Strings that didn't impress you.

[kendall]

Cheers Dom - I have been considering these as it happens. Going shopping tomorrow - let's see how they go!

[Pow_22]

D'Addario Chromes - awful boxy clickety tone. Funnily enough i loved their Halfrounds. My flats of chocie are Picato or Fender

[Mornats]

I've never liked Ernie Ball Super Slinkys. They always sounds clangy, overly bright and cheap. There seems to be no warmth in them at all. I guess that suits some but not me.

[cameltoe]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1384456204' post='2277016']
Speaking of strings, this thread has just inspired me to ge through my string box and do some tidying up . As a result , I have realised that I have got several sets of brand new strings that I will never use now for one reason or another , so I am going to sell them all for an incredibly reasonable price here on Basschat . I need to get them sorted out and buy some jiffy bags to post them ect , but there are at least three brand new sets of Lakland stainless steel roundwounds gauged 45-105 , a set of DR Sumbeams 45-105, a couple of sets of Fender nickel and a set of D'Addario XL's that I got two days ago . All the strings are brand new with a maximum of an hours playing time , but mostly about ten minutes use unti once again l I realise I have wasted more money on strings I don't like , and they are all cut for a strings- thru- body Fender- style bass. It will take me a while to get organised enough to post them , but if anyone wants first refusal on anything mentioned , drop me a P.M . Doubtless , when I sell them I will then spend that money on more strings I don't like very much and keep this thread going .
[/quote]

Yep, I'll have the Sunbeams!

[Grassie]

Rotosound swing bass sets - every pack I've bought have died after the first gig, Warwick yellow label nickel wounds - dead straight out of the pack (their red label stainless strings are marvellous by the way), flatwounds - not for me I'm afraid, tried them, couldn't get on with them, Elites stainless roundwounds - haven't bought any for years but always used to fade really quickly too. I once bought a set of Trace Elliott Mark King signature strings - beyond rubbish. It's Warwick Reds for me now, all the way.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Grassie

[4000]

Most of them. Although it will always vary according to what bass they're on. Have never liked Elites, Fender or Labellas.

[AntLockyer]

Hi beams on my Jazz. Bit clangy and loose feeling. Also feel really skinny under my fingers. Saying that I'm tuned to Eb most of the time on that bass which isn't helping the tension.

[kendall]

Ended up buying the Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkys, somehow - the price of the D'Addarios felt a bit too much! They feel ok, set up nice and easy and sound pretty good. Certainly an improvement on the Rotosounds. Have to see how long they last.

[AntLockyer]

[quote name='AntLockyer' timestamp='1384621861' post='2278873']
Hi beams on my Jazz. Bit clangy and loose feeling. Also feel really skinny under my fingers. Saying that I'm tuned to Eb most of the time on that bass which isn't helping the tension.
[/quote]

I've tuned to E and given a fraction more relief to the neck and I'm happier than I was when I wrote that. Will see how they standup.

[bassmanrob]

Encore 45's are among the cheapest I have tried, although they are not terrible, I think it is worth spending that bit more on something good.

[Dingus]

Has anyone ever tries Thomastic Jazz Bass roundwounds? They look interesting , but are in a very perculiair set with an . 89 E string . I wonder what they are like . It's a lot of money to waste on a wierd set of Austrian light gauge strings. No doubt I will give in to my curiosity eventually.

Edited November 21, 2013 by Dingus

[KevB]

Despite the received wisdom of many other players I still feel that for what I do the influence of the strings is absolutely minimal to my overrall sound. First a couple of qualifications. I'm talking about like for like in terms of types (rounds v rounds, flats v flats) and my 'overrall sound' is what the audience hears in a band context, not me noodling around in my spare room straining my ears for the tiniest differences in sonic profile. And its mostly down to feel, I don't hear much difference in roundwounds from lots of manufacturers covering reasonably wide prices. Through the years I've used Roto's, Ernie Ball, Elixir, Elite, Fender and no doubt a few others. My rig still sounds like my rig and it still sounds like me playing it. If I'm comfortable with the feel of the string then I'll play with more confidence than something that doesn't quite sit right under my fingers irrespective of the apparent 'superiority' of that brand. The fact that I've mostly been in pub covers bands knocking out rock/pop plays a part too, if I got into heavy dub or something I'd have to rethink what strings to use just as I would the EQ settings on my amp. But it wouldn't make me rush out and buy any particular brand of string any more than going out and buying another amp. I'm currently gigging quite a lot and usually the same bass. I've been using some £5:99 jobs and gigged heavily they last 6-8 months and I'm using a pick most of the time. I've had some very complimentary comments on my tone from both band members and audience. How many of the different brand strings we buy actually start off in the same factory and just get packaged and priced for whatever the 'name' company thinks they can get away with?

[Mr Arkadin]

That's exactly how I am KevB. I mean read this thread: every string manufacturer seems to get a mention, so where are the good strings?

I am trying DRs instead of Rotosounds as the Rotos are getting a lot of hate, but I like Rotos for six-string guitar and have noticed no problems. I guess although I love the Chris Squire sound he can afford a new set every gig - I can't.

Maybe I'm not fussy enough. I see things that other people talk exhaustively about do not bother me: neck profiles, neck coatings, rosewood vs maple fretboards, scale length, thin frets vs fat frets, knocking back the volume knob for subtle drive differences (mine stays on 10) and of course string make. The only things I fuss about are string gauge and getting the intonation right. Oh, I don't like coated strings though. Other than that I can't be arsed.

[KevB]

But is Chris Squire using the same brand strings he was using in, say, the early 70's? Did he sound any less like CS then and realistically how much of a difference to his sound through the years has actually been down to his choice of strings? Half the time we can't even be sure which bass he was using never mind the strings on it

[Mr Arkadin]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1385051650' post='2283896']
But is Chris Squire using the same brand strings he was using in, say, the early 70's?
[/quote]

In every interview I've seen new or old he says Rotosound Swing Bass - new set every night. I think his sound comes from them being new for every gig, probably more so than the brand.

[Dingus]

Could I take this oppotunity to shamelessly plug the fact that I having a string clearout and now have Lakland stainless steel, DR Sunbeams and D'Addario XL's 45-105 sets to sell ( all great stings, by the way , and not dissappointing) , all cut for a string-thru-body Fender tuning configuration , hardly used. PM me for details , or see my ads.

Buy them and I will use the money to buy new , as yet untested sets of exotic strings that also inevitably won't suit me for one reason or another and keep this thread going indefinitely.