mcnach Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 It's a bit embarrassing that after all these years I haven't paid enough attention to the strings. I mean, I have... I have experimented with various flats, pressurewounds, nylon tapewounds, but rounds are rounds, right? Sure, tehre are differences between brands, some are coarser to the touch, some feel "tighter" (something about the core being round or hexagonal too?)... When I started playing bass, after years of guitar, I just went with the same brand I liked on guitar: D'Addario. Nickels. Then I ran with it. Over time I would be exposed to other strings. I noticed some strings felt a bit different, in a way I really liked. But I always thought it was the bass they were on which made them sound that way, bouncy, and just tight-sounding (hard to describe). Then, I discovered DR fat beams. Steel. I like those a lot. Not cheap. But I like them, so I bought more and more. Used only on one bass or two (Stingrays). I still did not make teh steel/nickel connection. Then, I got tired of the flats on my Squier Precision CV50, and fitted this set of Warwick Red Label I had in my drawer... They were pretty cheap strings at under £12 delivered. Pretty coarse to the touch but... hey, that feel, the bounce... the sound, it's pretty much all there. Wait... They're stainless steel too! So I have FatBeams, D'Addario ProSteel and FlexSteels, Fender Steels, Rotosound steels and Warwick Red Label steel... and some are nicer than others but... they all have "it". What a difference it makes!!! I understand they're not for everyone. I don't like the initial brightness... the almost slight mid-scoop sound... but after a few days they're perfect. I can tame the zing (which they have in spades) easily with a passive tone control in my Precision/Jazz, or the treble control on the Stingray, and they have very nice tight low mids... maybe not so much because of the strings but also because of the way they feel, which I like, and allows/makes me pluck strings in a certain way. Bottomline: You're not entirely happy with your bass, you think it is missing a bit of "thump"? Try some steels if you haven't, maybe you'll like them. Warwick Red Label, at <£12 are fantastic value, if a little coarse. The Fat Beams are the most expensive I tried, at ~£35... The others are all £18-20 or so. So, strings, eh? Some of the cheapest parts in a bass, and so often overlooked! They transformed my Precision. I had the original strings on (Fender nickels) since late October... By late december they had lost a lot of the brightness and the last few gigs in January it wasn't so good. I put a set of Fat Beams on it and it's become a lot better (for me)... I used a lot the tone control at rehearsal last night... the slap sound was fantastic, the fingerstyle fat and defined... Amazing change. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctorbass Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Im a firm believer that one of the biggest changes / upgrades that you can make to your bass is a string change. Usually much cheaper and almost always more dramatic than a PU swap for example. String swapping can get a bit obsessive for some but it improves your basic set-up skills in the process! And I agree, roundwound steels are great - I use Rotosound 66's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Same here, I`ve tried many different strings but for me, Roto Steel Rounds - and well worn in ones - are the strings for me. If needing a warmer sound I swap to Roto Nickel Rounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Froggy Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 After I broke the D'Addario nickels that came with my bass I replaced them with the only heavy gauge bass strings in my local music shop, rotosound 66 steels and I love em! I don't have the experience to really say what the differ nice is, but they just seem right. Really happy with em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 [quote name='doctorbass' timestamp='1423822792' post='2689351'] Im a firm believer that one of the biggest changes / upgrades that you can make to your bass is a string change. Usually much cheaper and almost always more dramatic than a PU swap for example. String swapping can get a bit obsessive for some but it improves your basic set-up skills in the process! And I agree, roundwound steels are great -[b] I use Rotosound 66's.[/b] [/quote] I have a pack of those to try, probably this weekend. Just have to choose which bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I always say to people that strings are a major player when it comes to inherent tone shaping. Want more zing? More thump? Want a Motown/rock/jazz sound? Change your strings! Personally I love LaBella Stainless Steels; prefect tension, feel and tone for me. Like Lozz, I prefer them once worn in! I only change them every two years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Been using some steel roundwounds for the last year or two that are £6 delivered, sound fine to me. Had some comments about how good my bass sounds at gigs from ex bassists from the same band. Just ordered another couple of packs to have in stock for when current ones get tired just in case they put the price up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 [quote name='KevB' timestamp='1423831469' post='2689466'] Been using some steel roundwounds for the last year or two that are £6 delivered, sound fine to me. Had some comments about how good my bass sounds at gigs from ex bassists from the same band. Just ordered another couple of packs to have in stock for when current ones get tired just in case they put the price up! [/quote] Nice price. Care sharing, or are you afraid we'd eat up all the stock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I've mentiond them on other string related threads before and didn't want to be seen to be on a hobby horse. If you are interested they are these; [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coban-Bass-Guitars-DCG3-Bass-Guitar-Full-Set-4-Strings-45-105-Deluxe-Range-j78-/151583961517?