Strings that didn't impress you.

[gjones]

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1382705670' post='2255669']
Indeed. I've just had some more delivered and are now on all 3 basses.
[/quote]

I didn't like them at all. I went back to my DR Hi Beams and Rotosound Swing bass. They feel cheapo.

[Dingus]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1382696095' post='2255488']
Strings are a very personal thing. What suits one player won't necessarily suit another and even if find a set of strings that works for you one one bass that doesn't mean that they'll be as good on any other basses.

Personally I really haven't been able to get on with any of the DR sets I've tried. I bought a 4 different sets after reading lots of rave reviews on here, but hated all of them. Mostly they felt slack - particularly the E and low B strings. Could get them off my basses quick enough.

Also I've never tried Elixiers because of bad experiences with the strings on guitars. Horrible feel which made me want to wash my hands immediately after playing them.
[/quote]

I wholeheartedly agree with BRX on all these points . I wish I could find one set of strings that is perfect and then use the same ones on any bass , but the reality is that, for most people, different strings are best suited to different basses , and which strings those are depends on who is playing them . I can still remember the first set of strings I ever bought - Rotosound Swing Bass - and well over thirty years later , I'm still looking for the ideal set. If this thread continues for long enough I'm sure every brand and model of string will be cited by someone as being disappointing .

I love the sound of DR strings and I have never had a duff string from the myself , , but I find the hex core ones way too stiff , and on most basses the round core ones are a bit too elastic, so that rules them out for me in most instances unless a bass has a particulaly stiff feel to play with other strings . Warwick Black Label are just right in terms of tension but lack top end sparkle and are very dull straight from the packet and then die off quickly from there . I used Dean Markley Randy Jackson Signature Alchemy strings for a while and they were great in so much as they felt good and had a unique tone , but the coating flaked off after a while and then Dean Markley discontinued them as Randy subsequently buggered off and started using EB Cobalts . Shame , as I liked them quite a lot . I don't like the Cobalts , though , especially considering the price . Despite the marketing hype , I can discern absolutely no advantage over strings costing half the price . Just another very average set of strings with nothing to recommend them over regular Ernie Balls or anything else similar , I'm afraid.

Edited October 25, 2013 by Dingus

[Ziphoblat]

Ernie Balls.. just can't stand the feel, really rough and uncomfortable, to the point of feeling "sticky". I also tried some DR strings which were literally 3x what I usually pay for Rotos, don't feel that I got anything for the added cost

[LiamPodmore]

Anything made by Rotosound. I've got a set of Swing Bass upstairs that spent about 10 minutes on my P bass. I have a set of Picato flatwounds that don't even sound dire, because they don't make enough of an audible sound, just a thud, and then the last set of Ernie Balls (whose strings i used for many years) died after 6 days, so i changed to Elixirs.

Liam

[uncle psychosis]

I am going through a phase of obsessively worrying about strings. I keep changing my mind as to what I want. Its distracting me from just playing the damn thing.

[Bassassin]

Roto Swing Bass. Started using these back in the dark ages, impressed by the Entwistle/Geddy/Burnel etc endorsements. I put up with dead-out-of-the-pack A strings & a useable life of 2 rehearsals or half a gig for far too long before trying better (and usually cheaper) alternatives.

These days it's either Elixirs or two-packs-for-a-tenner Ebay rubbish. Which invariably last longer & sound better than Rotosh!ts

Jon.

[LeftyJ]

Rotosound Nexus (with black coating). Awful. I once received two sets for free as a tryout package and hated them. I put them on a G&L SB-2 (PJ) and a Cort Artisan B4 (active, dual Bartolini-licensed soapbars) and they sounded awfully dry and a bit thin on those basses, especially on the Cort. I'd never get them again.

[JTUK]

I've been through loads of sets and I like them to sound lively and therefore relatively fresh.

I lost faith in DR's consistancy..altho they were for years, the only thing I'd use...

XL pro's just don't have enough for me... they're ok to get you out of a hole, but I've given away all my sets now anyway.

I liked Super Steps for the taper on all strings so I got Newtone to do the same and I get 3 or 4 sets made up in a run.
They aren't super bright but they last well and I can make 3 or 4 sets last best part of a year.
They come straight off when they get thumpy and dull... it isn't so much the sound that does for them, but the feel of gunky strings.

Sometimes they clean up well enough for another run.

DR's used to clean up well quite a few times, but something changed and when they no longer did that, I moved on..

Ken Smiths were good... but sometimes it is the gauges that suit more than anything else.
I like the idea of 45's but they really don't suit me... so something between 40-45 works best.

Edited October 25, 2013 by JTUK

[Karnage]

By far the worst ever were some Trace Elliot strings quite a few years back. Most of the low E strings went suddenly dead in about 10 or 15 mins, we found there was a fault in one of the winding lairs in the batch that meant that layer was breaking, acting as a damper for the string!!! Sounded like they were 20 years old in a flash!! Was working for GAK at the time, and we sent loads back!!

