4 Strings Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 One of the things I have learnt from this forum is there are other bass sounds apart from zingy roundwounds. I find it refreshing that on this forum there appears to be more discussion on strings than on so-called 'tonewoods' for our instruments. I find variations in strings fascinating. Flats are great, use them for Motown, perfect. For the funky band I needed some zing sometimes so I thought I'd try a set of Newtone Platinums. Came out of a request to Malcolm Newton regarding halfwounds. (He doesn't do those but is looking to add flats to his repertoire). He talked me into a set of Platinums on a round core, I ordered a set of 46-90s. They use a finer gauge of winding wire, apparently to give a smoother sound and a focus on the 'fundemental note' and are a 'balanced' set. Expensive but, I don't change strings anywhere near as often as I used to. They were fine, very good I thought and I got on fine, they gave a solid sound with the treble wound off on my 'Ray and plenty of zing for slap with the treble boosted. I had a mind to try Rotosound Solos next. Last night during some recording I snapped the 'A'. Replaced it with an I-don't-know-what roundwound (no silk, wasn't a Swing Bass) and I didn't realise what a difference a string could make. A nasty, clanky sound; a flappy, serrated feel; about half the output. I hadn't realised how good the Newtones were and how much I relied on their tone and equal output and how the important tension is. Another session today, I have swapped the 'A' for a better string from my arsenal of old spares, but it is still not the same, weaker, thinner sound. I'm now in a slight panic as I'm recording again today and March is a wonderfully busy month for music for me and I don't have a full set of Newtones. I realise this sounds like an ad but I have just ordered 3 sets (and 2 spare 'A's - no idea why but I've broken 2 in a year) which will hopefully be a couple of years worth (paid for by a gig next w/e!) as I'm now scared to buy anything else. I can recommend them out if its a mellower sound you need but with more life than flats, but until I reverted to other strings, I didn't realise how much I can recommend them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Where along the string did it break? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1363437104' post='2012672'] Where along the string did it break? [/quote] +1 My concern would be that though they might be great strings it's a no brainer if the strings are gonna break; even just rarely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 Both at the bridge. The first one was a Roto, the last one was a Newtone. I've no reason to believe it was the string's fault, I do dig in quite a bit though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 I'd check the saddle for rough edges that might be damaging the string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 Well, that would be the obvious thing but being a 'ray its just a tube. Just one of those things, I'm not worried by it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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