You only have one bass to do it all. What strings does it wear?

[JazzyJacuzzi]

You only have one bass to do it all -- from Elvis to Stevie Wonder, Queen, Foo Fighters and Due Lipa. What strings does it wear?

 

[GTHintz]

It depends on the bass it's going on. I feel like stainless roundwound can do it all though. You just want a string that brings out the best in your particular bass. Every string maker is going to sound a little different. Definitely going to feel and react to your fingers differently. I can say what I'd use for everything but it's also for my bass and how I play.

 

[CallMeAl]

I feel like I could go with just about any nickel round, broken in for a month. Currently my P bass wears DR Pure Blues, before that, Sunbeams.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Nickel rounds. Warmer than stainless, brighter than flats.

 

[Lowendchamp]

Sound sculpting is for gear heads I say go with what will comfortably get me through long gigs, flatwounds. If you don't know how good they feel on your fingers then you are missing out. The bright sound that others refer to is lost but can be rectified by good gear, i.e. pedals or effects from your sound guy and his/her plethora of gear and play things. I understand liking rounds but try sliding up and down the neck without irritation or finger noise and you will be on flats for life!

 

[2saddleslab]

TI flats.

 

[michael_t]

I understand liking rounds but try sliding up and down the neck without irritation or finger noise and you will be on flats for life!

This is why I use GHS Pressurewounds. All the roundwound tone I need but without the irritation or finger noise of typical rounds. I was once a flatwound enthusiast, only to realize they weren't providing the tone I wanted.

 

[winegamd]

I only have one bass to do it all, Zon Legacy Elite with LaBella Gold White Nylons.

 

[woodyng2]

You only have one bass to do it all -

 

[GIBrat51]

Well, with the caveats that:
1. Even with as many basses as I have now - and I have a lot of them - I have no desire to play "it all" - at all; and
2. If I was only allowed to have one bass, I wouldn't have any. But, with that said...
In the spirit of the enquiry... I guess I would simply leave the TIJF's on my '95 Alembic Epic; practice until I could comfortably play those Flexi-flats with a pick; and call it a day...

 

[pingvuiini]

Tapes

 

[REV]

Everyone knows that the bass picks the strings.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

You only have one bass to do it all -- from Elvis to Stevie Wonder, Queen, Foo Fighters and Due Lipa. What strings does it wear?

Elixir nickel rounds. Medium guage.

 

[smeet]

I have a few very nice basses, but I'm going to sell all but one, because that's the only one I ever want to play. It's had mostly nickel rounds (Dunlop Super Brights), but I've also used Cobalt rounds, Hi Beams, and a few other rounds. They all work. I've been playing rounds of various types for decades, and although I have my preferences, they all work for pretty much any style.

I never understand why some people say rounds are so hard on their hands. I play a lot, I slide a lot, and I have invisible and not very hard callouses. After 3 or 4 hours of playing, my wrists and shoulder might be tired, but my fingertips are never sore on either hand.

 

[DavidEdenAria]

Sound sculpting is for gear heads I say go with what will comfortably get me through long gigs, flatwounds. If you don't know how good they feel on your fingers then you are missing out. The bright sound that others refer to is lost but can be rectified by good gear, i.e. pedals or effects from your sound guy and his/her plethora of gear and play things. I understand liking rounds but try sliding up and down the neck without irritation or finger noise and you will be on flats for life!

Thank you...i do use GHS Pressurewounds some but i like flats and agree lots can be done to make them brighter without the noise and clank.

Depends on the bass though....i am leaning towards a set of very smooth rounds such as TI rounds (except for the cost!) ....my old fingers have too much nerve pain and many rounds i cant play for long.

 

[DavidEdenAria]

I have a few very nice basses, but I'm going to sell all but one, because that's the only one I ever want to play. It's had mostly nickel rounds (Dunlop Super Brights), but I've also used Cobalt rounds, Hi Beams, and a few other rounds. They all work. I've been playing rounds of various types for decades, and although I have my preferences, they all work for pretty much any style.

I never understand why some people say rounds are so hard on their hands. I play a lot, I slide a lot, and I have invisible and not very hard callouses. After 3 or 4 hours of playing, my wrists and shoulder might be tired, but my fingertips are never sore on either hand.

We are all different....finger nerve pain is very real trust me...on top of that i need less tension or flats set very low action....i dont like string flop ive gotten from some rounds....but as i mentioned above, a set of very smooth rounds like TI may be next for me.

 

[GreyBeard]

Worn in D'Addario XL's on my P-Bass 5

 

[2F/2F]

Rotosound 77s, custom set: .045, .060, .085, .110 inch.

They are my third favorite strings (with the first two being LaBella DTB .110s and EB Cobalt .110 flats), but a bit more versatile sounding than the other two.

 

[Kevin Hailey]

Bass strings.
Sorry, not sorry.

 

[Leigh Semmens]

Whatever happens to be on my only Bass.