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Alternative strings to Elixir Nickels


pmarch57
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Any string recommendations for my Yamaha TRB5P-II? I’ve been using Elixir Nickels 40-100 with a tapered 130 B string for a while but they’re a little too bright and are a little stiff compared to the Yamaha strings that came on it.

I’ve tried Daddario XLs nickel and steels, Ken Smith bass burner nickels, Everly B52 and the original Yamaha’s that were 40-100 with 130 B string.

I’d like a fatter tone so would consider going up a gauge but whenever I’ve tried that I’ve found the string tension too high as it’s a 35” scale. It kills playability and changes the way notes evolve somehow.

So far I’ve found that to get a good B string tone I need a relatively heavy gauge (130) and tapered end so there is a more definite pivot point over the bride saddle.

I really liked the flexibility/low tension of the Yamaha strings but the B string wasn’t great.

Thanks, Phil. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'd have a look at the DR Sunbeams (nickel), they are definitively more flexible than the D'addario XL that where my go-to for years (thanks to a round core rather than a hexagonal core in the D'addarios), and for longer scale basses I have a feeling that they would do great. I think the B string is tappered too. They're a bit on the pricier side but they tend to stay fresh a bit longer.

On the same type of price range and concept, the Foderas are excellent as well, same concept (round core), tappered B string (caution when ordering; the 5 strings sets are available with or without tappered B), tone is great and duration on par with the DR and  much betetr than d'adadrios.

If you're in the UK, Newtone is local to you and will do everything you want him to string-wise, including same concepts than the DRs and Foderas ... I wish they were still an option for me ...

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