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Strings - the difference that they make (and why is my taste expensive?)


mcnach

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Well, I fancied something lower tension as an experiment (albeit an expensive experiment) and people seem to rave about the Thomastiks but like all such things unless you try you won't know! If they're too floppy for me I'll try and pass them on and try something else. And probably end up with Rotos......that's the madness of it for you!

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19 minutes ago, phil.c60 said:

If they're too floppy for me I'll try and pass them on and try something else. And probably end up with Rotos......that's the madness of it for you!

Not mad at all. Strings are so important it makes sense to try as many different types as possible. Took me years to settle on my favourites yet I'll still break out and try something new occasionally.

Edited by discreet
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11 minutes ago, Mister RLP said:

Where do Chromes appear on the floppiness scale? Are they more taut than La Bellas?

The Chromes are a little bit more taught  I would say, the La Bella's come in L, R and H, gauges if I remember correctly.

I use the FL-lights.

Edited by Highfox
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3 minutes ago, Mister RLP said:

Are La  Bellas worth giving a go? Really like Chromes but hear a lot of good things about La Bellas. 

Only you can say. I wanted to try them for ages but was put off by the price. I'm glad I finally did, they're my favourite flatwounds. They are actually good value, unlike rounds they just sound better and better over time and they will outlast you.

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4 minutes ago, Mister RLP said:

Thanks. Are La  Bellas worth giving a go? Really like Chromes but hear a lot of good things about La Bellas. 

I can't answer that for you I'm afraid. Such a personal choice.

I can say I have been through a lot of flats and have gone back to the La Bella's.

 

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3 hours ago, discreet said:

Only you can say. I wanted to try them for ages but was put off by the price. I'm glad I finally did, they're my favourite flatwounds. They are actually good value, unlike rounds they just sound better and better over time and they will outlast you.

 

Have you tried their white nylon tapewounds?

I wonder how the flats compared to them with regards to feel? I really like how "controlledly floppy" they feel. I'd love to find a set of flatwounds (no tapewound) with the same feel.

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For about 20 years I would swear by Elite Stadium Roundwound strings but for the last few years I've been using Ernie Ball Super Slinky' s. I might go back to Elites as there seems to be some lovd for them on here. Plus I've been a bit disappointed on the Super Slinky's lately.

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I got my Lakland back from the guitar shop who were re-stringing it yesterday, the difference in sound is night and day - there's actually articulation on the B string now. The whole bass sounds like a blanket's been taken off the fretboard.

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For about 20 years I would swear by Elite Stadium Roundwound strings but for the last few years I've been using Ernie Ball Super Slinky' s. I might go back to Elites as there seems to be some lovd for them on here. Plus I've been a bit disappointed on the Super Slinky's lately.

The only  rounds (so far) that sounded good (to me) on my Matt Freeman P Bass were Ernie Ball Super Slinky' s. Everything else sounded a bit harsh. I'm used to the Chromes that I have had on for about six years. However, the Fender Flea bass I bought sounds great with the stock rounds it came with (Fender?), Ok with Fender flats (tension a bit too high), rather good with the Chromes off the P Bass. Will end up putting back the stock strings - even though it was the showroom bass and the strings are worn in. Maybe that's why I like them? 

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You're not too far from Brighton - my suggestion is, why not pop into the Status showroom and see if they have something strung with their own tapewounds?? Dawn is lovely, and will generally help out where possible. Give them a ring beforehand to see if it's OK to pop in..

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I've just fitted the Thomastik Jazz flats to my L2000 and first impressions are that I think they'll be fine - they don't feel too floppy to me. 

There is a slight bit of fret buzz as the truss rod needs a tweak but I don't have the correct allen key to hand (plus the bullet nut looks decidedly second hand, and its down the hole a fair way, and a bit off-centre.......) but it sounds great  - one tone in particular has really caught my ear so I'm going to gig with it tonight and see how it goes. I'll take a Precision too though just in case!

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2 hours ago, TheGreek said:

You're not too far from Brighton - my suggestion is, why not pop into the Status showroom and see if they have something strung with their own tapewounds?? Dawn is lovely, and will generally help out where possible. Give them a ring beforehand to see if it's OK to pop in..

There's a Status showroom in Brighton? This is dangerous information, I thought they were based in Essex though?

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On 1/8/2018 at 18:56, TheGreek said:

[Status tapewounds are] available in 40s and 45s and are priced at around £16 for a four string set. The medium length are long enough for your typical 34" scale bass [...]

Having found myself in need of some strings for a Mustang Bass this week, this got me curious enough to order a couple of 45-105 sets of the Status medium length tapewounds at £13.99 + VAT, which arrived the next day by first class post.

Measuring from the inside of the ball, each string has 28mm of bridge end silk, and it's 905mm to the nut end silk, with the total length of the string being 1195mm. So yes, you can happily fit these to a typical 34"-scale bass with a top-loaded bridge - I've tried them on my Jazz, and the silk on all four strings ends up about 5mm above the nut, which is just about right. They fit fine on the Mustang (30" scale, through-body) as well.

In terms of finish, they're very similar to the D'Addario ETB92 set I'd normally use. The only downside is that the G is a bit light for my taste - these are 45 65 85 105, where the D'Addarios are 50 65 85 105 - but it's hard to complain for the price!

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There's a Status showroom in Brighton? This is dangerous information, I thought they were based in Essex though?

 

That would be cool if there was. No, I meant in Colchester. Took daughter up to look round Essex Uni last year. Not sure she would have been happy with me skiving off to look at basses though. Just as well I didn't know. 

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A couple of years ago I decided to try a different make and model of string of every month.

I went through GHS Boomers, Dunlop Superbrights and Ernie Ball Slinkies.

Then I got my first set of Hi Beams, after that there didn't seem any point in continuing the experiment as the Hi Beams made the exact 'pefect' sound I'd had in my head for years.

Edited by Cato
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28 minutes ago, Cato said:

Then I got my first set of Hi Beams, after that there didn't seem any point in continuing the experiment as the Hi Beams made the exact 'pefect' sound I'd had in my head for years.

Had the same experience with Fat Beams, my favourite rounds. Forget about the Marcus association, it means nothing.

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