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item234b1bb1ad#ht_3977wt_1144"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coban-Bass-Guitars-DCG3-Bass-Guitar-Full-Set-4-Strings-45-105-Deluxe-Range-j78-/151583961517?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item234b1bb1ad#ht_3977wt_1144[/url] At one time you could get them even cheaper if you bought multiple packs but that feature seems to have been dropped. I'm guessing they are just some far east bulk manufacturer that this shop then puts their own label on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Good thread. I'm totally over the moon with the Fender Flats, 9050ML. Never tried them until recently, and they have blown me away. The feel amazing, so superb, and not too bright - just right to me. I found some Flats to sound way too dead in the wrong environments, but these are just superb. I've tried a few Flats before, but never really bonded - tried GHS, Chromes, etc., and thought that I'd just be sticking back with rounds - until some online searching tweaked my interest in the Fenders. Highly recommended! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I like steels too. I find D'Addario Pro Steels are good value. You can bash them hard with a pick and they last a fair while. I find nickels too refined sounding. Roundwounds are off the menu too. I like a bit of clang, zing and fret buzz going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 (edited) [quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1423835459' post='2689531'] I'm totally over the moon with the Fender Flats, 9050ML. [/quote] Currently got these on my Jazz Deluxe IV. Such a difference over the strings it came with. They're very affordable, too. Agree with the above, a set of strings that suit you can make all the difference. As far as rounds go, I generally prefer nickels or nickel-plated purely because I find steels shred my fingers too much. Edited February 13, 2015 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 it took me 6 years to discover the wonders of stainless steel. D'Addario and Dunlop make excellent quality steel strings at a more than fair price. Favourites for me though are Elixirs, tone is practically the same but it stays fresh for months/years rather than weeks!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 When I used to play rounds, I liked steel better for the increased clank. They seem to come out a little less polite sounding than nickels for me. I've been on flats for several years now, so it's a while since I've had a set on, but I remember Warwick Red Label as being similar to Rotosound in a lot of ways, including the coarse feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happynoj Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I've been using Roto 66s for as long as I can remember. Always buy 4 string sets and a loose B string so that I can have 45-135. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I've found Roto and Warwick Reds to be very coarse too... Warwick EMP feel and sound a little nicer, but they're extremely expensive, and I found they dont last any longer than uncoated strings. Forgot to mention another nice brand of steel... Elites Stadium Series! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 [quote name='KevB' timestamp='1423835003' post='2689519'] I've mentiond them on other string related threads before and didn't want to be seen to be on a hobby horse. If you are interested they are these; [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coban-Bass-Guitars-DCG3-Bass-Guitar-Full-Set-4-Strings-45-105-Deluxe-Range-j78-/151583961517?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item234b1bb1ad#ht_3977wt_1144"]http://www.ebay.co.u...#ht_3977wt_1144[/url] At one time you could get them even cheaper if you bought multiple packs but that feature seems to have been dropped. I'm guessing they are just some far east bulk manufacturer that this shop then puts their own label on. [/quote] Well, at that price they certainly deserve to be checked out! