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Wich set should I try next? D'addario or Rotosound?

C

ChaserHUN

Jul 18, 2020
114
27
36
Hungary
#1
Hey!

I play an Ibanez SR300EBL. We play in Drop A# as of now I am using Warwick Red Label stainless steel strings with .135 .095 .075 .055 gauges.
I feel the low A# could be a bit tighter. Currently I am getting 35.8 lbs, 40.6 lbs, 40.3 lbs and 39.6 lbs with theese gauges a total of 156.3 lbs.

I am thinking of the rotosound stainless steels with a .140 for the low A# wich would give me a 37.2 lbs a total of 157.7 lbs or d'addario pro steels with .145 for the low A# wich would give me 39.4 lbs a total of 159.9 lbs resistance.

Is it hard to play the 145? Is it too think? Should I get tapered at this thickness?

Also wich one do you prefer d'addario or rotosound and why?
 
Last edited:
#2
ChaserHUN said:
Hey!

I play an Ibanez SR300EBL. We play in Drop A# as of now I am using Warwick Red Label stainless steel strings with .135 .095 .075 .055 gauges.
I feel the low A# could be a bit tighter. Currently I am getting 35.8 lbs, 40.6 lbs, 40.3 lbs and 39.6 lbs with theese gauges a total of 156.3 lbs.

I am thinking of the rotosound stainless steels with a .140 for the low A# wich would give me a 37.2 lbs a total of 157.7 lbs or d'addario pro steels with .145 for the low A# wich would give me 39.4 lbs a total of 159.9 lbs resistance.

Is it hard to play the 145? Is it too think? Should I get tapered at this thickness?

Also wich one do you prefer d'addario or rotosound and why?
Click to expand...

Sorry, I can't offer any recommendations for this particular issue, but I am curious about where you were able to find tension information for the Warwick strings.
 
#5
ChaserHUN said:
Can differrent manufacturers tension differ that much? I tried DR beofre with same gauges, didn't felt muich differrence to the warwicks in tension.
Click to expand...

"Tension" as in pulling weight vs. "tension" as in stiffness/flexibility...

It's very possible for two sets of strings of the same gauges to have different tension figures (pulling weight), but more importantly, two sets of strings with similar gauges and tension can FEEL very different in terms of stiffness/flexibility. For example, GHS Boomers 45-105 vs. DR Sunbeams 45-105... Both nickel-plated steel roundwound, but they feel very different in terms of overall playing feel due to the difference in how they're constructed.

Tension figures are helpful as general guidelines, but they don't tell the whole story.
 
#8
I much prefer the TONE of the Rotos but I have only tried the 4-string sets so I can't comment on the B-strings.

For what it's worth my personal favourite on my SR300E turned out to be DR Hi-Beams. I'm normally more of a pure nickel guy but stainless steel is perfect for these SRs (and it seems like you've already come to the same conclusion yourself).
 
#10
ChaserHUN said:
Honestly soetimes my preferences change. I always loved the brightness of SS strings, but lsitening to samples now, I like the midrange punch of nickle strings.
Click to expand...
Over the years I’ve flip-flopped plenty of times on the SS vs Nickel thing. I keep different types of all of my basses. Some just work much better with a particular string.
 
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#12
ChaserHUN said:
Well I used stringjoys tension calculator, but I don't think so that there should be a huge differrence with the same gauge strings between differrent manufacturers
Click to expand...

A possible complication with using the Stringjoy tension calculator is that those numbers are really only valid and applicable for Stringjoy nickel-plated steel strings, so borrowing those numbers for Warwick stainless steel strings may not work, since the string construction and materials are different, even if the gauges are the same.
 
#13
Honestly giving it a lot of thought. I am going to try out Warwick Red Label Nickel Plated strings, with the same gauges except going for a .140 on the low A#. If I find it good I wil stick to them. All the other brands are like 3 times the money, and for only rehearsing once a week, I don't feel spending that much on strings. Maybe if we will go and record our new album in the summer. DRs died as fast if not faster than wareicks, only they were smoother on the fingers.
 

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