hot sweaty summer gigs out of DR Sunbeams. I would say, "all strings die out".
Your body chemistry may favor stainless over nickel.
However subjective this may be, I don't like dead strings. I can make a live string sound dead (flat wound) but not vice versa.
For me Sunbeams keep a near to new sound for a long time. This time far exceeds D'Addarios.

 

[NickBEADG]

I just bought my first set of DR hi beams. I normally used slinkys, but I love these strings. They sound great and from what I hear last a long time and are gentle on the frets.

 

[tylerwylie]

I've had Rotos die in a day and regularly get six hot sweaty summer gigs out of DR Sunbeams. I would say, "all strings die out".
Your body chemistry may favor stainless over nickel.
However subjective this may be, I don't like dead strings. I can make a live string sound dead (flat wound) but not vice versa.
For me Sunbeams keep a near to new sound for a long time. This time far exceeds D'Addarios.

On my fretless, Stainless Roto's lasted longer than every other string I used. Including DR Hi Beams, DR Fat Beams, Fodera Stainless Steel, Fodera Nickel, Circle K, Dunlop Stainless Steel, Dunlop Nickel, Ernie Ball Slinkies, D'Addario Prosteels, GHS Pressurewounds.

I was baffled as I always heard that Roto's died faster than everything else. Though I think it's more that the Roto's kept their awesome mid range character throughout the life span of the string, but the treble content that doesn't really shine through on a fretless might've fallen away.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Me too. Silk seems unnecessary.

 

[Brad Johnson]

On my fretless, Stainless Roto's lasted longer than every other string I used. Including DR Hi Beams, DR Fat Beams, Fodera Stainless Steel, Fodera Nickel, Circle K, Dunlop Stainless Steel, Dunlop Nickel, Ernie Ball Slinkies, D'Addario Prosteels, GHS Pressurewounds.

I was baffled as I always heard that Roto's died faster than everything else. Though I think it's more that the Roto's kept their awesome mid range character throughout the life span of the string, but the treble content that doesn't really shine through on a fretless might've fallen away.

The treble content that fell away is likely referred to as dying.

I use Sunbeams Nickel strings on all of my fretlesses. The refrain close to full sound for a long time in my case.