Rotosounds are higher tension than the likes of EB, Elixir, DR etc, whether guitar or bass, so when switching to or from them, the instrument needs setting up for the change. Put them on a guitar with a floating term and watch it get pulled way up!

IMO having the tension of a thicker set without the benefit of that mass driving the pickups isn't my ideal plan.

[molan]

I had a set of Maxima gold stings on a Warwick once and they made my fingers go black and blister!

Turned out I have a low level allergy to gold so I can't really blame it on the strings, lol.

Really didn't like Chromes and had some Rotosounds that shredded fingers as well

[Stacker]

I thought Elites were bad but nothing compared to the Roberts duds I got off ebay. I sent them back and got more of the same POS by return! Avoid that name!

I pretty much stick with Warwick Reds these day apart from Status Hotwires on some of the fretlesses.

[Graham]

I don't like Rotosounds - sound dead and feel very abrasive on my fingers.

DR Nickel Lo-Riders are my favourite, but I think I'll have to switch to Ernie Ball next time I re-string to keep the cost down.

[thodrik]

D'addario half-rounds, I like D'addario strings but these were just not the right strings for me.

[Dom in Dorset]

The most interesting thing uncovered in this thread so far is that Rotosounds aren't too popular.

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='Dom in Somerset' timestamp='1382780821' post='2256446']
The most interesting thing uncovered in this thread so far is that Rotosounds aren't too popular.
[/quote]

I've had a few conversations where I've asked:

"Why do you use Rotosounds?"

"I've always used Rotosounds"

"You've never tried anything else?"

"Nope"

A few people have said because Billy Sheehan or John Entwistle or some other player uses them. I'm often surprised at how little bass players are prepared to experiment with different strings.

[Dom in Dorset]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1382786582' post='2256522']
I've had a few conversations where I've asked:

"Why do you use Rotosounds?"

"I've always used Rotosounds"

"You've never tried anything else?"

"Nope"

A few people have said because Billy Sheehan or John Entwistle or some other player uses them. I'm often surprised at how little bass players are prepared to experiment with different strings.
[/quote]
Personally as far as my jazz goes I don't want to f@ck up my set up, different makes have different tensions even with the same gauges and materials. My jazz neck is so sensitive I just don't want to risk it.
I've ex[erimented with several different strings for fretless and found something I like, those strings seem to last for ages so I probably won't experiment again for a long time.
I might try something else on my cheapie P bass but yet again the set up is so good with my usual that I'm not sure it's worth it.

[Dingus]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1382786582' post='2256522']
I've had a few conversations where I've asked:

"Why do you use Rotosounds?"

"I've always used Rotosounds"

"You've never tried anything else?"

"Nope"

A few people have said because Billy Sheehan or John Entwistle or some other player uses them. I'm often surprised at how little bass players are prepared to experiment with different strings.
[/quote]

I think Rotosound are great-sounding strings , but it's just everything else that goes with them that puts me off . The actual tone fresh out of the packet is fabulous , but ... we all know it doesn't last long enough and the fret wear is frightening .
I used to like Elites Stadium Series , but I'm sure that they aren't the same as they used to be because they seem to die off much quicker and don't sound as good as they used to . Back in the 1990's they used to last for ages and sound great, but now they sound so-so and die off quickly.

[Green Alsatian]

Picato Flatwounds - I thought I'd give 'em a go and while they feel nice - really smooth, pleasant compliance, they just sound lifeless and dull. I'll go back to the TI flats. Incidentally, has anyone ever tried the TI roundwounds? If so, what are your thoughts on them?

Just read Dingus' reply regarding Elites Stadium Series - they were my go-to string in the 90s. I'd use medium guage on the Rick and extra-light on the Jazz. I found that in recent years that they didn't seem to last or sound as pleasant as I remember them.

[Marvin]

I put Roto's on my P bass and didn't like them at all.

I also put some Fender strings on my Ibanez (because apparently they're made by D'Addarrio which is what i usually use) and that failed misereably.

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1382791697' post='2256596']
I think Rotosound are great-sounding strings , but it's just everything else that goes with them that puts me off . The actual tone fresh out of the packet is fabulous , but ... we all know it doesn't last long enough and the fret wear is frightening .
I used to like Elites Stadium Series , but I'm sure that they aren't the same as they used to be because they seem to die off much quicker and don't sound as good as they used to . Back in the 1990's they used to last for ages and sound great, but now they sound so-so and die off quickly.
[/quote]

Exactly, love the sound of them for a couple of days but too many dead strings straight out the packet, too many breakages. Shame

[drTStingray]

Rotosound Jazz Bass 77 flats. Far too much tension for my liking - put me off playing the basses I fitted them to. I would go so far as to say, for me, made the basses virtually unplayable for anything but v simple parts.