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 [quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1423838380' post='2689578'] I've found Roto and Warwick Reds to be very coarse too... Warwick EMP feel and sound a little nicer, but they're extremely expensive, and I found they dont last any longer than uncoated strings. Forgot to mention another nice brand of steel... [b]Elites Stadium Series[/b]! [/quote] Aha!!!! Blast from the past!!! My first "good" bass was a Warwick Corvette $$. I bought it used. The strings were pretty dead but even then there was something really special going on. I assumed it was just the bass, but it clearly was both, as I could never get quite the same "thump" and bounce with any other string... I did ask the previous owner and he had Elites Stadium on, 50-110. I had just moved to bass pretty much and felt that was too manly a gauge for me and I didn't try those strings in another gauge... So, I could have discovered steel strings very early on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Stadium Elites on my Goodfellow Rumour, they feed that on board eq quite nicely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted February 21, 2015 Author Share Posted February 21, 2015 [quote name='KevB' timestamp='1423835003' post='2689519'] I've mentiond them on other string related threads before and didn't want to be seen to be on a hobby horse. If you are interested they are these; [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coban-Bass-Guitars-DCG3-Bass-Guitar-Full-Set-4-Strings-45-105-Deluxe-Range-j78-/151583961517?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item234b1bb1ad#ht_3977wt_1144"]http://www.ebay.co.u...#ht_3977wt_1144[/url] At one time you could get them even cheaper if you bought multiple packs but that feature seems to have been dropped. I'm guessing they are just some far east bulk manufacturer that this shop then puts their own label on. [/quote] I got a set of these to try. They're not as nice as... any of the others, really, but they're not horrible. I don't hate them, but I prefer any of the others I've tried so far. The gauge is a bit strange, the 105 string is only about 100, but none of the strings measured exactly what they're supposed to (other brands measurements are sot-on, pretty much), and the A string was a bit duller (in sound) than the rest. Not a lot, and once you play loud you won't notice unless you use a very bright sound. They feel softer to the touch than just about any of the other steel string I've tried, so that's a plus for some (I actually like the coarseness, but I also enjoy the softer nickel ones... both have their pros and cons). Straight out of the packet they feel less bright than any of the other steel string I've tried too. But they still have lots of top end. They just feel like I'd been playing them for a week or two already. At <£7 all in, they're very good value. I don't mind spending even 5-6x that for a set of strings that I like better, as they last me a few months, but if cost became an issue, I'd be between the Warwick Red Label (£11-12) and the Coban ones (£7). I prefer the Warwick's sound, but they are a little too coarse perhaps, and the Coban ones feel nicer and doesn't sound bad at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmo Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I changed strings to D`ddarrio. They didn`t sound much better than the original strings i had when i bought the bass. I thought i would try La Bella flat wounds. I had no idea what a flatwound sounded like. Now i have tried them I think it sounds much better than my round wounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 [quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1423822225' post='2689338'] So, strings, eh? Some of the cheapest parts in a bass, and so often overlooked! They transformed my Precision. [/quote] Yup! The cheapest and easiest way to transform your sound, IMO! A crap bass with good strings will sound decent. A good bass with crap strings probably won't. And I'm happy that McNach is a good customer of StringPing.com I'm a steel fan, myself! Nice and clear, and lovely for slap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 [quote name='KevB' timestamp='1423835003' post='2689519'] I've mentiond them on other string related threads before and didn't want to be seen to be on a hobby horse. If you are interested they are these; [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coban-Bass-Guitars-DCG3-Bass-Guitar-Full-Set-4-Strings-45-105-Deluxe-Range-j78-/151583961517?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item234b1bb1ad#ht_3977wt_1144"]http://www.ebay.co.u...#ht_3977wt_1144[/url] At one time you could get them even cheaper if you bought multiple packs but that feature seems to have been dropped. I'm guessing they are just some far east bulk manufacturer that this shop then puts their own label on. [/quote] Seems to be a "small-time" guitar brand, knocking out Fender and Gibson (and ovation) rip-offs. http://www.cobanguitars.co.uk/?blog= I have no idea of the quality of either their instruments or their strings. Judging by the photos, though, I wouldn't be surprised if they were a budget brand mass-produced in the far East, and sold in bulk to a supplier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 [quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1424545876' post='2697621'] Yup! The cheapest and easiest way to transform your sound, IMO! A crap bass with good strings will sound decent. A good bass with crap strings probably won't. [b]And I'm happy that McNach is a good customer of StringPing.com[/b] I'm a steel fan, myself! Nice and clear, and lovely for slap! [/quote] But I feel a bit dirty, ignoring my local shops and buying online instead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmachine2112 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 hiho,Dunlop super bright steels for me ,sound great and break in beautifully,excellent feel ,tension and loadsa tone . Had them on 4 months now 2 gigs a week and practice,still going strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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