It's not a me v flats thing either - I have thomastiks on a Classic Ray and Ernie Ball Group 3s on a Ray fretless and love them. These have sensible string tension as well!!

Favourite rounds? EB hybrid slinky, EB cobalts (particularly brilliant on a Classic Stingray), DR Marcus Miller fat beams, and believe it or not Rotobass 95-35 guage - have these on an HH Ray - it sounds very Mark King in tone (especially twin H slap) - AND they haven't died like their 66s do - must check fret wear sometime ...........

Back in the late 70s and early 80s I didn't know anything but Rotosounds - in fact that may been all that was really available - at least in the shops I went to. My Ray must have shuddered when I swapped out the OE strings!!!!

Edited October 26, 2013 by drTStingray

[Dingus]

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1382807301' post='2256833']
Rotosound Jazz Bass 77 flats. Far too much tension for my liking - put me off playing the basses I fitted them to. I would go so far as to say, for me, made the basses virtually unplayable for anything but v simple parts.

It's not a me v flats thing either - I have thomastiks on a Classic Ray and Ernie Ball Group 3s on a Ray fretless and love them. These have sensible string tension as well!!

Favourite rounds? EB hybrid slinky, EB cobalts (particularly brilliant on a Classic Stingray), DR Marcus Miller fat beams, and believe it or not Rotobass 95-35 guage - have these on an HH Ray - it sounds very Mark King in tone (especially twin H slap) - AND they haven't died like their 66s do - must check fret wear sometime ...........

Back in the late 70s and early 80s I didn't know anything but Rotosounds - in fact that may been all that was really available - at least in the shops I went to. My Ray must have shuddered when I swapped out the OE strings!!!!
[/quote]

The only set of flats I have ever owned were a set of Rotosound Jazz Bass that I bought to put on an Ibanez fretless when I was a nipper . I cannot for the life of me remember why I thought I should put flats on it , because it was the '80's and no one used flats and no one bothered too much about wearing out fretless fingerboards, but for some reason that is now a mystery to me I shelled out for them and they were awful things that , as you say , were so stiff that only a champion arm wrestler could play them .

Re. buying Rotosound strings back in the day , how soon we forget in these days of the internet and the instant global exchange of information what things were like back in the olden days . If you wanted some new strings for your bass you went to the shop and asked for bass strings . A man with a beard muttered something about " these are alright" and you gave him some money , he handed you the packet of strings ( usually Rotosound) and took them home on the bus . There was no discussion about what you wanted , liked , didn't like ect. You then used the strings until they broke or wore out . Kids nowadays have no idea . And there was only three channels on T.V and on Sunday it was mainly religious programmes .

How have you been going on with those Cobalts , Dr T? I didn't like what I perceived to be a slightly higher tension , and I thought the sound was perfectly O.K , but no better than say a regular set of EB's or similar . In terms of performance , I can't see how they justify the price . I think they feel a lot like stainless steel under the fingers , too (that's not a criticism, just an observation.)

Edited October 26, 2013 by Dingus

[bubinga5]

Rotosound.. awful. last as long as a week. i will never buy another string but DR's.. expensive, but imo they are easily the best on the market.

Edited October 26, 2013 by bubinga5

[Green Alsatian]

I remember the first time I ventured into town to buy a new set of strings for the Kay P-bass that started me off in 1989. It had a roundwound D & G and two flatwound E strings for the E and A. (not to mention action you could slip your pinkie under at the dusty end of the neck - no concept of setups!)

Anyway, one of them snapped as it was rotted and I went into Rushworths in Liverpool and asked for a set of bass strings. I'd accompanied many a guitarist friend, seeing them getting their Ernie Ball Regular Slinkies for £3 or whatever it was back then. "A set of bass strings please mate!". "What guage would you like?". "Err... what have you got?". "Light, Medium, Heavy." "I'll have a set of heavy please." Rotosounds.

It was quite a shock to learn that a set of strings was about £12 then, but I had my part-time glass collector job which got me my pocket money. I went with heavy guage, reasoning that they'd last longer. I suppose if anything, it did me a favour - learning bass on heavy guage strings helped strengthen my fingers and toughen up the tips. It wasn't until I started reading Bassist magazine that I started picking things up like setups and how string guages affect playability, as until then, I knew no other bassists. My mates would go "f***in' hell, they're like brake cables!" when they'd have a go of it!

Edited October 26, 2013 by Green Alsatian

[Prime_BASS]

Played forever on EB super slinkies but never really liked them but when I started I didn't realise there was as much choice as there was.

Played with Dr and I like the sound but the tensions per string were just too un-even for me and after a few too many sets with dead strings I gave up on them.

Found the best string to be D'addario nickel wounds, when I got my Sandberg from Oli on here. Now I'm using the balanced tension sets as they are even more even and are still under £20 which I think is cheap for quality bass strings.

been meaning to try a P-bass with a set on as I've hated all previous tries with other strings on.

Coincidently the guitarist uses D'ardarrio too.